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Not So Random, Doomsday Higgs, Size Matters, Anxious Fish, Interview w/ Dr. Brian Hare About Dognition, And Much More…
Disclaimer, disclaimer, disclaimer!!!
Stem cells raise the specter of cloning
Researchers have developed a way to produce human embryonic stem cells using somatic nuclear transfer. The media has decided to focus on potentials in cloning, but the real breakthrough here is in potential cell therapy.
Smoking Pot could make you skinny
People who smoke marijuana have better control over their blood sugar, and are often more fit. There you go folks, another reason to smoke.
The Cicadas are Coming!!!
30 billion cicadas are about to envelope the East Coast of the United States. Buckle your seat-belts and strap on your noise-canceling headphones – it’s GONNA GET LOUD.
Meanwhile, from the UN:
The UN urges us to eat more bugs. Which begs the question…:
Maple Cicada Cupcakes, Anyone?
The impending onslaught of cicadas could be an opportunity for a rare unusual feast! Oh, me? No thanks, I’m full…
You mean to tell me spiders are working together?!
Out of the 43,000 species only 80 are social. The Huntsman spider from Australia often nests in groups with younger and older siblings mixed. It turns out that the youngsters benefit from having older siblings around, as they sometimes share their prey. What good big brothers and sisters! *shudder*…
Brain dominance linked to your cell phone habits
If you are left brain dominant in your language center you use your right had to hold your cell phone to your head. This had little to do with handedness. Interesting stuff!
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Stretching the tissue
Acupuncture needles appear to have a proven effect on pain. The needle causes a tug against the connective tissue and stretches it. This stretch changes the tissue chemically – acupuncture may actually have a scientific benefit. Science supporting old school medicine – who’d have thought?
Gravity at the end of the universe!
A device proposed by scientists at the University of Nevada Reno and Stanford University could detect gravitational waves at the end of the universe. Far out, man…
Not Real Trees!
Berkeley Lab has created a nano system that is photosynthetic. The first artificial leaf! Yay?
Life Undergound???
A mine in Canada has been deemed “the Galapagos of the subsurface.” Evidence suggests it has been isolated from the rest of the planet for 2.6 billion years, so finding microbes in the water there could be very telling.
Malaria parasites are chatting it up behind our backs
Malaria parasites can signal to each other the best time to activate in a host. We’re doomed!
Car exhaust: bad for you.
Emissions from your car could turn good cholesterol from good to bad. Another reason fossil fuels are evil…
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I'm the host of this little science show. 
In general, love the show.
Was a bit disappointed to hear mention of the acupuncture article. The lady has prior form of doing questionable science: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/acupuncture-and-fascial-planes-junk-science-and-wasteful-research/
Regarding acupuncture
We have yet to determine that acupuncture actually relieves pain, so it seems a bit premature to a mechanism of action to a process that has no action.
David Colquhoun and Steven Novella have written an excellent article ”Acupuncture is Theatrical Placebo” at http://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/content/116/6/1360.full.
My initial impression is that the author may be describing the body trying to isolate and wall off a foreign body whichmore likely to sruvive occam’s razor.