An upside to hyena dung

Happy President’s Day, to those of you who got a day off! Our boss scheduled a meeting today, in spite of the holiday, so Lucy K. and I were busy slaving in the lab. In celebration of the holiday, some light science fare today.

Did you know…

…that hyena dung can preserve human hair for 200,000 years?

…that a famous actor is going to restart the Large Hadron Collider?

…that supersized calories are in our kitchens, not just at McDonald’s?

…that a green comet is passing by next week?

Photo courtesy of dean.franklin

Happy (almost) Darwin Day!

Tomorrow, February 12th, is a big day in the world of biology – it’s Darwin’s 200th birthday! Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution was born on February 12, 1809, and published his famous book “On the Origin of Species” about 50 years later. Scientists around the globe are planning events to celebrate Darwin’s discovery, as well as scientific innovation generally. There are a variety of talks and events aimed at the public.

To find out about Darwin Day and events near you, check out http://www.darwinday.org

Photo courtesy of lofaesofa

The worst jobs in science… and grad student didn’t even make the list!

Popular Science has put together a list of the worst jobs in science for 2009. Want to know more? Think your job is worse? After you read about what a taphonomist does, I bet you’ll change your mind!

Photo provided by practicalowl.

It’s hard to think about global warming when it’s 12 degrees

If it’s as cold where you are as it has been in Boston, global warming might not be the first thing on your mind, but it’s been a hot topic in science news this week. Read about this and more (including training bees and healing nerves) in…

…this week’s BioBites!

A new reason to stick to that resolution to quit smoking…

Mid-way through January, many New Year’s resolutions have fallen by the wayside. I, for one, have been keeping my lab notebook more organized, but my posts have been a bit on the tardy side. For any of you out there resolving to quit smoking this year, maybe this will be a motivational boost. Scientists have found that not only second-hand, but third-hand smoke could be harming your loved ones.

I want more candy!
You’re lying, right?
My brain hurts!

An ant farm on steroids!

Ever wonder what an ant colony looks like underground? These scientists did, too, so they filled an abandoned one with concrete and then dug it out. Ten tons (yes, TEN TONS) of concrete later, they discovered the ant equivalent of the Great Wall of China. Check it out below!

(In a hurry? Check out the section around 1:25 to get an idea of what they found.)

BioBites for the new year!

Welcome back to our first BioBites of 2009! Read up on what you missed in the science world while you were busy opening presents and eating lots of junk food (if your break was anything like mine).

This week’s BioBites!

Wanted: Used coffee grounds

In bad news, OPEC cut oil production today, in the hopes of getting a little more out of our wallets at the pump (and our houses, as the temperatures dip here in Boston). In a related story, scientists at the University of Nevada have come up with a way to make biofuels from used coffee grounds. The production is fairly energy efficient and affordable, coming in at about $1 per gallon.

Will this solve all our energy problems? No. Even a huge supply of used coffee grounds would only produce a small amount of the energy we use in the US, but it could give us a way to use a waste product to make something useful. And yes, the exhaust really does smell like coffee!

Want to learn more? Check out this NY Times article.

Photo provided by Refracted Moments(tm).

Return of the body snatchers!

When it comes to virtual reality, how real is too real? Scientists have shown that using a pair of goggles and a camera, they can make people feel like a mannequin across the room is ACTUALLY their body. The effect is so real that when the mannequin is stabbed with a knife, the people react like it is actually them. Want to know more, or see a video of the experiments taking place? Read on!

I want more candy!
The organic stuff, please!
My brain hurts!

This Week’s BioBites: aliens, housepets and amoebas (oh my!)

This week brings news about life in the universe and a scientific basis for the placebo effect, amongst other things. Want to learn more?

Read this week’s BioBites!