Science!

Science! I'm a biologist, but I will be posting about many topics in this broad category we call "science" including science education, physics, chemistry, and math, among others. Books and movies with science themes will be occassionally reviewed, and little tidbits of my research will be posted too! As always, feel free to send me any questions and if I can, I will use my science education to help you understand! Making knowledge accessable to everyone is one of the best things you can do with your time, and i hope to be of service.

[sciencepartyblog]

Robotic wheelchair maps out path for mechanical engineer | Penn State University

Kelilah Wolkowicz, a Penn State graduate student studying mechanical engineering, found her path at a young age. After successfully battling a brain tumor at age 11, she asked herself, “What do you do with the life you’ve been given back?”

[midoski]

Nier Automata, 2017

[mothernaturenetwork]

This mall in Sweden sells only recycled stuff

The ReTuna mall in Eskilstuna provides a shining example of how the buy-use-dispose model can be turned on its head.

[newyorker]

Today’s Daily Cartoon by Kim Warp. 

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“no homo” I whisper as I look at my garden of pea plants. The progeny had expressed a 1:2:1 ratio of phenotypes. I am Gregor Mendel. 

[thejunglenook]

This joke is lethal

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[sauvamente]

[nyokoko]

[askjaelyn]

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[sciencepartyblog]

[coffeesforstudiers]

Some TED talks that will change your life.

How to make stress your friend by Katie McGonial (14.5 minutes) 

“Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others.”

8 secrets of success by Richard St.John (3.5 minutes)

Why do people succeed? Is it because they’re smart? Or are they just lucky? Neither. Analyst Richard St. John condenses years of interviews into an unmissable 3-minute slideshow on the real secrets of success.

A simple way to break a bad habit by Judson Brewer (9.5 minutes)

Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction — from smoking to overeating to all those other things we do even though we know they’re bad for us. Learn more about the mechanism of habit development and discover a simple but profound tactic that might help you beat your next urge to smoke, snack or check a text while driving.

Don’t regret regret by Kathryn Schulz (17 minutes)

We’re taught to try to live life without regret. But why? Using her own tattoo as an example, Kathryn Schulz makes a powerful and moving case for embracing our regrets.

How to make hard choices by Ruth Chang (14.5 minutes)

Here’s a talk that could literally change your life. Which career should I pursue? Should I break up — or get married?! Where should I live? Big decisions like these can be agonizingly difficult. But that’s because we think about them the wrong way, says philosopher Ruth Chang. She offers a powerful new framework for shaping who we truly are.

The danger of silence by Clint Smith (4 minutes) 

We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don’t,“ says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

How to speak so that people want to listen by Julian Treasure (10 minutes)

Have you ever felt like you’re talking, but nobody is listening? Here’s Julian Treasure to help. In this useful talk, the sound expert demonstrates the how-to’s of powerful speaking — from some handy vocal exercises to tips on how to speak with empathy. A talk that might help the world sound more beautiful.

Your body language shapes who you are by Amy Cuddy (21 minutes)

Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.

The happy secret to better work by Shawn Anchor (12 minutes) 

We believe we should work hard in order to be happy, but could we be thinking about things backwards? In this fast-moving and very funny talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that, actually, happiness inspires us to be more productive.

A call to men by Tony Porter (11 minutes) [TW: graphic desc. of rape] 

At TEDWomen, Tony Porter makes a call to men everywhere: Don’t “act like a man.” Telling powerful stories from his own life, he shows how this mentality, drummed into so many men and boys, can lead men to disrespect, mistreat and abuse women and each other. His solution: Break free of the “man box.”

[sixpenceee]

Malala Yousafzai’s first day as a student at Oxford.

[mindblowingscience]

Trophy hunting removes 'good genes'

''If the population is having to adapt to a new environment and you remove even a small proportion of these high quality males, you could drive it to extinction,'' said Dr Knell.

Hunting animals that stand out from the crowd because of their impressive horns or lustrous manes could lead to extinction, according to a study.

Research predicts that removing even 5% of high-quality males risks wiping out the entire population, for species under stress in a changing world.

Animals prized by trophy hunters for their horns, antlers or tusks usually have the best genes, say UK scientists.

Removing these could push a species over the edge, they warn.

Continue Reading.

[sixpenceee]

Graphic by UP Mountaineers.

[sixpenceee]

Carl Sagan

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Canada, U.K. team up to phase out coal as Trump pushes ahead

McKenna and British counterpart Claire Perry, minister of state for climate change and industry, have teamed up to focus on getting rid of coal as a power source, which is responsible for more than 40 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions.

The fissures in the Canada-U.S. relationship will be more apparent than ever this week during the United Nations climate change talks in Germany as Canada pushes to phase out coal as a power source.

Canada’s position runs counter to the Trump administration, which has declared the “war on coal is over” and promised to breathe life into the industry.

“Canada is committed to phasing out coal. We’ve created an alliance with the U.K., we’re going to get other countries around the world to help support moving forward on a coal phase-out. Coal is not only the most polluting fossil fuel but it’s also terrible for health,” said Environment Minister Catherine McKenna ahead of her trip.

“If the U.S. is going to step back, we’ve said we’re going to step up, and that’s exactly what we’ll be doing.”

Continue Reading.

[thecalminside]

“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.”

Dalai Lama

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“nasa gone rogue” sounds like they’re stealing rockets and going to the moon illegally or something

but nope, “rogue” these days is a word that means “posting real climate change facts that your president doesn’t want you to know”

[existentiallyqueers-deactivated]

like if you support nasa posting real climate change facts that the orange dictator doesn’t want you to know. reblog if you support nasa stealing rockets and going to the moon illegally.

[sciencepartyblog]

Neil DeGrasse Tyson Drops Mic On Comments Criticizing Hulu For Showing Food Evolution Documentary

Like clockwork, the controversy quickly reared its head in the comments section about HULU acquiring the film. Cue Neil deGrasse Tyson.

I’m definitely going to check out this documentary tonight. “Food Evolution” looks awesome! 

[mindblowingscience]

Cyborg Bacteria Covered in Tiny Solar Panels Are Changing The Future of Clean Fuel

"These bacteria outperform natural photosynthesis."

In an effort to improve the efficiency of natural photosynthesis, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, has created cyborg bacteria.

These bacteria were trained to grow and cover their bodies with tiny semiconductor nanocrystals that act as efficient solar panels for harvesting sunlight.

Continue Reading.

[bpod-bpod]

Revolution in Evolution

Born on this Day - in 1928

Until the mid 1970s, it was thought that organisms fall into one of two categories. Carl Woese, pictured here working on an X-ray film, revealed the ‘third domain’ of life. Before Woese’s discovery, lifeforms were split into eukaryotes – organisms with one or more cell containing DNA in a distinct area called the nucleus, and prokaryotes – microscopic single-celled organisms, like bacteria, without a defined nucleus. Woese pioneered a technique which allowed distinction between different prokaryotic species according to variable regions of RNA. In 1977 he used this technique to identify what he called “archaebacteria”, now known as archaea. Archaea are prokaryotes because they have no nucleus, but they have genes and metabolic pathways similar to eukaryotes. Archaea might be thought of as prokaryotes that are not bacteria. Today, because of Woese’s work, scientists group organisms into a 'Tree of Life’ with three domains, or branches – bacteria, archaea and eukarya.

Written by Charlotte Rose Davison

Photo by Jason Lindsey

Image copyright held by the photographer

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[sciencepartyblog]

Thank you, Carl!