Tag: science

Evolutionary fitness is predictable

A massive statistical study suggests that the final evolutionary outcome — fitness — is predictable.

Cryogenic Metallic Alloy

very unusual. it even gets tougher as it cools.

A new concept in metallic alloy design – called “high‐entropy alloys” – has yielded a multiple-element material that not only tests out as one of the toughest on record, but, unlike most materials, the toughness as well as the strength and ductility of this alloy actually improves at cryogenic temperatures.

Laniakea

you’ll want to update your address to end with laniakea, to make sure your packages are delivered properly.

Demodex

Demodex mites are a group of hair follicle and sebaceous gland-dwelling species. The species of these mites found on humans are arguably the animals with which we have the most intimate interactions. 100% of people over 18 years of age appear to host at least 1 Demodex species, suggesting that Demodex mites may be universal associates of adult humans.

Holographic Universe

the experiment probes the limits of the universe’s ability to store information. If there is a set number of bits that tell you where something is, it eventually becomes impossible to find more specific information about the location—even in principle

the article didn’t mention the Bekenstein bound which i thought this was about.

Academic Neologisms

i like most of these.

Website experiments

Rule #1: Small Changes can have a Big Impact to Key Metrics
Rule #2: Changes Rarely have a Big Positive Impact to Key Metrics
Rule #3: Your Mileage WILL Vary
Rule #4: Speed Matters a LOT
Rule #5: Reducing Abandonment is Hard, Shifting Clicks is Easy
Rule #6: Avoid Complex Designs: Iterate
Rule #7: Have Enough Users

Brewing drugs

given enough DNA manipulation, you can get yeast to do nearly anything. rob carlson has pointed out the connection from homebrewing to diy biotech for years.

anyone with access to the yeast strain and basic skills in fermentation would be able to grow morphine-producing yeast using a home-brew kit. Because yeast is easy to conceal, grow and transport, criminal syndicates and law-enforcement agencies would have difficulty controlling the distribution of an opiate-producing yeast strain

the craft medicine marketing exists already

Pfizer Releases Vintage Cask-Aged Robitussin. The new up-market blend has a sophisticated flavor profile of cherry, codeine, pseudoephedrine, and hints of citrus.

Digitizing weather

probably a race against time, too. yet another case where analog data is pretty much equivalent with no data.

How to Track Climate Change? Digitize a Century’s Worth of Moldy Old Records, Scientists are embarking on data rescue missions all over the world to find and save old climate information.

What makes us fat

the problem with nutrition research is that it isn’t rigorous, due to funding problems. the NIH spends very little on these studies, a missed opportunity now being fixed by a new consortium.