I’ve Got Your Missing Links Right Here (13 February 2016)
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Top picks:
From me at the Atlantic:
- Natural History Museums Are Teeming With Undiscovered Species
- Why You Can’t Keep Cockroaches Out of Your Home
- This Bacterium Acts Like a One-Cell Eyeball
- The Bitter Fight Over the Benefits of Bilingualism
- The Link Between Neanderthal DNA and Depression Risk
NASA has built a rock collection so its rovers can practice punching holes in Mars. Wonderful Nadia Drake story.
Sad story about the genuine harm that terrible press releases can inflict on vulnerable people. By Ivan Oransky
Is Toxoplasma driving chimps towards leopards? By Carl Zimmer
These Scientists Saw Zika Coming. Now They’re Fighting Back. Superb colourful reporting by Sarah Zhang
“Scientists have identified neural pathways that react almost exclusively to the sound of music — any music.” By Natalie Angier
You can train your body into thinking it’s had medicine. Two amazing stories from Jo Marchant.
Another tragedy of sexual harassment, this time in anthropology. Reported by Michael Balter; with commentary from Azeen Ghorayshi who broke the first of the recent spate of stories.
Human evolution is more a muddy delta than a branching tree. By John Hawks
Scientists finally detected gravitational waves. Nicola Twilley has a beautiful story about how it happened and what it means. Nadia Drake has a shorter but equally good explainer, and also talks about the rumour-mongering that preceded the announcement. Allan Adams writes about the sound of gravitational waves. And Rachel Feltman has the most delightful story coming out of the discovery: “This is actually the second time she’s broken an embargo with a cake.”
Science
Some troubling data oddities in a money priming study
Does it take too long to publish research? (Spoiler: yes)
A rare albino turtle hatches
“Space is hard. Engines are hard.” “Zero gravity fun time is over now.”
“We want to… guide lampreys’ movements by manipulating the landscape of fear and opportunity.”
No, an Indian man wasn’t killed by a meteorite. Sit in the corner, media sites, and think about what you’ve done
This week’s Flash Forward: what would it take to get sex robots?
New study suggests sleep deprivation markedly increases false confessions
What will it take to get plastics out of the ocean?
How the Fight Over Transgender Kids Got a Leading Sex Researcher Fired
Scientists make artificial tissue with commercial cotton candy machine
Johns Hopkins to Perform First HIV-Positive Organ Transplants in US (to HIV-positive patients, obviously)
Fighting cancer with cancer
This parasite hasn’t had sex in 10,000 years and it still probably gets more action than you.
Scientists will sequence the genome of every kakapo to find the gene for shagging Mark Carwardine’s head.
Hidden Epidemic of Fatal Infections Linked to Heart Surgeries
How would you actually prove that Zika causes birth defects?
“I freeze first. Then try to escape. Only later do I consider avoid, fight, retaliate.”
DarkFly! Flies reared in the dark for 60 years give up their genetic secrets
A Skeptic Infiltrates a Cruise for Conspiracy Theorists
150,000 penguins die after giant iceberg renders colony landlocked
On video games and aggression.
Miscellaneous
Where are the women in science journalism? The Science Byline Counting Project
Palaeontologists, I have big news for you
A site that offers free access to academic papers moves to the dark web
Yep, all the time
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
- Spend a night at the museum at these 7 spots around the worldSpend a night at the museum at these 7 spots around the world
- 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