The Ed's Up #107
Beefing With the World Health Organization's Cancer Warnings
The WHO "classified the consumption of red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A),” and processed meat “as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).” Here’s the thing: These classifications are based on strength of evidence not degree of risk. They are not meant to convey how dangerous something is, justhow certain we are that something is dangerous. But they’re presented with language that completely obfuscates that distinction. (Image: Cyclonebill)
Electric Eels Put Their Prey in a Killer Sleeper Hold
“From watching the videos, I got a big clue: When the eel curls, it's most likely because it's dealing with something struggling,” he says. “And I know it holds on tight because I was hand-feeding my big guy with rubber gloves on, and he got a bit too enthusiastic. There are no teeth per se, but it's a rasping hold.” So, in lieu of his own hand, Catania created what he called an “eel chew-toy” by fitting a dead fish with electrodes. When the eel struck, he shook the electrode leads to simulate a struggling prey. Hence: curling. The electrodes confirmed that the curled position more than doubles the voltage delivered to the eel's prey." (Image: Ken Catania)
Hey Obama, Can We Have a Unified Microbiome Initiative?
"Bacteria and other microbes have ruled the planet for at least 3.5 billion years, but only in the last century have we begun to appreciate their dominance. We now know that every environment has its own unseen community—its own microbiome. Microbes in the soil drive planetary cycles of important elements like carbon and nitrogen. Microbes in the oceans produce much of the oxygen we breathe. Microbes in our bodies build our organs, safeguard our health, and even steer our behavior. Thanks to these revelations, microbes have become fashionable. They've attracted the attention of magazine editors, book writers, museum curators, and documentary makers. Now, they’ve even stormed the Oval Office." (Image: Jonathan Ernst, Reuters)
Resurrecting a Set of Hundred-Year-Old Embryonic Genitals
"Sometimes, in science, you just have to digitally reconstruct the genitals of a thinly sliced, hundred-year-old embryo from an obscure New Zealand reptile, because you really want to know if your penis shares a common evolutionary history with those of crocodiles, birds, and snakes." (Image: Knutschie)More good reads
- "At first glance, the “sonic chip” experiment, as Spence fondly refers to it, does seem trivial." Nicola Twilley on the collision between sound and taste.
- Greenland is melting away. Solid piece backed by incredible visuals, by Coral Davenport, Josh Haner, Larry Buchanan & Derek Watkins.
- A story about how the first galaxies eventually made something that could see the first galaxies. By Ross Andersen
- This is a really interesting story on the science of sports bras, and the physics of breasts. By Rose Eveleth
- Climate change may not drown Kiribati, but its residents might be forced to leave anyway. By Kenneth Weiss
- Really interesting piece on the sexism of heart disease diagnosis. By Vidhi Doshi
- How my generation of Brits became the heaviest drinkers in a century: Chrissie Giles on the climb to Peak Booze
- Bug nerds: the truly hardcore among us. By Erik Vance
More good links will be released in tomorrow's linkfest on Not Exactly Rocket Science.
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And that's it! Thanks for reading.
-Ed