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.
Nanna nanna nanna nanna Batman.
Malcolm Gladwell’s kindergarten.
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
- 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
- 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?
- 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?
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?
Science
- The unexpected health benefits of Ozempic and MounjaroThe unexpected health benefits of Ozempic and Mounjaro
- Do you have an inner monologue? Here’s what it reveals about you.Do you have an inner monologue? Here’s what it reveals about you.
- 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
Travel
- How nanobreweries are shaking up Portland's beer sceneHow nanobreweries are shaking up Portland's beer scene
- How to plan an epic summer trip to a national parkHow to plan an epic summer trip to a national park
- This town is the Alps' first European Capital of CultureThis town is the Alps' first European Capital of Culture
- This royal city lies in the shadow of Kuala LumpurThis royal city lies in the shadow of Kuala Lumpur