May 22nd, 2012
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Body Clock Origins, Giant Turtle, Gila Monster Spit, Crows Know, Whale Ears, Happy Parent-ville, Superflare Fun, Bionic Eyes, Dolphin Speaker, Zebrafish Gene Mix, Ring Of Fire, And Much More…
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
This Week in Science… coming up next
A clock to rule them all…
Scientists at the University of Cambridge has attempted to find a universal clock. Peroxiredoxins, or PRX, are proteins that help all cells deal with free radicals resulting from oxygen synthesis, and it turns out that they may be a key component in the formation of a universal clock found in all living things.
Turtle Car
Scientists at the University of North Carolina recently discovered a turtle fossil the size of a small car. The fossil was found in northern Colombia and is estimated to be approximately 60 million years old. How did this turtle with a shell the size of a kiddie pool survive, and what brought it to extinction?
The new latest diet fad: Gila Monster Saliva
Blair’s Animal Corner
We know crows are smart, but it turns out they know quite a lot about us, too. Crows can recognize familiar human voices from unfamiliar ones, just by sound. In fact, they can even recognize familiar individuals of corvid species apart from their own! Smart, indeed.
Whales adjust
Wales can turn the volume down in their ears when the commotion in the ocean gets too loud. Researchers watched a trained false killer whale respond to various noise levels, and found that she can adjust either her hearing, or her brain’s reaction to sound, in relation to the decibel level.
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
Kool-Aid for Parents
According to a recent study, parents are generally more happy than those individuals without children. The researchers are not trying to imply that having children will cause you to be happy if you are not, but they generally rate themselves as happier people. I’m confused…
Monster Flares!
In case you weren’t aware, our sun is in an active period, but we are no worse for wear. Other stars are experiencing a newly discovered phenomenon called a “superflare.” This event would not only increase light, but could heavily damage the atmosphere of orbiting planets. Luckily, it doesn’t look likely that one would occur on our precious sun. Whew…
Bionic Eyes
A new, more compact prosthesis could allow people to see who have lost their sight. It receives sight information from infrared light pulses that simulate eye movement, and then electric currents from photodiodes on the chip would signal the retina and then the brain, to create an image.
Talking to dolphins
Researchers have developed a dolphin speaker that can produce genuine dolphin sounds. This device can then be used to decipher what those sounds mean. The researchers are hoping to develop a legitimate dolphin translator. The question is, are they saying anything interesting?
Zebrafish Clues
Researchers at Duke University inserted part of a human genome into a Zebrafish in order to identify the genes responsible for head size at birth. It turns out that head size is often correlated with mental disabilities such as autism or schizophrenia.
Oh, and don’t miss the ring of fire!
On May 20th there will be a solar eclipse. It will take on a rare shape called the ring of fire, due to the moon being at it’s farthest point. Check the map for where to be and when!
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May 15th, 2012
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Supernovas Differentiate, Indoor Sex Work, Pond Skaters And Warehouse Pirate Bugs, Mistakes Were Made, Kids Health, Scanning Brains, Mayan Calendar Find, The Vagina Microbiomes, And Much More…
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
So ya
Thought ya
Might like to
Go to the show.
To feel that warm thrill of information,
That this week in science glow.
I’ve got some bad news for you sunshine,
TWiS isn’t well, she stayed back at the hotel
And they sent us along as a surrogate brand
We’re gonna find out where you fans really stand.
Are there any minions in the audience tonight?
Get them up against the wall!
There’s one in the lab coat, she don’t look right to me,
Get her up against the wall!
That one looks bookish!
And that one’s a geek!
Who let all of this riff-raff in off the street?
There’s one podcasting opinions,
And a chat room with thoughts!
If I had my way,
I’d have all of you watch!
This Week in Science… coming up next
Supernovaes differentiate!
Type 1A supernovas could come from one of two different sources, but recent findings tell us that perhaps the answer is both. “Just like mineral water,” the supernova could come from an environment with or without gas. The question is, how can two very different systems create supernovae that appear to be the same? There must be something we’re missing, right?
Take it indoors!
It turns out that someone did research to find out that indoor sex work is much safer and cleaner than street work. This study led to development of more supportive housing programs for sex workers in Vancouver, where the interviews and focus-groups took place, and where prostitution is illegal as long as it is kept indoors.
Invertebrate sex:
Two different insect males treat their females without the proper respect, but the females find a way to cope:
Pond skaters have specially adapted antennae to hold down a female so they can mate with her.
And, Warehouse pirate bugs use “traumatic insemination,” which leads to high female mortality, but in turn more babies…
You Were A Mistake
Much like the Post-it Note, human intelligence may have been the result of a mistake. An accidental duplication error in cell division can cause bad or good mutations. Researchers manipulated the gene SRGAP2 in mice, and found that when duplicated, as in a cell division copy error, the mouse’s brain would organize faster and potentially they would be smarter.
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
Kids Health
It’s official, children without insurance and children with public insurance have it much tougher than those with private insurance. In fact, a great number of them lack a primary care physician, and many are likely to opt out of expensive treatment once in an ER.
Brain scans show people enjoy talking about themselves.
Recent brain scanning from the National Academy of Sciences tells us that people love to talk about themselves. In fact, 30-40% of your speech relates to “you.” With the rise of Facebook and Twitter, one wonders if this figure has inflated since the advent of social media…?
The brains of psychopaths are different
Psychopaths have structural differences to their brains. This means that they do not feel the same emotions associated with actions as normal brains do, and it comes down to their wiring. New knowledge about the structure of a psychopathic brain could lead to new preventative treatments for these individuals, and therefore reduce heinous crimes.
Mayan Calendar Find
A newly discovered Mayan calendar in Guatemala goes way past 2012,and in fact goes past the roman calendar equivalent of 3500. It would appear that the Mayan calendar that ended in 2012 was just a calendar that ended in 2012, to be followed by another calendar, and not Armageddon… So we’re OK people!!!
The Vagina Microbiomes
Measure your microbes every day to keep the doctor away? Not as catchy…
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May 8th, 2012
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Clathrate Carbon Prison, Insect Glands, Pigeon Compass, The Staring Point, Stem Cell Suicide, Shelterin The Telomeres, Sedimentary Time travel, Art Faces, And Much More…
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
The following hour of programming was conceived in the big bang
It has been under construction since before the pyramids were built
Contains information that pre-dates the sun
and yet will consist solely of things revealed in the past week
If this makes your head spin, don’t panic, this is perfectly normal for a
creature that lives on a planet that is spinning
in a solar system that is spinning
in a galaxy spinning
spinning in our atoms too
atoms spinning since before the first day began
spinning now and into the future and beyond that too
and all of it spinning around a single solitary hour of programming
in attempt to give the cosmic flow of time and space
some form of manageable conceptual context
This Week in Science… coming up next
Clathrates for sequestration
Clathrates, solid structures that form around methane pockets, could be a new source of energy. We could even sequester CO2 inside once the methane is removed. Sounds like a win-win!
Insect Glands
Glands found in insects recently gave scientists clues to the functions of glands in mammals, even us humans. The gene responsible for infertility due to lack of gland expression in fruit flies is so similar to the same gene that causes infertility in mice when absent, that inserting the mouse gene into the fly genome made the flies fertile again. Despite millions of years of evolution, our building blocks are shockingly interchangeable!
Blair’s Animal Corner: Pigeons and their homing abilities – take two.
After the recent debunkery of the conventional understanding of pigeons’ homing abilities, scientists have been itching to find out the real “GPS” found inside a bird. New research shows that certain neurons in pigeons’ brains respond to changes in their surrounding magnetic field that could help them sense their heading and location. Will this theory hold, or will pigeons and their homing abilities be a mystery to us forever?
The Staring Point
What’chu lookin’ at? Scientists thought that there was a tipping point for staring: a threshold at which enough people staring at something would lead nearly everyone else to follow suit. New research suggests there isn’t a tipping point at all. Apparently the pack mentality does not apply to ogling…
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
Stem Cell Suicide
Embryonic stem cells will commit suicide if they become damaged and are a danger to the developing embryo. A protein called Bax will be called into action if the stem cell becomes damaged, and the cell will be destroyed in less than 5 hours.
Shelterin and telomere protection
Telomeres, the ends of your chromosomes, are what keep us from aging and dying, so they’re kind of important. Shelterin is a cap on our telomeres that protects us from telomere degradation; scientists recently did some research on these important chromosome protectors. When the cap is removed, the DNA has six different repair mechanisms that can place the precious genes in jeopardy. Understanding these threats will help us to prevent them.
Clear Lake’s Sediments: Among the World’s Oldest.
These sediments go back as far as 500,000 years. The core drilling project by UC Berkeley is part of a research effort to see how flora and fauna has changed and responded to changing climate. From this information scientists can predict what we can expect in the near future, if climate change continues at it’s current rapid gait.
Facial Recognition in Art?
Three UC Riverside academics have won a $25,000 grant to apply facial recognition technology to art. This could be applied in many ways, including identifying previously unknown subjects in ancient artwork.
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Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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May 3rd, 2012
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Supernovas Spawn Life, Unexpected Reservoir, Meerkat Losers Win, Bee Like Brains, The G-Spot, Treating Autism, Mad Cow Cure, World Robot Domination, Belief Vs. Analytics, And Much More…
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
We humans may see ourselves as an independent life form,
liberated from animal ignorance
able to attain the greatest heights of intellect through powers of logic and reason…
And when engaged in this pursuit, we do quite well.
But much of who we are and how we live is still under the direct control of a higher power
For the true world of man is the world of the brain and within the world of mans brain there lives two distinct creatures
There is the sentient mind of self, that with which we think, scheme plan and dream…
And there is that other creature… the animal control brain…
The controller that manipulates us into eating, urges us into making love, reminds us to care for our young and commands us to seek safety and security
If we forget to eat for a few days, it is not the sentient knowledge of needing nutrient that nudges us into nibbling…
But painful pangs of stomach sensations brought on by the animal control brain that lightly punishes us into eating…
Once we have eaten, we are not intellectually satisfied by our self nourishing act,
but we are injected with opiates, serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine by the animal brain controller as a reward for following its commands
The same is true of sex, of love, of safety and the pleasing appearance of order…
The controller is actively punishing and rewarding the sentient mind, manipulating mind and body in acts of basic animal survival
And as it asserts its dominance over the will of man, again and again we submit to its ultimate authority, fanatically. with out question.
We obey, not because it is in our best interest to do so, but because our best interest was determined by our caretaker and tormentor brain long before man kind existed
That it bares great similarity to the myths created by man to explain a controlling super natural force greater than himself is not a coincidence of terms,
but may be the explanation for the coincidences of myths throughout the ages…
The one thing that allows us to escape the animal control brains dogmatic directions…
Our intelligence.
We can have sex for the sensation, not just procreation.
We eat foods that release the greatest rewards, and get extra oxytocin love hormone delivered by music or watching movies
we have learned much about the brain itself, giving us an ever increasing advantage over the controller, and our understanding of how much we require its control
And at the end of each day, when the eyes close and the world in which we live is once again reduced to inner skull walls…
we can be thankful for the knowledge we have gained and the perspective we have learned by listening to
This Week in Science… coming up next
Supernovas Spawn Life
Our solar system may have encountered a supernova or two in it’s journey around the milky way that could have greatly effected our planet’s history. In fact, these supernovae that we may have come into contact with could have in turn influenced the development of life on earth. This means there are far off elements in the evolutionary story we have yet to even discover – talk about the BIG PICTURE…
Unexpected Virus Reservoir
It turns out that bats are very dangerous to humans, even the ones that aren’t vampires… 60 new species of paramyxovirus was recently found in bats; this family of viruses is responsible for the common cold, measles, mumps, and pneumonia, as well as distemper in pets. Bats appear to be the evolutionary breeding ground for these dangerous viruses that can jump directly to people, which reveals some obstacles to eradicating them.
Are meerkat losers smarter?
Outcast or lower socially ranking meerkats are more persistent and more effective at solving puzzles to acquire food. Human high schools may in fact be reflective of wild animals in social groups…
How Your Brain is Like a Bee
Our brain searches for information the same way a bee forages for nectar. We look for information in our brain in groupings just like a bee in a bush of flowers. By studying these bees’ foraging techniques, a computer can predict when our brain will switch to a new “bush,” or grouping of information. Soon a computer will be able to predict what we are thinking about before we think it…
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
The G-Spot
By dissecting a female cadaver, Dr Adam Ostrzenski has found what he believes to be anatomical, physical evidence of a G-Spot. One data point cannot be enough to indicate universal existence, location, and function of this long sought-after gem, but it raises some questions that some men might be willing to pay a hefty sum to answer.
Treating Disease… Autism
An experimental compound named GRN-529 has effectively reversed behaviors in mice associated with core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. This compound blocks a protein receptor in brain cells, and may be a option for use in humans.
Mad cow cure
Researchers in Sweden and Switzerland have detected and treated toxic prions in the brain using self-illuminating polymers. The treatment can render the mis-folded prions harmless, which could effectively treat diseases like Mad Cow and even Alzheimer’s.
World Robot Domination!
Get rid of teachers! It turns out that computers can grade essays as well as human teachers. Programs and algorithms can look out for what makes a good or bad essay, and grade with about 98% accuracy to how a person would score the work.
Belief Vs. Thinking
A study at the University of British Columbia demonstrated that analytical thinking can decrease religious belief, even in devout believers. I’m not even going to say it… Glean what you will from this one…
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May 1st, 2012
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Evolving XNA, Moving A Hand, Blair’s Animal Corner, No Bird Magnets, Cooler Heads Prevail, Predicting Your Future, Livers Need Love, DIY Drugstores, Remembering Lines, And Much More…
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
The end of the world is coming.
Yes, the world we are living on, the planet called earth is going to be destroyed by our sun…
The same sun that nurtures sprouting plant life, that warms cheeks on beaches, that fuels our planets climate and atmosphere through passive radiation… is going to burn us to a cinder.
It has been predicted by scientific methods, peer reviewed and rigorously verified by leading members of the scientific community…
The end of the world is coming, for sure!
And while it’s not going to happen for a few billion years, and you and I and everyone we know and everyone who has yet to be born will have met more intimately tangible ends long before it happens…
Knowing that this world is not a permanent fixture in the universe can give us some perspective into our own mortality.
If we consider how wonderful a planet it is, how lucky we are to have lived here, or to have lived at all…
What a strange set of circumstances lead to this moment of here and now, getting to play our parts in the history of the universe as living, breathing, thinking beings of mind and body…
The greatest witnesses to the existence of the universe that, as far as we can tell so far, have ever existed on any rock around any star anywhere across time and space.
The moment in which you can do is always now, and what better use of your now than using that amazing brain of yours to tune into another episode of…
This Week in Science… coming up next
Evolving XNA –
Synthetics: not just your mom’s jumpsuit from the 70’s: UK’s Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology has successfully created synthetic DNA, called XNA. They even managed to make a polymerase that can make XNA from DNA, and visa versa. This XNA can even evolve. Are synthetic organisms next to come out of the lab?
A New Brain Machine
Northwestern University has developed a “brain machine” that can move muscles without use of the spinal cord. By mimicking the electrical pulses sent out from the brain to muscles in monkeys, they successfully moved a paralyzed hand. This could be monumental for people with spinal cord injuries, or, a tool for world domination…
Blair’s Animal Corner
The Rock Hyrax may have more complex language skills than we had previously thought. It turns out that this animal resembling a rodent, but most closely related to elephants, has syntax when it sings. That is, the notes of a hyrax call have an intentional order, and this order varies from one region to another, like dialects. Can other species of mammals communicate in ways that we just haven’t noticed? Probably.
No magnetic neurons in birds
Conventional wisdom has told us that metallic cells in birds’ beaks help them to navigate by the use of magnetic fields. However, recent research of pigeon beaks found macrophages instead, which would never have been able to send information to the brain to aid in navigation. That means that the avian sense of direction is once again, a mystery.
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
Cool it, now!
Inducing hypothermia after a heart attack could reduce likelihood of stroke and brain damage. By reducing a patient’s body temperature by 6 degrees fahrenheit for 24 hours, we can protect the brain and vital organs from permanent damage. Will modern medicine accept a treatment that does not involve prescription drugs?
fMRIs Predict Future Behavior
By tracking the response of your brain to specific images, scientists can predict your future. If your brain is more stimulated by food, you are likely to gain weight. If your brain responds to steamy photos, you are likely to be sexually active in the near future. If you know you are more tempted by food right now, will you be able to set yourself up for success?
Another reason to drink?!
People with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) could use a drink or two. Those who consume one to two servings of alcohol a day are half as likely to develop hepatitis as those who are non-drinkers.
DIY drugstores
3D printing technology from the University of Glasgow could allow you to print out your own prescriptions. Chemical reactions within polymer gel that sets at room temperature make “do it yourself Rx’s” a possibility.
What makes a movie line memorable?
The components that make movie quotes memorable have been identified. Mainly, the quote has to be applicable to real-life situations, it must be versatile. Based on these parameters, a computer program can identify which lines will be remembered.
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April 18th, 2012
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Fit Frogs, A Gene For Niceness, The Neurotic IQ, Animal Sex, Patented Plants, Tracking Toxo, Social Immunity, And Much More…
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
From the unknown precursor of the big bang to the eventual demise of the universe
From the first moments of evolution to the latest version of the smart phone.
From dust into stars to super nova radiation
From that babies first breath to your last dying day…
…when you’re on earth you’re on earth all the way.
And while you’re here, why not stop a moment to appreciate the finer things that life has to offer.
Savor a fine wine, the subtle scent of dew, the view of nature un-interrupted, or the touch and feel of a lovers hand set to the sound of rushing water…
And once your basic senses have been thoroughly indulged in endorphin hijacking activities, lets move on to something really interesting…
the world beyond your senses…
the world as it can only be conceived by the sentient intellect
the world of truth
the world of mind
the world… of science
And while the alluring endorphin siren songs of earthly delight can only be ignored for so long, let us take this next hour to focus on what else the universe can have in store for us on…
This Week in Science…
Coming up next.
Fit Frogs
More physically fit frogs can change their DNA faster than less active amphibians. Free radicals created from activity could contribute to DNA alterations over time. Scientists measured oxygen intake in frogs when encouraged to exercise, and then sequenced frog “family trees.” The faster-changing genomes correlated consistently with the more energetic individuals. Is DNA like a muscle that needs exercise?
Why am I so nice, you ask?
Why, it’s in my genes! University of Buffalo and UC Irvine have found genes responsible for “niceness.” If a person was fearful or distrustful of the world around us, subjects with this receptor gene would still exhibit generous behavior to their fellow man. Without the gene, they would be much less likely to help others in need. Those that had an optimistic view of the world were unaffected by the gene, indicating perhaps that if you believe the world is a kind place, most of the time you will be kind back.
Tracking Toxo
A new blood test has been developed that can distinguish specific strains of Toxoplasma gondii from one-another. This means that pregnant woman can screen for this parasite and even treat the infection in infants. This is great news, because this infection can cause both physical and mental defects in children that are unfortunately often permanent.
It’s steamy in the corner this week…
Newts have sexy kidneys! Male red-spotted newts sport thick, oozing kidneys during mating season, and the lady newts love it. The reason is still unclear, but it would appear that the liquid coming out of the kidneys mixes with the liquid of the spermatophore and gives the swimmers a leg-up.
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
Does worrying make you smarter?
In general, higher IQ’s were associated with lower degrees of worry, but generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or extreme worry, was associated with higher IQ. So, a little worry hurts your intelligence, but high anxiety makes you smarter… Wait, I’m worried I don’t worry enough… Or too much… Oh no… Am I getting dumber?… Or smarter?…
“Don’t take away my seeds, Monsanto, I swear I’ll be good!”
Is planting something you bought at a market illegal? Appeals courts say yes, if the seed is genetically modified and patented. Is it right to keep people from planting seeds, especially when the “patented” variety make up over 90% of the local population?
A time machine, you say?
Astronomers are just about finished building “Mosfire” (Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infra-Red Exploration). This instrument can see some of the most distant, faintest galaxies, as they were first formed, up to 10 billion years ago. You may not be able to go back in time and meet Einstein, but seeing galaxies in their infancy that may have already ceased to be is a close second.
Magneto-battery!
Soon, we may be powering all of our electronic devices cordlessly, without a battery that runs out, using a magnetic rotary field. The really exciting news, though, is that this technology will be extremely useful in the application of medicinal electronic aids, such as pacemakers. The question is, will people want a conceivably harmless magnetic field pulsing through their bodies?
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April 17th, 2012
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Feathered Dinos, Red Wine Diet, Female Objects, Seas A-risin, Sweet Whale Barf, Blair’s Animal Corner, Interview With Chris Mooney Re: The Republican Brain, And Much More…
Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!
Everything you are about to hear is supposed to be true.
The facts have not been changed to protect the innocent minded.
Nor have they been, twisted, snipped, clipped, or spun into spider silk to suit a particular political or ideological perspective.
While this may be unusual, uncomfortable or even awkward for audiences unaccustomed to unfiltered media, others may find it refreshing, insightful, informative and even fun.
In some cases, listeners have reported feelings of liberated euphoria and a rapid self realization allowing them to see the forest for the trees and on occasion, run for them…
In the rarest of instances, complete and total transformative cosmic thinking occurred, allowing the occasional listener to formulate reliably accurate mental models of modern quantum motion…
…a phenomenon which has been long associated with making pants-optional life choices.
So whether you’re about to be weirded out, turned on or freaked up… you have only yourself and the universe to blame, you have been warned…
This week in Science
Coming up next.
A big feathered dinosaur
Paleontologists have recently found a tyrannosaurus-like dinosaur covered in feathers, called Yutyrannus huali. These dinos are the largest feathered animal in history, to our knowledge, and is about 40 times as large as the previous record-holder.
Sweet Whale Barf
Don’t want real whale vomit in your perfume? That’s ok, the University of British Columbia has identified a gene in balsam fir trees that could be used to make synthetic ambergris.
Red Wine Diet???
Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, mimics the metabolic effects of dieting in a study of obese men.
Blair’s Animal Corner
RoundUp: Tough on weeds, tougher on amphibians. It turns out that this popular herbicide causes morphological changes in growing vertebrates. What does that mean for us humans?
Quantifying Deglaciation
The last deglaciation, “Meltwater Pulse 1A,” caused a sea-level rise of 12-20 meters. What does that mean for our current sea-level, as our planet’s polar ice melts?
Get a free audiobook at Audible.com!
Interview with Chris Mooney
The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science and Reality is the latest release (April, 2012) from author Chris Mooney who penned the 2005 New York Times bestseller The Republican War on Science. He also hosts of the Point of Inquiry podcast and writes the “Intersection” blog for Science Progress. In the past he has written for Mother Jones, American Prospect, Harper’s, Washington Post, USA Today, and Slate among other publications.
Why do Republicans view science as a liberal endeavor? Science has become tied to politics, whether it makes sense to be or not. Money, votes, and lobbyists all have an opinion on scientific issues, even though none of those entities carry science degrees. In brain scan studies, conservatives had more gray matter in the amygdala (fear center of the brain). In Psychological studies, conservatives also fixated on unpleasant images, and liberals were more likely to focus on pleasant ones. It’s looking more and more like the gap between ideals on key science issues is growing – a consensus needs to be reached before difference of opinion grows so large it is irreconcilable. Perhaps this is why understanding republicans and their brains is so important.
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Tags: Chris Mooney, Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS, TWIS Bookclub
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April 4th, 2012
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Cancer Cures For Mice, Fetus Brains, Booze It Up, Fly Little Birds!, Unsolved Science Mystery, Titanium Moon, Driving Blind, Guest Host Scott Sigler, Author of Nocturnal, And Much More…
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Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages…
Don’t be bashful, don’t be shy, there’s no need to walk on by…
No matter what you are doing at the moment, you will regret not joining us in the big tent and witnessing the wonders of the world in which you live…
From the trivial side show tid bit to the paradigm shifting high-wire act of freak show physics…
There are things you will see and hear in here that have never been seen or heard before beyond the mystical laboratory research walls…
You’ll hold your breath in captive silence as Kirsten casually catapults herself high above the center stage, tantalizing us with tales upon the scientific trapeze
Thrill in delight as the dazzling damsel Blair braves daunting beasts of nature in her corner of the stage…
Look on with astonishing envy as twit techs push buttons of flashing lights while juggling live feeds, un-level audio and multiple camera angles…
And there will be a clown or two thrown in for yuks and such
So step right up, come on over, come on in…
The big show is about to begin.
Here on this week in science…
Coming up next.
Cancer cured! In mice… again.
Is there a single drug cure-all for cancer? Perhaps. Scientists have made a drug that inhibits CD47, a protein found in cancer cells. Mice using this drug remained cancer-free for months after treatment. But, the big question is, will it be as effective in humans?
Fetus Brains
Genes and proteins that promote growth and development in embryos have been found in adult brains. A study of roundworms reveals that these proteins stay dormant and are reactivated when alterations in signal pathways and receptors are needed. This study could lead to treatment of mental illnesses if we can learn how turn these proteins on and off ourselves.
Want to be creative? Science says: “Booze it up!”
Getting a buzz from booze may boost creativity. Men who drank themselves tipsy solved more problems demanding verbal resourcefulness in less time than sober guys did.
Can birds outfly global warming?
Birds’ ranges have shifted in direct relation to changing temperatures, but it has taken them quite a while to relocate, over three decades, in fact. If birds, who can maneuver from one habitat to another so easily, are having trouble moving in relation to climate change, what chance do less-mobile species have?
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Are you reading along with the TWIS Bookclub? This month, check out Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David Montgomery
Let’s talk a bit about Scott’s book…
Nocturnal – Scott describes his “tribute to 80’s cop movies” as “Lethal Weapon meets Hellboy.”It’s a fun mix of action, science, horror, mystery, and science-fiction – check it out!
Unsolved Science Mysteries – Pine Mouth
A syndrome called “Pine Mouth” occurs one to two days after eating pine nuts and causes a bitter metallic taste in your mouth for a few days up to two weeks, but what causes it? Researchers have found that only a specific species, Pinus armandii cause this syndrome, but they don’t yet know why or how. Unfortunately pine nuts usually comes in a mix of species, and therefore it is difficult to avoid.
Titanium Moon
Analysis of Moon titanium indicates that the Earth was the soul parent of our orbiting “child.” Different celestial bodies, even asteroids, have a wide variety of titanium isotopes, but the Moon only contains isotopes found on Earth. It would seem that there was a “virgin birth” billions of years before we had thought.
Blind and hungry? Science says: Drive to Taco Bell!
Google’s autonomously driving vehicle allowed a blind man to drive… to Taco Bell. while we might be able to think of better places to go, the technology behind such a feat is mind-boggling.
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Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, Scott Sigler, talk, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
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