I’ve Got Your Missing Links Right Here (14 June 2014)
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Top picks
A cadre of elite writers has created a new venture called Deca—every month, one of them publishes a story, and the others support. The first one, by the awesome Mara Hvistendahl, is a great read on the true crime murder of Canadian model in China. Well worth your $3. Here’s their Kickstarter campaign
“Can neuroscience help us rewrite our most traumatic memories?” A spectacular feature by Michael Spector, seamlessly melding narrative storytelling with clear explanatory writing.
Step 2 of 7: “Ask a stranger to FedEx a whale vagina” By Marah Hardt.
Does brain imaging get a bum rap? Really good defence by Virginia Hughes.
Was a Fisher Price alphabetic fridge magnet set responsible for a generation of synaesthetic people? Great piece by Frank Swain.
“Do Animals Suffer From Mental Illness?” Laurel Braitman’s new book sounds fascinating.
This piece on the history of pepper spray for bears is a constant stream of gold. By Amanda Hess.
Sialoliths—salivary gallstones—are a thing. A terrible, terrible thing. By Cassandra Willyard
“Genes are not gods; they are cogs.” Patrick Clarkin on nature, nurture, and the wonder of developmental plasticity
Good piece on the controversy about 2 papers on MERS, about the same patient, which had different conclusions. By Kai Kupferschmidt.
A rousing call to halt microbiome hype, while still celebrating its potential. I care about this field and I’d hate to see it go the way of dietary epidemiology—a graveyard of empty correlations.
A really sweet story about Bill Watterson’s brief return to comics
This is like Catch Me If You Can, but with dinosaur smuggling. Paige Williams follows up on her amazing New Yorker feature on the black market trade in fossils.
The obsessed heiress who made forensics a science. A wonderful piece from Rachel Nuwer featuring blood-spattered dollhouses
“My mom, Amahl, is one of those Voyager voices. She’s speaking her native Arabic, and her message is simple: “Greetings to our friends in the stars. We wish that we will meet you someday.” By Nadia Drake.
Can we address our food problems by supercharging the relationships between plants & microbes? Cynthia Graber investigates.
Science/news/writing
A string of good environmental news stories leaves a journalist flummoxed.
Fragmented Landscapes May Help Spread Disease
Why do plants get to be many thousands of years old, and animals don’t?
Here’s what your ancestors may have looked like 505 million years ago. Carl Zimmer on Metaspriggina
A tour through the many ways in which animals inject venom.
Are you a secret ‘superforecaster’? Some see the future with exquisite accuracy
The flu debate kicks off again with the same talking points, repeated again and again with each new controversial study. Here’s Mike the Mad Biologist on what scientists risk with the spate of dangerous flu experiments: their credibility. Featuring a real-life incident of viral escape from BSL-3 lab.
“The largest survey of Mexican genetics performed so far reveals tremendous diversity in the country. In some cases, the people studied are as genetically distinct from each other as are people from different continents.” By Erika Check Hayden
Scarlet kingsnake avoids predators by mimcking a dangerous species that isn’t around any more?
Ant sperm swims faster in groups.
Yes, humans are animals — so just get over yourself, Homo sapiens
Jesus and Hitler beaten in Wikipedia influence list by Carl Linnaeus.
“This is bro science – dudes pummeling each other driving human evolution.” Brian Switek on a recent paper on face-punching.
What is the secret ingredient in young blood that reverses aging? Carl Zimmer considers the case for oxytocin.
Diseases spread in weeks. Epidemic research takes years. This must change
“…like a nasty blood-sucking beret that stay attached for years.”
This animal can be brutally torn apart and will come back together again. Writers sympathise.
No, computers haven’t passed the Turing test. Here are some good analyses from Martin Robbins at Vice and Kelly Oakes at Buzzfeed
The first vertebrate sexual organs evolved as an extra pair of limbs.
Rats experience “regret” over bad decisions
Two truths: genes cause every trait, environment causes every trait.
What does a warming of 4.5C actually mean?
A virus has killed 1 in 10 pigs in the US, & no one’s sure how it’s spreading.
Heh/wow/huh
Clickhole – the Onion’s new Buzzfeedish site.
The most passive aggressive sentence ever published in an academic journal
Zombie ants in spoof interview questions.
Er, I don’t think I’m qualified for this job.
And all this time, I’ve been trying to mug people while making sad mime face. This paper changes everything.
Academic writing. Courtesy of Calvin and Hobbes.
Internet/journalism/society
This analysis of the fall of Byliner should be sobering reading for new media ventures
Delivery drones might work best with vans.
This wheelchair has tank treads, a 30mph top speed, and (in some versions) weapons.
“What has no name can’t be acknowledged or shared.” Rebecca Solnit talks to Jessica Valenti on coining “mansplaining”
“It may [surprise] him to find me among his critics” Portrait of divorce…reviewed by author’s ex-wife
Countries are still using bomb detectors sold by a convicted conman that DO NOT WORK
Go Further
Animals
- These 'trash fish' are among Earth's most primitive animalsThese 'trash fish' are among Earth's most primitive animals
- These photos are works of art—and the artists are bugsThese photos are works of art—and the artists are bugs
- The epic migration of a 6-foot long, 200-pound catfishThe epic migration of a 6-foot long, 200-pound catfish
- Frans de Waal, biologist who studied animal emotion, dies at 75Frans de Waal, biologist who studied animal emotion, dies at 75
Environment
- Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet? The answer isn't clear-cut.Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet? The answer isn't clear-cut.
- This year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning signThis year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning sign
- The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?
- The most dangerous job? Inside the world of underwater weldersThe most dangerous job? Inside the world of underwater welders
- The harrowing flight that wild whooping cranes make to surviveThe harrowing flight that wild whooping cranes make to survive
History & Culture
- Meet the powerful yokai that inspired the demon king in ‘Demon Slayer’Meet the powerful yokai that inspired the demon king in ‘Demon Slayer’
- A surprising must-wear for European monarchs? Weasels.A surprising must-wear for European monarchs? Weasels.
- Meet the woman who made Polaroid into a cultural iconMeet the woman who made Polaroid into a cultural icon
- Inside the observatory that birthed modern astrophysicsInside the observatory that birthed modern astrophysics
Science
- LED light treatments for skin are trendy—but do they actually work?LED light treatments for skin are trendy—but do they actually work?
- NASA smashed an asteroid. The debris could hit Mars.NASA smashed an asteroid. The debris could hit Mars.
- Humans really can have superpowers—scientists are studying themHumans really can have superpowers—scientists are studying them
- Why engineers are concerned about aging infrastructureWhy engineers are concerned about aging infrastructure
Travel
- Play and stay in the mountains of eastern Nevada
- Paid Content
Play and stay in the mountains of eastern Nevada - This couple quit the city to grow wasabi in Japan's mountainsThis couple quit the city to grow wasabi in Japan's mountains