August 27th, 2010
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Mitochondrial Eve, Vitamins Cause Cancer, Pills For Life, Like Father Not Like Son, Crazy Kindergartners, Beer Goggles, Fuzzy Holes, Monkey See Monkey Say, Zombie Ants, and Much More!!!
Show Notes:
Mitochondrial Eve
Scientists are using mitochondrial evidence to discover the earliest female ancestor of Homo sapiens.
Vitamins Cause Cancer?!?
Approximately 1/2 the world’s population is infected with Helicobactor pylori, a bacterium known to be involved in cancer and stomach ulcers. A new study found that H. pylori requires vitamin B6 to establish an infection.
The Pill That Makes You Live Forever
Restricted caloric intake has been shown to increase lifespan, and now scientists have identified the specific gene which is responsible for this phenomena. Are we one step closer to life-extending pills?
Tall Babies from Short Parents
Researchers study the way transposons allow traits not present in either parent to be expressed in offspring.
Crazy Kindergartners
Younger children are far more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, possibly simply because the symptoms of ADHD are the same as those of childhood.
Beer Goggles
A study done on the effects of alcohol on the perceived attractiveness of faces confirms that beer goggles do in fact exist. Drink up!
Do you want to read along with the TWIS Bookclub? Get your copy of this month’s book, ‘Good Natured’ by Frans de Waal:
Fuzzy Holes
Researchers are fuzzy about why they see a magnetar where they expected a black hole.
Monkey See Monkey Say
A new study finds that people don’t only imitate the sound of people around them, but they imitate the facial movements of the people speaking.
Zombie Ants
A fungus parasitic behavior that turns ants into virtual zombies turns out to be much older than previously thought.
Thanks for listening! If you enjoy what you hear, please, donate below:
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, arthropods, astronomy, astrophysics, bioethics, bioethics, biology, Black Holes, burning man, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, cosmology, ecology, emergent behavior, evolution, genetics, geography, geology, infectious diseases, KDVS, mammals, medicine, molecular biology, nutrition, paleontology, pharmacology, physicists, physics, physiology, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, science and politics, science history, space, stars, technology, theoretical physics, therapies, TWIS Bookclub, z-Broadcasts | 1 Comment »
August 17th, 2010
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Stone Tools To Rule Them All, Video And The Media Star, An Old Mantle Piece, Take Two And Have A Nice Day, It’s A Miracle… Tomato, Anger For Happiness?, Indian Superbugs, Pulsars For People, Bloomin’ Dust, Minion Mailbag, And Much More!!!
Read along with the TWIS Bookclub! This Month’s book:
Show Notes:
Ancient Tools
New evidence suggests that that tool use began much longer ago than previously thought.
Blinded by the Like
Research into the ways how people respond to different video qualities yielded surprising results. People who liked what they were watching were less likely to complain about the video quality.
Ancient Mantle Reveals Ancient Secrets
New evidence may support the theory that primordial earth had the same basic composition as the most common meteors in the solar system, chrondites.
Feel Snubbed by Your Friends? Take Tylenol
As well as alleviating psychical pain, Acetaminophen has been shown to also relieve the pain from hurt feelings. This research blends the line between physical and social/ emotional pain.
Miracle Tomato
A trans-gene tomato churns out a compound known as miraculin, a special compound that allows sour foods to taste sweet. Foods containing miraculin are used as diet foods in Japan, and their popularity is increasing in the US.
Don’t forget to check out Monty Harper’s Birthday / Fundraising Vigil on Saturday August 21st at MontyHarper.com!
Angry People are Positive People?
Anger has been long considered to be a negative emotion, but feeling angry can help people want to seek a reward. A study found the people who are angry show more focus on positive (rewarding) images than on negative images.
Superbug
37 people who returned from surgery tourist trips from India or Pakistan were found to be infected with a bacteria with a specialized gene that has the potential to make almost any other bacteria antibiotic-resistant.
A New Radio Pulsar…
…Was discovered by “Einstein at Home”. This is the first genuine astronomical discovery by a public research database.
Deserts Feed Rainforests
Scientists studying some of the dustiest places on earth have discovered that dust travels across the oceans from Africa to the Amazon. The transported dust may actually be keeping the rainforest alive by adding nutrients to the soil.
Minion Mailbag: Justin’s claim about advertising and psychology turn out to be spot on.
From our Minion Mailbag:
“The four-part BBC-documentary “The Century of the Self” (2002) gives you a brief but good introduction to the issue.
This is how BBC introduces the documentary:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/century_of_the_self.shtml
You can also read about it on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_Self
Or simply watch it online at Google Video (free & legal):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6718420906413643126#” Thanks for the links, Magnus!
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in agriculture, animals, anthropology, archeology, astronomy, astrophysics, biology, biotechnology, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, cosmology, deep sky, diy tech, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, engineering, evolution, genetics, geography, geology, global warming, KDVS, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, nutrition, paleontology, physics, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, science history, space, technology, z-Broadcasts | No Comments »
August 10th, 2010
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Solar Flare Watch, Keep That Inner Child, Imaginary Dinosaurs, Gamers Beating Computers, Global Warming Benefits, Cultural Brain Wiring, And A Bit Of Artificial Intelligence.
Blow Out Your Flares and Make a Wish
The first solar flare of this cycle kicked off on Dr. Kiki’s birthday, August 1st. It continues, and earth’s magnetic field is still reverberating. It has sparked auroras as far south as Wisconsin and Iowa, so look out for increased auroral activity.
People Never Change
A study found that teachers assessments of certain personality traits in children remained true after four decades.
Triceratops Didn’t Exist
Scientists now believe that triceratops is actually just a younger version of a torosaurus.
Humans Are Still Smarter Than Computers
Fold it is an online game that uses humans ability to recognize patterns to solve the problem of how to fold proteins. A computer program is used to fold them, but the algorithm isn’t able to quite complete the protein, so this game was created to harness the power of people to get past the threshold of an algorithm’s ability.
Check out Monty Harper’s Kickstarter project!
Join the TWIS BookClub in reading this month’s book:
The Silver Lining
Justin looks at the ‘bright’ side of global warming by listing some animals that will benefit from its effects, including sharks, starfish, and jellyfish.
Culture Wires the Brain
A study looks a the way the collectivist nature of eastern cultures versus the individualistic nature of western culture has wired the brains of participants in that culture.
This Week in World Robot Domination: Digital Life
Avidians “live” in a computer world called Avida, and they replicate using strings of coded computer instructions rather than DNA. When “released” into a competitive “environment” they have been able to evolve memory. Could we possibly evolve a computer program to have artificial intelligence comparable to our own?
The Sponge In You
Sponges look, well… spongey. But, you have a lot in common with the absorbent creatures, and they may just divulge secrets from our ancient common ancestor.
Have comments on today’s episode? Response to Justin’s ideas about advertising and psychology? Make them below…
Like what you hear? Donate to TWIS:
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in agriculture, animals, artificial intelligence, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, cell biology, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, computer science, conservationism, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, engineering, evolution, fish, genetics, global warming, jelleyfish, KDVS, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, oceanography, paleontology, particle physics, physics, podcast, psychology, robots, science, science and politics, science history, sharks, space, sponges, stars, technology, world robot domination, z-Broadcasts | 5 Comments »
August 4th, 2010
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Bankrolling ITER, The Ass Family Tree, Daydreaming Again?, No Safe Prions, The Mind of God, TWIWRD, Snails For Your Head, TWITEOTW, Porcine Optimism, And Much More!
Fusion Financed, Finally
A deal has been reached for the timetable and financing of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor to be built in Southern France.
How to Make an Ancient Ass of Yourself
Scientists have traced the family tree of the domestic donkey and found that the critically endangered African wild ass is actually the living ancestor of the modern donkey.
Daydreaming to Forget
A study shows that people who daydream about things that are farther away or longer ago find it harder to recall what they were doing in the present.
No Prion is Safe
New research indicates that infectious prions can possibly arise spontaneously in healthy brain tissue.
The Mind of God
In Michaelangelo’s painting “Separation of Light from Darkness,” the depiction of God’s unusually lumpy neck has been an object of curiosity and controversy. Recently, it was noted by a neurosurgeon that the shape appears to be a spinal cord seen from the perspective of one performing an autopsy. Michaelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” also appears to have some neurological secrets. The God and angels surrounded by cloth in the painting form almost the exact shape of a human brain.
This Week in World Robot Domination
Pancake flipping robots are out there. Videos are available online.
Eat a Sea Snail, Cure your Headache
The toxin injected by marine cone snails into their prey is a potent painkiller… at least in rats.
This Week in the End of the World
– Phytoplankton have been dropping in their abundance for the last century; about a 40% drop in the last sixty years
– 2010 is on track to be the hottest year. Since the year 2000 it’s been the hottest decade EVER.
– We’ll potentially be smashed by an asteroid predicted to hit in 2082.
Optimistic Pigs
New study shows that pigs living in enriched environments are more optimistic about life whereas those in dull environments are more pessimistic.
What The Ze-Donk?!?
Where Do Roos Call Home?
Need TWIS more places??? You can also get TWIS on your Android phone. Look for TWIS4Droid in the Android Marketplace.
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, anthropology, australia bashing, bioethics, biology, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, energy, engineering, evolution, fusion power, genetics, global warming, infectious diseases, KDVS, mammals, medicine, molecular biology, neuroscience, oceanography, particle physics, pharmacology, physicists, physics, podcast, psychology, robots, science, science and politics, science history, sexy scientists, technology, world robot domination, z-Broadcasts | 1 Comment »
July 28th, 2010
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Our Battles With Viruses, Invisibility Cloaks, Big Stars, Bacteria and MS, Engineering Malaria, And Much More!
Viral News
– A new gel prevents transmission of HIV by up to 50%, and is now available to women.
– A push to increase male circumcision in Africa is based on possibly faulty research that suggest circumcised men are less likely to carry HIV.
– The search continues for a universal flu vaccine and we are getting closer.
– Officials just announced the 6th death in California from whooping cough, needlessly, since it is highly preventative. So vaccinate! The vaccine wears off, so adults, especially pregnant women, should get a booster shot.
Sub-par Servers
What is the worst kind of customer service? A new study aims to answer this question, and the results are surprising.
Mosquito 2.0
Biologists are engineering mosquitoes that can’t carry and transmit malaria, in hopes of repopulating the world with them and preventing malaria.
Just How Big Can a Star Get?
Bigger than we thought, it seems. Previously scientists thought that stars could never be larger than 150 times the mass of our sun. Now, using images from the Hubble telescope, they have found at least 4 stars that are over 300 solar masses.
Buckyballs in Space
First observed in the laboratory 30 years ago, these molecules contain 60 carbon atoms arranged in 3d spherical patterns. These are the largest molecules known to exist in space.
Monty Harper is creating a CD of unique science songs for kids, and using Kickstarter.com to try and raise the money to make a really top-flight recording. Check out his pitch video here!
Invisibility Cloaks
A new step towards invisibility cloaks uses glass resonators to make objects invisible.
Stopping Spraying Zinc in Your Nose!
Studies show that intranasal zinc is not only ineffective in alleviating the common cold, it can also cause you to lose your sense of smell.
Massive Marmots
A study indicates that, due to global warming, marmots are getting bigger and more plentiful. With the melting snow, they hibernate less time and spend more time putting on the weight.
A Gut Feeling About MS
Researchers have found a surprising link between multiple sclerosis and gut bacteria.
Support TWIS by Donating:
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, birds, cell biology, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, computer science, deep sky, diy tech, ecology, emergent behavior, energy, engineering, evolution, galaxies, genetics, infectious diseases, information technology, insects, KDVS, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, nanotechnology, NASA, nutrition, physics, physiology, podcast, psychology, science, science and politics, science history, space, stars, technology, z-Broadcasts | 2 Comments »
July 21st, 2010
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Blackholes Around Us, Gravity Defying, Practice Makes Perfect, Birds And Magnets, Three Blind Mice, Lying Eyes, Plants and Intelligence, Microbe Planets, Minion Mailbag, and Much More…
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in animals, astrobiology, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, birds, Black Holes, botany, cell biology, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, ecology, emergent behavior, evolution, geology, KDVS, mammals, microbiology, neuroscience, particle physics, physicists, physics, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, quantum physics, relativity, science, space, technology, theoretical physics, TWIS Bookclub, z-Broadcasts | 1 Comment »
July 14th, 2010
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Pretty Planck Pics, Sexy Ticking Clocks, Living Longer?, Need New Now, TWIS Decade in Review: Epigenetics, and Much More!
For more information on Epigenetics, check out these links:
The Epigenome Network of Excellence (NoE): http://epigenome.eu/
Epigenetic Research: http://www.epidna.com/
The Human Epigenome Project: http://www.epigenome.org/
ScienceNOW on PBS Nova: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3411/02.html
Epigenetics Society: http://www.dnamethsoc.com
Also, join in reading The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery with the TWIS Bookclub:
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS, z-Broadcasts
Posted in agriculture, astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, botany, chemistry, cognitive science, conservationism, cosmology, deep sky, deep space, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, energy, engineering, evolution, exploration, galaxies, genetics, geology, global warming, KDVS, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, NASA, nutrition, physicists, physics, podcast, psychobiology, psychology, science, science and politics, science history, space, technology, theoretical physics, z-Broadcasts | 4 Comments »
July 6th, 2010
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Nature’s Speed Limit, Life Getting Older, Drinking Makes You Trackable, Quantum Fleas on Mt. Everest, Science of Happiness, Dental Discoveries, Kids On Walls, and Much, Much More…
Don’t forget about the book of the month! Head on over to the TWIS BookClub…
Physics addicts out there should take a look at a new stackoverflow community site for physics. Says Nick Gotch, “a place for students, hobbyists, and researchers to exchange knowledge both at the beginner level and advanced.”
Happy 4th of July everyone!!! Even if you aren’t listening or watching this in the US, it’s a day to reflect on your country, wherever you are. Let’s try to learn from our past mistakes and not ever have a rainbow sky on the 4th…
Tags: Dr. Kiki, Justin Jackson, Kirsten Sanford, news, podcast, radio, science, technology, This Week in Science, TWIS
Posted in alternative energy, animals, astrobiology, astrophysics, bioethics, biology, cell biology, chemistry, cognitive psychology, cognitive science, diy tech, ecology, emergent behavior, end of the world, endangered animals, energy, energy conservation, engineering, evolution, exploration, genetics, geology, global warming, KDVS, mammals, medicine, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, nutrition, paleontology, particle physics, physicists, physics, physiology, podcast, psychology, quantum physics, robots, science, science and politics, science history, solar power, space, space exploration, technology, theoretical physics, therapies, world robot domination, z-Broadcasts | 1 Comment »
