I’ve got your missing links right here (28 May 2011)
Top thirteen picks
“It may seem nonsense to think of the (probably sceptical) intelligence with which you interpret these words as something on a par with plate tectonics or photosynthesis. But dam by dam, mine by mine, farm by farm and city by city it is remaking the Earth before your eyes.” A beautiful piece of writing on the impact of humans on the planet, probably by Ollie Morton.
A beautiful piece about two twins, joined at the head, who might share a mind. By Susan Dominus
An awesome idea from David Dobbs – The Best American and British Rejected Magazine Stories. His response to Robert Krulwich’s amazing speech, and what veteran journalists can get out of the new ecosystem.
How Not to Be an Asshole: A Guide For Men by Chris Clarke. An excellent, must-read post.
“The virus releases an enzyme that literally makes the animal dissolve.” Carl Zimmer on zombie viruses & biotech
Matt Wedel talks about the world’s longest cells in the nervous systems of sauropods. A great example of blogging your own research.
Why life is like Lego, and why it matters for the search for aliens, by Lucas Brouwers
Yes, there’s still a global extinction crisis, despite what a recent Nature paper (and the subsequent coverage) might suggest. Meanwhile, in the NYT, one of the peer reviewers of the disputed paper identifies himself
A very cool post on sleep habits around the world, by Jessa Gamble.
“For one individual, this breakthrough was… more than 27 years old.” Curing paralysis – again. An amazing story by R. Douglas Fields.
Addictive, hilarious, illuminating blog from @Rachelvspublic, a woman who works a debt collection line for a mortgage lender
In the war against spam, scientists buy lots and lots of Viagra.
How ads implant false memories. A fascinating and worrying piece by Jonah Lehrer.
News/science/writing
“Perhaps after 34 years it’s time for us to confess that we invented cello scrotum.” On pigeons, guitar nipples, migraines, Picasso and an idea retraction. Too Hard for Science? E. O. Wilson–A Vertical Map of Life on Earth
Science published #arseniclife responses (and response to the responses)
I’d always wondered… Rose Eveleth looks at why people sometimes think their mobile phones are ringing when they’re not.
Ben Goldacre on the ‘angst-inducing context that surrounds every piece of academic research you read’
I missed this detail but the “data” in the infamous Kanazawa post on black women was based on n=3. Meanwhile, Khadijah Britton looks at his claims (with a wonderful lede), and Scott Kaufman dismantles Kanazawa with data.
Pilot whales: social creatures in dangerous straits
Among 369 systematic reviews of traditional Chinese medicine, not a single one disclosed funding info, 29% had statistical errors, and 46% were published in journals with an impact factor of zero.
How To Set Someone On Fire – the Neuroskeptic looks at whether you can set fire to petrol by dropping a match on it.
“A mouth that looked like a camera-shutter-of-doom.” Brian Switek on anomalocariids, which got bigger and lived later than anyone thought.
Hailing bacteria. I love this topic; here’s an old post from me on snow-making bacteria
Electrons are near-perfect spheres. “If an electron was size of solar system, it’d be out from perfectly round by less than the width of a human hair.” And terrifying…
Even tiny bits of exercise are associated with increased fitness. Like furious typing, right?
Erika Check Hayden reflects on the unpleasant taste of hype by reflecting on two very different Science papers – arseniclife and the RNA/DNA differences one.
The genetics of IQ and the politics of IQ testing, by Stephanie Zvan.
The brain: like a Twitter network but “more clustered, less efficient”. Cool live hashtagging experiment
Scicurious retracts her post on mobile phones and dying bees. If only everyone could admit their mistakes with this level of grace.
Nature cares not for cute – Giant water bug photographed devouring baby turtle
Same genes may be involved in domestication of dogs & pigs – and bonobos! (Paywall)
“You immediately grasp that something is fishy with this fish.” Brandon Keim interviews Hans Fricke about coelocanths
“BOOM chicka wow wow.” Alligators flirt by way of infrasonic booms.
Obama recognises that nerds are the future, tells UK govt.
Anti-abortion group drafted in as sexual health adviser to government. Oh dear.
Tracking whale sharks with astronomical algorithms, by Brandon Keim
On artists, liars and “Chronic confabulation” by Ian Leslie, whose new book about liars has just come out
New Bacteria Lives on Caffeine
Good idea, important cause: WordsMatter praises good media reporting on mental health issues & challenge the bad.
Top 10 New Species of 2010 include tyrant leech, fruit-eating monitor, and the spinner of the world’s largest spider-web
Smallpox will get to survive for a few more years at least
‘Lingodroid’ robots evolve own language to plot in secret, I mean, speak to each other
New Lancet study on sex-selective abortion in India shows that it’s highest among richest, most educated families
Lioness steals camera; makes her own film
“[We’ve] missed a huge fraction of the [fungi] kingdom (perhaps even approaching half).” Wait, HALF? By Jennifer Frazer, on a study that I highlighted last week.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth – too hard for science? by @cqchoi http://is.gd/tIB0Z3
Major initiative launches to develop apps to help autistic people communicate
Publication bias: male PIs are more likely to bury unwelcome study results than female PIs
Textbooks being rewritten. New Scientist on when scientists get it wrong.
Optogenetics – the science of controlling brains with light – explained in a video
A Toronto couple is keeping their baby’s sex a secret so the child won’t be constrained by gender roles
Ancient DNA retrieved from hairs in fossil sloth poop
A 135-year old scab creates a smallpox scare at a museum.
Pope talks to sky. Sky finally talks back.
Should we just let athletes use performance-enhancers? Why we’re dopes about doping
Heh/wow/huh
World’s best Tetris player. No really. You can’t imagine how good he is.
“Literally Unbelievable” – How Facebookers interpret Onion articles
Gorgeous satellite view of erupting Grimsvotn
Just wonderful. There is nothing left to learn. List of problems solved by MacGyver
From now on, when commenters point out typos without saying anything else, I’ll simply reply with this
How bloggers can enhance the brands of established media institutions
“Deadly New Virus Found To Be ‘Real Squiggly’”
These are not normal… Plush statistical distribution pillows!
Stanford scientists announce that evolution will occur on Thursday; human arms to become 4-6 inches shorter
Amazing high-speed video of bumbling and stumbling parasitic wasps.
Correlation win! Suicide rates associated with proportion of low notes in country’s national anthem
The Journal of Politeness Research.
Journalism/blogging/internet
Please come into journalism and take over
Chris Mims on how the rise of Apple is just like the rise of mammals
A good interview about science journalism, and the problems of having to hype stories, not to the public, but to editors.
Interesting debate, told by Storify – is education what journalists do?
“Being an expert in social media is like being an expert at taking the bread out of the fridge”
Unpaid intern wins £1025 from publisher for 5 wks work after taking case to tribunal
From site analytics to discovering an unreported homicide in one hour, via Twitter and Facebook.
Scientific Communication all-you-can-eat Linkfest
Behold Encyclo: @NiemanLab’s encyclopedia of the future of news. Great idea, well-executed
In an iPad vs paper match, iPad users finished articles quicker & retained more info when reading on paper
Slate versus the em-dash. Should writers use them sparingly?
“You have to love it.” For Some, Blogs Also Pay the Bills
Author finds Chinese edition of her novel has photo of stranger
Go Further
Animals
- Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them?
- Animals
- Feature
Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them? - This biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the AndesThis biologist and her rescue dog help protect bears in the Andes
- An octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret worldAn octopus invited this writer into her tank—and her secret world
- Peace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thoughtPeace-loving bonobos are more aggressive than we thought
Environment
- This ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrificeThis ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrifice
- U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?
- Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security, Video Story
- Paid Content
Food systems: supporting the triangle of food security - Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?Will we ever solve the mystery of the Mima mounds?
- Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?
- This year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning signThis year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning sign
History & Culture
- Strange clues in a Maya temple reveal a fiery political dramaStrange clues in a Maya temple reveal a fiery political drama
- How technology is revealing secrets in these ancient scrollsHow technology is revealing secrets in these ancient scrolls
- Pilgrimages aren’t just spiritual anymore. They’re a workout.Pilgrimages aren’t just spiritual anymore. They’re a workout.
- This ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrificeThis ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrifice
- This ancient cure was just revived in a lab. Does it work?This ancient cure was just revived in a lab. Does it work?
- See how ancient Indigenous artists left their markSee how ancient Indigenous artists left their mark
Science
- Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io has been erupting for billions of yearsJupiter’s volcanic moon Io has been erupting for billions of years
- This 80-foot-long sea monster was the killer whale of its timeThis 80-foot-long sea monster was the killer whale of its time
- Every 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost timeEvery 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost time
- How do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tipsHow do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tips
- Why outdoor adventure is important for women as they ageWhy outdoor adventure is important for women as they age
Travel
- This royal city lies in the shadow of Kuala LumpurThis royal city lies in the shadow of Kuala Lumpur
- This author tells the story of crypto-trading Mongolian nomadsThis author tells the story of crypto-trading Mongolian nomads
- Slow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capitalSlow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capital