September 6th, 2018
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Chickens And Eggs, Sexy Brain Cells, Medical Gene Editing, Space Elevator, Color Hawk Eyes, Meals And Mating, Medieval DNA, Plant Promises, Old Cheese, Ladies Follow Ladies, Self-aware Fish, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from the show? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
The distant future is a long way off…
At least it used to be.
It used to be a lot further,
and much farther…
When people refer to the distant future these days,
They often mean what people used to mean when they would say that something was right around the corner…
From the beginning of space to the outer edges time…
The pace of things on planet earth is constantly picking up.
So every once in a while it’s worth slowing down…
And catching up on with all the wonderful things that go on in the world of
This week in Science
Coming Up Next…
Chickens And Eggs
In quantum weirdness, it doesn’t matter!
Sexy Brain Cells
Microglia look and act differently in the male and female mouse brains.
Medical Gene Editing
A very small trial of a CRISPR-based therapy to treat muscular dystrophy in dogs reported successful reinstatement of protein production in affected tissues.
Space elevator
Is this REALLY finally happening?
Harris Hawks have stunning color vision.
So I guess that’s another thing they can lord over Blair…
Are you hungry for steak or are you just happy to see me?
Cockroaches eat more protein with high mating frequency. So next time someone orders a meat-heavy meal, you can draw your own conclusions…
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Hello TWIS,
Just over two years ago I woke up one early one morning with pain in my
abdomen. The pain worsened rapidly and my wife decided a trip to the
emergency room might be in order. By the time we had completed the half hour
trip the pain was so bad that I was rocking back and forth while moaning
constantly, simply trying to cope.
The staff at the hospital did an excellent job of getting the pain under
control and proceeding with a diagnosis. 7 hours later I was undergoing
emergency surgery.
Turns out my bowel had twisted and blocked itself. I found out later that
this was, in my case, extremely rare. It generally only happens when there
has been pervious abdominal surgery where the bowel can catch on the scar.
My belly had been a surgical virgin until the knife hit it that afternoon.
I also found out that later that the injury is very time sensitive. The
bowel can go into sepsis after as little as twelve hours. That is bad, very
bad.
I now realise that for 99 point several 9s percent of human history I would
have experienced a very slow and agonising death.
As it was, thanks to the expertise of the medical staff I left the hospital
two days later with a few stitches and a prohibition on lifting for a few
weeks.
So, what has science done for me lately? Well there’s that.
Plus, of course, smart phones, safer vehicles, virtually unlimited access to
information, HD television, instant communication, streaming, a healthier
microbiome, pictures of Pluto,
productivity, instant banking, cleaner laundry, TWIS, a chance to feed the
world, a career, racing simulators, longer life expectancy, never washing
dishes, video games, some control of my cognitive biases, podcasts, robots,
more accurate weather forecasts, world travel, knowledge…..
Thanks for a very entertaining and informative show. Please keep up the
great work.
–Jorj ”
Medieval DNA
DNA shows us that people are just people.
Plant Promises
Australian scientists have managed to combine a CO2-eating carboxysome from blue-green algae with the cells of crop plants in the hopes that yieds will eventually increase some 60%.
Algae Future
Scientists in Cambridge have managed to wire photosynthetic bits from plants together with hydrogenase, an enzyme from algae, and water-splitting technology to improve upon nature’s designs, and possibly get us closer to cheaper, cleaner energy production.
Old Cheese
Cheese is older than bread.
Ladies Follow Ladies
Female vervet monkeys are more likely to copy other females than to learn from males. Whereas males aren’t as discriminating about their teachers.
Self-aware fish
Even the cleaner wrasse has enough self-awareness to know not to wear SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON CASUAL FRIDAY! LEARN HOW TO USE A MIRROR KAREN… FISH CAN!
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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August 30th, 2018
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Interview w/ Anil Ananthaswamy, Less Nutritious Air, AWAKE And Surfing, Ultima Thule Targeted, Service Shrimp, Turtle Trees, Poop Mom, Secret Head Tunnels, The Microbe Fog, Bionic Eye Alert!, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from the show? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Hey! You know that cool post you saw today?
You know the one.
The one that was funny, no scary!
No, thought-provoking….
No, it was the one that proved a point you already believed…
Well anyway, even though aunt Helen, or cousin Joe, or that cool girl Stacey,
or even your annoying but constantly present on social media coworker Karen
(no one cares about your cat’s inner monologue, Karen)!
Even though they shared it this morning,
there’s something we need you to do before you hit “share.”
Please, please, PLEASE!
For the love of Sagan,
CHECK YOUR FACTS FIRST!
Do a quick google,
look for dissenting articles,
or at the very least…
Click on the link first.
Because,
that KILLER SPIDER THAT KILLED 5 PEOPLE AND THEY’RE DEAD?
It was a woodlouse spider.
And it never killed anyone.
Ever…
So pull up a chair,
and a set of headphones,
grab your thinking cap,
and join us for some reasoned discourse,
meant for more than shares and likes
(though we wouldn’t say no to some)
Here on THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE!
Coming up next…
Interview with Anil Ananthaswamy
Anil Ananthaswamy is an award-winning journalist and former staff writer and deputy news editor for the London-based New Scientist magazine. He has been a guest editor for the science writing program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and organizes and teaches an annual science journalism workshop at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengaluru, India. He is a freelance feature editor for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science’s Front Matter. He contributes regularly to the New Scientist, and has also written for Nature, National Geographic News, Discover, Nautilus, Matter, The Wall Street Journal and the UK’s Literary Review. The Edge of Physics and The Man Who Wasn’t There were his first two books, and now he returns with Through Two Doors At Once, a book about the elegant double-slit experiment and its influence on our understanding of the quantum world.
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“So… this is more tech, but…
I was a smoker for a while, and by the end of 2013 I was smoking 2.5 to 3 packs a day (that, I’m sad to say, is not an exaggeration). A friend wanted to get me off cigarettes. I had tried things like the patch, the gum, etc, but it didn’t work.
My friend happened to work at a vape shop, and decided to try and get me on that.
To keep this whole thing short… within a couple months of vaping (that is, by early 2014) I had dropped cigarettes entirely and, fast forward to a couple months ago (this year), and I went 100% nicotine-free. Now, it’s true that I still vape, but that’s because, for some reason, it helps curb my sweet-tooth.There is no nicotine at all in what I vape, however. Just vegetable glycerin and strawberry nectarine flavoring. And also, it’s probable that I’m addicted to the actual act itself, as the simple ritual of building a coil, installing it in the atomizer, and wicking it is very relaxing, and I have an anxiety disorder so…
–Nathan Hevenstone”
Less Nutritious Air
Increased CO2 levels affect plants ability to absorb and incorporate nutrients.
AWAKE And Surfing
A new experiment at CERN is pushing the envelope for particle accelerator technology.
Ultima Thule Targeted
Farthest picture ever taken from Earth, New Horizon’s has it’s target in sight.
Cleaner shrimp? More like nurse shrimp, ammiright??
Cleaner shrimp also help fish heal. Now that’s service!
Motherhood is a load of crap
Or in naked mole rats, maternal instincts are because of it.
Turtle family tree coming in clearer.
A new discovery may help us clear up some long unsettled science business.
Secret Head Tunnels
Your brain and skull might have conversations about health. According to a new NIH-funded study, immune cells are more likely to travel to the damaged brain from the skull’s bone marrow than from other parts of the body. And, the cells move through special channels that connect the skull to the brain’s meninges.
Microbes like the fog
“Ride the wave!” they say. You should perhaps shut your windows…
Bionic Eye Alert!
The first 3-D printed bionic eye prototype has been reported.
TEENS JUST CAN’T EVEN
Understand inflection. Uh oh.
Pesticide Addicted Bees
Bees exposed to neonicitinoid pesticides are more likely to choose foods containing those same pesticides to eat.
Itokawa Story
Itokawa, a near-Earth asteroid from which Japan successfully brought back a sample of surface dust grains, is as old as the solar system, but experienced a unique collision event about 1.5 billion years ago that set it on a tragectory to be captured by Earth’s gravity.
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Don’t forget to tell a friend about TWIS, and to check out our Patreon page!
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Interview, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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August 23rd, 2018
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Neander-sovans, We’re Melting, Water On Moon, CRISPR Edits, Lazy Efficiency, Pointy Eggs, Life Is Older, Out There Ideas, Marijuana Worms, Bacterial Blood, Nerve Agent Nanobots, Steve Sky Glow, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from the show? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Not all plans play out like you plan them…
Leaving you muddled up.
This is why we plan things in the first place…
To avoid meandering about in the middle of a muddle without a map
And yet, even with the best laid plans…
We can wind up map-less in Muddlesville
But for the intellectually mindful,
even Muddlesville has its must see moments.
The unplanned adventure…
The unexpected detour…
The uncharted course…
All become potential gold mines for the otherwise inconceivable application of the unconventional opportunity to adapt…
In plain English if I must…
If there has ever been thing worth remembering,
it is this:
What you learn when things go wonky…
Teaches you more than you would ever learn if things just happened the way you had planned.
And nothing proves this more than the fact that you have meandered your way into another episode of…
This week In Science
Coming Up Next…
Neander-sovans
Or, Denisandertals? Looks like we have found the first hominid remains of a child with parents from different species.
Water On Moon
A new view of the moon’s shadowy craters finds proof of water ice on the moon.
CRISPR Edits
Using CRISPR, Chinese researchers edited base-pairs in early embryos to treat MArfan syndrome.
We’re Melting
Permafrost lakes are making things worse.
Survival of the laziest
Or perhaps, the most energy-efficient? So take that, mom!
Survival of the pointiest
Pointy eggs are most likely to stay put on a cliffside nest. So my eggs look fine, it’s your freakishly round ones that look weird, KAREN!
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“What has science done for me lately? I am an ER technician, and we use “hovermats” at the hospital where I work to assist in patient handling. It uses a portable pump that inflates a mattress sized pad with perforations in the bottom that let out a small amount of air acting almost as a reverse air hockey table. It makes moving patients from one bed to another much safer, for both the patient and us. It also makes the transition much smoother for the patient. So what has science done for me lately? It helps keep me safe when providing medical care to people of all shapes sizes and abilities. -Brian P.”
Life gets older every day
And, it certainly finds a way according to a new study estimating the first common ancestor of all life on Earth to have lived pretty much right after the moon was formed, over 4 billion years ago.
Out There Ideas
Ghosts of black holes in the universe???
Marijuana worms
Helminth parasites like hookworms release cannabinoid compounds, just like we do, which probably act to allow them to infect and survive in their host more easily.
Bacterial Blood
A new family of enzymes that might be able to transform blood types A and B to O were discovered in gut microbes.
Nerve Agent Nanobots
Enzymes are being used as nanobots to deactivate organophosphorous nerve agents.
The Eclipse Waste
Wastewater supports the idea that people use drugs when celebrating special occasions like last year’s solar eclipse.
Most popular exotic pets are the most problematic.
And it’s not just because they are brought here in the largest numbers, it’s because they are most likely to get released into the wild… and we know how Blair feels about invasive animals!
Can’t you see that your contacts are killing all the fish??
Contact lenses are increasingly disposed of incorrectly, and it is starting to impact our waterways.
Steve Is Different
The auroral phenomenon known as Steve, is not produced in the same way as the aurora.
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, archeology, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, birds, Black Holes, Blair's Animal Corner, chemistry, conservationism, CRISPR, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, evolution, exploration, genetics, global warming, insects, KDVS, mammals, marine biology, mathematics, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, mollusks, nanotechnology, NASA, paleontology, pharmacology, physicists, physics, physiology, podcast, quantum physics, recreational drugs, reptiles, robots, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, technology, theoretical physics, therapies, world robot domination, worms, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
August 16th, 2018
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Leaky Gut Fights, Magnetic Fish, Mummy Knows Best, WiFi Safety, Sneaky Cuckoos, Wing Sniffers, Bipedal Bones, Bad Hot Work, Man’s War, The Drunchies, And Much More…
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DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
What do we have here?
One wonderful planet that’s what.
That’s what we’ve got here folks.
And while there are plenty of other things to complain about,
the planet really isn’t one of them.
It’s just great.
What’s so great about it you ask?
Why, You!
You are what is so great about this planet.
You are on the planet and it wouldn’t be the same without you.
You with the inquisitive mind.
You with a taste for science-y things.
You with your big brain and bottomless appetite for knowledge.
Why if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t even be here right now!
And if we weren’t here right now then you wouldn’t be about to enjoy another episode of
This Week In Science
Coming Up Next
Fighting could give you a leaky gut
So kiss and make up, it’s better for you.
Science: Making you Safer w/WiFi
That router in the corner could be doing more than allowing you to snapchat in a crowded venue – it could be scanning for dangerous weapons as well!
Magnetic Fish?
Catish have a gene that enables them to sense electromagnetic fields.
Mummy provides evidence of persistence of knowledge
Mummification process was practiced for a very long time.
Cuckoo brings sneakery to a new low.
These birds not only parasitize the parental care of other birds, they have specialized in the size and shape of their eggs to improve their deception. Wow, they really don’t want to care for their babies, do they??
Nice to sniff you.
Fly wings might be for more than bugging you – they might help bugs to smell you more effectively!
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“You get a lot of What Has Science one For Me stories about modern medicine saving someone’s life. While I do have a story like that – with the twist that my life was saved from complications following an earlier procedure to save my life – that’s not what I want to talk about.
I have been a science enthusiast since I was a child. I remember viewing Saturn through a neighbor’s telescope when I was five years old. Among my favorite toys were a Gilbert chemistry set I used to destroy test tubes, and a microscope I used to look at pond water.
Though I did not pursue a STEM career, I have remained a fan of science as an adult. I read about particle physics for fun. I check science news websites daily, watch science and nature videos and listen to podcasts like TWIS.
For work, I make high-end musical instruments. Specifically, flutes made mostly of silver and gold. Though the basic acoustical science of how a flute makes sound was worked out a couple of centuries ago, there is an endless variety of alloys and materials to try; different construction techniques and tools; small tweaks and even major modifications we can make to the instruments, each contributing some subtle – or not so subtle – quality to their sound.
A science-inspired approach to carefully testing and evaluating all of these possible variables helps me understand how to make the best instruments possible, and where to look to improve them even further.
I simply would not see the world the same way without my love for science and respect for the scientific method. What science has done for me lately, as it has done for me all of my life, is it has made me me.
Oh, yeah, and it also saved me from appendicitis and peritonitis a few years ago.”
–Captain Damage
Walking on two legs
Apparently it was a thing before we thought it was a thing.
Nobody wants to work in the heat
Public servants are less effective at their essential duties in the heat, which raises concerns in our warming world.
War… it’s a man thing
That men are more often involved in war could be a thing of chance.
Drunchies
Why does being drunk make me eat like garbage? And what does that mean for me, later?
That four loco lifestyle
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol may be more of a “monster” than we even thought…
Mr. Stubbs the tail-less alligator!
3D printing and prosthesis technology allowed caregivers in Phoenix to give an alligator without a tail a new lease on terror. I mean life…
If You love TWIS, please consider making a donation below.
Don’t forget to tell a friend about TWIS, and to check out our Patreon page!
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Interview, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, archeology, arthropods, biology, birds, Blair's Animal Corner, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, diy tech, ecology, emergent behavior, engineering, evolution, fish, genetics, insects, KDVS, mammals, marine biology, molecular biology, neuroscience, nutrition, paleontology, physics, podcast, psychology, recreational drugs, reptiles, science, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, technology, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
August 9th, 2018
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Interview on Crows w/ Kaeli Swift, Star Light Explosion, Safety In Numbers, Koala Junk, Blinded By Blues, Viking Walrus Ivory, Prozac Nature, Bee Youthful, Little Dog Complex, Exercise And Cocaine, 44 New Planets, And Much More…
Want to listen to a particular story from the show? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Everyone has opinions…
but not everyone forms them in a trustworthy manner.
There are several things to keep in mind before having an opinion:
1) Are there facts supporting my opinion?
2) Other peoples opinions are not facts, and therefore cannot be used to support my opinion
3) If other people have this opinion, where did they get it?
4) Why do so many or so few people share this opinion?
5) Why do I have/ or want to have this opinion?
6) Is there a reason that me having this opinion is useful to somebody who is not me?
And,
7) Understand that regardless of how well researched an opinion is, it could still be wrong.
Despite the fact that most of the opinions we currently hold could possibly be wrong…
There is a method of fact gathering that allows for a high success rate in opinion forming.
The scientific method.
Yes, there are those that are of the opinion that science is biased,
and they are right!
Because in science, opinions don’t matter at all…
not in the least.
The scientific method is heavily biased against opinions,
and in favor of facts.
So if your opinions are based on science,
they are based on a method that has filtered out incorrect opinions
before you even got around to forming one of your own,
and what’s more…
Your opinion could still be wrong,
but much less wrong than if you had started your opinion forming anywhere else…
And as always,
the very best place to start forming opinions about anything is…
This Week in Science…
Coming up Next!
Interview with Kaeli Swift
Kaeli Swift is a PhD candidate at the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington. She studies thanatology of crows.
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Hi! Here is my “What Has Science Done for Me…Lately?” entry:
I love dogs and I have a pack of dogs living with me and my kids. One of the wonderful things about science are all of the amazing types of medicine we have developed for our furry friends. There are vaccinations, pest control and more. Also, the fact that dogs are one species and so different from one another in size, color, furriness, etc, always blows my mind. I enjoy thinking about how they’ve been with us for so long (as scientists discovered by looking at the genetic clock) and how we’ve most likely influenced each others’ lives. Taking my dogs to the vet means that I get to spend even more quality time with my canines. ?
Thanks for your awesome show! I love what each of you brings and how you have unique voices and perspectives!
–Susan Barnum”
Star Light Explosion
A mass ejection has been seen on another star for the first time!
Safety In Numbers
Gut viruses travel in packs in membrane-bound vesicles for success.
Koala Junk
Will retroviral DNA in koalas teach us about our own genome?
Blinded by the blues
Blue light damages eyes in a way that actively causes macrodegeneration.
Ivory trade
Vikings of Greenland dominated the ivory trade according to walrus tusk remains.
Nobody likes a depressed starling
Male starlings sing less and are more agressive to females who have been accidentally filled with antidrepressants. What does this
mean for birds, and us?
The fountain of youth might “bee” real
And it has something to do with bee poop, royal jelly, and our own microbiome.
Small dogs and their “little” complexes
Small dogs lift their legs higher to mark trees and walls like a bigger dog might. Don’t worry little bichon, you be you!
Exercise Beats Cocaine
In stressed out rats.
Boom – 44 new planets
If You love TWIS, please consider making a donation below.
Don’t forget to tell a friend about TWIS, and to check out our Patreon page!
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Interview, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, archeology, astrobiology, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, biology, biotechnology, birds, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, ecology, emergent behavior, endangered animals, evolution, exploration, extrasolar planets, galaxies, genetics, insects, KDVS, linguistics, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, nutrition, pharmacology, physics, physiology, planets, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, recreational drugs, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, stars, technology, Women in Science, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
August 2nd, 2018
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Stress Monkeys, Smashing Atoms, Science Says, Pyramid Power?, Biome Battlefield, Great Self-Control, Father’s Influence, Bioengineered Lungs, Bones About It, Opioid Increases, Drugged Cicada Butts, And Much More…
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Want to listen to a particular story from the show? You can do that here. Just look for the time-code link in the description.
DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
When the world hands you lemons…
Make lemon aid…
Or you could polish aluminum
Or lighten aging spots if you got them
Or sanitize a cut
Or counteract an itch
Or deodorize your cat litter with shredded peels
Or squeeze the juice out onto your dirty old sneakers to give them new life
Or gargle lemon juice to enjoy fresh lemony breath
Or use the peels to ward off ants where they have been sneaking into the house
Or make a battery out of them that illuminates a led light bulb to amaze your friends
Or learn to juggle them and make your friends jealous of your new found skill
Or fashion them into ear muffs… just because you’ve got so many lemons, why not
Or remove all the seeds and plant them in the ground so that one day you will have many lemons trees
Producing thousands of lemons that you can hand out to strangers while telling them all the wonderful things you can do with lemons…
Or…
when life hands you lemons
You can forget all about lemons,
and tune into…
This Week in Science
Coming up next…
Stress Monkeys
Anxiety is passed from generation to generation in monkeys.
Smashing Atoms
Atoms are being smashed in the LHC!
Science Says
Who to believe? Science or Elon Musk?
Pyramid Power?
Do the Great Pyramids hold the structural secrets for nanoparticles?
Biome Battlefield
There is a battlefield beneath your feet…
Great tits have great self-control.
Do you think they could pass up the office snacks? Science points to yes. Is that why they’re “great?”
Dad has an influence on mom, even when he’s away.
A father’s genes control (or influence?) a mother’s behavior through the placenta – pretty sneaky, bro!
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Science has helped my cat stay if not happy (he’s a cat, he lives in wooh – self-pity), healthy. He’s had his fleas taken care of and been put on a special diet to reduce his PH in his urine. I’m looking to adopt a young kitten that will need to be de-wormed, and science will help future cats live much longer live, so they can tell us their thoughts and complaints for years to come.”
–Vanja Anderson
Bioengineered Lungs
Transplants in pigs successful… will people be next?
Bones About It
Looks like all the tissue types to create bones were around and about before vertebrates were a thing.
Opioids Are Up
The crisis continues to worsen.
Drugged Cicada Butts
A fungus drugs cicadas with psilocibin and amphetamine to get them to drop their spores all over the places ignoring the fact that their butts are falling off.
Science Advisor?
Trump might have picked a really good one.
No, spiders don’t appear to be colorblind
That wolf spider can see your tacky outfit KAREN, THAT’S WHY HE’S LOOKING AT YOU LIKE THAT… LEARN TO PUT AN ENSEMBLE TOGETHER KAREN, FOR ALL OUR SAKES!
Extremes Are Bad
Drink up! In moderation.
Black Hole Sun
Einstein proven right again.
If You love TWIS, please consider making a donation below.
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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July 26th, 2018
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:01:35 — 111.8MB)
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Water On Mars, Overcoming CRISPR, Bacteria Can Talk, Uncontroversial Conservation, Bigger Climate Spiders, Brainy Discovery, Finding A Fungus, Better Beer, Candida Confusion, Manga-Bey Behavior, Adaptive Anoles, And Much More…
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DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
Despite any evidence you may have heard to the contrary
(Though hopefully you have heard none)
You are one of the most important earthlings in the history of planet earth
Yes there have been a lot of earthlings throughout history
For me to compare you to all of them in order come to this conclusion may seem daunting
And Yes it is possible that my lack of direct knowledge of who you are
makes this determination dubious at worst
I stand by the assessment because the following is certainly true:
1) We live in an age where idle minded activities are easily available everywhere
2) We live in an age where time is money, the baby needs a new iphone, and the rent was due yesterday
3) We live in an age where people can choose how educated they want to be, or how ignorant they would prefer to remain
4) You have passed on idle mindedness, to take valuable time out of your day to add to your knowledge…
5) People who do that are always the most important earthlings the planet has produced
Because
6) If not for earthlings like you, if we ever should lose those with the desire to seek knowledge,
The earth that would follow your in absence would be such a thing of such horror as to plunge a planet into darkness and despair…
A living nightmare of endless lies
Endless arguments made with great confidence yet out of utter ignorance
Endless propaganda, Endless war
George Orwell’s vision of a boot stomping on a human face forever…
That’s the world without you, and why you are one of the most important humans ever to breathe the earthling atmosphere.
So thank you. Keep up the good work.
As a reward for your efforts, here’s another episode of This Week in Science
Coming Up Next…
Water On Mars
A massive underground aquifer has been detected on Mars. The hypothesis s that it is full of liquid water.
Overcoming CRISPR
Bacteria and viruses are locked in a fascinating evolutionary battle that will influence our medical therapies.
Bacteria can talk…
To each other in a really interesting way.
The Endangered Species Act isn’t so controversial after all…
Despite campaigns to make it sound like a complicated topic, the Endangered Species Act is widely and universally accepted and supported in the USA. So why are people who are supposed to “represent” the public trying to slash it?
A Warming World makes Bigger Spiders
But that might actually be a good thing…?
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“Hello Dr Kiki, Justin, and Blair. I have been all over the place on trying to decide what to write here! Science has impacted my life and the world in a million ways every day. The more I thought about it the more this task became daunting. However, there is one very specific thing that science has done for me that I would be remiss to not talk about.
In February 2014 I had finally finished school with my very hard-won B.S. in Environmental Science. The world was my oyster, and I was going to go protect it with everything I had in my arsenal. I was on top of the world.
April rolled around, and I went into the emergency room with a severe headache and eye pain. I mean this sucker was painful! After many MRI’s and 2 days of the most awful anxiety I had ever felt I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. From that day on my healthy life style took a sever nose dive. I was depressed, in pain, my balance was absolutely awful, and I even started to lose normal function in my fingers for a while. My life as I knew it was irreversibly altered.
Now, this isn’t a sad story. While yes, I have had my ups and downs, and it has been a learning process. I have had to relearn my body and its capabilities. I still struggle sometimes but the great things is I have Science in my corner!
Through science we are learning even more about this. Ten years from now we may have better ways to treat MS. Twenty years from now we may even have a cure.
So, what has science done for me lately? It has given me hope. Just like it gives millions of people hope for a future where they can feel like the world is once again their oyster.
Thank you,
Jacqueline Boyster”
Keeping your brain longer
Might have to do with waste removal.
Finding A Fungus
The Eisen lab was searching for a fungus, but found something much more interesting.
Better Beer through Science
We can make the barley our own.
Candida Confusion
Genetic analyses has once and for all determined that what scientists thought were separate species is actually one in the same… just at different life stages.
Either men are liars,
or gay men are having all the fun…
Adaptive Anoles
Hurricanes in the Carribean have impacted anole populations in a measurable way.
Mangabeys? More like sneakabey… ammiright???
Monkeys steal cracked nuts from chimps and hogs, despite the fact that chimps will sometimes eat monkeys. Now that’s a risky meal!!
If You love TWIS, please consider making a donation below.
Don’t forget to tell a friend about TWIS, and to check out our Patreon page!
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, astrobiology, astronomy, biology, biotechnology, Blair's Animal Corner, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, CRISPR, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, evolution, exploration, genetics, geology, global warming, insects, KDVS, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, physiology, planets, reptiles, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, slime mold, space, space exploration, spacecraft, technology, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
July 19th, 2018
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:54:27 — 105.3MB)
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New Moons, New Volcano, Carbon Tax, Old Bread, Electric Spider Balloons, Animals That Wait, Lantern Lights, Gut And Autism, Secular Economics, Diamond Earth, Koala Tongues, Microbe Chips, Grabby Robot, Not An Alien, And Much More…
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DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER, DISCLAIMER!!!
The fast approaching future will be here in no time at all…
In fact,
whoosh,
there it was,
racing past us…
Always, we have decisions to make…
On the one hand,
there are the many things we ought to get done…
Daily lists of responsibilities what always need doin’
On the other hand,
four fingers and a thumb likely grasping a mobile type device and seeking idle distraction…
In the back and forth between mindless tasks and mindless distractions…
It can sometimes become a mystery why we need a mind at all.
I’m not saying it’s our fault,
no it certainly isn’t our fault…
I’m blaming you.
And you should too.
Because you of all people know
that there is always something productive you can be doing
to keep your mind active and engaged in the world around you…
In fact you’re doing it right now
By tuning into This Week in Science,
Coming Up Next…
New Moons
10 more moons have been discovered around Jupiter bringing the total to 69.
New Volcano
Jupiter’s moon Io also gets a new volcano according to a recent scan by NASA spacecraft Juno.
Carbon Tax
The Stanford Energy Modeling Forum estimates that it will be beneficial to the economy overall to implement a carbon tax and to phase out coal-based power.
How old’s that bread?
Thousands of years older than agriculture itself.
Spider Ballooning – it’s electric!
A new study suggests spiders don’t just use the wind to travel through the air, and they may not need wind at all…
Well, I’ve waited this long…
It turns out we aren’t the only ones who will stick with a bad decision due to “time invested.” Yet another way we aren’t special – sorry!
Support us on Patreon!
This Week in What Has Science Done for me Lately?!?
“A science poem
What brings forth our lights in the darkest night?
What gives microscopic sight and man flight?
How do we cure a disease we can’t see?
Or break away free from earths gravity?
Through trials and hardship we test and we test.
All for the sake of mankind’s progress.
Thanks be to science for all that you offer.
From vaccines, to planes, and of course the dish washer!
–Travus Alexander Leroux”
Caught in the act!
Evolution under the sea…
Gut And Autism
A link between the gut an autism symptoms has been speculated for years, and a recent study adds more weight to the idea.
Secularism is good for the economy
According to science, anyway…
Diamond Earth
A new analysis of the crust and upper mantle of Earth using sound waves estimates that there are up to a quadrillion tons of diamonds hiding below the surface.
Koala Tongues
Despite a limited diet, koalas may have quite the refined palate.
Microbe Chips
A gene sequencing microchip might be the answer for doctors figuring out when to prescribe antibiotics.
Grabby Robot
A new robot designed to grab and study soft-bodied sea organisms was described this week.
Not an alien
Just a little mummified child.
If You love TWIS, please consider making a donation below.
Don’t forget to tell a friend about TWIS, and to check out our Patreon page!
Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Dr. Kirsten Sanford, education, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science policy, science radio, STEM, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animal behavior, animals, anthropology, archeology, arthropods, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, bioethics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, Blair's Animal Corner, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, energy, engineering, evolution, exploration, fish, genetics, geology, global warming, KDVS, mammals, marine biology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, nutrition, pharmacology, physics, physiology, planets, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, robots, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, technology, therapies, world robot domination, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
