Selected Sci-News Items  June 08- June 14, 2019
 
General Interest    Cosmos    Innovation    Health    Nature    Environment    Climate

great resource:   Hapgood's Weekly List of Boston-Area Science Events

SftPublic Tues June 04 (video)  How Science Fiction Has Inspired Science 
SftPublic Tues June 11 (video) The Scientific Attitude




GENERAL INTEREST

Newsweek, May 14, 2019 (Lee McIntyre)
In this "post-truth" era --with headlines like "Why Facts Don't Change Our Minds" --it is an open question how to convince people who reject evidence, not just in science, but also on a host of other factual matters.
Lee McIntyre's SftPublic 06/11/19 discussion The Scientific Attitude

What Poets and Scientists Have in Common
Cosmos, June 06, 2019
The dichotomy between art and science is more apparent than real.

The Guardian, June 07, 2019
Thousands of children are put on alternative therapies amid measles outbreak, potentially exposing them to life-threatening illness

Quanta, May 15, 2019
For more than six decades, the influential biologist Edward O. Wilson has drawn connections between evolution, ecology and behavior, often sparking controversies inside and outside of science.

STAT, June 07, 2019
When technology or insurance coverage determinations evolve, so do the opportunities for mischief.

COSMOS 

Quanta, June 06, 2019
A recent challenge to Stephen Hawking's biggest idea - about how the universe might have come from nothing - has cosmologists choosing sides.

Aeon, June 05, 2019
The Universe's biggest galaxies could hold the key to the birth of the cosmos. Why are these behemoths so hard to find?
    
Symmetry, June 11, 2019 (3rd set in series)
Word fans, rejoice! Symmetry is back with another list of 10 common words that take on a new meaning when spoken by scientists.

Exotic Particles Called Pentaquarks May Be Less Weird Than Previously Thought
Science, June 05, 2019
The findings suggest pentaquarks are not bags of five quarks binding in a new way, but are more like conventional atomic nuclei.

National Geographic, April 09, 2019
This secretive astronomer devoted his entire life to sun-centered cosmic theories as larger questions of faith were dividing Europe nearly 500 years ago.


INNOVATION

A CRISPR Startup Is Testing Pig Organs in Monkeys to See If They’re Safe for Us
MIT Technology Review, June 12, 2019
Gene-editing company eGenesis is now carrying out experiments to help solve a critical shortage of human organs available for transplant.

STAT, June 05, 2019
Until recently, the only way to make eggs or sperm was the old-fashioned way: in the ovaries and testes. In the not-too-distant future, it may be possible to use cells from almost
any part of the body to create these germ cells, also known as gametes.

Science News, June 12, 2019
But some scientists worry the tool isn't ready to take center stage.

The Narwhal, June 06, 2019
The last decade has seen the creation of more than 100 businesses, 1,000 permanent jobs and 14 regional monitoring and Guardian Watchmen programs through conservation finance programs.

Most 'Meat' in 2040 Will Not Come from Dead Animals
The Guardian, June 12, 2019
Consultants say 60% will be grown in vats or plant-based products that taste like meat.


HEALTH

The Atlantic, July 2019 issue
Americans are hypochondriacs, yet we skip our checkups. We demand drugs we don't need, and fail to take the ones we do. No wonder the U.S. leads the world in health spending.

The Conversation, June 07, 2019
You've probably seen ads for apps promising to make you smarter in just a few minutes a day. Hundreds of so-called "brain training" programs can be purchased for download.

New York Times, June 10, 2019
No single food regimen works for everyone. A new study is the most comprehensive effort yet to understand why.

Alzheimer's and Tooth Brushing: Forget to Brush Today, Forget a Lot More Later?
Deutsche Welle, June 07, 2019
You may be able to fool your partner with a mint and some mouthwash (please stop doing that, though, it's gross), but your rancid tooth brushing habits could catch up with you later in life.

Diet Supplements Should Never Be Used by Children
Cosmos, June 06, 2019
Researchers find high number of deaths and hospitalizations linked to supplement use by young people.


NATURE

The Scientist, June 2019 issue
From the remarkable speed of enzyme-catalyzed reactions to the workings of the human brain, numerous biological puzzles are now being explored for evidence of quantum effects.

The Guardian, June 11, 2019
There is an estimated 70% chance of a magnitude-7 quake hitting Tokyo before 2050. It is no longer a question of if but when the big one will come.

The Conversation, June 07, 2019
Life expectancy at birth overall has been steadily increasing for many years. It has more than doubled in the last two centuries.

Science Daily, June 06, 2019
A Japanese plant species with a peculiar leaf pattern recently revealed unexpected insight into how almost all plants control their leaf arrangement.  
 
Extra Fingers, Often Seen as Useless, Can Offer Major Dexterity Advantages
Science News, June 12, 2019
An extra digit proves useful for texting, typing and eating, a case study shows.


ENVIRONMENT 

NPR/All Things Considered, June 04, 2019 (w/audio)
The "Great Dying," the biggest extinction the planet has ever seen, happened some 250 million years ago and was largely caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

National Geographic, June 07, 2019
Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic, which is harming animal and possibly human health. Can it be cleaned up?

Washington Post, June 06, 2019
Record- or near-record-high water levels are forecast to continue in the summer before making the usual downturn into fall.
 
Science Daily, June 07, 2019
Coral reef experts from around the world are calling for an urgent re-evaluation of our climate goals in the light of increasing evidence of unprecedented speed of change to these fragile ecosystems.

Science News, June 10, 2019
Most phased-out chemicals in the nation are discontinued by industry, not the EPA.


CLIMATE

Inside Climate News, June 10, 2019
15 presidential candidates, young activists and Miami's Democratic Party are all now pressuring the DNC to devote an entire debate to climate change policy.

Scientific American, May 12, 2019
The latest climate models are giving disturbing answers.

Washington Post, June 08, 2019
Officials sought to excise the State Department's comments on climate science because they did not mesh with the administration's stance.

Arctic Melt: Threat Beneath the Ice
CNN, June 08, 2019
We know the Arctic is experiencing a vast melting of sea ice. But deep in the ocean, something is happening that scientists are still trying to fully understand.

US Schools Accused of Censoring Climate Crisis Message in Graduation Speeches
The Guardian, June 07, 2019
Students say authorities have barred them from reading a text that warns of 'catastrophic climate change' for being too political.


 
 
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