Meltdown: On the Front Lines of Climate Change
After watching over Earth’s poles for decades, NASA aviators see new warnings of the chaos to come. ...read more
Month: May 2017
After Mosquitos, Moths Are the Next Target For Genetic Engineering
Though genetically modified crops may steal the spotlight, similarly reprogrammed insects may have just as big an effect on the agricultural industry. Biotechnology company Oxitec is moving forward with plans to develop genetically engineered diamondback moths in an attempt to reduce populations of the invasive crop pest. Their plan is to release males that will pass on a gene preventing female offspring from reaching maturity and reproducing, eventually eradicating the moths in North Ame ...read more
What if We Discovered an Alien Civilization Less Advanced Than Our Own?
Readers of this blog know that I'm a big fan of Quora, because it lets non-experts raise the kinds of speculative questions that don't normally come up in formal scientific discussions. One frequent theme that comes up is the issue of what we would do if we found intelligent life on a planet around another star. A recent posting in particular caught my eye: "What would we do if we found an Earthlike planet with intelligent life that is 500 years behind us in technology and advancements?" ...read more
Can Math Can Save You From the Slow Line?
It seems obvious. You arrive at the checkouts and see one line is much longer than the other, so you join the shorter one. But, before long, the people in the bigger line zoom past you and you’ve barely moved toward the exit. When it comes to queuing, the intuitive choice is often not the fastest one. Why do lines feel like they slow down as soon as you join them? And is there a way to decide beforehand which line is really the best one to join? Mathematicians have been studying these qu ...read more
Vaccines, Autism, and Retraction
Arbitrary and unfair behavior by scientific journals risks damaging the public's perception of science. Two weeks ago, the Journal of Translational Science published a paper that reported a correlation between vaccination and autism in 666 children. On Monday, the paper disappeared from their website, with no explanation or retraction notice. Google's cache still has the paper here. Retraction Watch has more details. In my view, this journal's behavior is a perfect illustration of ...read more
One More Thing
During a checkup, a patient’s deepest concern is sometimes expressed at the last moment. My annual physical was nearly over. The doctor had asked routine questions, used her stethoscope to listen to my heart and lungs, and ordered tests of my cholesterol and vitamin D levels. Throughout the visit, which happened years ago, I pondered sharing what had been preoccupying me for weeks. It was embarrassing, unexpected and probably meant nothing, I thought. As my doctor’s hand clasped ...read more
The Universe According to Emmy Noether
In the early 20th century, a young mathematician developed a theorem. Eventually it would become a bedrock of modern physics and used to discover new particles and better understand black holes. In 1915, two of the world’s top mathematicians, David Hilbert and Felix Klein, invited Emmy Noether to the University of Göttingen to investigate a puzzle. A problem had cropped up in Albert Einstein’s new theory of gravity, general relativity, which had been unveiled earlier in the ...read more
Lights, Camera, Therapy
The full text of this article is available to Discover Magazine subscribers only. Subscribe and get 10 issues packed with: The latest news, theories and developments in the world of science Compelling stories and breakthroughs in health, medicine and the mind Environmental issues and their relevance to daily life Cutting-edge technology and its impact on our future ...read more
Evan Funke
Evan Funke, former chef/owner of Bucato, recently embarked upon his next adventure as chef at Venice Beach's new hit restaurant, Felix. Known as a master of handmade pasta, Funke draws inspiration from his trips to Italy as well as California produce. What hooked you on cooking? What most caught my attention was the physical and creative outlet of cooking. The coolest example of science in your food? ...read more
Step right up and guess their age — for citizen science!
By Nina Friedman, SciStarter.com blog contributor For decades, fair- and festival-goers around the country have volunteered to step right up and have a carnival busker guess their age. Now, guessing someone’s age through citizen science can contribute to research in the social and computer sciences and medicine, too. Everyday scientists and medical professionals are creating lifespan increasing technologies. Researchers across the globe are bettering our health so quickly that the averag ...read more