I’ve Got Your Missing Links Right Here (26 September 2015)
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Top picks
From me in the Atlantic:
- How Climate Change Shrank the Tongues of Long-Tongued Bumblebees
- Mantis Shrimps Avoid Deadly Fights by Pummeling Each Other (And Their Eyes are Overrated)
- How Genome Sequencing Creates Communities Around Rare Disorders (and a follow-up)
- The New Technique That Finds All Known Human Viruses in Your Blood
Home aquarium coral poisons 10.5 humans, 3 pets by “exud[ing] some sort of creeping death mist.” Crazy story by Jennifer Frazer
Turing Pharmaceuticals raises the price of a toxoplasmosis drug by 50 times. Derek Lowe covers the fallout.
“Unfortunately, Megan Fox does not make epistemology easy for us.” The Onion has created a celebrity news site, and it’s excellent.
This is a superb piece about people who earn a living by being guinea pigs in clinical trials. By Cari Romm
Ryan Bradley charmingly meets the charming giant kangaroo rat, in a “harsh land growing harsher”.
A universal huh. A new study shows that people everywhere navigate potential misunderstandings in roughly the same three ways. By Olga Khazan
A reexamination of old data for Paxil found that the antidepressant is more dangerous than the authors let on. How much harm has been done in the 14 years since it was published? David Dobbs discusses
The Fukushima disaster’s radiation killed no one. The disaster’s real cost is in mental health. By George Johnson
How a 1930s dentist’s trip around the world spawned today’s Paleo fad—and some dangerous ideas about health. By Emily Matchar
“One of the world’s most important seed banks has left Syria, and it won’t be returning.” Beautiful Ross Andersen on the loss of history
In 1915, a guy bought his wife Stonehenge. “It’s said that Mary wanted Cecil to buy a set of curtains…”
“Stampedes will always be a challenge. Part of the problem is fluid dynamics—except people are the fluid.” By Adam Rogers
Really good visualisation of natural/man-made contributors to global warming
Science/news/writing
New CRISPR system should be called CRISPEST but won’t be because there is no justice in the world. And another report from the excellent Sharon Begley, about what this means for the ongoing patent dispute
The Brain Scoop meets a millipede.
Arielle Duhaime-Ross investigates the BMJ’s investigation on US dietary guidelines and finds sloppiness & undisclosed conflict of interest
“If Tinder for penguins existed, birds with the best beak spots would get swiped right”
Researchers who found that oxytocin boosts trust fail to replicate their own results. Good on them for publishing
Many endangered species flourish under the umbrella of giant panda conservation
Would you buy a lamp made out of tiny glowing ocean creatures?
If scientists could actually make an invisibility cloak, what would it look like?
“Clinical trial finds no benefit in speculative prescriptions of treatments personalised to individual tumours”
UK scientists apply for licence to edit genes in human embryos
Two labs repel each other over magnetic protein discovery
Disappointed to learn that the International Cave Bear Symposium is a gathering of palaeontologists, not cave bears
Taste mutation helps monkeys enjoy human food
Your Microbe Aura Could Be as Distinctive as Your Fingerprint
Giraffes spend their evenings humming to each other
The self-made castaway who spent 16 years on an atoll with his cats
DNA from Neandertal relative may shake up human family tree
The Arctic Mosquito Swarms Large Enough to Kill a Baby Caribou
Your ears emit sounds
Neuroskeptic covers a paper that challenges the reconsolidation theory of memory
“No luminous complexion is worth the wholesale pollution of Earth’s oceans.”
Computers are taking on more and more medical work. Here’s an example in diabetes
Octopus makes quicksand to disappear
On the critical issue of data privacy and security as it applies to science, by Erika Check Hayden
How to Make Global Warming Look Like a Movie.
‘Tree of life‘ for 2.3 million species released
Moonquakes! Marsquakes!
Cori Bargmann gets profiled by the NYT on her work studying worms to understand brains
Lady snake gives birth after being alone for eight years, doesn’t need men
A brief history of toilet-based animal attacks
Announcing the 2015 Ig Nobel Prize winners
Termites Infested this Photographer’s Jungle Camera
A lot of you asked, “What happens when you get your period in space?” Here’s the answer
Here’s the first of hopefully many appearances from me on Science Friday.
The wonderful Gaia Vince won the Royal Society book prize for her book on the Anthropocene.
“I survived the deadliest day in Everest’s history, and I’m still surviving it”
“I used to be bothered by having spider bits all over my hand, but I very quickly got used to that”
Carl Zimmer invites you to try the stinky cheese course on evolution’s tasting menu
Heh/wow/huh
That time when NASA did a science on pratfalling astronauts
Best New Yorker caption of our time.
“Everyone is born naked, in tears, in blood.” Start as you mean to carry on.
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
- Why you should try beach-hopping by boat around Paxos, GreeceWhy you should try beach-hopping by boat around Paxos, Greece
- Mansion museums show visitors the gritty side of the Gilded AgeMansion museums show visitors the gritty side of the Gilded Age
- 2024 will be huge for astrotourism—here’s how to plan your trip2024 will be huge for astrotourism—here’s how to plan your trip