I’ve Got Your Missing Links Right Here (16 May 2015)
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Top picks
A great profile of optogenetics pioneer Karl Deisseroth, who helped to revolutionise neuroscience with light. By John Colapinto.
“They have found a way to turn the beaks of chicken embryos back into dinosaur-like snouts.” Carl Zimmer on dino-chickens.
“If you think of our planet as an eyeball, the Antarctic plateau is its iris, and the Dark Sector its pupil.” This is a majestic piece from Ross Andersen on cosmology’s faltering winning streak, and the recent BICEP2 controversy. Long but incredibly readable.
“Why Pluto’s Moons Turned William Shatner Into a Sad Volcano”. By Nadia Drake, with wonderful Shatner quotes.
What would the world be like if we could grow babies in artificial wombs? A new podcast about the future, from Rose Eveleth.
What happens to our bodies when we die. Fascinating Mo Costandi piece.
Water: really familiar but also the weirdest liquid on the planet. By Alok Jha
Kathryn Schulz reviews the wonderful Nell Fink, featuring Jonathan Franzen and a kookaburra. Like all of Schulz’s work, a joy to read.
Dying Trees Can Send Food to Neighbors of Different Species via ‘Wood-Wide Web’. Incredible story by Jennifer Frazer.
“Tagged animals carry more than human technology; they carry human ways of visualizing the world.” Wonderful piece by Helen Macdonald
When Sandy Bem found out she had Alzheimer’s, she resolved that before the disease stole her mind, she would kill herself. The question was, when? Astonishing piece by Robin Marantz Henig
Science/news/writing
The legend of the hairy trout – and the awful cotton mold that makes it happen
“Death by horn-lock” is apparently a thing that can (rarely) happen.
To help firms deal with angry customers, one company is building a very, very angry robot.
Is some elegant math behind the insanely long time bamboo takes to flower?
Fruit-fly genomics paper has 1,014 authors.
Scientists just published three studies about The Dress
Humans Were Not Made To Sit For 8 Hours At A Desk Balanced On Top Of A Smaller Desk, Drawing Pictures Of Other Desks
The newest crayfish species looks like a Lisa Frank creation
“For the first time in 41 years, no one will climb Mount Everest this year.”
Will Storr on social perfectionism, and why suicide is more common among men than women.
A profile of Jennifer Doudna, a pioneer who helped to make genetic engineering possible.
A third of Egypt’s animal mummies have revived & broken free to terrorise the world; that’s what that study CLEARLY shows
The science behind the 2nd most popular TED talk of all time—on power-posing—doesn’t stack up.
“Think about it: A shark is basically a bear plus deep water and no air”
Root Fungi Can Turn Pine Trees Into Carnivores — or at Least Accomplices
What a Dinosaur’s Mating Scream Sounds Like
How gut microbes influence the body’s clock
Blinding peer review: yes or no? 17 studies (12 trials)
Genome of 40,000-yr-old jaw from Romania suggests humans interbred with Neanderthals in Europe
Jumping trap-jaw ants escape from antlion sand pits
Rabies, one of the world’s most deadly pathogens, is revolutionizing brain science
Do snails have eyes? A 17thC ‘mythbuster’ investigates
Confused spider mite males prefer dead potential mates to living females because dumb
On dimensions
Amazonians know these floating forests weren’t ACTUALLY made by giant anacondas. But they still are wary of them.
The latest dispatch from the Department of Totally Vindicating my Lifestyle
Discovered a disease? WHO has new rules for avoiding offensive names. No people, places, food.
Antibiotic-resistant strain of typhoid driving previously unrecognized epidemic in Africa
This is one of many examples that explain why I have almost entirely stopped reading pop-psych books.
Phil Zimbardo tries to do an impression of a credible scientist. He fails.
In a subterranean laboratory volunteers are signing up be centrifuged to sleep
Heh/wow/huh
We Asked These Astronauts What It’s Like To Be In Space
I didn’t know that I needed a smooth saxophone version of the Game of Thrones theme in my life, but apparently I did
Gorgeous video of honeybee metamorphosis
Ouch. NASA felt that.
Guy races the Tube between Blackfriars and Cannon Street
So…apparently this is what happens when you pour molten aluminium into a watermelon…
Internet/journalism/society
A medieval mass grave, discovered under a Paris supermarket. This is what queue-jumping gets you.
Why Scientists Are Upset About The Facebook Filter Bubble Study
“You have to love the words more than anything” – Warren Ellis on life as a freelance writer.
Art project: Raw food in perfect cubes
Oh sure when you put it like that, that’s not at all terrifying, nope.
A tribute to Douglas Adams
Fascinating read on why most of the UK election polls & forecasts were so wrong.
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