I’ve Got Your Missing Links Right Here (02 August 2014)
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Top picks
The largest Ebola outbreak is not a global threat, despite the virus’s terrifying ability to liquefy judgement and make one’s sense of proportion dribble out of every orifice. Here’s a great explainer by Declan Butler. Meanwhile, Sara Reardon reports about the problems that health workers are facing on the frontlines in West Africa, where there’s actually a serious problem. Peter Piot reflects on nearly 40 years of investigating this virus. And Helen Branswell talks about the lack of drugs or vaccines for the disease.
Explorer talks about descending into a hellpit that’s been on fire for 40 years. Stunning photos.
“The mother became a mosaic when she was a tiny clump of embryonic cells.” By Carl Zimmer.
Wow. Mum flies west, dad flies east, & the hybrid bird flies down the middle! Like flying pink snapdragons. By Elizabeth Preston.
Koba from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was the antithesis of bonobo behaviour. By Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods.
“For fifteen years, Richard Norris had a face too hideous to show. Then, one day, a maverick doctor gave him a miracle too fantastic to believe: a face transplant. What’s it like to live with a face that wasn’t yours—and that may never quite be?” Amazing story by Jeanne Marie Laskas
Great read on caviar poaching, and the bizarre-looking paddlefish, from Michelle Nijhuis.
Why are disgraced doctors running our drug trials? Outstanding investigative journalism from Peter Aldhous.
This Cosmo profile of the wonderful Emily Graslie has a picture of flesh-eating beetles devouring a goose, and it’s therefore THE BEST Cosmo article ever.
“A man walks into a bar”. This is funny and perfect.
Michelle Meyer and Chris Chabris have written a great state-of-the-union address on the growing replication movement in science.
Fascinating bit of “digital forensics” connecting a haven of pseudoscience to anti-GMO threats against scientists & journalists.
Science/news/writing
China’s appetite for fish bladders may cause the extinction of the vaquita porpoise.
In 2015, 100 rhinos will be airlifted from South Africa to Botswana, where shoot-to-kill anti-poaching measures exist
Scientists deploy ocean robot to study great white sharks. They attack it.
The Smithsonian is disassembling its dinosaurs—and hoping to learn about the animals in the process
“The study didn’t quite find Neymar to be some kind of brainless soccer zombie.” But it did uncover some fascinating things about the neuroscience of professional sportspeople.
Why are tattoos permanent? A cool TED-Ed animation explains.
MD Anderson postdoc faked results of Novartis anti-cancer compound study
K-index: “a measure of how much hate one can generate on Twitter with a single paper”
A Melbourne oncologist has dealt a $1.2 billion blow to Big Tobacco.
Deborah Blum talks about scientists who lick poison frogs, and get bitten by poisonous snakes
50 million years of theropod evolution (and shrinking), from Allosaurus to hummingbirds
Where The Birds Are Is Not Where You’d Think
So, basically the earth farted and blew this crater in Siberia.
Huh. Tractor beams are *real*. They’re just not very good.
The cheese microbiome.
Features on next Mars rover include x-ray vision, weather station & adamantium claws.
Gambler’s fallacy trips up goalies: Penalty kickers could score more goals by exploiting hidden patterns in dives
There are 8 species of pangolin and they’re all screwed because the 1 species of us is awful.
If you work hard at school, you too might one day be a costumed monkey-scarer.
Kate Clancy on the new K-index and jokes that don’t work.
Drug-resistant malaria has spread. Here’s my story about its rise and how to stop it.
Designing for the microbiome: Fart alarms, digital bacteria, and more
Scientist names new species after David Attenborough, who narrates a video about the work
“The scientists found that arms were a nice accessory for runners to have.” Best if they’re your own, though.
Contaminating bacterium is a major problem for cell biology.
Really expensive sham-poo
Bacteria built the Bahamas using Saharan dust
Daw, who’s da cutest widdle Cthulutron? Is it you? Is it you?
A sexually-transmitted virus that makes crickets all hot and bothered.
How long-term couples develop interconnected memory systems
UCL has launched a new “bad genetic science” website, including the sorry saga of BritainsDNA
Waves of insect sound, and a wonderful tale of science getting done.
Social Octopus Species Shatters Beliefs About Ocean Dwellers
Just imagine how many bacteria I’m transferring by facepalming right now.
Flaws emerge in microRNA method to build tree of life.
Abilify is America’s best-selling drug. Did you know it was tested on homeless people?
When a Species Poisons an Entire Planet. Not what you’re thinking…
This anglerfish does not have a parasitic dwarf male. The Oatmeal and Blue Planet were wrong.
Asteroid’s ‘bad timing’ killed off dinosaurs, new evidence shows
Control restored to beleagured sex gecko satellite
The Epic Fight to Protect Whales From the U.S. Navy
Monkeys use researchers as human shields.
Don’t mess with giant anteaters
Heh/wow/huh
Woman finds IKEA bags stuffed with human bones. Man who dug up the bones says “it’s not as bad as it looks.”
“Eye of the tiger” on dot matrix printer
The Natural History Museum’s vertebrate zoology Pinterest board is amazing.
Maine fisherman snags extremely rare (and stunning) calico lobster.
Internet/journalism/society
The best essay about ramen and reading that you’ll read.
Big congrats to all Society for Environmental Journalism winners, especially Amy Harmon for her superb, nuanced reporting on GMOs
Art doesn’t needs to be “relatable” to be worthwhile. On Ira Glass and Shakespeare.
Adrienne LaFrance considers failed predictions in piano tech and asks: “When is a piano not a piano?”
How did the World War One change the world? A lovely bit of data visualisation.
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
- Meet the original members of the tortured poets departmentMeet the original members of the tortured poets department
- 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’
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?
- This chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new directionThis chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new direction
- Follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood ForestFollow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest