Chimpanzees have language

I've read in several places that language is the last uniquely human characteristic.  Well, it turns out chimps communicate with a language of gestures: Researchers Translate the Meaning of Over 60 Gestures Used by Chimps. In the first systematic study of a non-human primate language, scientists from St. Andrew's University have deciphered the meaning of 66 wild … Continue reading Chimpanzees have language →

Extinct human cousin gave Tibetans advantage at high elevation

It looks like ancient humans got around.  It's pretty well known now that most of us have Neanderthal DNA, but apparently a lot us also have Denisovan DNA: Extinct human cousin gave Tibetans advantage at high elevation -- ScienceDaily. Tibetans were able to adapt to high altitudes thanks to a gene picked up when their ancestors … Continue reading Extinct human cousin gave Tibetans advantage at high elevation →

What do you use to keep track of the blogs and sites that you follow?

I'm a big user of RSS feeds, and used to pretty much live in Google Reader before Google killed it.  In the months after GR was shut down, I tried a number of different RSS reading services including Feedly, AOL, Digg, and many others including client based products.  I settled fairly early on Feedly, although it … Continue reading What do you use to keep track of the blogs and sites that you follow? →

Cosmic rays becoming an increasing problem for microchips. Threat to Moore’s Law?

When I first saw the title of this article, I thought it might be an alarmist piece of some kind about passenger safety from higher radiation doses while in the air, but it's actually about a broader and more serious problem: The $8.5M Race to Protect Planes From Cosmic Rays. It’s an invisible, but looming threat … Continue reading Cosmic rays becoming an increasing problem for microchips. Threat to Moore’s Law? →

Two Kuiper Belt objects found: Hubble to proceed with full search for New Horizons targets

I always assumed that NASA had plans to explore other Kuiper Belt objects after the New Horizon's probe flew by Pluto.  But I'm a bit surprised that they're just now working out what those objects will be: Two Kuiper Belt objects found: Hubble to proceed with full search for New Horizons targets -- ScienceDaily. Planetary scientists … Continue reading Two Kuiper Belt objects found: Hubble to proceed with full search for New Horizons targets →

Vitamin D apparently has nothing to do with skin color

This article is a reminder that in science, nothing is certain until you have evidence (even then, nothing is totally certain): In human evolution, changes in skin's barrier set northern Europeans apart -- ScienceDaily. The popular idea that northern Europeans developed light skin to absorb more UV light so they could make more vitamin D -- vital … Continue reading Vitamin D apparently has nothing to do with skin color →

Ancient baby boom holds a lesson in over-population

Along the lines of last week's discussion of Jared Diamond's book 'Collapse': Ancient baby boom holds a lesson in over-population -- ScienceDaily. Washington State University researchers have sketched out one of the greatest baby booms in North American history, a centuries-long "growth blip" among southwestern Native Americans between 500 to 1300 A.D. It was a time … Continue reading Ancient baby boom holds a lesson in over-population →

Court Says Some Employers Don’t Have to Cover Birth Control

There is a lot of discussion over the US Supreme Court's decision: Court Says Some Employers Don't Have to Cover Birth Control | Political Wire. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 split, ruled that "closely held" companies can on religious grounds opt out of a federal health-care law requirement that companies provide contraception coverage for employees, the Wall Street … Continue reading Court Says Some Employers Don’t Have to Cover Birth Control →