I’ve got your missing links right here (31 December 2011)
Top picks
Amy Harmon’s beautiful piece about two teens with Asperger’s navigating love and intimacy is surely one of the highlights of the year. Seth Mnookin really nails why it’s so unfeasibly good, and I also love that NYT ran a correction about a misidentified My Little Pony character in the piece.
Don’t miss The Browser’s selection of 48 long features from the year. They have superlative taste.
Everyone’s putting together lists of their best work in 2011 and John Rennie is collecting them all. Check it out for some truly great work from some truly talented folk. I particularly want to highlight lists by Alex Wild, Rennie himself, Jennifer Ouellette, Ivan Oransky and Kate Clancy.
From a Christmas argument to four-eyed fish: why can’t we see underwater? By Michael Holcombe
A science writer’s take on the famous Christmas poem. “Twas the nocturnal time of the preceding day…” Bravo to Edward Willett.
The Elephant in the Room: How Contraception Could Save Future Elephants from Culling, by Rose Eveleth.
NYT on the tangled history of science & censorship, in reference to the latest story about flu. Meanwhile, Michael Eisen clearly analyses the risks and benefits.
Twins and epigenetics: “Same keyboard, different tunes.” Great Peter Miller feature on what twins tell us about life.
The bloggers at Last Word on Nothing are doing a great series on the seven deadly sins. I particularly love Erika Check Hayden’s piece on sloth (and cancer screening), and Virginia Hughes’ piece on pride (and hype in science writing). See also: lust and envy.
How the Frozen Planet’s wonderful ‘ice finger of death’ sequence was filmed
“One of the first pieces I improved was the infrared sensor mounted on Stephen’s cheek.” The man who saves Stephen Hawking’s voice
Kudos to Rebecca Watson for calling out the condoned awfulness among Reddit’s atheists, and to Kate Harding for picking up on some of the awful reactions.
News/science/writing
Panda filmed eating meat in the wild. Fascinating, but it’s not a gnu, is it?
10 images that change the course of science (and one that’s about to)
It’s not a domestic animal. It’s a wild one that hasn’t killed you yet.
Ha! The sentence that psychologists must inevitably write…
Mmm… “decomposing algal matter”: weird mystery foam engulfs seaside town
Mayo Clinic to sequence patients’ genomes to personalize care
Chem prof faces criminal charges after researcher’s death
MIT develops a suit that makes you feel 75 years old so that young people can empathise with the elderly
Congratulations, it’s an island! You must be so proud. Say hi to the world’s newest island.
Millipedes have set up a 150 mile long demilitarized zone
What happens in the brains of doctors when they look at brain scans? “Only then will we be able to… find the brain’s looking-at-a-blob blob.”
Samoa is going to leap forward in time by switching sides of the International Date Line
Deep-sea creatures at volcanic vent
Housing boom in Monterey > leaky septic tanks > algae bloom > poisoned seabirds > Hitchcock’s “The Birds”
Extra chromosome set = larger cells = deeper voice = awesome. Deep Frog Voice Signals His Chromosome Number
Pavlov’s lion – taste aversion could solve predator problem
Larry Witmer explains why it’s been a good year for Archaeopteryx on its 150th anniversary
Sea snails learn better in staggered lessons. Nice bit of modelling work predicting real behaviour
Wearable camera helps stave off memory decline by capturing an entire day.
Nick Bilton myth-busts ridiculous airline regulations about not using e-readers during takeoff/landing
How Robert Redford got a beetle named after him
Study suggests antidepressants reduce fear in adult mice by increasing synaptic plasticity
Animals like you’ve never seen them before, through the eyes of 5 fine art photographers
Heh/wow/huh
The TSA nabs the world’s least effective ninja
The hits and misses of female fantasy armour
A psychology experiment in an elevator – what happens when everyone stands the wrong way?
Earth’s history as a 24-hour clock. Alive since 4am, having sex since 6pm, human infestation for 17s
Creationists find an unassailable loophole in science. Time to pack up.
What happens to checked-in baggage?
Are you planning on destroying the world? If so, this is the course for you.
Hilarious episode of RadioLab explaining how US toy importers saved tax money by classifying X-Men toys as non-human
How to Deal With Slow Walkers
Internet/journalism/society
Why “Yes, But” Is the Wrong Response to Misogyny
“As a child, he never dreamt of becoming a communist ruler & fell into the role almost by accident.” On the sadness of Kim Jong-Il’s double
How to become a PR laughingstock
Little girl rails against gendered toys. Awesome
Wow, that’s VERY different. I kinda love it. A look at the new London bus design.
Gladwell vs. Shirky: A Year Later, Scoring the Debate Over Social-Media Revolutions
Mobile phone review site sues former writer for leaving company with his 17,000 Twitter followers
When only 1 in 130 applications results in a job, how do you ace a Google interview?
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
- 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
- On the path of Latin America's greatest wildlife migrationOn the path of Latin America's greatest wildlife migration
- Everything you need to know about Everglades National ParkEverything you need to know about Everglades National Park