At first, life on Earth was simple. Cells existed, functioned and reproduced as free-living individuals. But then, something remarkable happened. Some cells joined forces, working together instead of being alone. This transition, known as multicellularity, was a pivotal event in the history of life on Earth. Multicellularity enabled greater biological complexity, which sparked an extraordinary… Continue reading How Did Multicellular Life Evolve?
Dune and Decisionmaking: The Classic’s Sci Fi Connection with RAND
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part II, the sequel to his 2021 Dune film, released to box-office triumph and critical acclaim. The films are based on the popular 1965 science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert, which tells the story of a young prince, Paul Atreides, and his battle to control the universe’s all-powerful spice resources. While… Continue reading Dune and Decisionmaking: The Classic’s Sci Fi Connection with RAND
How Metabolism Can Shape Cells’ Destinies
“Those chemical modifications that decorate [histones] and modify gene expression — they’re metabolites, full stop,” said Finley, the cancer biologist. “Chemical modifications themselves are metabolites, and their removal is dependent on metabolites.” Fifteen years ago, when Kathryn Wellen was a postdoc studying cancer cells, she discovered that the epigenetic marks on histones change in response… Continue reading How Metabolism Can Shape Cells’ Destinies
As Fires Continue to Burn Around Los Angeles, Here Are Some Recovery Tips and Resources
As a horrific week in Los Angeles closes, firefighters are still on the front lines of numerous blazes flanking the city and tens of thousands of people remain displaced from their homes. While it can be hard to turn an eye toward the future at times like this, recovery is, in many ways, already beginning.… Continue reading As Fires Continue to Burn Around Los Angeles, Here Are Some Recovery Tips and Resources
Trump Gives EPA One Week to Decide on Abandoning Climate Pollution Regulation
CLIMATEWIRE | EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has one week to tell President Donald Trump whether the agency could abandon its authority to regulate climate pollution under the Clean Air Act. His decision stands to cast EPA into a monumental fight over its ability to reduce carbon emissions, potentially reverberating beyond Trump’s presidency. If Zeldin attempts… Continue reading Trump Gives EPA One Week to Decide on Abandoning Climate Pollution Regulation
An Alleged Comey ‘Honeypot’ Sex Sting Against Trump Smells Fishy
Asked if any of his witnesses have testified in closed-door sessions to corroborate the claims in his letter, Siuzdak said they have not been asked by committee investigators to be interviewed. But he said they’ve been too discouraged by recent events to give any statements. “When the disclosure occurred, the whistleblowers were willing to talk… Continue reading An Alleged Comey ‘Honeypot’ Sex Sting Against Trump Smells Fishy
‘Hot Potato’ Plants Engineered to Flourish in Heat Waves
February 13, 2025 2 min read ‘Hot Potato’ Plants Engineered to Flourish in Heat Waves A genetic tweak keeps potatoes efficient in the heat By Julian Nowogrodzki edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier When a scorching heat wave struck Illinois in June 2022, crop physiologist Katherine Meacham-Hensold hoped her team’s new bioengineered potato variety would survive… Continue reading ‘Hot Potato’ Plants Engineered to Flourish in Heat Waves
Civics Worthy of America’s 250th Birthday
Anyone who has lived in this decade can tell you that the United States of America has had some hard days. During another bitter election season, there were many dispiriting moments. Civil dialogue about the many issues we face was all but absent. Especially troubling was a November 4th Wall Street Journal report that civics… Continue reading Civics Worthy of America’s 250th Birthday
The Zodiac Killer’s Hidden Victims
The Zodiac Killer’s Hidden Victims < !- end of Google Analytics Code Snippet by GA4WP–> // tabnab protection window.addEventListener(‘load’, function () { // make all links have rel=”noopener noreferrer” document.querySelectorAll(‘a[target=”_blank”]’).forEach(link => { link.setAttribute(‘rel’, ‘noopener noreferrer’); }); }); ]]> Podcast: Download https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/sqpn01/MYS356.mp3MYS356: The true body count of the Zodiac Killer of the 1960s and 70s may… Continue reading The Zodiac Killer’s Hidden Victims
Why You Should Look for ‘Slow Flowers’ Grown without Dangerous Chemicals That Dominate the U.S. Market
On a low hill near the coast of Maine, the fresh petals of double daffodils shake frills of gold and peach in a gusting breeze. It is the middle of May, a clear blue sky overhead, and the lacy burgundy foliage of peonies and new stalks of twiggy curly willow are poking through swaths of… Continue reading Why You Should Look for ‘Slow Flowers’ Grown without Dangerous Chemicals That Dominate the U.S. Market