Science and Hindsight

The relative importance of different musical features of hit...

Thu, 09 May 2013 20:16:21 -0400

The relative importance of different musical features of hit songs - from 1961 to 2011.

NASA just discovered a fifth moon orbiting the not-planet...

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:26:45 -0400

NASA just discovered a fifth moon orbiting the not-planet Pluto. Pluto still feels terrible about itself.

(Via cracked)

The 8 TeV proton collision experiments at CERN, from which the...

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 12:12:41 -0400

The 8 TeV proton collision experiments at CERN, from which the Higgs boson was discovered.

Researchers of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the Large...

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 12:05:14 -0400

Researchers of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the Large Hadron Collider demonstrate the existence of a new boson at mass 125.3 ± 0.6 GeV. This new boson may be the elusive Higgs boson, or the result of new physics beyond the standard model of particle physics.

Frisbie pie tins - the origin of the Frisbee as we know it.

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:49:00 -0400

Frisbie pie tins - the origin of the Frisbee as we know it.

4 Degrees With 0% Unemployment

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:00:39 -0400

4 Degrees With 0% Unemployment:

This article features 4 majors that, statistically, nationwide have a 0% unemployment rate. They are:

Actuarial Science

Astrophysics

Pharmacology

Geophysics

Why do these careers have a 0% unemployment rate? Tell us what you think. Is it because very few people major in them, so the demand is high and the supply is low?

(challengestomillennials)

an agonist/receptor love story

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:31:20 -0400

Antagonists are trolls? I never thought of it that way :P

alternate ending:

cath what am I doing is this study is there life after tumblr help

(quasiwhitegirl)

A “Women in science” outreach video released...

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:07:41 -0400

A “Women in science” outreach video released yesterday by the European Commission.

The disaster of TGN1412: A anti-inflammatory treatment gone...

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 02:37:00 -0400

The disaster of TGN1412: A anti-inflammatory treatment gone pro-inflammatory

TGN1412 was a immunosuppressant drug being developed by TeGenero Immuno Therapeutics, intended for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, leukemia and rheumatoid arthritis. The drug is a monocolonal antibody which binds and activates the CD28 receptor of the immune system’s T-cells.

In animal trials, TGN1412 produced T-cell activation and expansion, accompanied by the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, leading to a net effect of T-cell downregulation. It had an anti-inflammatory effect, and no safety issues were observed.

In 2006, the first Phase I clinical trials with TGN1412 were conducted by Parexel (a company that carries out clinical trials on behalf of pharmaceutical companies). Six healthy volunteers were administered TGN1412 intravenously at 1/500th of the safe dose determined in animals.

About half an hour after receiving the drug, the subjects experienced headache, fever, pain, nausea and swelling. One of the patients suffered from a ballooned head. All six patients suffered from multiple organ failure, and were admitted to intensive care. The worst affected patient had to have his fingers and toes amputated, while another developed signs of lymphoma.

It was later confirmed that the subjects suffered from a cytokine storm. Instead of being anti-inflammatory, TGN1412 induced pro-inflammatory responses from T-cells.

It was later learned that TGN1412 did not have the same activity on the T-cells of animals, and did not activate the T-cells in the same way. Furthermore, the in vitro data from human T-cells were not conducted to take into account what could happen in vivo.

Finally, during the clinical trial, all six subjects received TGN1412 within a short time. For a compound that has never been tested in humans, it is common sense to stagger dosing amongst subjects by testing individuals one after the other.

Heart-shaped heart muscle cells

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 09:58:23 -0400

Heart-shaped heart muscle cells

Top panel: Life expectancyBottom Left panel: Obesity rateBottom...

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:10:00 -0400

Top panel: Life expectancy
Bottom Left panel: Obesity rate
Bottom Right panel: Poverty rate

The glowing “firefly squid” of Toyama, Japan. Each tentacle...

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:52:47 -0400

The glowing “firefly squid” of Toyama, Japan. Each tentacle contains a photophore which produces light to attract small fish for the squid to feed on.

Via alecshao:

I admit, research does have its moments. Good job Matt. =) I...

Wed, 30 May 2012 20:07:43 -0400

I admit, research does have its moments. Good job Matt. =)

I found my son’s killer.

It took three years.

But we did it.

I should clarify one point: my son is very much alive.

Yet, my wife Cristina and I have been found responsible for his death.

My son Bertrand has a new genetic disorder.

Patient 0.

To find it, a team of scientists at Duke University used whole-exome sequencing (a protein-focused variant of whole-genome sequencing) on me, my wife and my son.

We discovered that my son inherited two different (thus-far-unique) mutations in the same gene—the NGLY1 gene—which encodes the enzyme N-glycanase 1. Consequently, he cannot make this enzyme.

My son is the only human being known to lack this enzyme.

Below, I’m documenting our journey to the unlikeliest of diagnoses.

This is a story about the kind of hope that only science can provide.

[An open access article in The Journal of Medical Genetics contains the detailed results from ground-breaking experiment that diagnosed him.]

-Matt Might, the author of the Illustrated Guide to a PhD

Living snails can be converted into fuel cells with special...

Tue, 29 May 2012 17:50:37 -0400

Living snails can be converted into fuel cells with special enzyme-coated electrodes. Placing the two electrodes through the animal’s shell allows the conversion of glucose to electrons at one end, and at the other end, the electrons are donated to the positive ions ciriculating the in the snail’s hemolymph (the snaily version of blood).

The electrodes do not harm the snail, and can generate a voltage of 0.53V. It is possible future medical devices may use such a method for generating self-sustaining electrical power.

Mind control of a robot arm in paralyzed patients

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:09:00 -0400

Mind control of a robot arm in paralyzed patients

"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my..."

Wed, 02 May 2012 17:08:38 -0400

““If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. … I get most joy in life out of music.” —Albert Einstein”

- What Life Means to Einstein: An Interview by George Sylvester Viereck, for the October 26, 1929 issue of The Saturday Evening Post.

This trend, named “Eroom’s law” (Moore’s...

Wed, 02 May 2012 01:24:00 -0400

This trend, named “Eroom’s law” (Moore’s law in reverse), shows us that the pharmaceutical industry is dying at an exponential rate.

Over the last 60 years, the number of new drugs per billion dollars spent on research, has halved every 9 years.

Our science is improving. Our technology is improving. Our managerial progress improves also. All this, and yet our ability to create new drugs is diminishing…

In an article written in 1965, Gordon E. Moore, the co-founder...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:34:00 -0400

In an article written in 1965, Gordon E. Moore, the co-founder of Intel described a trend he observed. He noticed that from 1958 to 1965, the doubling of the number of transistors on microchips occurred every two years.

At the time, he only thought it would continue for at least 10 more years. He could have no idea that that this same trend would continue to be upheld today.

Currently, the most powerful microprocessors represent the equivalent brainpower of a mouse. If Moore’s law continues to hold up, we’ll have the computing power of a human brain on a microchip sometime around 2022. And if that’s not scary enough, fast forward to 2060. By then a single computer chip would have more computing power than all of humanity combined!

Why music gives you the chills

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:54:00 -0400

“Music-evoked frisson” is the shivering sensation down the spine when listening to music. It is associated with a pleasant tingling feeling, and goosebumps. However, not all listeners experience musical frisson, it is a feeling of which only about 50% of people are familiar with.

It has been observed that music-evoked frisson is more likely reported in female listeners over male listeners. In addition, those who experience chills are more likely to be less adventurous and thrill-seeking (making them more sensitive). Futhermore, the perception of chills is also correlated with musical interest.

Scientists have found that during music-evoked frisson, the amygdala (area of the brain associated with fear), is first activated, and then strongly inhibited. The initial activation of the amygdala causes the goosebumps and sensation of thrills. The following burst of inactivation is due to the cortex analyzing the music and concluding that there is nothing to be afraid of, and by doing so overrides the amygdala it and transforms the fear response into something positive.

So what is it in music that causes chills? It turns out that large increases in volume is the most important correlate of the chills. In addition, broadening of the frequency range (addition of low bass/high treble) is also correlated with chills. Musical corellates such as entry of additional instruments, voices, or melodies, and abrupt changes in tempo or rhythm can also bring out chills. It is interesting to note also that, sad music is twice as likely as happy music to elicit frisson.

For examples of pieces of music that are known to commonly elicit frisson, listen to:

Pink Floyd - The Final Cut

Arnold Schönberg - Transfigured Night

The majority of the drugs approved for use in 2011 were...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:49:16 -0400

The majority of the drugs approved for use in 2011 were discovered in the 1990s. Making new drugs is tough work.