I’ve got your missing links right here (9 July 2011)
To much deserved fanfare, Bora Zivkovic launched the new Scientific American blog network, featuring 47 blogs and some of the best writers around. Several personal favourites are now on the site and demand your attention including Jennifer Ouellette, Eric Michael Johnson, Jennifer Frazer, Hannah Waters, Lucas Brouwers, Kevin Zelnio, Charles Choi, Christie Wilcox, Darren Naish, SciCurious, Jason Goldman and more. All of this prompts PZ Myers to declare that “Scienceblogs.com is dead“.
The big journalism story this week: the Guardian revealed that the News of the World hacked the voicemails of murdered girl Millie Dowler and deleted messages, prompting false hope in her parents and possibly perverting the course of justice. That was the first of several revelations that culminated in the paper ending its 168 year run, as a result of the ensuing scandal. Here’s as good a summary as you’ll get of the whole scandal by the man who broke the story: the awesome Nick Davies. The Guardian has predictably the best coverage of the continuing story.
“I am a feminist, because skeptics and atheists made me one,” says Rebecca Watson about the Richard Dawkins furore. If you haven’t caught up with this, read Rebecca’s post and John Rennie’s summary. It absolutely nails what this debate is about: “Simple human decency, not some special consideration.” Some argue this is a storm in a teacup; it’s not. It’s about the repeated trivialising of women’s experiences from a position of ignorance. Also worth reading: Pal MD who urges us to “apply our thinking skills to everyday problems, not just our pet inconveniences,”an open, jointly-signed letter to Dawkins by Stephanie Zvan and others, and several letters collated by Skepchick.
A skull found in the Richmond garden of David Attenborough has been identified as a Victorian murder victim
Wonderful piece from my Cancer Research UK colleague Kat Arney about how cancer quackery hasn’t changed in a century, despite how much we’ve learned.
On the politics of panda censuses, featuring Wen Jiabao and a lot of panda poo, by Henry Nicholls.
Sea holds treasure trove of rare-earth elements. But should we mine them?
Interesting article on the debunking of “social contagion” studies. Reports of infectious obesity and divorce were grossly overstated.
We’re more likely to view an act as intentional if we disapprove of it. Fascinating stuff by Dan Jones.
For every AIDS death US awards $69000 in grant funds. For every MRSA death, $570. Maryn McKenna discusses the worrying numbers.
Antimicrobial Wipes and Soaps May be Making You (and Society) Sick. Wonderfully witty piece by Rob Dunn.
Sally Adee dons a pair of specs that see right through people and reveal what they really think of you
The nuclear industry stinks. But that is not a reason to ditch nuclear power, argues George Monbiot. A difficult topic, but a compelling argument.
123 yrs ago, Edison recorded a woman reading Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Today, scientists have resurrected her voice
“It reminds me of Christmas morning” – Ian Sample’s feature on the shuttle & interview w/ two veterans
Last year: Arsenic life. This year: Chlorine life? From Carl Zimmer
News/science/writing
Was Raptorex – the pint-sized tyrannosaur – actually a baby Tarbosaurus? This paper says so, and here’s Zoe Corbyn’s write-up
I’m not racist, but…
Wonderful stuff from Robert Krulwich on Darwin, hula hoops, the secret to Mt Rushmore and thinking thoughts that no one has thunk.
Take this chance to read an excerpt from Mara Hvistendahl’s book Unnatural Selection
Ever wonder what a wombat the size of an SUV would look like?
How do you find out why a 1.5-meter-long endangered sea turtle is having epileptic fits?
“Light works as if it’s a drug, except it’s not a drug at all.” Light bulbs tweak melatonin
Weapons developer has a sandwich on a suitcase bomb
What do chimps and dolphins have in common? Besides plotting against you?
Nectocaris – inspiring “WTF?” moments among paleontologists since 1976
Vaughan Bell ably takes down Naomi Wolf’s piece on porn, dopamine and “rewiring the brain”. “We are not entitled to opinions on whether there is a “dopamine hole” in the brain,” says Paul Raeburn.
All animal genome stories look like this: X genome sequenced; reason why X is cool; maybe genome tells us why; squint into horizon. BORING.
You want to reach young audiences? Stop thinking about them as ‘audiences’, and involve them, argues Alice Bell.
The man who ate the moon. Well, a bit of it anyway
An ambitious venture aims to create a mouse for every gene
Sabercats are on the move. Sabercats are loose.
Cancer survivor goes home with lab-grown windpipe
The real message from the German E.coli outbreak is that our food production systems are crazy-vast.
The end of E. coli as a single species?
“Why is measles on the rise? Just blame anyone but us!” http://post.ly/2MDXJ
Paleontologists unveil the skull of “the most fearsome predator the Earth has seen”
A thought-provoking interview of a Huntington’s disease mutation carrier
A smartphone add-on that can detect cataracts.
The terror of Ug99 – Plant diseases, farmer suicides and the coming hungry future
Ace Ben Goldacre piece on a disgraceful drug study as marketing tool trial of epilepsy drug gabapentin
A wonderful NYT op-ed about the relevance of Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
Cricket-based thermometry (I also love the category “Macgyver tips”)
“Vets are in a unique position to try stem-cell treatments for quality-of-life problems.” Emily Anthes on stem-cell treatments for racehorses
“For several decades now, biologists have been puzzling over sex.” Carl Zimmer looks at why.
Polar bears trace their maternal roots back to… Ireland?
Darwin’s use of Tree of Life metaphor was an “urban myth.” Interesting PLoS Biology paper
Against Neuroethics: Vaughan Bell argues against brain-based exceptionalism
Heh/wow/huh
The Miliband loop, or When media training and incompetency collide… with hilarious results
A daily puzzle testing your Google search skills.
Man rides motorcycle without helmet to protest against motorcycle helmets, crashes, dies.
A tick in pet owner’s eardrum
I am perhaps not taking this Google Circles thing *entirely* seriously
Onion: “Greenpeace releases rescued dolphins into forest”
In new Warren Ellis comic, UV light reveals hidden speech balloons with the characters’ thoughts
Monkey grabs camera, photographs himself. Wonderful pic
Stunning photo: Big-Eyed Snake in Madagascar
Journalism/internet/society
There’s a bit of a ruck going on at the Guardian over Ben Goldacre’s paper on proportion of incorrect dietary health claims in newspapers, and his attendant column. James Randerson criticised the paper and the column, Goldacre responded, Randerson responded back, Goldacre wrote a new piece and Randerson responded again.
Strangely affecting. Joseph O. Holmes’s Fascinating Photos of People Texting
The Joy Lock Club – a fascinating piece on the competitive lock-picking movement
Some of the aid offered to Japan following the Fukushima disaster has been quite bizarre, not useful
“Ugandan police… declared the party in Kampala illegal and confiscated a birthday cake and the presents.”
Good overview of Google’s multiple warfronts
“It’s tantalizingly close to the opposite of real journalism.” Jay Rosen skewers he-said-she-said reporting again, and CNN’s “leaving it there” style.
This was a spectacularly clever way of getting hired using Twitter.
It’s not whether social media can start revolutions, but whether our leaders behave as if it can. Excellent Bobbie Johnson piece
The excellent Jo Marchant lays out her storytelling techniques
Letters Of Note – a wonderful blog, aptly named.
A lovely, smile-inducing post from Everywhereist on lessons learned from 2 years of blogging
South Korea’s Making the Switch to Digital Textbooks
Wonderful artsy animated GIFs show process of making beer.
David Dobbs deconstructs the writing of his great story “My Mother’s Lover.”
Ananyo Bhattacharya champions the role of trade press in science journalism
Social media background checks.
Go Further
Animals
- This ‘saber-toothed’ salmon wasn’t quite what we thoughtThis ‘saber-toothed’ salmon wasn’t quite what we thought
- Why this rhino-zebra friendship makes perfect senseWhy this rhino-zebra friendship makes perfect sense
- When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
Environment
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
- Listen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting musicListen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting music
- 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?
History & Culture
- Séances at the White House? Why these first ladies turned to the occultSéances at the White House? Why these first ladies turned to the occult
- Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?
- Beauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century SpainBeauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century Spain
- The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’
- Heard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followersHeard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followers
Science
- Here's how astronomers found one of the rarest phenomenons in spaceHere's how astronomers found one of the rarest phenomenons in space
- Not an extrovert or introvert? There’s a word for that.Not an extrovert or introvert? There’s a word for that.
- NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?
Travel
- What it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in MexicoWhat it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in Mexico
- Is this small English town Yorkshire's culinary capital?Is this small English town Yorkshire's culinary capital?
- Follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood ForestFollow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest
- This chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new directionThis chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new direction