August 24th, 2015
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The Drinkable Book, DNA Data Storage, Lice Resistance, Ancient Bone Tales, Brainy Mice, Glowing Lizards!, Sperm For Life!, Gut Bacterial Blindness?, Glass Paint, Sweetgrass Solution, New Alcoholism Drugs, One Scan Rules, Freshening Football Helmets, Wiki Science Trolls, Meteoric Life, And Much More…
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer
For all of our achievements throughout the history of mankind
We now truly live in our most advanced age of scientific understanding.
This statement has been true somewhere in the world for most our history
With some regress allowed for the dark ages when
the fall of Rome was followed by a momentous loss
of the scientific and engineering knowledge of pagan scientists…
But even then, scientific inquiry continued,
lost knowledge was regained,
and scientific progress continued…
in starts and fits we pursued knowledge.
Sometimes at the personal political risk of the pursuer…
Often with great benefit to quality of life,
and always with new challenges for society to adjust to.
We’ve come a long way from that first stone picked up off
the African tundra and knapped into a working tool…
That is, if it was us at all…
In fact, it most certainly was not…
for now, in our most advanced age of scientific achievements
it is beginning to become clear that perhaps…
it was not us who invented the first stone tool after all…
That perhaps when the first ancestor of man picked a stone up off the African plains…
He did so because of the curious knapping he saw about its sharpened edge…
An artifact of an age of understanding that preceded us…
More on that ahead as we head into another episode of…
This Week in Science…
Coming up Next
The Drinkable Book
Chemists have created a book with pages doped with silver and copper nanoparticles that can purify 4 years worth of water for one person.
DNA Data Storage
Researchers are working on a way to not only save data for thousands of years using DNA, but to also make it searchable.
Lice Resistance
Lice populations in 25 states have developed resistance to the common incecticide used in over the counter treatments.
Ancient bones telling tales…
Markings on 3.8 million year old bones have been revealed to be from stone tools making the emergence of tools within the age of Australopithecus, rather than Homo sapiens, much more likely.
Brainy Mice
In lab tests on mice, an enzyme called PDB4E was linked to improved memory and decreased anxiety. If it works in a similar manner in humans, if could be used to treat anxiety disorders and PTSD.
Great Glowing Geckos, Batman! (I mean, anoles…)
The shady areas of a vibrant forest become “visually noisy,” but translucent neckflaps, or dewlaps, help cut through it all and attract the “ladies.”
Stored sperm gives species hope
Black-footed ferret sperm from a 20-year-long dead ferret has successfully injected the captive population with new genetic material. Should we keep a store of endangered species’ sperm for safe-keeping?
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Gut Bacterial Blindness?
Do bacteria in the gut activate an immune response that can cause blindness in the eyes? It is very possible.
Glass Paint
Will paint made of glass reduce heat absorption on roofs, automobiles, and playgrounds?
Sweetgrass Solution
Turns out that sweetgrass contains known mosquito repellents, and performs at least as well as DEET in repelling the biting insects.
New Alcoholism Drugs
A new class of drugs, called beta-carbolines, show promise in rat studies for treating alcoholism.
One Scan Rules
Often finding blood clots within the body takes several scans using multiple different methods. A new technique tested in rats has the potential to make only one scan necessary.
Football Helmet Protection
Will a new chemical strip be enough to indicate damage to the head?
Football Brains
Research suggests that high school football player’s brains may not recover from concussions between season, and potentially lead to damaging repercussions.
Googling Wikipedia science trolls
Don’t trust the more controversial Wikipedia entries, they are edited often and not accurately.
Meteoric Impact!
The building blocks of life (the nucleotides that make up DNA) may have been produced by a meteoric impact.
Irisin Redux
Irisin, a molecule purported to be responsible for metabolic increases after exercise, has had its ups and downs. Most recently, however, researchers used atomic methods to prove its presence in blood samples. The question now is what its presence means.
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August 14th, 2015
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Dying Light, Neutrinos Caught Oscillating, Octopus Genes!, T.Gondii Check, Lettuce In Spaaaace…, Tapeworm Memory, Venomous Frog, Zebra Stripes, Bionic Eye Limits, Wind Power!, Reviving Ancient Viruses, Standard Model Upheld, Brown Fat Burn, And More…
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer!
The following hour of programming is constantly on the
lookout for new science stories…
Stories that let us have peeks into our past
Stories that let us have glimpses into the future of technology
Stories that let us better know the biological foundations of life
Stories that let us grow in our understanding of space
And sometimes, just stories about lettuce…
Like the following words recently uttered aboard the
international space station…
“That’s awesome!” said one
“Tastes Good…” said another
“Kind of like arugula”
And with these words mankind enters the Space age of Farming…
Or is it the Farming age of Space?
Thanks to red romaine lettuce grown from seed to table in space,
fresh veggies on long manned missions has now become viable
Ready or not, the breakthrough age of transformative
scientific advances is upon us…
And our current research has growing implications for how far we can go
The path ahead is filled with stories like this one…
Let us be your guide
here on this week in science
coming up next
Dying Light
An analysis of light energy from over 200,000 galaxies by the GAMA project has determined that galaxies are giving off less energy now than they did 2 billion years ago. This finding suggests that the universe is on its way to a cold, lightless end.
Neutrinos Caught Oscillating
The NOvA experiment at FermiLab has detected the oscillation of neutrinos, which suggests that the experiment may succeed in measuring the mass of neutrinos where others have not.
Octopus Genes!
The octopus genome has been sequenced, and octopuses have lots of different and expanded genes that researchers think are related to camophlage and intelligence.
Lettuce in Spaaaace…
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station enjoyed a meal of fresh lettuce leaves that were actually grown in space.
T.Gondii gets the check
The Achilles heel of T. gondii may have been discovered. Scientists now have a molecular target that could result in the development of drugs to treat infection by the parasite.
World’s first venomous frog discovered, and we should be terrified…
Scientists discovered the first venomous (not poisonous) frog, amidst agonizing pain, in Brazil
Tapeworms may help with memory loss
Tapeworms may prepare your body for other threats, essentially safeguarding your precious memories (or at least, it did with rats).
Stripes may not be as dazzling as we thought
A study using videogames found that stripes were not effective in confusing the player amongst targets without them.
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Support us on Patreon!
Bionic Eye Limits
An analysis of possible vision scenarios for people getting bionic eye implants suggests that vision will not be anywhere near normal, and that much work needs to be done to achieve even normal vision.
Wind Power to the people…
Wind power is up and the cost is down in the US.
Bird migration mystery
Radio tracking of birds has discovered that they fly a more complicated path through the night sky than had been thought. Understanding how birds move through the sky can help us plan more bird-safe constructions and activities.
Reviving Ancient Viruses
It’s not sci-fi, it’s science. Researchers computationally derived an ancient adenovirus ancestor that could be used to infect body cells for therapeutic retroviral reprogramming.
Woodpecker lookalikes not relatives
Biologists discover certain woodpecker species that appear very similar to others are actually very distant relatives, simply mimicking their cousins so as to avoid being bullied.
Research finds new way to study species
Just ask the locals… When a species lacks the mass appeal of a tiger or a panda, the IUCN may be able to assess their population by careful surveying of the local population.
Standard Model Upheld… Again
A comparison of antiprotons and protons finds that they have the same mass just as predicted by the standard model.
Brown Fat Burn
White fat cells from burn victims are more likely to convert into fat burning brown fat cells, which makes us wonder why trauma is necessary.
PERSEIDS
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in alternative energy, amphibians, animals, astronauts, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, birds, cell biology, civilian space travel, cognitive science, cosmology, deep space, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, energy, engineering, evolution, exploration, galaxies, genetics, infectious diseases, ISS, KDVS, mammals, marine biology, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, mollusks, neuroscience, nutrition, particle physics, pharmacology, physicists, physics, physiology, podcast, science, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, stars, technology, theoretical physics, therapies, Toxoplasma, wind power, worms, z-Broadcasts | 1 Comment »
August 12th, 2015
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Homo Harems, Horse Heads, Tiny Brains, Top Cock Crows, Panda Onions!, Zombie Spider Slaves, Kiss Or No?, Blood Snow Leopards, Mole Cancer Fighters, Facebook Botany, And Much More…
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer
You are not going to believe this…
Something so amazing has taken place,
that only those who have been listening to the show for a
very long time will understand …
how this monumental, game changing, breakthrough in our
understanding of the fundamental functioning of the universe…
this consequential conquest of concepts that can captivate
the civilized contours of our culture
and now, just now how we have learned to harness it
to unveil our history with hue and clarity,
to high hurdle over and give a heave ho to health issues,
and to plot our path across the cosmos in search of safe
harbors in the heavens…
Yes, everything we have talked about on this show in the
past will prepare you for what you are about to hear next…
After all, all this and more is what you expect to hear…
Each and every time you tune into…
This Week in Science…
Coming up next
Homo harems
The accepted story that a rapid increase in size was involved in the origins of the Homo genus was challenged by a recent analysis suggesting that early hominins were smaller than thought, and may have maintained sexual size dimorphism and a harem-like social structure similar to what is seen in gorillas today.
Head like a horse
This is something horse-people probably already knew: horses have a wide variety of facial expressions. 17 to be exact.
Small brained activity
A small group of neurons in the cerebellum are responsible for tuning our motor ability by comparing actual to expected neuronal activity.
Top cock crows first
Male chickens, or “cockerels,” crow in order from highest to lowest rank, defying their circadian rhythms to cow-tow to the social strata.
Pandas – the onions of the bear world
Pandas are not nocturnal, they are not diurnal, and they are not crepuscular. They are a new kind of critter, GPS collars reveal.
Zombie spider a slave to its host
Orb weaver spiders are tricked into building a particular kind of intricate web for their host – but why? and how?
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Support us on Patreon!
A kiss is just a kiss…
Unless nobody kisses.
Snow Leopards are nothing special
…when it comes to their hemoglobin. The new theory (next to be tested) is that they just breathe harder!
Fighting cancer with moles…
Skin moles, not the furry ones, tend to grow to a maximum size, then stop. Unless, they are cancerous. Recent research has elucidated the roles of the cancer mutation BRAF in promoting cell division, and the cancer suppressor gene, p15, in stopping it.
New plant discovered on the Facebook
The “magnificent sundew” was discovered via a picture posted on facebook, and is the second-largest carnivorous plant in the Americas.
Cool picture
…of the dark side of the moon lit up with the earth in the background
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, anthropology, arthropods, biology, birds, cancer, cell biology, chickens, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, conservationism, ecology, emergent behavior, endangered animals, evolution, exploration, genetics, insects, KDVS, mammals, medicine, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, pandas, pharmacology, physiology, planets, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, technology, z-Broadcasts | 1 Comment »
August 10th, 2015
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Space Update Madness, EmDrive Maybe? Auroras In Space, Synchronizing Pendulums, Supersymmetry, Powerful Laser, Why Be Viking?, AI Warfare, Compulsory College, Scientist Makers, And Much More…
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer!
The recent news of another earth like planet being found in
the galaxy should come as no surprise…
We have been expecting this for some time, and have been
predicting it for even longer…
The current estimation of the number of such planets is
orbiting at around 40 Billion.
That’s 40 billion right size, right distance from the right
type of star…
40 Billion earth like planets, in the Milky Way galaxy alone…
The Milky Way is of course just one Galaxy, there are a
hundred, if not hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe
So with several sextillions of earthlike planets being
predicted…
It was just a matter of time and science before we found a
second one…
And now that we have we must begin to ask ourselves…
Is there a chance… is it possible… could it be…
that our twin is…
The prettier one…
The athletic one…
The one others gravitate towards at a party…
The one that knows how to time the punch-line of a joke properly
And what if they are in fact…
the Smarter one…
With so many distractions on an earth like planet,
So many ways to spend the days,
it’s easy to assume that they,
if there is a they there,
are as taken by pop sports culture and couch potato chip
dipping as we are…
If this is the case, we’re doing just fine by comparison,
But if not, we could all do with a few extra mental sit ups
here on
This week in Science… coming up next…
Kepler Update!
Kepler 452b,a viable contender for the title of Earth-twin, was discovered orbiting around a sun-like, yet older star 1400 light years away from Earth. It’s study could give us a peek into the future of our own solar system.
Pluto Update!
Flowing ice and hazy skies??? That’s what the LORRI instrument on New Horizons detected when aimed back at the little planetoid. The haze seems to be double-layered, and the ice flows indicate recent geologic activity.
EM Drive Update!
German scientists known for troubleshooting announced at a scientific meeting that they had tested the EM Drive, it works, but they still don’t know why.
Auroras in spaaaaace…
Aurora failed-star-ialous.
And, The Physics Girl brought us…
Synchronizing Pendulums
Supersymmetry
Powerful Laser
Check out Physics Woman on YouTube for more of her amazing videos!
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
Support us on Patreon!
Why be a viking…
It’s for the plunder.
AI Warfare
Big names in science and technology came out against the devlopment of AI for warfare this week saying that such an arms race would be a threat to humanity.
AI Questions
However, some argue that armed AI robots are inevitable, don’t we have an ethical imperative to make them the best they can be since they will reduce the loss of human life during combat.
Compulsory K through 14
More schooling = better job creators. What’s your opinion on this?
Making Protein Makers
A study in Nature this week describes the successful creation of a synthetic ribosome, the organelle responsible for assembling RNA into proteins. The ribosome differs from the natural cellular component in that its two subunits are tethered permanently together. Yet, it does not seem to pose a problem as the synthetic ribosome kept bacteria lacking the natural organelle alive.
Supercomputer Simulation
A single photosynthetic chromatophore made up of more than 100 million atoms has been simulated by the Titan supercomputer.
Roadside Animal Detection
Sensor systems along roads to detect animals may be useful to avoid impacts between car and animal.
Making Hamsters Happy
Give hamsters an enriched life, and they will be more open to trying new things suggests a recently published study.
TRex Teeth
An extra feature of TRex teeth has been discovered, and likely made them even better for tearing into meat.
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July 24th, 2015
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New Horizons w/ Emily Lakdawalla, Listening For Aliens, Solar Heartbeat, Old Americans, Aged Damselfly Doings, Spotted! Black Leopard, Print Your Horn, Undersea Farmers, Space Skin, Space Foam, Boa Deaths, Losers Harass Ladies, And Much More…
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer
The following hour of programming contains scientifically
addictive information that may become habit forming to all audiences…
In a highly concentrated form, Science news has been known
to cause hypnotic waking states.
“The Listeners” or “Minions”
as the junkies sometimes refer to themselves…
Often report euphoric sensations of awe, bewildered awakenings
of wonder, and delightful dalliances of discovering new things…
They also report experiencing terrifying trips, of creatures
too terrible to be true… only to find they really do exist…
This the junkie calls “Cornering”
The most extreme cases are referred to as being “Baz-wacked”,
where the “The Listener” can’t un-learn a disturbing fact of the animal world…
It is almost always administered in the presence of a
Doctor, who may or may not approve of the dose you receive…
If at any point during the trip you begin to feel like the
world you know if vanishing before your eyes…
Try to picture yourself as a river flowing, cutting through
mountains, winding through valleys until at some point you reach a lake and can
go no further… it’s nice here, it’s calm… but you know that if you stay too
long you will stagnate… you can stay if you like, or allow yourself to
evaporate into the winds of new knowledge and rise and fall until you once
again become a river of
This week in science…
Coming up next
New views from New Horizons
Emily Lakdawalla, Senior Editor and Planetary Evangelist for The Planetary Society joined us to discuss science findings from NASA’s New Horizon’s mission.
Pictures at the Planetary Society website
More pictures of Pluto from NASA
Listening For Aliens
The new Breakthrough Listen project to expand operations listening for signs of alien life in space might also lead to other space findings.
Solar Heartbeat
Will we see solar activity reduced to ‘Little Ice Age’ levels in 2030?
fourscore and 23,000 years ago…
People were in America 11,000 years earlier than previously thought.
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Support us on Patreon!
Elderly damselflies still get it on
Damselflies are able to copulate with the same exuberance and sequence for their entire lives. What’s more, their promiscuous past has no relation to their life span.
That black leopard has spots!!
A new technique for camera traps has discovered black leopards’ spots for the first time, which means we can now identify individuals – so the science can begin!!
3D printed rhino horn
Will this curb rhino poaching? Or will it make it all worse??
23,000 year old undersea farming community
A receding lakeshore unearthed evidence that farming began much earlier than we thought.
Space Skin
According to a report, the epidermal layer of astronauts’ skin was found to thin by 20% during 6 months in space, while the lower collagen-producing tissue experienced expansion.
Metal Space Foam?
A metal foam blocks gamma radiation. Perhaps it could be used to shield astronauts while travelling in space.
White nose syndrome licked in the lab
The yeast with the potential to cure white nose syndrome is looking good – next step is to try and innoculate wild bats!
Carbon emissions are mucking up carbon dating
“At the rate fossil fuel emissions are currently increasing, by 2050 a new T-shirt would have the same radiocarbon date as a robe worn by William the Conqueror a thousand years earlier.”
Alzheimer’s Drug?
A drug developed by Eli Lilly, solanezumab, has been shown to reduced cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients with mild dementia by about 30% over several years, not enough to be noticeable behaviorally, but potentially significant in the long-term.
Bionic Eye Implants!
An implant currently approved for treating retinosis pigmentosa is undergoing trials for macular degeneration, and was successfully implanted in an 80-year old British man.
Is Philae Silent?
Diamond Star
Really, it’s probably a diamond.
How to die from a Boa
You’re going to pass out.
Losers Harass Ladies
In a study observing Halo 3 online game-players published in PLoS this week, scientists confirmed that less successful males are more likely to harass female players than males who win at the game.
Dark Matter discovery tool…
Maybe?
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Emily Lakdawalla, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, Planetary Society, Pluto, podcast, radio, science, science news, science podcast, Space, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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July 17th, 2015
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New Horizons At Pluto w/ Alan Boyle, Meanwhile on Mars, Pentaquark?!?, Think With Genes, Panda Survival, Spider Home-Wreckers, Tiny Bee Transmitters, Food Futures, Coffee Bugs, Monkey Brained Togetherness, And Much More…
Pluto!!!
We made it, and we are learning so much. NBC Digital Senior editor and author of “The Case for Plutio” joins us to discuss the news from the dwarf planet.
Meanwhile On Mars
The Martian crust is similar in composition to early Earth’s.
Pentaquark?!?
CERN’s LHCb experiment has produced evidence of a quark with 5 parts, or a pentaquark. This is the first conclusive evidence of this configuration of sub-atomic particles since it was first proposed in 1969.
Thinking with your Genes
A gene linked to memory and information processing speed has been discovered in humans.
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Support us on Patreon!
Panda’s are built to survive…
That’s one way to look at it. They could also be sleepwalking through life.
Home-wrecking male spider ruins female’s web during courtship
No, this isn’t a headline from a trashy spider tabloid, black widow males destroy females’ webs during courtship to reduce the number of rival males showing up, and females may even appreciate the effort.
Tiny transmitters may help us save bees
Researchers studied what infected, but not dead, honeybees did all day. This could help us understand what happens leading up to colony collapse disorder.
Reinventing food and plants for a less hungry future
Lab-grown meat, 3D printing pizzas, and fancy photosynthesis for corn…
Coffee Bugs
Without helpful gut microbes, the coffee berry borer beetle (say hat three times fast) wouldn’t be able to live inside the toxic coffee bean. Researchers are Berkeley National Lab are trying to discover if there is a persticide that might disrupt the gut of this insect, and save coffee crops around the world from devastation.
Monkey Brained Together
Scientists have networked brains, and they work better together than on their own.
Mountain Lions spotted in San Francisco
Do not run!!!
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Tags: Alan Boyle, Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, Pluto, podcast, radio, science, science news, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in agriculture, animals, anthropology, arthropods, astronomy, astronomy, astrophysics, astrophysics, bioethics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, botany, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive science, computer science, cosmology, ecology, emergent behavior, endangered animals, engineering, evolution, exploration, extrasolar planets, genetics, information technology, insects, KDVS, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, nutrition, pandas, particle physics, pharmacology, physicists, physics, physiology, planets, podcast, propulsion, robots, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, sleep, space, space exploration, spacecraft, stem cells, supercomputing, technology, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
July 10th, 2015
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In Pluto’s Shadow, Go FermiLab!, Dolphin Brains, Mammoth Matters, Quick Squirrels, Squirrel Disease, Sailing Spiders!, Mongoose Breeding Update, Aging And Immunity, Wherefore AR, Revealing Black Holes, World Robot Domination, Lady Domination, And Much More…
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer!
Science is ever pushing the boundaries of what we know about
the world.
Further and further, more and more, greater and still
greater advances we see each day
New developments in technology
New insights into genetics
New findings in cosmology
New results in treating medical woes
New understanding of the evolution of life
New clues to animal behavior and comprehension
New leads to pursue in preserving our environmental peace
New this, new that, new new new new new…
So much new news is available to us each day on the
scientific front that it is sometimes alarming how little news reporting is
done upon the subjects of science…
A wealth of knowledge is fueling our future, and most people
will never know where it is taking us…
And while this will remain true for most of the planet’s
population, you have found a way to keep up with the present push of scientific
advancements…
So now that you are here, let’s get right to the new
knowledge the world is newly not knowing about with
This Week in Science…
Coming Up Next!
In Pluto’s Shadow
As we get ready for New Horizons to reach Pluto next week, another experimental craft here on Earth known as SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy) flew through the shadow of Pluto as it occulted a distant star to find out about Pluto’s atmosphere.
Go FermiLab!
FermiLab set a neutrino beam world recor this past week with the most powerful beam ever, 521 Kilowatts, which surpasses CERN’s efforts.
Dolphin Brains
Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) of preserved dolphin brains suggests that the cetacean neural pathways for hearing are much more complex than thought. In fact, the pathways in the brain look similar to other distantly related echolocating mammals, bats, implying that convergent evolution might play a role here.
Mammoth Matters
Genetic analysis of mammoth DNA compared to modern elephants shows several places mutations changed proteins and led to new physiological adaptations.
Smart Squirrels
Squirrels not only remember where food is hidden, but also learn ways to be more efficient at finding hidden food. Basically, there is a reason they are in parks around the world. Squirrels are smart.
…And they will kill us all…
Squirrels are vectors for Lyme disease. Don’t feed the squirrels.
Sailing Spiders!
Spiders that fly thorugh the air, or “balloon,” use their legs as sails and silk as an anchor when they land on water. THE SPIDERS ARE EVERYWHERE – WE CAN’T ESCAPE THEM!
Mongoose breeding update
Mongooses may have taken a clue from Shakespeare (or visa versa)? The mongoose plot thickens this week…
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Support us on Patreon!
Age-related cognitive decline tied to immune-system molecule
Mice without B2M, a major-histocompatibility complex related compound, lived longer with less age-related cognitive decline. When injected with B2M the mice began to experience problems with their memories. Will this lead to a drug to combat human mental deterioration with aging?
Wherefore Art Thou AR?
Our brains might not be set up for all the information that heads-up displays can offer. What kinds of information are useful versus distracting? Which aid us in rapid decision-making or hinder our thought process?
Supermassive black holes revealed
With new eyes in the skies looking for x-ray signatures, these giants hidden from our view by cosmic dust clouds will hide no longer.
No Dutch Humanoids
Turns out the robot revolution in the Netherlands will not take a human form. The Dutch want the distinction between man and bot to be clear.
AI ‘Sees’ Galaxies
Using a techniques called unsupervised machine learning computer scientists at the University of Hertfordshire have taught a machine (i.e. developed an algorithm) to discriminate images of distant galaxies.
AI Finds Radiation
And, machine learning has also allowed the development of a system that can differentiate radioactive signals from benign ones more accurately than traditional methods.
Why did the seahorse have a square tail?
Not the beginning of a joke, but the newest finding in nature, and soon robotics! A square jointed tail is stronger, more durable, and graspier (is that a word?).
Go Ladies!
Women in academia are patenting at a faster rate than their couterparts in industry or individuals.
How Well Do We Smell?
A study once estimated the human ability to discriminate odors at 10 Trillion. Is this possible? A recent analysis suggests not.
Cat Urine Kills…
Mice
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Tags: Blair Bazdarich, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, new media, news, Patreon, podcast, radio, science, science news, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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July 3rd, 2015
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:35:45 — 88.1MB)
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Add A Second, Cometary Sinkholes, Another Blowup, Neander-Human Hybrid!, Another DNA Base?, Tropical Wyoming?, Pew Pew Pew, Fruit Fly Sex, Invertebrate Self-Love?, The Sex Difference, Epigenetic Brain, Cats!, Babblers, And Much More…
Disclaimer Disclaimer Disclaimer
The past week made history, as all weeks that pass do…
But of the weeks that pass, the last may live in memory
longer than most
For it is this week in which the American healthcare system
moved closer to first world status
Allowing the hard work of medical researchers to reach the patients
the work was intended for,
Improving quality of life…
The past week made federal law the civil right of marriage… overdue
as it may be, we now live on the right side of a historically discriminatory practice
Allowing for all citizens to be wed…
Improving quality of life…
And the past week we shot a rocket into the air and watched
as it landed there,
And there and there and all over over-there…
Proving that the theme of the past week still holds for the
future, that there is always room for improvement…
And while last week proved us to be improvable as a society
Nowhere else is the
improbability of proof more profound than what we find provided by the progress
of science each and every week right here on
This Week in Science…
Coming Up Next
Add A Second
We added a leap second last night, the fourth since the year 2000, to adjust for the discrepancy between our atomic clock and a slowing of the Earth’s rotation.
Cometary Sinkholes
There are massive sinkholes on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Geramisenko, which are thought to have formed due to heating from the sun.
Another Blowup
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket exploded shortly after liftoff this past week.
Neander-Human Hybrid!
A 40,000 year old human fossil was unearthed in Romania with twice the amount of Neanderthal DNA as found in modern humans. The find suggests that the individual was removed from their Neanderthal ancestor by only 4-6 generations.
Another DNA Base?
Cambridge University scientists discovered a form of cytosine, called 5-formylcytosine (5fC), thought to be a transient epigenetic modification is actually stable in mouse tissues. The finding suggests that 5fC might be a 5th nucleotide used within the genome for regulation of gene expression.
Tropical Wyoming?
What once was may be again. Evidence suggests that the Wyoming climate was once balmy and wet. Will increases in CO2 lead our climate down this path again?
Epigenetic mechanism revealed in brain cells
More evidence, this time in the brain of all places, as to how changes in gene expression occur during our lifetimes. This particular epigenetic control system allows new synaptic connections between nerve cells and could influence changes in our behavior.
Female fruit flies can be too hot
Some females are so attractive that they spend so much energy fending off suitors that their reproductive success is forfeited. So maybe you can be too attractive…
The ins and outs of fruit fly sex
New research with fruit flies gives insight into the mating process, the mechanics, and chemical reactions involved.
Mass Extinction paved the way for our fishy future
Fossilized fish teeth indicate that ray-finned fished thrived after the meteor-caused mass extinction, and turned the ocean into the fish-dominated landscape we now see below the waves.
Invertebrate Self-Love?
Hermaphroditice flatworm uses “hypodermic insemination” to inject its own head with semen when no other worms are around for mating.
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Pew Pew Pew research poll…
So many statistics about how we view science and science-based political issues. Turns out education plays a significant role.
The Sex Difference
Researchers have found differences between male and female mice in the pain sensitivity pathway. Males utilize microglia to trasfer signals about nerve pain, whereas females use B or T immune cells. This signalling pathway is influenced by testosterone, but it’s not yet clear whether other species have a similar physiological difference.
More Aggressive
Statins were found to increase aggression in older women, whereas the picture is more complex in men. The importance of gender studies like this should be highlighted as we work to understand the physiological and behavioral effects of the drugs we use for specific therapeutic outcomes.
Human Evolution in the present day
Genetic diversity makes taller smarter humans
Babbling Birds
Australian Babblers don’t really babble at all. It seems they use a form of language.
Cats go where Coyotes aren’t
Cat owners are in denial
Both these stories help us assess how to control wildlife fatalities due to cats.
Saber-toothed Sabers
They grew throughout a cat’s life, and took years to grow.
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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, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in aerospace, animals, astronomy, astronomy, biology, biotechnology, birds, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, evolution, exploration, genetics, geology, global warming, insects, ISS, linguistics, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, neuroscience, paleontology, pharmacology, physiology, planets, podcast, psychology, reptiles, science, science and politics, Science Education, science history, Science Music, sexuality, sexy scientists, space, space exploration, spacecraft, technology, therapies, worms, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
