I’ve Got Your Missing Links Right Here (03 January 2015)
Sign up for The Ed’s Up—a weekly newsletter of my writing plus some of the best stuff from around the Internet.
Top picks
Moral of story: if your roommate is a sociopathic parasitologist, don’t evict him. By Rebecca Kreston. Also from her wonderful blog: In the early days of penicillin, we recycled the drug from the urine of treated patients!
What would happen if the Earth stopped in its orbit? Aatish Bhatia considers in his own inimitable style.
The events of 2014, as told through seven addresses. A lovely, creative approach to a year-end list, by Amy Davidson.
“Guess I’ll go eat worms.” I missed Robin Henig’s beautiful essay on loneliness last year; you shouldn’t.
To end 2014, the NYT published a stunner of an Ebola story, narrating the unfolding of a preventable epidemic. By Kevin Sack, Sheri Fink, Pam Belluck & Adam Nossiter.
Ebola virus may hide in bats, but not the kind of bats we were expecting. By David Quammen.
China’s lunar rover has sent some wonderful new pics back from the moon. By Nadia Drake.
Here’s me, with Jonathan Eisen, Jack Gilbert, and Margaret McFall-Ngai, talking all things microbiome on NPR
Does the FTO gene create risk of obesity? Yes, but only if you were born after World War Two. Carl Zimmer talks about the subtle interplay between genes and time.
Orcas, Orangutans, Elephants: Legally human, non-human or something in between? Thoughtful post by Barbara King.
A wonderful tribute to the grammatical diversification of “nope”, by Stan Carey.
“Once the laughs have worn off, spoof papers can actually do damage to science.” Rose Eveleth on the ethics of the BMJ’s Christmas issue and other sarcastic publications.
“A packrat ducks into a Wyoming cave. This is a mistake…” Brian Switek explores the Natural Trap Cave.
A great guide to sniffing out bad health journalism, by Carolyn Kylstra, with quotes from me and others.
News/science/writing
Raindrops are like tiny asteroid strikes
11+ things everyone needs to know about microbes
A new study, and accompanying press releases and news stories, claimed that most cancers are due to “bad luck”. The results didn’t show that. Adam Jacobs, and Bob O’Hara and GrrlScientist dissect the results.
Maryn McKenna’s ethical eating resolutions for 2015
The world’s largest pit of slithering snakes
“Humans have a long history of tinkering with animals’ sobriety this way.”
“I tried to make sure no one was raising a fork to their mouths when I blurted out “There are frogs that have sex!””
“This could be a real turning point in the war on bed bugs [but] it’s too early to declare victory.”
Bacterial infection strikes one of five remaining northern white rhinos.
ENHANCE! Extracting images from corneal reflections
A half-male, half-female bird that doesn’t mate or sing. More on gynandromorphs
Some animals specialise at sucking the warmth out of other things. [SIDE-EYES YOU]
You’ve just dragged a cart for 4 hrs using hooks embedded in your backs. How would you rate your experience?
Characterizing the “Healthy” Vagina Microbiome. Or lack thereof. Good piece.
“We note that both the alcohol and control groups sang robustly on all days.” A paper about drunk birds.
This is what the Ebola outbreak really looks like. Photos by Amy Maxmen.
Vampyrella: microscopic vampire amoebas, which are everywhere
Neuroskeptic interviews Cordelia Fine about sexism and neuroscience.
On the front lines of Ebola’s most pressing mystery. Erika Check Hayden continues her first-class dispatches from Sierra Leone
The anaconda guy speaks. I loathe the “we secretly won because we stirred controversy & got people talking” attitude.
Nice piece about why scientific retractions are like both Superman and Clark Kent.
On the physics of snowflakes
A beetle joins the growing list of animals named after David Attenborough
NuSTAR stares at new star.
“Top medical journals filter out poor papers but often reject future citation champions.”
Landmark: Argentine court recognises orangutan as “non-human person” that has human right to freedom
Top 10 genetics stories for 2014.
Antarctic tourism may pose disease threat to penguins
These are snow tunnels built by birds
What is time, really? Physicists debate about whether time really passes.
Pelican spiders use their long jaws to grab other spiders
Heh/wow/huh
The “nosebleed” bit of this graphic cracked me up.
Reporters roasting on an opium fire
“Sometime in the next hundred millennia, the growing fairy population would start to crowd out the human population.”
Kangaroo punches drone out of the sky
Photographer Beth Moon’s portraits of really old trees
A little Reddit exchange to restore your faith in humanity
My New Year’s Resolution is to become a 13-year-old Mongolian eagle huntress
The Walking Dead/Love Actually mash-up we always wanted
Apple Releases Brief, Fleeting Moment Of Excitement
This New Yorker post on Christmas injuries has the perfect headline
Internet/society/journalism
The Deborah in Pulp’s Disco 2000 was a remarkable woman who recently passed away.
The Track-Everything Revolution Is Here To Improve You Whether You Want It Or Not
“2014 was the year we finally realized that to save social media, we need to make it less social”
The Blink tag was born of drunkenness.
2015 was the year that Marty travelled to in Back to the Future II
Inside a massive electronics graveyard in Ghana
Before Google, people asked the NYPL questions. Things like “What is the life span of an eyelash?”
Meet the Dogged Researchers Who Try to Unmask Haters Online
How a Nickelodeon Cartoon Became One of the Most Powerful, Subversive Shows of 2014 (and the creators discuss the finale).
“”Like an Uber for” became one of the most hackneyed phrases in tech this year. It’s also one of the most profound.”
“Mostly, though, it is a story about blindingly excessive holiday lights.”
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
- 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?
- Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet?
- This year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning signThis year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning sign
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?
- See how ancient Indigenous artists left their markSee how ancient Indigenous artists left their mark
Science
- 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
- Every 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost timeEvery 80 years, this star appears in the sky—and it’s almost time
- How do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tipsHow do you create your own ‘Blue Zone’? Here are 6 tips
- Why outdoor adventure is important for women as they ageWhy outdoor adventure is important for women as they age
Travel
- This royal city lies in the shadow of Kuala LumpurThis royal city lies in the shadow of Kuala Lumpur
- This author tells the story of crypto-trading Mongolian nomadsThis author tells the story of crypto-trading Mongolian nomads
- Slow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capitalSlow-roasted meats and fluffy dumplings in the Czech capital