Monday, March 18, 2024

UK Journal Nature Podcast, March 13, 2024

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Behavior, Nature, Wildlife

Ed Hessler

Below are the topics of the British Journal Nature's  Nature Podcast (27m 17s) for March 13, 2024. Beginning times for each segment are in the parentheses.

00:45 Making a map of the human heart

The human heart consists of multiple, specialized structures that all work together to enable the organ to beat for a lifetime. But exactly which cells are present in each part of the heart has been difficult to ascertain. Now, a team has combined molecular techniques to create an atlas of the developing human heart at an individual cell level. Their atlas provides insights into how cell communities communicate and form different structures. They hope that this knowledge will ultimately help in the treatment of congenital heart conditions, often caused by irregular development of the heart. Includes a video.

08:37 Research Highlights

Residue in ceramic vases suggests that ancient Mesoamerican peoples consumed tobacco as a liquid, and a wireless way to charge quantum batteries.

11:11 The evolution of menopause in toothed whales

Menopause is a rare phenomenon, only known to occur in a few mammalian species. Several of these species are toothed whales, such as killer whales, beluga whales and narwhals. But why menopause evolved multiple times in toothed whales has been a long-standing research question. To answer it, a team examined the life history of whales with and without menopause and how this affected the number of offspring and ‘grandoffspring’. Their results suggest that menopause allows older females to help younger generations in their families and improve their chances of survival. Includes a link to the paper and the item in the journal Nature's News and Views.

18:03 Briefing Chat

How the new generation of anti-obesity drugs could help people with HIV, and the study linking microplastics lodged in a key blood vessel with serious health issues. Includes a link to the journal's report in Nature News.

One caveat: Links to papers published in Nature may not be completely accessible. The links to news and views items usually work. You can count on the videos.

Nature Podcast (27m 17s) for March 13, 2024. Segment beginning times are in the parentheses.

00:45 Making a map of the human heart

The human heart consists of multiple, specialized structures that all work together to enable the organ to beat for a lifetime. But exactly which cells are present in each part of the heart has been difficult to ascertain. Now, a team has combined molecular techniques to create an atlas of the developing human heart at an individual cell level. Their atlas provides insights into how cell communities communicate and form different structures. They hope that this knowledge will ultimately help in the treatment of congenital heart conditions, often caused by irregular development of the heart. Includes a video.

08:37 Research Highlights

Residue in ceramic vases suggests that ancient Mesoamerican peoples consumed tobacco as a liquid, and a wireless way to charge quantum batteries.

11:11 The evolution of menopause in toothed whales

Menopause is a rare phenomenon, only known to occur in a few mammalian species. Several of these species are toothed whales, such as killer whales, beluga whales and narwhals. But why menopause evolved multiple times in toothed whales has been a long-standing research question. To answer it, a team examined the life history of whales with and without menopause and how this affected the number of offspring and ‘grandoffspring’. Their results suggest that menopause allows older females to help younger generations in their families and improve their chances of survival. Includes a link to the paper and the item in the journal Nature's News and Views.

18:03 Briefing Chat

How the new generation of anti-obesity drugs could help people with HIV, and the study linking microplastics lodged in a key blood vessel with serious health issues. Includes a link to the journal's report in Nature News.

One caveat: Links to papers published in Nature may not be completely accessible. The links to news and views items usually work. You can count on the videos.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Great Backyard Bird Count, 2024

Saturday, March 16, 2024

The Shift to Daylight Time

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Solar System, Astronomy, Science & Society

Ed Hessler

We made it even though it might have required some manual changes to certain devices which don't spring ahead or fall back automatically. I have an old electric clock which requires I move the clock hands.
 
You might even have forgotten the date and had an old device wake you up at the wrong time while a new device was silent. 
 
Some people grouse and some don't mind. I'm in the latter group.

CBS News correspondent Luke Burbank (2m 48s) has some comments on the joy of springing ahead.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Friday Poem

Environmental & Science Education, Poetry, Art & Environment

Ed Hessler


The poem, a short biography of the author and publication information are found at the link.

 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Great Gray Owls: Hunting Adaptations

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Behavior, Biological Evolution, Wildlife, Nature, Biodiversity, Nature of Science

Ed Hessler

How Great Gray Owls find prey (primarily voles) under the snow is the subject of an essay by Rebecca Heisman, Living Bird magazine, Winter 2024.

Heisman provides a description of the challenges to Gray Gray Owls in finding food. Their prey is "no longer than a ballpoint pen - the ones I most frequently use are almost 14 cm ot 5.5 inches - which they can't see, using only faint burrowing sounds more than a foot (~ 30 cm)  under the snow (up to 18 inches, ~45 cm) to guide them in plunging strikes with surgical precision?

Two scientists who appear unlikely collaborators joined to do some research on this problem. Chris Clark is a biologist at the University of California - Riverside and Jim Duncan is a retires wildlife biologist in Manitoba who founded Discover Owls upon his retirement. Clark's research has been on how some birds maximize and minimize sound when they fly.

Heisman writes that "the goals of their collaboration were simple: to test how snow might absorb and distort the sounds of voles and how that might affect Great Gray Owl hunting strategies." Clark was asked how Great Grays "evolved to fly silently."  And I quote his response at length to provide an example of how predictions are used in science in the design of new investigations.  Here is what he said.

 “'What I call the owl-ear hypothesis and the mouse-ear hypothesis.” The owl-ear hypothesis is that owls fly quietly to avoid interfering with their own ability to detect prey by sound; the mouse-ear hypothesis is that they’re trying to avoid being detected by potential prey.

“'Although these hypotheses aren’t mutually exclusive there are some cases where they make different predictions, and the number-one case is when the environment itself blocks sound."' Heisman continues that this is "when there’s a thick layer of snow on the ground. The owl-ear hypothesis suggests that a snow-hunting owl should have especially well-developed quieting features, so that it can hear its muffled prey over the sound of its own wings. Under the mouse-ear hypothesis, however, quieting features would be less important, because the snow would provide the owl with natural stealth."

Heisman describes the complexity of snow which has important effects on the transmission of sound, describes the investigation which included a model, a proxy, for a vole under the snow, and what it is like to work on projects in the natural world. This research faced cold temperatures which interfered with the amount of data the two scientists were able to collect. They left the field with six successful trials which are suggestive. One of the findings was that their research supports one of the two suggested hypotheses - the owl ear and mouse ear hypotheses.

Heisman includes a quote about the research from a non-participant and I include it because it is about the nature of science. "Katherine Gura, a researcher at the Teton Raptor Center in Wyoming and expert on Great Gray Owl ecology, who was not involved with this acoustics study, was 'thrilled' when she read Clark and Duncan’s paper.

“'This work serves as an excellent example of the fascinating questions we can answer by merging a strong knowledge of the physical properties of snow with wildlife ecology. By testing how sound travels through the snowscape and linking those findings to Great Gray Owl foraging strategies and morphology, this study begins to unravel how this species evolved its unique winter behavior and traits.'”

I thought about the spectre of climate change throughout. I'm sure you will as well. What happens to the owl if...?  I'm sure you did as well. Heisman ends with a question about this adaptation and climate change. I hope in the long run this magnificent creature is not lost.

This not-to-be missed illustrated essay may be read here.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Curare: Jungle and Operating Theater

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Biodiversity, Wildlife, Science & Society, Culture, Medicine, Health, History of Science, Nature of Science

Ed Hessler

Today we have two cups of joe - Dr. Joe Schwarz who directs the Office for Science & Society, University of Montreal.

First, the video (3m 42s) from the series, The Right Chemistry, is titled "Curare-Poison or Drug? Both!"

Second is an essay "From the Jungle to the Operating Room." The story is really fascinating and includes,
 
-- a discussion of the early work of Montreal anesthesiologist Harold Griffith

-- the reason why the use of curare was needed and transformed surgery

-- how experimental science has changed

-- the need for an antidote to the effects of curare

-- how molecular chemistry made possible the development of new chemicals with the same effects as curare

-- the long historical path from the jungles to operating theaters

-- experiment with a donkey as the subject

-- the role of a rubber salesman who received curare as a treatment for muscle spasms (I was stunned to learn that his physician was Walter Freeman who developed and performed many cruel surgeries for the treatment of mental illness, one of which is mentioned.).

The essay ends with a connection to Freeman and Squibb Pharmaceutical's commercialization of a standardized version that "within one minute... made the abdomen as soft as dough." 

Joe writes "The rest, as they say, is history."


I recommend this biography of Freeman which you may find gruesome. He was a maverick, to be sure. Driven.

 
These were two welcome cups of Joe!

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Winners

Monday, March 11, 2024

Titanium Dioxide in Foods: Europe Rules One Way, Canada Another Way

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Science & Society, Nature of Science

Ed Hessler

Joe Schwarz, Director of the Office for Science & Society at McGill University, Canada takes a look at the use of titanium dioxide in foods. He points out that "in Europe it is not allowed as a food additive, but in Canada (his home country *)" it is found "in candies, chewing gum, pastries, cake decorations and coffee creamer. 
 
The question discussed in this column is whether we should worry about consuming products that contain this chemical compound.

Schwarz tells readers his position at the outset, writing "Before going further, let me say that I am not a friend of food colourants, including titanium dioxide. That’s because these chemicals have no purpose other than to make foods of low nutritional quality more attractive. However, after delving into the relevant scientific literature, I do not think that the European ban of titanium dioxide in food is justified. On the other hand, I believe Health Canada’s position that titanium dioxide as a food additive poses no health risk is supported by evidence." I don't think this deflates what follows.

Schwarz begins his examination of the evidence with a question likely to have occurred to you, i.e., how scientists in Canada and Europe "can look at the same data and come to different conclusions?" The lenses used are different.

The Canadian "government mandated (a) review of titanium dioxide as a food additive in 2022."  The reason was that it had been learned "that a portion of the particles in a sample may be in the 'nano' range. On this scale, particles can behave differently than larger ones even though they have the same chemical composition."

Schwarz explains differences in research design used by European and Canadian scientists, discusses the reason that the European International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which "listed titanium dioxide as a possible human carcinogen." It is due to the evaluation method and there is an important distinction worth knowing about in discussions of such questions.

Schwarz closes with a summary which includes some things to consider when making food choices.


* You are sure to wonder about its use in the United States, particularly whether it is allowed in foods. This is a review which I found a useful addition to Dr. Schwarz's comments.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Total Solar Eclipse in Real Time


Environmental & Science Education
, STEM, Astronomy, Solar System, Earth & Space Science, Earth Systems

Ed Hessler

This is an exclamation point of a video (2m 57s) from Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) of a total solar eclipse in real time. The film is an achievement.

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer: About a New Research Effort

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Health, Medicine, Wildlife, Nature, Sustainability, Science & Society

Ed Hessler

I found this to be a frightening headline on two accounts. The headline is: "If deer disease jumped to humans we wouldn't be ready", StarTribune, Science & Health, February 18, 2024 by Jim Robbins of KFF Health News. While behind a subscription paywall it is on the KFF Health News website (see below).  

It is the combination of the possibility of chronic wasting disease (CWD) jumping to humans and our unpreparedness for it that is downright scary.

Here are a few lines about what you will find in the essay.

--In 2023 68 different global experts on CWD formed to "look at what are the challenges ahead..." said Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota.

--An Osterholm quote, "'The bottom-line message is we are quite unprepared. .... There are no contingency plans for what to do or how to follow up."' Robbins notes that the expert team "is planning for a potential outbreak."

--There are no known human cases.

-- Steve Rinella of Meateater is asked whether hunters worry about it and why/why not.

--The first occurrence of CWD is discussed and its subsequent spread.

--CWD is sometimes nicknamed "zombie disease."
 
--Effects of the disease on deer brains, symptoms and other details about prions are well covered.

--Osterholm's group just received a $1.5 million dollar grant.

--There is no question that many infected animals are consumed annually.

--Tests for detecting the disease and limitations are discussed.  A rapid field test is badly needed.
 
Here are the most recent data for the 2023 deer season harvest results and CWD management findings from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (43 hunter-harvested deer, 90% of which were from the southeast).

--University of Minnesota Peter Larsen, College of Veterinary Medicine, co-directs the Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach discusses the ambition of the center.

--Doug Wilson tribal biologist for the White Earth nation told Robbins tribes must become engaged and why. generations.'' 

References

 
KFF Health News article which was published in the StarTribune.


Brian Wakeling (best I could do; scroll down Wildlife Division)

About Peter Larsen, UMN.

Additional resource to the story in the StarTribune.

About Michael Osterholm, Director Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota.The link is to the University of Minnesota website on CWD where you can sign up for several newsletters, among them, one on CWD.
 
Some data from Colorado on deer kill and number infected are discussed in the Robbins report. Here are the most recent data for the 2023 deer season harvest results and CWD management findings from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.