Scientific research confirms what I've always believed and what Freud said decades ago about who created whom in the man-god relationship.
In this study, it was discovered that people's own opinions coincide more closely with what they think god would think than with what they think other people believe. Furthermore, the same areas of the brain are activated when they ponder their own opinions or god's opinions, which is not the case when they ponder other people's opinions.
Scientific American publishes a condensed report of a 21-year-old experiment conducted by a professor at Michigan State, which shows that E. coli are more than able to mutate and, furthermore, able to mutate in order to become more efficient and more adapted to their environmental conditions. The experiment also showed that mutations can occur at different rates and that they can be more regular or more random, though both kinds give rise to generations that are able to live and function more effectively in their new environment.
The findings will help with the study of microorganisms that cause diseases affecting humans.
Upon seeing the prehistoric paintings at the Lascaux caves, Pablo Picasso famously said, 'We have invented nothing.'
The same could be said by any artist today or throughout history if they but glance at the beauty of nature and the impossible task we have before us if we attempt to imitate it.
Wired has compiled a list of microscopic pictures from the past thirty-five years, which are definitely worth a look. Here's an example of what nature has to show us.
The image below shows the skeletal remains and a possible reconstruction of the creature to whom they belonged. It turns out that she is our common ancestor, about a million years older than Lucy. She has both ape- and human-like traits, though, given her pelvic structure, it is believed that she was able to stand and walk upright.
Her discovery provides a missing link in our family tree.
Despite what Glenn Beck will tell you, cooler summer temperatures do not translate into cooler global temperatures.
As the video below shows through time-lapse pictures of strategically placed cameras, global warming is a global event to the reality of which all of us need to warm up... no pun intended.
The average age of detection for prostate cancer has decreased from 72 to 67 between 1989 and 2005. The racial gap has somewhat closed, too.
Scientists have also discovered stem cells in the lumen of prostates that give rise to some types of prostate cancer, paving the way for better ways of controlling cancers once they develop.
On fat news:
A new fat-fighting medicine has not only helped mice lose weight, but also lowered cholesterol and reversed diabetes.
According to a study, a Mediterranean diet is more effective than a low-fat diet in coping with diabetes. It also leads to weight loss and lower cholesterol.
A new study reinforces the belief that smoke and other pollution in the air can result in higher rates of heart disease. Move to the country!
And yet another use has been discovered for statins: they can now protect patients from post-operative heart attacks.
If you have high blood pressure and you're over 45, there's a higher chance you have or will have memory problems.
Ladies and gents with large thighs (muscular ones, of course) are better off than those with smaller thighs. The large thigh muscles help to deal better with the hormone insulin, which, in turn, keeps one's heart healthier.
Yet one more reason to eat your broccoli: a substance in it helps to keep problematic arteries unclogged by activating a molecule that clears them up.
And if you'd like to help government cut the cost of healthcare by something in the vicinity of $20 billion, eat less salt!
On genetics news:
A new test for chromosomal defects makes it possible to detect irregularities earlier and help pregnant women carry their pregnancies to term.
Genetics also controls acne in teens: if your parents had acne, there is a strong chance you will, too.
British scientists have discovered three genes linked with Alzheimer's and are considering the discovery as one of the most important in the past fifteen years.
On libation news:
This one surprised me: heavier drinkers tend to exercise more. I'm guessing guilt has a role in that. Either guilt or the policy, 'work out hard, party harder.'
Mothers across the world have known this for centuries, but a study now confirms what they've known: chamomile calms colicky babies.
Need another reason to drink wine? If you're undergoing radiation therapy, wine can help youcope with the effects of radiation.
The domestication of dogs is yet another one of the many exports of ancient China. Why in the world would they domesticate wolves?! FOOD!
The discovery that certain cells in moths and caterpillars react to chemicals in the same way as in mammals will substitute mice in laboratory experiments and save a lot of mice... at the expense of moths and caterpillars, of course.
Evolution in action can be seen in the different coats of mice, since their camouflage is dictated by their different living environments.
If you want to get rid of cockroaches, make sure you kill a few of them in certain key places and that you let them stay there for a while. No living insect will dare approach the area then.
The discovery of two new antibodies on the surface of the HIV virus has paved the way for a possible vaccine that is likely to be more successful than any attempted before.
Living in a neighborhood with people of the same cultural background can have its health benefits.
Iceland is at the forefront of ways to cut CO2 emissions, primarily by isolating the gas into the ground, thanks to its reaction with basalt.
A study has shown that the cause of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is an enzyme. Finding ways to inhibit that enzyme can make antibiotics very potent.
A beautifully researched and fairly presented Nova documentary on PBS portrays the struggle between evolution and intelligent design (you'll see in the documentary that intelligent design = creationism) in a small Pennsylvania town after the school board required that intelligent design be taught as an alternative to evolution in the town's schools.
The trial that ensued and the arguments brought forth by either side are all included in this documentary, a must see for people on both sides of the debate. As I said, it is a fair portrayal of either side, with judgment or condemnation for neither.
Cymatics is the science of visualizing sound, which I just learned now by watching the short video below. Quite interesting and very inviting for somebody with a passion for the intersection of art and science.
A scientist gives a TED talk about the diminishing genetic diversity in crops, the importance of genetic diversity for a future with climate changes, and the Norwegian project to preserve samples of seeds across the world.
The most popular—and I would dare add singular—argument of proponents of creationism (masked, of course, under the euphemism 'intelligent design') is that the complexity of life implies a designer/creator that is more complex than its creations. On the cellular level, proponents of this view would argue that certain cellular structures are so intricate that they are irreducible. In other words, taking away one of their components would obviate them. A recent comparison of proteins between mitochondria and simpler bacteria shows that component proteins found in complex structures in mitochondria are, indeed, present in those bacteria. The only difference is that those components are not combined into the complex structure of the mitochondria, but rather exist independently. However, they are still functional... they simply carry out different functions. They were only able to perform their mitochondrial function when they evolved (through mutation or otherwise) into a different, more complex structure.
QUESTION: How do gene mutations that cause morphological differences still result in viable offspring?
ANSWER: Most multicellular organisms contain duplicate copies of the gene. A mutation occurring in one of them causes the morphological change, while the intact second copy of the gene ensures viability.
Richard Dawkins has published a new book somewhat distanced from his recent anti-religious rhetoric. The book, entitled The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, highlights the irrefutable evidence for evolution and goes so far as to claim that evolution is 'as incontrovertible a fact as any in science.' I look forward to reading it.
There is also a new book by Frans de Waal, entitled The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society, which supports my belief that our morals, among which empathy, do not take their origin from a divine being, but are simply innate among humans. The author shows that they are also common in the animal kingdom, citing multiple examples of empathy in the animal kingdom. He also proposes a theory on how and why empathy evolved and how it favored the survival of these animals.
A scientist wondered about the consistent sizewithin a human population and was baffled that the answer was not as simple as that for animal groups. Evolution may have something to do with it, but like any reasonable scientist, he is the first to admit he doesn't know exactly how.
Charles Darwin's great-great-grand-daughter is setting about to retrace the famous voyage of her great-great-grand-father more than 150 years ago, when his observations of living things led him to propose the theory of evolution and natural selection.
Evolutionary biologists have used new gene sequencing techniques to identify, map, and compare genes in humans and apes. They have found that, in humans, three genes evolved de novo, which first distinguished them from their common ancestor with the apes.
And, speaking of genes and mutations, another group of scientists have found that each of us is 'a mutant' by 100-200 genes that have mutated. Some of these mutations are good, some can lead to detrimental consequences such as cancer.
A new book aims to change the way we view medicine and to use evolutionary knowledge—nay, to teach it—in order to expand our medical capacities. Sure seems interesting....
Lastly, for a broader application of the word 'evolution,' and for the enjoyment of Mac aficionados, here is the evolution of the Mac OS X, found via Think Progress's Matthew Yglesias.
This is a loooooong one.... Science doesn't wait for me.
Circumcision has been on the medical news for a few years now, with medical authorities claiming that it reduces the risk of HIV transmission. Should we encourage it? Are there differences in transmission between homosexual and heterosexual men? This article answers some of these questions. This other article addresses the shortcomings of circumcision among gay men.
I guess I should stop smoking the hookah (or shisha, as Brits apparently call it). A study reported by the BBC discovers that it causes as much harm as cigarettes.
There is now an Encyclopedia of Life, culling information on all known species in the world. The resources will be available and useful to people from many fields of life.
Scientists have discovered that dog hair types are controlled by three genes. Moreover, their discovery might help scientists learn more about cancer genes in humans, since cancers in dogs and humans are very similar.
Mercury levels in fish are rising, according to an article in The Economist. The traces are high in freshwater fish because of mercury leaked into freshwater streams and rivers from the coal industry. They are the highest in larger fish, however, such as shark and tuna, since they accumulate in the food chain.
The Economist also reports that the origin of men's muscle mass and its differences with women's muscle mass is the product of evolution... sexual selection, to be precise.
The intake of folic acid, which helps women to get pregnant, is a territory to be treaded very carefully, since high amounts of the substance in the body can help the growth of cancers.
The New York Timessummarizes a study by the New England Journal of Medicine pointing out that people who undergo imaging tests are exposed to more radiation than is allowed for a one-year period among nuclear power plant workers.
According to Reuters Health, one's diastolic blood pressure can affect one's memory and other cognitive functions. For every increase of 10 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure, there is a seven percent increased chance of developing cognitive impairments.
It has been found that the human papillomavirus (HPV), which has been considered for some time as a cause of cervical cancer, is also the cause of about half of the instances of penile cancer in men.
Sugar is now linked to greater risks for heart disease via the obesity it creates, primarily through the intake of soft drinks high in sugar. Even a single can of soda contains more sugar than the total recommended daily sugar intake.
Second-hand smoke was never a friend of passengers stuck in a car with a smoker. Now there is proof of it.
Nobody likes the dreaded colorectal exam, but males of South Asian descent are more likely to refuse to take it, despite being at high risk for it colorectal cancer. Overall, fewer than 60% of people who need it are getting tested.
Drug advertised on TV for cancer patients may create tensions between a patient and his/her doctor, not help patients at all, or even worsen their condition with side effects if the advertised drugs are taken.
This article is in French, but it basically says that the sun has lost its spots and has been cooler in the past few weeks.
Israeli scientists have constructed abdominal tissue, which, when injected in the heart, can restore and strengthen the areas of the heart that have been damaged by a heart attack. The experiment only took place in rats.
Yet another adverse effect of obesity in women: 40% higher chance of asthma in 'apple-shaped' women. I know, I never heard of the 'apple-shaped' either... and doesn't seem particularly appropriate since they're talking primarily about the weight around their abdomens. That would make them pear-shaped.
Hormonal therapy in treating prostate cancer in men can create bigger problems for them, such as bone loss and hot flashes. They suppress testosterone production and, I'm guessing, inject female hormones, which would explain the menopausal side effects.
Scientists are able to create viable monkey embryos and live monkeys from eggs whose mitochondrial DNA had been removed, paving the way for women to choose the procedure if they want to protect their children from hereditary problems carried in mitochondrial DNA.
This short Q&A in The New York Times describes the differences and similarities in age-related hearing loss between men and women.
Hip fracture rates have been steadily declining for the past 20 years in both Canada and the U.S., despite an ever-aging population. Experts credit multiple reasons.
E.D. problems in men are not so easy to solve. Most importantly, they are indicative of deeper-lying health problems.
Skin cancer is more prevalent among the elderly because their skin is less able to signal the immune system to send T-cells to the damaged area. The problem may be reversible and may give clues about how to remedy it in other tissues.
This is unbelievable! Scientists were able to view a molecule at the molecular level. The image and the diagram of the molecule are at this link.
Doctors at MIT have created a monitor the science of a grain of rice in order to track the development of tumors inside a patient's body.
The video below describes and explains 'aquaponics,' a cohabitation of fish and plants, whereby the fish excrement feeds the plants and, in return, plants clean the water when absorbing those organic molecules.
According to scientists, activities such as running create chemical changes in your body that contribute to your state of being. Running, in other words, can give you a high. And if you stop running, you are susceptible to bouts of depression and other symptoms typical of withdrawal from drugs.
This is for all the global warming skeptics: ocean water temperatures are on the rise. The change is more noticeable toward the poles, forecasting an accelerated melting of the polar ice-caps, which is predicted to dramatically raise water levels around the world.
Talk about extreme cosmetic surgery! How about we break your bones, keep separating them as they fuse, and make you gain 5 cm in the process? Apparently, many Siberian women are lining up for this.
If you have ever blamed your parents for your drinking problem, now you have more of a reason to do so. Certain gene variants in monkeys make them more predisposed to drinking. Yes, they gave monkeys alcohol for this experiment.
Stem cell research seems even more promising now that we can refine and target its benefits through the use of magnetic nanoparticles injected in stem cells and which are then guided throughout the body by using magnets, thus easily targeting problematic areas.
Does psychological stress affect your allergies? Yes—it can both worsen and prolong allergic reactions.
The video below by Nina Jablonski addresses the issue of the origin of skin pigmentation. Needless to say, sunlight (i.e. UV radiation), melanin, and Vitamin D factor into her equation for the origin of variation in skin pigmentation. The presentation goes beyond that, of course.
