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Just finished this biography of George Beadle, written by Paul Berg and Maxine Singer. Rare to find a biography of an amazing scientist written by two other very accomplished scientists.

Lots of fascinating stories about early genetics research.

#science #scienceHistory


There are many valid reasons to be skeptical of geoengineering & still a lot of opportunities to address #ClimateChange that don’t involve the uncertainty of tinkering with the planet.

Lumping geoengineering skepticism with conspiracy theorists in a headline is terrible framing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/climate/geoengineering-conspiracy-theorists-skeptics.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Nk4.-iyP.ntWI792I72wN&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb #science


Computer models designed to simulate slime molds (left) turn out to be exceptionally good at simulating the large-scale structure of the universe (right).

Similar network patterns appear across scales differing by 30 orders of magnitude!

https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-astronomy-research-uses-slime-mold-to-model-galaxies/s/136ea12b-091a-4240-9de2-389026ef37f3#space #science #nature #astronomy


I've just been reminded of this masterwork book cover. I hope someday my work is cool enough to merit something even half as weird. #Science #ScientificIllustration #Genomics #EvolutionaryBiology


A newly discovered bacterium, Uabimicrobium helgolandensis, eats other bacteria and is a kind of 'bacteria of prey,' that should not even exist based on previous concepts about microbial cells. It could be a kind of microbial missing link, researchers suggest.

#biology #nature #life #cell #microbiology #science #research

https://www.labroots.com/trending/microbiology/27762/incomprehensible-cell-parasitic-prokaryote-discovered


#PPOD: This stunning photograph captures the most violent moment during an eruption of the Calbuco volcano in Chile. Volcanic lightning occurs in the plumes of eruptions when volcanic ash particles collide, generating static electricity. Additionally, water vapor in the plume condenses and freezes as it rises, adding ice to the mix. And voila! The eventual electrical discharge causes lightning. Credit: Francisco Negroni, https://www.francisconegroni.com/index

#photography #volcano #science #scicomm


Evolution of evolvability in rapidly adapting populations

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02527-0

#evolution #science


Recent scientist biographies I have read. All very good!

#science #books #biology


A team of scientists from the University of Bristol recently released research that pushed the date of our Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) back to about 4.2 billion years ago.

This suggests that the life that is in each of us, and in each of the organisms that make up our very large extended family, runs in an unbroken chain backward for 4.2 billion years.

That’s a pretty considerable investment by the universe in every living thing.

Perhaps we should reflect on that a little more as we continue to muck around on this planet.

It might be time to start fitting in.

http://www.aspenproposal.org

#sustainability #philosophy #ClimateChange #biodiversity #nature #politics #economics #religion #Science


#News: #Research shows 97% to 99.99% of #scientists agree that humans cause #climatechange and that telling non-scientists about this consensus may help strengthen their beliefs, counter #misinformation https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/climate/consensus-climate-acceptance/?mc_cid=9a87d34efe&mc_eid=0f959a4412
#science
#communication


Terrabacteria: redefining bacterial envelope diversity, biogenesis and evolution

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-024-01088-0

#microbiology #evolution #science


Africa is bigger than China, the US, Eastern Europe & India combined.

Since Earth is a sphere, flat maps dramatically distort the size of continents.

Source: Bryan Christie & Kai Krause for Scientific American #SharedPlanet #science


The Last Universal Common Ancestor of Ribosome-Encoding Organisms: Portrait of LUCA

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00239-024-10186-9

#evolution #microbiology #science #microbes


Maxine Singer obituary: biologist who shaped genetic engineering and fought discrimination

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02532-0

#science #biology


Weekend #Plankton #Factoid 🦠🦐

#Copepod #zooplankton are the most numerous metazoans on the planet, and some have evolved into fantastical forms. Take Calocalanus pavo, the beautiful "peacock copepod", which has amazingly plumed antenna and caudal rami. It is small, ~1mm long, and uses the plumes to slow its sinking for feeding in the upper #ocean. It is famous for being very prominent in Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur (1904) plate 54 #watercolour paintings of copepoda.
#science #art


MIT dropped its contract with Elsevier, the huge scientific journal company. Their library instead arranged alternate access to journals and tools for researchers to get them. They’re saving $2 million/year:

https://sparcopen.org/our-work/big-deal-knowledge-base/unbundling-profiles/mit-libraries/

#academicpublishing #OpenAccess #science #scientificpublishing


In 2017, Trump was considering cuts to indirect costs to universities. If you don't know how research works, "indirects" support the basic infrastructure that makes science possible. What happens? Deep faculty cuts. Less research. Bad for science. Get organized. #science #medicine #publichealth

https://orgchart.mit.edu/letters/message-trump-administration-proposal-indirect-costs


DNA Transposons Favor De Novo Transcript Emergence Through Enrichment of Transcription Factor Binding Motifs https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evae134 #science #evolution #biology #genome #evolgen_paper


#Researchers have identified a species of #frog Limnonectes phyllofolia completely new to #science. The tiny #Indonesian #amphibians have unusual fangs in their jaws thought to be used to defend territory #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7cT


You would think that NASA is aware that the earth is not flat and that in the southern hemisphere it is winter.

But with statements like “This time of year, managing heat is on everyone’s mind.” you have to wonder.

#science


Researchers have identified a species of #frog Limnonectes phyllofolia who is completely new to #science. The tiny #Indonesian #amphibian is in the possession of tiny fangs used for defending territory #Boycottpalmoil

http://palmoildetectives.com/2024/07/28/the-worlds-smallest-fanged-frog-found-in-indonesia/


"In my view, all that is necessary for faith is the belief that by doing our best we shall succeed in our aims: the improvement of mankind."

Happy birthday Rosalind Franklin!

Her work was central to the understanding of the molecular structure of DNA. Though she was recognized for her other work in her time, her work on DNA was not appreciated until after her death.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Franklin

The Rosalind Franklin question.
https://physicsworld.com/a/the-rosalind-franklin-question/?utm_campaign=PW-FB-PHL-072424&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

#science #crystallography #womeninscience


Born in 1805 in Jamaica, Mary Seacole was a pioneering nurse.

As a child, Mary learned traditional healing methods from her mother. Her mixed race family had few civil rights & could not vote, hold public office or enter many professions.

Known as 'Mother Seacole’ during the Crimean War, Mary helped wounded soldiers heal & find comfort.

In 1857, she published her memoirs, 'The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands'. https://www.maryseacoletrust.org.uk/learn-about-mary/ #HistoryRemix #history #science


Serbian inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist Nikola Tesla was born #OTD in 1856.

Some of Tesla´s inventions and innovations: alternating Current (AC) system; induction motor; Tesla coil; wireless transmission of electricity; radio technology; remote control; neon and fluorescent lighting; X-Ray technology; Tesla turbine; oscillators and frequency generators.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla

Books by Nikola Tesla at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/5067

#books #science #technology


Latest comic: The Supreme Court ruling overturning the Chevron doctrine was largely overlooked in the wake of the debate, but possibly even more apocalyptic. In short, the Republican majority gutted the precedent that gave deference to scientists and other experts at setting regulations for air and water pollution and food safety.

#supremecourt #environment #uspol #cartoon #pollution #science #law


Hyper expensive, hyper polluting to build and fly hypersonic aircraft serving the vanity of millionaires, INSTEAD OF efficient transit systems for the working-class, economic development, reducing pollution and the effects of climate change.
#Science #Engineering #Aerospace #MassTransit #ClimateChange #Economics
https://www.venusaero.com/aerospace-company-building-hypersonic-plane-to-get-you-anywhere-on-earth-in-one-hour/


Sur la photo, dans la boîte d’insertion, on peut lire JADES-GS-z14-0, une faible tache d’une galaxie qui s’est formée seulement 300 millions d’années après le début de l’univers. En termes techniques, cette galaxie se trouve au décalage vers le rouge record de z=14,32.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240624.html
#astrophysique #galaxie #Univers #science #cosmos #JWST #TSJW #Webb #télescope #NASA #ASE #ASC


At 14, Mary Fairfax (later Mary Somerville) studied algebra & mathematics, defying her father’s wishes.

Eventually, she began experimenting & writing about #science. Her expertise spanned from astronomy to chemistry to physics & she published articles & books.

Along with Caroline Herschel, Mary became one of the first 2 honorary members of the Royal Astronomical Society. https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article/71/1/46/819012/Mary-Somerville-s-vision-of-scienceThe-Scottish


Henrietta “Etty” Darwin was born in 1843, the eldest of Charles Darwin’s daughters to reach adulthood.

She became a key editor of her father’s scientific writing, most notably The Descent of Man & Selection in Relation to Sex, published in 1871.

Charles Darwin considered Etty a “dear coadjutor, fellow-labourer” & lively member of an intellectually stimulating household. https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/unpublished-journal-offers-new-take-on-darwins-daughter #science #HistoryRemix


Travis Rieder's new book, Catastrophe Ethics, "aims to advise the well-intentioned, morally anxious & philosophically curious person" confronting the questions about whether our personal choices about the environment, technology, & justice matter.

Sounds like an interesting read: https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/catastrophe-ethics-travis-rieder-book-review-simone-gubler/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR19D-hRL6rg9nJAbWo2SQGS_7vd9N64fz4WwkPSFd9ervE4Re_tRBogcLM_aem_AWx9zZLA-6Qbe9TD49IQpT4_NCUTkPzyCI599uGf6HoM49zJWkyjDAiD4tawWPNcszU_ShkQLob1-i1w43z43lAE #books #science #philosophy


Mesmerising microbes: bacteria as you’ve never seen it before – in pictures

As a side hustle he manipulates and photographs the microbial world; his images are collected in a book, Beautiful Bacteria. Taking bacteria from substances such as wastewater, dental plaque or kimchi, Danino lets them multiply in a petri dish, adding dyes. The results are artworks differing from the digital enhancements often made in scientific photography to make images more informative.

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2024/may/18/beautiful-bacteria-encounters-in-the-microuniverse-tal-danino

#News #Photography #Photo #Photos #Image #Images #Microbiology #Biology #Science #STEM #Bacteria #Microbes #Microbes @science @biology @microbiology


Pioneering geologist & oceanographer Marie Tharp changed our understanding of the ocean.

When Tharp sought a geology job at Columbia in 1948, women couldn’t go on research ships. So she was hired to assist male grad students.

Back then, many scientists still assumed the bottom of the ocean was featureless. Tharp figured out how to use data to create sketches of the ocean floor. Her hand-drawn maps helped develop plate tectonic theory. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/marie-tharp #science #history


A nice write up of my talk this week about communicating #science https://cakemagazine.org/arvo-2024-closing-keynote-sheds-light-on-communicating-science/

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