November 10th, 2016
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Trump Picks, CRISPR For Humans, Zika Protection, Neanderthals!!!, Sneaky Assassin Bugs, Thorny Devil Sponges, A Chicken Question, Birds And Plastic, Early Land Life, Light Channeling Plants, Scary Snakes, No Connection, Algal Poops, And Much More!!!
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Ladies and gentlemen…
step right up…
step right up…
the American side show is about to begin…
right this way,
don’t be bashful, don’t be shy,
there’s no way to walk on by…
give the tent with the painted orange top a try…
why,
the things you are about to see cannot be unseen,
that which you are about to hear cannot be unheard…
it will be over when it’s over
it is guaranteed to leave a lasting impact you won’t soon forget…
And your complacency is the only price of admission…
That’s right, just sit back, stay home, and assume for the best…
Because what could go wrong?
Right behind the tent flaps sirs and madams,
you will find out soon enough…
If you aren’t in, you’re out,
and going to miss out big league…
This way, that’s right two at a time…
quickly now…
That’s it, everybody in…
Hey…
you there…
What’s the matter friend,
saving your complacency for a rainy day?
Wait! You’re headed for the wrong tent!
That’s no side show, that’s…
This Week In Science…
Coming Up Next…
Trump Picks
A skeptic to lead.
CRISPR For Humans
Stanford University research shows that it is time to test a CRISPR methodology for repairing Sickle cell anemia in humans.
Zika Protection
A Zika antibody was successful in protecting pregnant female mice and their offspring from developing complications related to zika infection. It is suggested that the antibody might be useful as a therapeutic agent until a vaccine becomes widely available.
Neanderthals!!!
Squeezed out bu natural selection.
Giraffe assassin bugs add insult to injury
They sneak up on spiders in their webs, stab them with their beaks, and drink out their innards for dinner. But not before wrecking up the place first…
Thorny devil lizard brings new meaning to porous skin.
Amphibians breathe through their skin, but these lizards drink with theirs. Tube-like projections in their skin pull water through and into their throat, where they swallow the sweet nectar down in the dry desert heat. Creepy stuff…
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How the chicken crossed the road…
Probably in a boat.
Birds And Plastic
Plastic in the oceans smells tasty to seabirds. That’s why they eat it, according to a new study out of UC Davis.
Earliest life on land… ever….
3.22 billion years ago, life might have gotten a real foothold on land.
Light Channeling Plants
Plant stems act like fiber optic cables to channel light to the roots where it stimulates light-sensitive, growth-stimulating receptors called phytochromes.
No Connection
It doesn’t appear that the auditory and reward areas of the brain are connected in people who don’t appreciate music.
Algal Poops
The problem with Soylent has been traced to an algal flour used by the company as a protein additive.
Apparently snakes are scary for a reason
Humans are better at spotting snakes in obscured circumstances than other critters, presumably because they would be more likely to kill us.
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, arthropods, astrobiology, bioethics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, birds, botany, chickens, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, CRISPR, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, evolution, FDA, genetics, global warming, infectious diseases, insects, KDVS, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, nutrition, paleontology, physiology, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, reptiles, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, technology, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
November 7th, 2016
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Tilted Moon, Interview w/ National Aquarium Conservation Director, Cosmic Pasta, New NASA Nose, Interview w/ NASA Goddard Director of Office of Education, Climate Changes Prey, Underwater Nanotech, Whale Song Waves, Interview w/ beatboxer Shodekeh, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Live from the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland,
and the Maryland STEM Festival…
This Week in Science…
Coming up next.
Tilted Moon
New research from UC Davis and University of Maryland published in Nature tries to explain why the Moon is tilted in comparison to Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
Interview w/ National Aquarium Director of Conservation, Laura Bankey; her favorite animal is any species of sea turtle. We talked about the National Aquarium, its research program, and conservation of deep sea canyons, like Baltimore Canyon.
Cosmic Pasta
Structural similarities between neutron stars and cellular endoplasmic reticulum might lead to greater insights into the connections between the large and the small in nature.
New Nose for NASA…
… with lasers that could sniff out chemical compounds on Mars.
Interview w/ Dr. Robert Gabrys, Director of NASA Goddard’s Office of Education. We discussed Goddard Space Flight Center education programs, getting students early experience in science, Hubble and James Webb telescopes, Mars work, and inspiring future scientists and astronauts to boldly go.
Support us on Patreon!
Climate Changes Prey
Increasing water CO2 levels were shown to cause prey species to change their behavior, and swim toward their predators.
Underwater Nanotech
Little amphipods use some sort of nanotech to appear invisible. Researchers think it might actually be a bacterial coating.
Whale Song Waves
A new component of whale song has been discovered! Particles might play a role in communication in addition to pressure waves.
Interview w/ Shodekeh, vocal percussionist and experimentalist. You need to see this up-close laryngoscopic video of Shodekeh demonstrating various vocal percussion elements.
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Interview, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, astrobiology, astronauts, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, biology, cell biology, chemistry, cnidarians, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, cosmology, crustaceans, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, engineering, exploration, fish, geology, global warming, ISS, KDVS, Live show!!!, mammals, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, mollusks, nanotechnology, NASA, neuroscience, oceanography, physics, podcast, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, sponges, STEM Festival, technology, whales, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
October 27th, 2016
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Is It Aliens?, Patient Zero History, Creepy Crawly, Parasitic Plants, How To Poison Ants, Driving Animals Crazy, Flocking Dinos, Plasticity Abides, Bug Burgers, Advancing Prostheses, And Much More…
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Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer
The best evidence for aliens yet…
Is that there are other planets…
Possibly inhabitable in the way that we think life may inhabit…
And that the number of these planets is not few…
And that the conditions for habitability are not unique…
Because in a universe of a hundred billion galaxies…
With 70 sextillion stars…
There are so many possibilities
That life on more than one planet is highly probable…
And while our cosmic cousins are likely out there somewhere
It doesn’t mean we should claim that they have secretly fiddled with the formation of our civilization
Just because some of people can’t comprehend how we got from knuckle dragging apes to
This Week In Science…
Coming up next
Don’t forget!!!
You can catch all sorts of STEM fun at the Maryland STEM Festival! And, don’t forget that you will be able to come join TWIS LIVE at the Opening Ceremonies at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD on Nov. 4th!
Is It Aliens?
Probably not.
Patient Zero History
Was not really the source of HIV in North America.
Creepy Crawly
400 legs, unknown goo, and four penises…
Parasitic Plants
These weeds really get into their neighbors.
Ants may jump off a bridge if their friends did it, too.
Ants believe social analysis of food items over personal expertise. Even when food carries the scent of toxicity – peer pressure wins out.
Noise could drive wild animals bonkers
Urban noise distrupted mongooses’ ability to smell predators and seak shelter, indicating that traffic sounds are enought to cause all sorts of problem-solving deficiencies. So go ahead, buy that house right by the highway… if you dare!
Support us on Patreon!
Flocking Dinos
Did they live together or die together?
Where Neurons Go
Apparently, embryonic neurons integrate very well.
Plasticity Abides
An Italian study found that visual areas of the brain retained their ability to respond to light stimuli after implantation of a retinal prosthesis and years after initial damage to the retina.
Bug Burgers
Would you care for cricket or grasshopper? They are both better for you than beef.
Advancing Prostheses
Brain surface electrodes supplied haptic feedback to patients from a glove, and peripheral nerve implants in amputees start to deliver on haptic feedback that tells the difference between hard and soft touch.
Ape vs Man handedness
When did we get so handy?
Homeopaths Fight Back
Ugh.
Update On ESA Lander
It crashed.
Tasmanian devils fight back from the brink
These wiley creatures are actually fighting the cancer that has nearly wiped them out. Will it be enough? And can we use this information to help beat human cancer?
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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, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, arthropods, astrobiology, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, birds, cognitive science, conservationism, cosmology, ecology, emergent behavior, endangered animals, engineering, evolution, exploration, FDA, insects, KDVS, mammals, medicine, NASA, neuroscience, nutrition, paleontology, physiology, planets, podcast, psychobiology, robots, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, seti, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, stars, technology, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
October 20th, 2016
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Interview w/ The Director of the Maryland STEM Festival, Thinking Machines, Planet X Influence, Tool Making Monkeys?, Generous Magpies, Visual Fish, Higgs Bison, Soothing Lithium, Genes With Altitude, And Much More…
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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
We live in the modern world…
The newest age humanity has ever known…
Which is always the case really, whenever people are describing the present…
The dark ages in Europe were a major setback in knowledge,
but most folks living through it probably had no idea there had been a more modern world behind them…
And, as progress pushes forward through every aspect of our lives…
As we automate more processes,
speeding up production…
As we compute larger data sets faster…
As our population grows and the need for a workforce shrinks…
As we fill every open stretch of land with paved roads, carbon copy houses, and coffee franchises…
As we push nature further from our daily lives, and alter the climate upon which nature thrives…
We see the results of our efforts…
Planet-wide warming…
Depleted fishing, hunting, and farming grounds…
Diminished fresh water reserves…
Increased wild fires…
Intense storms and hurricane seasons…
and over one hundred species of plant, insect and animal going extinct every day…
What for? To what end?
Why are we so set on this path, so dedicated to a goal that we cannot even envision how it ends?
…
and what a vision.
No wonder we don’t ask…
how the world will look when we are done destroying it.
The answer of course is that we don’t care because we won’t be here to see it…
Because we can’t imagine that change taking place in our own lifetime…
And our children?
We obviously don’t love them enough to ensure that it doesn’t happen in theirs…
Thankfully, there are some people left who do love this planet enough to protect it…
Unfortunately they aren’t running the country…
But they are here with us now,
listening to This Week in Science…
Coming Up Next.
An interview!!!
With Phil Rogofsky, Chair of STEMulating Minds and Director of the Maryland STEM Festival about creating a statewide festival from scratch, and all the things you have to look forward to at this year’s events.
You can catch all sorts of STEM fun at the Maryland STEM Festival! And, don’t forget that you will be able to come join TWIS LIVE at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD on Nov. 4th!
Now, onto more science!
Thinking Machines
Google’s DeepMind AI has taken a small step forward by learning and reasoning using memory rather than programming.
Planet X Influence
The sun’s tilted axis might be due to Planet X or 9 or whatever we are calling it these days.
Tool making monkeys?
Monkeys banging rocks together provide interesting evidence for the Hominin past.
“Human-like” generosity found in magpies
Magpies will exhibit prosocial behavior, something that until recently has been considered uniquely human. So, they’re not just out to steal my jewelry!
Triggerfish may also be arguing about the color of that darned dress
If triggerfish had the internet, they would have had similar trouble deciding if that dress was blue and black or gold and white, because they are susceptible to the same visual illusions as humans.
Support us on Patreon!
Anti-hypoxia gene in Tibetans has Denisovian roots…
Perhaps the adaptation evolved much, much earlier.
Lithium For Brains
New research points the way to explaining why lithium works as a wonderful anti-psychotic medication for some and not others.
Higgs Bison has been rediscovered
And, that’s bIson, not bOson.
Mars Landing?
With one part of the ExoMars mission a success, questions roll in about the fate of the lander.
New Horizons
Going, going, still going… New Horizons has its sights set on a red rock in the Kuiper Belt.
Minding Self Control
Do you have a strong self-control muscle?
Stop talking smack about that spider in the corner – it can hear you!
Completely by accident, researchers discovered this week that spiders can hear sound waves far better than previously thought.
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, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, anthropology, archeology, arthropods, artificial intelligence, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, biology, biotechnology, birds, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, computer science, ecology, emergent behavior, engineering, evolution, exploration, fish, genetics, insects, KDVS, mammals, marine biology, medicine, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, pharmacology, physics, physiology, planets, podcast, psychology, robots, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, stars, STEM Festival, technology, therapies, world robot domination, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
October 13th, 2016
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Interview on Libraries & STREAM, Nation-Space, Water On ProximaB, In Search Of, Space Brain, Hard-Working Ladies, Male Spider Martyrs, Supply And Demand, Mind-Reading Apes, Wild Wolbachia, And Much More…
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Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer!!!
False beliefs…
can come in many forms…
Most can be corrected with knowledge…
False beliefs that cannot be refuted by facts…
Is a frightful form of madness…
And to remain willfully ignorant in the face of facts…
is a maddening form of politics.
Telling when others hold false beliefs is thought to be an important aspect human cognitive development.
It helps us choose which advice to follow…
Which to ignore…
It’s useful in predicting what future behavior of others will be…
And if you are really good at it,
you can read minds…
Now, I know what you’re thinking…
But I am ignoring it because it has nothing to do with what I’m about to say…
Apes, it turns out, have this ability also!
And while we humans can continue to think that we are more advanced in many mental respects to our ape cousins…
The purely human trait of Theory of Mind…
is all in our heads…
And before much longer so will be a bunch of science-y goodness
because it’s time once again for
This Week In Science
Coming Up Next…
An interview!!!
With Connie Strittmatter, Coordinater of Children’s and Teen Services at the Harford County Public Library in Maryland.
You can catch all sorts of STEM fun at the Maryland public libraries during the Maryland STEM Festival! And, don’t forget that you will be able to come join TWIS LIVE at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD on Nov. 4th!
Now for the science news…
Nation-Space
A Russian-led group is creating a new nation in space called Asgardia with the core values of “knowledge, science, and intelligence”, a philosophical mission of serving all humanity and digitalizing the noosphere, a legal mission of creating “Universal law” to benefit all humanity, and a scientific mission of “peace, access, and protection.” Become a citizen at asgardia.space.
Water On ProximaB
Simulations have determined that there is likely to be liquid water on ProximaB. How much is up for debate, but if there’s any it increases the chances for an atmosphere and life.
In Search Of
More Earth-like planets in the Alpha Centari system. Anyone up for a crowdfunded space telescope?
Space Brain
Charged particle irradiation results in robust and persistent deficits in recognition and temporal order memory 12 weeks later.
Female squirrels have more work ethic, and in turn males get eaten.
Male squirrels in Alaska spend more time lolling about, and this in turn gets them predated upon more often.
Males allow themselves to be cannibalized for the good of their children
When male dark fishing spiders curl up afer sex, essentially accepting their fate as a post-coital snack, their offspring emerge more fit. Who ever said males don’t help with the children??
In coucals, it’s all about supply and demand.
In one species, the males do all the work while the female gallivants about mating with other males, who also do all the work in raising a nest. In another species, they form monogamous pairs. The key is all in the ratio of males to females, proving that even in love, it’s all about supply and demand.
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Apes can read minds…
A new study using eye-direction shows that apes know when tricks are afoot, and supports the ‘Theory of Mind’ hypothesis for our close relatives.
Nesting Doll Genes
There was an old virus that swallowed a gene… then a bacterium who swallowed the virus… and a spider who swallowed the the bacterium… don’t ask me why. But, in the end it is rather interesting.
More Wolbachia
The strain of bacteria living within a host can influence host survival rates and evolution in response to viral infection.
Green Beer
Using waste water from breweries might make for sustainable batteries.
New Dwarf Planet?
Called 2014 UZ224, was discovered by students challenged to find new objects in the solar system. It is half the size of Pluto, and lives in the Kuiper Belt some 14 billion kilometers from Earth.
Beer helps ease pain in snails
Should we be concerned with the physical stress of euthanizing invertebrates in a lab? If so, beer may help bring dignity and peace to snails about to meet their maker.
Climate Change could be the biggest threat to frogs
As indicator species, amphibians usually serve as canaries in the coal mine, so does that mean climate change will be our largest threat as well?
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, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in alternative energy, amphibians, animals, anthropology, arthropods, astrobiology, astronauts, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, birds, cell biology, civilian space travel, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, energy, engineering, evolution, exploration, extrasolar planets, galaxies, genetics, global warming, insects, KDVS, mammals, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, nutrition, physicists, physics, physiology, planets, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, stars, STEM Festival, technology, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
October 6th, 2016
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An Interview w/ Volcanologists, 2016 Nobel Prizes, Bugs R’Us, Smart Bees, Buzzed Bees, Ancient Loot Tales, Politics Of Change, The Atlantic Conveyor, Zap And Tingle, Sideways Sharks, And Much More…
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Disclaimer disclaimer disclaimer…
It may be too late to reverse the trend…
The trend that has been tending to be trending is that of sending discourse to its death…
That great human tradition of talking about things…
That thing that began to be recorded with the Greeks…
That culminated in the founding of a free nation…
ish…
That which can be made stronger and better with knowledge
in the time of the greatest access to knowledge in all of human history…
Our ability to talk about issues and ideas and compare them to reality has never been better…
Yet, in some of the most important arenas…
it is being dumbed down…
Worse, it’s almost being ignored entirely in the media today…
And since the following hour of programming contains scientific news
We now fear that our show may not be suitable for adult audiences…
At least not for much longer…
For the trendency of dumbing down the public discourse
is so overwhelmingly powerful at this point,
It may truly be too late to prevent the actual and unavoidable
decline of civilization world wide…
On my signal, we run for the hills…
ready?
Or, perhaps this is an opportunity…
A chance to do the casually correct thing
To simply talk about the world as it is,
not as someone wants you to believe it to be…
And see if there are still functioning minds out there who might like to join with us…
And what better way to find them than to send them a signal
with yet another episode of
This Week in Science,
Coming Up Next.
An interview!!!
With Dr. Maarten DeMoor, assistant professor at the University of Costa Rica, and Dr. Tobias Fischer, a professor of volcanology at the University of New Mexico, and Currently Chair of the Board of Directors of the Deep Carbon Observatory Deep Carbon Degassing (DCO-DECADE) international initiative. The DECADE Initiative brings together scientists from about 11 countries to better understand degassing of carbon from active volcanoes and volcanic regions.
If you are interested in more information on the Deep Carbon Observatory, click here.
Additionally, there is a new app, called E3, available online, which uses data from Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to allow users to visualize “Eruptions, Earthquakes, and Emissions” around the globe. Check it out!
Support us on Patreon!
2016 Nobel Prizes
The 2016 winners include research into theories on the phase transitions of matter, micromachines, and the self-eating of cells.
How gut bacteria protect us…
Antibiotics au natural!
Bees can learn from one another to solve complex problems
That rope trick that crows do that make them look so smart? Turns out bees can do it, too, and they can learn how by observing one another!
Bees experience a sugar high
If bees have emotions, sugar raises their spirits. But do they experience sugar crashes, too?
Ancient loot found in tact!
The haul supports a transfusion of ancient Minoan culture underlying Greek myths and history.
Politics Of Change
A new Pew survey finds that political polarization informs people’s attitudes about climate change.
Atlantic conveyor predictions fail and are correct
This is both good and bad for the British Isles.
Zap And Tingle
What does tDCS really do to your brain?
Hammerheads swim on their sides
…and not just to look cool.
Blue Origin Surprises Everyone!
Telomere Trauma
Early life stress affects telomeres down the road.
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, Interview, Justin Jackson, KDVS, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in aerospace, animals, anthropology, archeology, arthropods, bioethics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, cell biology, chemistry, civilian space travel, clinical trials, cognitive science, CRISPR, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, engineering, fish, genetics, geology, global warming, insects, KDVS, mammals, marine biology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, nanotechnology, neuroscience, physicists, physics, physiology, podcast, psychobiology, robots, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, sharks, space, space exploration, spacecraft, technology, theoretical physics, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
September 29th, 2016
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The 2016 IgNobels!, Three-Parent Baby, No Direction, Psycho Shrew Brains, Spider Nightmare Juice, Symbolic Horses, Musky Marstropolis, Biological Aging, Psychic Psychology?, Socialism Development, And Much More…
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Disclaimer disclaimer disclaimer
Once upon a time in a land far far away…
A human being will be born…
But no ordinary human being…
Because this human being will not be born on earth…
This child will be born on Mars…
Or the Moon…
Or on a spacecraft headed into deep space…
And while these children of the future may not be born on earth…
Are they are still earthlings?
At first there will be nationalism no doubt…
The first American born on the mars…
The first Chinese citizen born on the moon…
The first half Mongolian half Swedish twins born on the Starship deGrasse Tyson.
And, regardless of what we think,
or even what the first South Africa-born Canadian-American father to a child born on Mars thinks…
It will ultimately be up to them…
those children born off earth…
To decide what their native home is…
and if history has shown us anything,
and it has,
it has also shown us that people move on from places of origin…
They take root in new locations and new traditions with such ease…
That it would be hard to imagine the children born in these places to call anywhere else home…
And speaking of home,
welcome back,
wherever you may be,
hang your hat,
put on your thinking slippers,
grab a seat in your favorite mental comfy chair and relax to some whimsical meanderings of science-y goodness… it’s time for…
This Week In Science
Coming up next…
The 2016 IgNobels!
And, the winners are…
Three-Parent Baby
It’s not the first time that a baby has been born with the help of three parents, but it is the first time that a baby has been born thanks to a technique called spindle nuclear transfer in which the nucleus of a female egg is tranplanted into the egg of a donor that has the nucleus removed. The resulting egg was then fertilized with the husband’s sperm, and implanted into the mother using IVF techniques. The take-home here is that a woman with mitochondrial disease was able to birth a healthy baby.
No Direction
Analysis of various models of the universe compared to the Cosmological Microwave Background Radiation supports the hypothesis that the universe is expanding equally in all directions.
Psycho shrew brains…
Are we homicidal by nature? A new study says yes.
Perhaps the most potent nightmare juice in the history of Blair’s Animal Corner…
You thought female widow spiders were tough, wait til you hear what males do to juvenile females to shortcut being eaten by adults…
Horses can communicate with symbols. What’s next, horse semifore???
Horses could indicate whether they wanted a blanket put on or removed by using symbols provided to them by their trainers. It would appear the mammalian brain was set up pretty well before we came along!
Support us on Patreon!
Mars-a-fest Destiny just got Musky…
Elon wants a Mars-o-tropolis now.
Biological Aging
An analysis of around 13,000 genomes found that epigenetic markers can predict lifespan even when controlling for lifestyle risk factors. While risk factors definitely influence aging, and were more predictive than the markers, this study suggests that we all have an innate biological clock.
Psychic Psychology?
Will they help us gain insight into disorders like schizophrenia?
Development of Socialism
French and Swiss researchers determined that the concept of social fairness develops between the ages of 5-8 years old. Toddlers between the ages of 2-4 years more often deferred to dominant individuals, while those 5-8 were increasingly likely to distribute rewards given to dominant players to those considered more subordinate.
Discovering new animals in the oddest of places
New species of ant discovered by flushing the stomach of a “devil frog.” Now the challenge is on to find them alive!
Tracking fugitive spiders via their main predator.
Wasps lead researchers to the invasive Joro spider as the wasps feed them to their babies and use them to make their nests. CSI: invertebrate massacre, #amiright???
CRISPR For Humans
A Swedish scientist has started using the CRISPR/Cas-9 system to edit healthy human embryos with the hope of unravelling the intricacies of early development at the genetic level.
Plumes On Europa
Hubble has spied more evidence of periodic vapor plumes emanating from beneath the surface of Europa.
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, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in amphibians, animals, anthropology, arthropods, astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, bioethics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, cell biology, civilian space travel, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, cosmology, CRISPR, ecology, emergent behavior, evolution, exploration, FDA, genetics, insects, KDVS, mammals, medicine, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, paleontology, physics, planets, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, technology, therapies, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
September 22nd, 2016
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Tardigrade Protection Secret, Standard Model Spin, Tectonic Life, Island Murder Mystery, Can Pigeons Read?, Bite The Cow, Camouflaged Dinosaurs, Finish This Sentence, Out Of Africa, Ciliary Stroke, And Much More…
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The best thing you can do for your brain is use it…
But that advice, however true it may seem, is not complete…
There is more to having a brain than simply taking it out for a thought once in a while…
You have to feed your brain…
and not just anything…
Good quality ideas…
otherwise your brain may become listless and gassy…
You must care for your brain…
Bathe it in oxygen rich blood…
Train it to do tricks, like math, language and art…
Teach it to get along well with other brains…
And remember…
How well you care for your brain today…
Will determine how well your brain will care for you tomorrow…
Yes the best thing you can do for your brain is use it…
But the best thing you can do for yourself, is use it wisely…
And wisely your brain has brought you here,
so that together the two of you can enjoy yet another episode of…
This Week in Science
Coming up next…
Tardigrade Protection Secret
Tardigrades have a gene that protects them from radiation. Researchers call it Dsup, and when they inserted it into human DNA it reduced radiation damage by 40%. Will future space explorers be part tardigrade to better survive the trip?
Standard Model Spin
The visible mass in spiral and irregular galaxies predicts the acceleration of the rotation curves. Dark matter seems to play no role. This poses a problem for the current model to explain.
Tectonic Life
The release of hydrogen from tectonic impacts between rocks here on Earth suggests that Mars could potentially produce enough hydrogen to support bacterial life in certain locations.
Island Murder mystery solved
Or, how shrew was the shrew?
Can Pigeons Read??
Well, no actually, but they can recognize the difference between real english words and gibberish, which is more than some humans can do!
Engineering mosquitoes to bite cows instead of us
…but shouldn’t we just kill them all…?
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Camouflaged Dinosaurs
The picture of how dinosaurs looked gets ever so much more interesting.
Finish This Sentence
According to new research, the hippocampal area of the brain might help you understand language by synchronizing neurons with memories related to aspects of sentences you hear.
Out of Africa again, but only once…
And, it appears the migration was to the south a long, long time ago.
Ciliary Stroke
Korean scientists have created the first microrobots that swim like paramecia… but, these use magnet-powered cilia!
New Teleportation Feat
The quantum teleportation of 17 photons per minute over 6.2km in a straight line was achieved in Canada, while the Chinese were able to teleport 2 photons per hour over 7 km. Both achievements are important because they were done using real optical fiber communications networks, which suggests that quantum security for such networks is not far off.
Animals And Alcohol
Beer is like dogs, and wine is like cats… or, at least, the yeasts are…
Feed A Fever
The old adage might have found some support with a recent study. The findings suggest that glucose metabolism can help animals stave off viral infections, while ketolysis that comes from fasting might help with bacterial infections.
Wireless Emotion Detector
Researchers from MIT have created a wireless emotion detection technology that can read the waveforms of the human heart.
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, science radio, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, anthropology, archeology, astrobiology, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, bioethics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, birds, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive science, computer science, conservationism, cosmology, Dark matter, deep sky, deep space, earthquakes, ecology, emergent behavior, engineering, evolution, galaxies, genetics, geology, infectious diseases, insects, KDVS, linguistics, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, nanotechnology, NASA, neuroscience, nutrition, paleontology, pharmacology, physics, physiology, planets, podcast, psychology, quantum computing, quantum physics, robots, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, stars, technology, theoretical physics, therapies, world robot domination, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
