{"id":25246,"date":"2010-07-17T16:00:17","date_gmt":"2010-07-17T16:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/euvolution.com\/futurist-transhuman-news-blog\/i%e2%80%99ve-got-your-missing-links-right-here-17-july-%e2%80%9810-not-exactly-rocket-science\/"},"modified":"2010-07-17T16:00:17","modified_gmt":"2010-07-17T16:00:17","slug":"i%e2%80%99ve-got-your-missing-links-right-here-17-july-%e2%80%9810-not-exactly-rocket-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euvolution.com\/futurist-transhuman-news-blog\/astronomy\/i%e2%80%99ve-got-your-missing-links-right-here-17-july-%e2%80%9810-not-exactly-rocket-science.php","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve got your missing links right here (17 July \u201810) | Not Exactly Rocket Science"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antics<\/strong><\/p>

I spoke at a Science Blogging Talkfest earlier this week – I had a great time and was honoured to feature<\/a> on a lot of the attendees’ picks for favourite blog. There’s a transcript of the entire event here as told through Twitter<\/a>, a nice write-up from Noodlemaz<\/a>, and an audio recording at some point. In advance of the event, Alice Bell did a set of four great interviews with British bloggers Daniel Macarthur<\/a>, Imran Khan<\/a>, Mun-Keat Looi<\/a> and Jenny Rohn<\/a>.<\/p>

I did a photoshoot with some other science journalists for Geekcalendar, a (non-nude) initiative looking to raise money for Libel Reform. Have a look at some outtake photos here<\/a>.<\/p>

<\/span>News<\/strong><\/p>

Two great pieces from Brian Switek: one on Prolibytherium, the mammal with a butterfly face<\/a>, and another on Saadanius, a new fossil primate<\/a><\/p>

The Queen’s executioner beetle<\/a> is the latest beneficiary of a great common name, as a result of a wonderful Guardian competition.<\/p>

The oil spill has stopped apparently. There’s too much to link to but the best place to find out more is Deep Sea News<\/a>.<\/p>

The BBC says that plants can “think and remember”. Ferris Jabr tears them a new one<\/a> in Scientific American, but shows how plants are sophisticated anyway.<\/p>

The exoplanet Osiris<\/a> orbits so close to its star that its atmosphere is being blasted away, giving it a tail, says 80beats.<\/p>

A world of viruses<\/a>, lurking in your intestines, exposed by Nature News<\/p>

“Apparently we have learned nothing…” Climate scientists were warned to keep a distance from the media<\/a> by the IPCC, according to Andy Revkin. They were also sent a “media backgrounder<\/a>” that’s absolutely fascinating. Chris Mooney illustrates what the letter could <\/em>have said<\/a>.<\/p>

The Earth’s had some work done. She’s now 4.467 billion years old<\/a>, compared to the previous estimate of 4.537 billion years old. Doesn’t look a shade over 4 billion, but getting a bit oilier of late…<\/p>

Just 15 of the world’s biggest ships<\/a> may now emit as much pollution as all the world’s 760m cars, says the Guardian.<\/p>

Amazon river dolphins<\/a> “are showing up in record numbers on riverbanks, their flesh torn away for fishing bait”<\/p>

“For a quick summary of the last 25 million years in human brain evolution, just watch how our brains change between infancy and adulthood<\/a>,” says Brandon Keim in Wired.<\/p>

“Marketing departments everywhere have been left scratching their heads and wondering how exactly you go about marketing an unappealing tube of brown powder if you can’t call it Slim-Fast.” Martin Robbins on new food labelling regulations<\/a>.<\/p>

Carl Zimmer talks about the world’s strangest life-saving transplant<\/a> – faecal bacteria.<\/p>

Why Johnny can’t name his colours<\/a>: Melody Dye gives a great first-hand account of her own research in Scientific American.<\/p>

They found the Higgs boso<\/a>… oh wait, they didn’t<\/a>.<\/p>

Did Archimedes build a “flaming steam cannon<\/a>”? Well MIT scientists certainly have<\/a>…<\/p>

“A game similar to tag may prepare gorillas for real conflicts<\/a> over food and mates,” reports Ian Sample.<\/p>

Matt Soniak dissects the complex vacancy chains of hermit crab real estate<\/a>.<\/p>

Bob Holmes has a great New Scientist feature on the next-generation of genetically-modified animals<\/a> and the advances they could herald.<\/p>

Ars Technica has an excellent piece on confirmation bias<\/a> in science and how to avoid it, with a footnote on climate denialism.<\/p>

Heh\/Wow<\/strong><\/p>

A clam attacks and kills an oystercatcher<\/a>, surely making it an oystercatchercatcher. Darren Naish has the story.<\/p>

One of the most evocative space images of all time<\/a> – a haunting use of light and shadow<\/p>

A Periodic Coffee Table<\/a>, with embedded samples of all the elements. Yes, even the toxic and radioactive ones.<\/p>

A great Oatmeal cartoon explains how the male angler fish<\/a> becomes a pair of degenerate balls.<\/p>

Best sign ever<\/a>.<\/p>

In which we (and Gillian McKeith) learn that you cannot simply delete things on the Internet<\/a>.<\/p>

It would take 134 cans of Red Bull<\/a> to kill me. You?<\/p>

Sharktopus<\/a>. I don’t really need to elaborate.<\/p>

Journalism\/internet\/blogging<\/strong><\/p>

The Pepsigate fallout continues with Obesity Panacea<\/a> and the Primate Diaries<\/a> leaving too. Check out OP’s new digs and follow Eric on his exile tour<\/a>. Meanwhile, Abel Pharmboy asks two excellent questions<\/a> about the farrago, I chip in with comments, and John Pavlus talks about the time he quit ScienceBlogs<\/a>. And please follow and support some of the excellent writers who have struck out on their own – Skulls in the Stars has the full list<\/a> but here are my personal picks:<\/p>