I created a free #K12 interactive #science quiz for #students to discover which Order a Mammal belongs to. If you'd like to beta test it and let me know if you find glitches, I'd appreciate it. I've stared at the screen for too long and am no longer seeing the branching questions objectively. The plugin limits me to a max of 25 categories, so I had to get creative. TIA for the feedback. https://handinhandhomeschool.com/teaching/science/mammal-quiz/
What do other people with training in #genetics or #molecularBiology think of the use of #DNA as a metaphor? I've always found it super irritating, but maybe other scientists love it?
For example, I'm now seeing it used in the context of social movement organizing and find this kind of usage very distracting, even though the concept they're trying to describe probably makes a lot of sense.
You've probably heard from transphobes about how "you can't change your DNA," so nothing you do in transition really matters. "Basic biology," they whinge. Well... what about intermediate biology?
This week on #StainedGlassWoman, come and see How HRT Rewrites Your DNA by just plain turning off the parts you don't need and turning on the ones you do! Now with more wedding photos, from another queer wedding.
Quick cell biology question. If you might know somebody who knows, could I get a boost? :boost_requested:
I think I've heard of techniques where you can replace a cell's DNA with the DNA of another cell, and have the recipient cell behave / develop like the donor. I also think I remember there being limits on how closely related the two cells have to be in order for this to work.
Does anybody know what the limits of this technique are? Or how to learn more about it generally? I don't even know what to search for. :)
More generally, I'm trying to get a sense for how much of a cell's behavior is determined by the gene sequence vs. the cellular mechanisms that interpret it.
@futurebird https://youtu.be/9Dle0rmsIYY
Interesting YouTube channel by a hobbyist who raises ants. I used to make Mason jar ant farms as a kid in Texas, until the fire ants arrived. Red ants were ideal for this. They will sting the piss out of you if you're not paying attention, but if you stay out of their trails it's unlikely. Fire ants were way too aggressive to collect. Bringing them inside on purpose was out of the question. #ants#insects#myrmecology#biology
Interesting fact of the day... single cellular organisms have "Molecular Motors" in them.. basically the quantum mechanical equivalent of a mechanical motor... They are surprisingly similar in appearance and are just super cool!
I did a double take when I read the title of the paper: "Ultrafast reversible self-assembly of living tangled matter"
Then I did another (a triple take?) when I saw the video. https://arxiv.org/abs/2210.03384 #Biology#LifeFindsAWay
Before epilepsy was understood to be a neurological condition, people believed it was caused by the moon, or by phlegm in the brain. They condemned seizures as evidence of witchcraft or demonic possession, and killed or castrated sufferers to prevent them from passing tainted blood to a new generation.
I understand that not self-fertilizing is an adaptive benefit for plants (& all living organisms) but I don't have a scenario that shows how the benefit works.
Given a population w/genetic variations some tiny percentage of which are beneficial in the habitat, why is it such a huge boost to survival to mix your genes?
It is precisely because beneficial adaptations are rare? If beneficial mutations were common would self cloning and fertilizing. be more common? #question#biology#evolution
To produce plant-based cheeses that feel and taste like dairy cheese, scientists have their sights set on fermentation. In a new research result, University of Copenhagen scientists demonstrate the potential of fermentation for producing climate-friendly cheeses that people want to eat.
"Duke University has decided to close its herbarium, a collection of 825,000 specimens of plants, fungi and algae that was established more than a century ago. The collection, one of the largest and most diverse in the country, has helped scientists map the diversity of plant life and chronicle the impact of humans on the environment.
The university’s decision has left researchers reeling."
I've started drinking coffee relatively late, and have a love-hate relationship with it. Sometimes I happily quit drinking coffee for a while, and sometimes I feel so tired that I really need a coffee energy boost to get things done, even though it's a temporary adrenaline boost with drawbacks.
Lately I'm drinking more green tea to curb my caffeine intake.
Some of the most eminent scientific women. Top row, lefth to right: Émilie du Châtelet, Ada Lovelace, Maria Mitchell, Elisabetha Koopman Hevelius, Laura Bassi, Marie Curie. Bottow row, left to right: Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Rosalind Franklin, Hedy Lamarr, Jane Goodall, Katherine Johnson, Lise Meitner.
Last month, a unknown molecular biologist claimed to have worked on alien DNA at the Battelle National Biodefense Institute. They posted an incredibly detailed breakdown of their work on r/aliens, then disappeared. (old.reddit.com)
First off, the link above to the bad place is for reference - no need to visit - full text below....
An invasive fish with teeth, that can breathe air, live up to three days outside of water, move short distances on land, and grow three feet long has been found in Louisiana (www.axios.com)
via: https://tildes.net/~science/18ay/an_invasive_fish_with_teeth_that_can_breathe_air_live_up_to_three_days_outside_of_water_move_short
Scientist, after decades of study, concludes: We don't have free will (phys.org)
Before epilepsy was understood to be a neurological condition, people believed it was caused by the moon, or by phlegm in the brain. They condemned seizures as evidence of witchcraft or demonic possession, and killed or castrated sufferers to prevent them from passing tainted blood to a new generation.
Ancient technology turns plant-based cheese into 'something we want to eat' (phys.org)
To produce plant-based cheeses that feel and taste like dairy cheese, scientists have their sights set on fermentation. In a new research result, University of Copenhagen scientists demonstrate the potential of fermentation for producing climate-friendly cheeses that people want to eat.