#94: This is a rebellion, isn't it?
Good morning!
We're at the point where the National Park Service is dropping stealth climate change reports with zero publicity so they don't get, you know, shut down. But they're-out-there-hustling-every-day. The time to fight is now.
Remember: text "Vote4Science" to 662266 and the Union of Concerned Scientists will not only provide you with opportunities to inject science into your local elections, but also send you important reminders on how to register, when to vote, and help you find your closest polling station. Bang.
PODCAST UPDATE
This week's guest was the Bad Astronomer himself, Phil Plait. The topic: simultaneously supporting good science and undermining anti-science, with as many diverse voices as possible. It's a new era for science communications. Join us.
Subscribe now to get Tuesday's episode with Dr. Gauntam Dantas. We talk the future of antibiotics. Which might be...no antibiotics. Ruh roh.
On to the news!
Biology 401 💉👾💊
The Thing Inside Your Cells That Might Determine How Long You Live
"“We think the nucleolus plays an important role in regulating the life span of animals,” said Adam Antebi, a cellular biologist at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany. He’s an author of a new review published last week in Trends in Cell Biology that examines all the new ways that researchers have fallen in love with the nucleolus — especially its role in aging.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/20/science/nucleolus-cells-aging.html
...“We think that the smaller nucleoli may be a cellular hallmark of longevity” in certain cells under certain conditions, he added.
More research is needed to see if the size of these structures are just markers for longevity or aging or if they actually cause it.
“We’ve spent lots of money on trying to find biomarkers of longevity or aging, and maybe it’s just sitting under the microscope for us to see,” said Dr. Antebi."
+ More bio:
- CRISPR Eradicates Latent HIV-1, Offering Hope of "Functional Cures"
- Measles makes alarming return to Europe and the Americas
Climate Change 🔥🌊💨
These are your elected officials: Republican lawmaker: Rocks tumbling into ocean causing sea level rise
"The Earth is not warming. The White Cliffs of Dover are tumbling into the sea and causing sea levels to rise. Global warming is helping grow the Antarctic ice sheet.
Those are some of the skeptical assertions echoed by Republicans on the U.S. House of Representatives Science, Space and Technology Committee yesterday. The lawmakers at times embraced research that questions mainstream climate science during a hearing on how technology can be used to address global warming.
A leading climate scientist testifying before the panel spent much of the two hours correcting misstatements.
...Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) said that erosion plays a significant role in sea-level rise, which is not an idea embraced by mainstream climate researchers."
+ VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
‘Impossible to Ignore’: Why Alaska Is Crafting a Plan to Fight Climate Change
"Alaska, a major oil and gas producer, is crafting its own plan to address climate change. Ideas under discussion include cuts in state emissions by 2025 and a tax on companies that emit carbon dioxide.
While many conservative-leaning states have resisted aggressive climate policies, Alaska is already seeing the dramatic effects of global warming firsthand, making the issue difficult for local politicians to avoid. The solid permafrost that sits beneath many roads, buildings and pipelines is starting to thaw, destabilizing the infrastructure above. At least 31 coastal towns and cities may need to relocate, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars, as protective sea ice vanishes and fierce waves erode Alaska’s shores."
+ More climate:
- Meeting Paris climate goals could save the world trillions of dollars
- Investors overseeing $10.5 TRILLION in assets call for oil and gas industriestake responsibility for their emissions
- Young climate activists have something to say -- but the GOP isn't listening
Fuck Cancer, Volume XCIII 🖕
How gut microbes are joining the fight against cancer
"Cancer has been a late bloomer in the microbiome revolution that has surged through biomedicine. Over the past few decades, scientists have linked the gut’s composition of microbes to dozens of seemingly unrelated conditions — from depression to obesity. Cancer has some provocative connections as well: inflammation is a contributing factor to some tumours and a few types of cancer have infectious origins. But with the explosive growth of a new class of drug — cancer immunotherapies — scientists have been taking a closer look at how the gut microbiome might interact with treatment and how these interactions might be harnessed.
Some of these microbes activate inflammatory responses and disrupt the mucus layers that protect the body from outside invaders, creating an environment that supports tumour growth. In other cases, they promote cancer survival by making cells resistant to anticancer drugs.
But gut bacteria can also help fight tumours."
+ It's very early, it's very iffy, but it's something.
+ More cancer:
- New Cancer Treatments Lie Hidden Under Mountains of Paperwork (someone please please please please fix this incredibly complicated problem)
Clean Energy 💨☀️⚡️
Dismissive and deceptive car dealerships create barriers to electric vehicle adoption at the point of sale
"In 126 shopping experiences at 82 car dealerships across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, we find that dealers were dismissive of EVs, misinformed shoppers on vehicle specifications, omitted EVs from the sales conversation and strongly oriented customers towards petrol and diesel vehicle options."
+ Not surprising, not helpful. Especially as electric SUVs roll out.
+ More clean energy:
- Massachusetts Gains Foothold in OffshoreWind Power
- Solar farm outside Joshua Tree National Park gets go-ahead from Trump administration
The Highlight Reel
Thanks for reading, thanks for acting, and thanks for giving a shit.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
The Staff
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