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
- 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
- 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’
- Heard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followersHeard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followers
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
- Follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood ForestFollow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest
- This chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new directionThis chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new direction
- On the path of Latin America's greatest wildlife migrationOn the path of Latin America's greatest wildlife migration
- Everything you need to know about Everglades National ParkEverything you need to know about Everglades National Park