Tangled Bank #114

Welcome to the #114th edition of the Tangled Bank, a carnival of science bloggers where you’re guaranteed to learn something new and exciting. We’ll start in the classroom, the “traditional” place for learning, where Irradius at Biochemical Soul discusses some news clips he’s using to promote critical thinking in his introductory biology class. And over in Kobra’s Corner, we find a concise explanation of the Weighted Bayesian Rating System.

Next, we move to the kitchen – a great place for a little homebrew chemistry, as Brian Connors demonstrates at The Off Season Recipe Blog. Paul at Neuroanthropology reminds us ‘Don’t forget the beer.’

Travel is also broadening, as the folks at the Agricultural Biodiversity Weblog show us: Luigi finds unusual fruits in the market when he visits Sarajevo, and Jeremy takes the opportunity to tour a gene bank when he’s in Belgium. In case you’re planning a visit to Indonesia, Carel at Rigor Vitae offers some observations about the natural history of Komodo dragons and the economics of their local human neighbors. And Mike at 10,000 Birds reports that ace migrator Winnie the Whimbrel was lost last month, after more than 5000 recorded miles of transcontinental flight.

Study something long enough, and you’re bound to make a new discovery. Over at Evolving Mind, Andrew is thinking about the discovery that "junk" DNA (at least the parts that code for regulatory genes) may have played a role in evolutionary changes in the human hand and foot. Robert Stribley at Hitched to Everything is also thinking, this time about how the discoveries of neuroscience (& how it shapes personality) will affect our legal system in the future. At Lambda Delta, Tony reports on some promising work at the University of Liverpool to treat recurrent miscarriages. Two new writers at Ouroboros give us summaries of new research on aging -- Elizabeth Ewen reports on a study that identifies a gene associated with longevity, and Kristen Fortney describes a study that uses artificial intelligence techniques to identify some of the gene interactions affecting lifespan. Finally, GrrlScientist at Living the Scientific Life brings us the exciting news that camera traps set by the Zoological Society of London have confirmed that okapi still live in the Congo rainforest, despite more than a decade of upheaval and civil war.

Of course, sometimes it takes a while for people to accept new ideas. The Digital Cuttlefish notes that it took 126 years after Charles Darwin died before the Church of England would consider apologizing to him. But God’s having none of it. He hates science.

That's it for #114. In a fortnight, you can travel over to Evolved Rational for the #115th edition of the Tangled Bank. Until then, send your submissions to PZMyers...

Comments

[Kobra]

The best thing about Tangled Bank is that a new person gets to host it every week. :D

The first link strikes me as the most important. There just isn't enough critical thinking going on in American schools.

[Irradiatus]

Hey thanks!

Personally I think the study on thumb evolution mentioned at Evolving Mind is one of the coolest studies I've seen in a while.

Then again, I'm a developmental biologist.