Category Archives: science

current affairs, environment, medical, science

Many Years On …

A few days ago there was an article in the Guardian under the banner Why it’s time to dispel the myths about nuclear power.
Just a couple of snippets:

Chernobyl was a perfect storm, a damning tale of ineptitude leading to needless loss of life. It was also unequivocally the world’s worst nuclear accident. To many, it is also heralded as proof-positive that nuclear energy was inherently unsafe, a narrative adopted by many anti-nuclear groups … But perception and reality do not always neatly align; in the wake of the disaster, the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) and others undertook a co-ordinated effort to follow up on health effects … Despite aggressive monitoring for three decades, there has been no significant increase in solid tumours or delayed health effects, even in the hundreds of thousands of minimally protected cleanup workers who helped purge the site after the accident. In the words of the 2008 UNSCEAR report: “There is no scientific evidence of increases in overall cancer incidence or mortality rates or in rates of non-malignant disorders that could be related to radiation exposure … The incidence of leukaemia in the general population, one of the main concerns owing to the shorter time expected between exposure and its occurrence compared with solid cancers, does not appear to be elevated”.
… … …
Unlike the accident in the Ukraine, events at Fukushima in March 2011 were not the result of ineptitude but rather a massive natural disaster in the form of a deadly 15-metre high tsunami** … While the world media fixated on the drama unfolding at the plant, it lost sight of the fact that around 16,000 had just been killed in a massive natural disaster. Despite the preponderance of breathless headlines since the reality is that five years later, radiobiological consequences of Fukushima are practically negligible — no one has died from the event, and is it extraordinarily unlikely that anyone will do so in future. The volume of radioactive leak from the site is so small as to be of no health concern; there is no detectable radiation from the accident in Fukushima grown-food, nor in fish caught off the coast.
… … …
It is important also to see these disasters in the wider context of energy production: when the Banqiao hydroelectric dam failed in China in 1975 it led to at least 171,000 deaths and displaced 11 million people … None of this is to denigrate the vital importance of such technologies, but rather to point out that every form of energy production has some inherent risk.

Do go and read the whole article.
** It is worth noting again that the containment at the Fukushima plant worked largely as designed. Excepting the natural disaster, the root cause failure appears to have been one of shortcomings in plant external safety design and process which would be just as likely with any major plant.

amusements, natural history, science

Oddity of the Week: Porn for Whales

If we are to believe the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (10 February 2016) the online pornography colossus Pornhub ran a three week charity fundraising promotion, starting on 8 February, to mark World Whale Day on 13 February. The proceeds went to Moclips Cetological Society (“Save the Whales”).
Pornhub’s press release apparently celebrated whales’ sexuality as they — like humans and bonobos — do not limit their horniness to procreation.


The company said that over the three week period it would donate 1 cent to the charity for every 2000 videos played on its ubiquitous free websites. Now that might sound extremely mean, but the Seattle Post-Intelligencer noted that in just the first two days the world’s porn consumers had played 532 million videos thus earning the charity $2,660.

food+drink, history, links, medical, nudism, ramblings, science

Your Interesting Links

There’s a lot in this month’s edition, which is a few days late, so let’s get straight in.
Science & Medicine
Scientists have tried to work out the five most addictive substances on Earth and what they do to your brain.
No real surprises though.
Another set of scientists have discovered a mysterious boiling river in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. Well it’s almost boiling and certainly hot enough to lightly poach the unwary.


Talking of boiling water, what temperature does it actually boil? And why can’t you make tea at the top of Everest (even supposing you were stupid enough to want to)?
And to the other end of the scale … Yet more scientists have been and recorded the sounds at the bottom of the ocean. Not just any ocean but deepest part, the Mariana Trench. And they were in for quite a surprise.
From sound to … sound. It seems that parrots are a lot more than just pretty birds. They have their own parrot languages and are also known to make tools.
Back to water and a German scientist has worked out just how Archer Fish are so adept at shooting down insects with a jet of water.
And now to things medical … One in five of us believe we have a serious allergy, but most of it is just belief. Here’s a summary of some key things you should know about allergies and intolerances (which aren’t the same at all!).
“I’ve been told bacon smells lovely.” Just what is it like to live with no sense of smell?

There’s no reason why it should work, but it does. We’ve all experienced the placebo effect but here are five popular placebo myths explained.
[Trigger Warning] It is thought that anything up to a quarter of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, the vast majority in the first 12 weeks, and often there is no obvious reason. However miscarriage remains a taboo and is seldom talked about. But medics are now putting effort into trying to find underlying reasons and to help those women most badly affected and those most at risk. [Long read]
What happens when you have a hole in your ear? Specifically a hole in the canal(s) of your inner ear? It’s rare, but the effect is quite frightening. [Long read]
Seems that attacking people who are overweight (or worse) is counter-productive. You don’t say!
Are you a loner? And a nerd? Yes many of us who do a lot of thinking (it’s often called research, or work) are. So we need some peace and quiet — and a little sympathy.
Sexuality
It is important that we talk openly, frankly and honestly to our children about sex and pleasure. Peggy Orenstein has a new book out on “Girls & Sex”; here‘s a piece about it and a few myths exploded. But don’t forget the boys as well; they have to be taught about sex and pleasure, and often respect for the girls too.
At which point it seems appropriate to ask why the clitoris doesn’t get the attention it deserves? And why does this matter?
It seems there are engineering lessons to be learnt from the design of the penis and the mechanics of erection
Social Sciences & Business
The surprising chances of our lives can seem like they’re hinting at hidden truths. On coincidences and the meaning of life.
History
Apparently a 5000-year-old linen dress is the oldest know woven garment. and it’s on display in London.
There are many mysteries about the lives and deaths of the Egyptian Pharaohs. But it looks as if one may have been solved as CT scans have revealed brutal injuries to Pharaoh Ramesses III.
We’ve all come to know (and love?) the @ sign. But I remember being totally mystified by it as a kid using my father’s typewriter, which isn’t surprising as it appear to have a long and rather convoluted history.
Edward Johnston and the typeface that changed the face of London Underground, and much else besides. with a rather more than walk-on part by Eric Gill.
I love the Museum of London Docklands and they’re opening a new gallery which centres around the museum’s building itself. IanVisits got a sneak preview.
Food & Drink
Are you a devoted breakfast eater? Or are you like me and usually not want breakfast? Breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, but is it? Spoiler: probably not.
Apparently we don’t have a clue how to shop for vegetables. Dear God, Mr American, tell me something I’ve not known this last 60 years.
Professional chefs on mould, food waste and expiry dates.
The UK has sheep coming out of its ears, so why won’t UK supermarkets stock British lamb? Surely it has to be better than frozen New Zealand lamb that’s been shipped round the world; and because it’s on our doorsteps it really shouldn’t be more expensive. Sorry supermarkets (and butchers) if you aren’t going to sell me fresh British lamb, I’m not buying lamb. Simples.
Shock, Horror, Humour
Finally, for the avoidance of doubt — and the education of the masses — here’s the CPS guidance on nudity in public.

amusements, science

Oddity of the Week: Tully Monster

Oh, now, come on Evolution! You can’t really create something that looks like this …


Oh, you did!? … Hmmm …
Yes, indeed Evolution did create this beast which looks like an obese foot-long earthworm with a trunk and a spade-shaped tail? And, yes, eyes on the end of it’s handlebars!
It lived 300 million years ago and its fossil was discovered in 1995 by Francis Tully; hence it is known as the Tully Monster or Tullimonstrum gregarium.
However it is only now that scientists are beginning to get to grips with what it really is — a lamprey.
Read more on The Atlantic.

amusements, natural history, science

Oddity of the Week: Wombat Shit

The wombat is a large, solitary and nocturnal relative of the koala, native to Australia. It has poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell, which is its main navigation aid.


It also has a very strange ability under its belt: its shit comes out in cubes. Yep, unlike other animals which produce cylinders (eg. dogs), pleets (eg. rabbits) or splats (eg. cows) the wombat’s turds really are cube-shaped.

Why? Well it seems it is all down to the physiology and motility of their large intestines. But it turns out it is also a useful attribute to have.
Find the full story over on The Conversation.

amusements, science

Thinking Thursday #6 Answer

OK, so last Thursday I posed the following problem from Alcuin of York:

A man has to take a wolf, a goat and a bunch of cabbages across a river. The only boat available can accommodate just two of them at a time. It is well known that if left alone together the goat would eat the cabbages, and the wolf would eat the goat; but the man has been ordered to transfer all of them to the other side dry and in good condition. How can he achieve this?

So this is how the man did it …

First take the goat across and leave the wolf and the cabbages behind. Then return (empty) and take the wolf across. Having put the wolf on the other side, take the goat back over (remember, you can’t leave it with the wolf!). Leaving the goat on the near side, take the cabbages across. Then you can return (empty, again) and having picked up the goat take it over once more. You should now have everyone on the far bank, safe and well, and you’ve had some healthy rowing.

How many of you worked that out? Good, well done.
Now the remaining challenge is to return the boat to it’s starting point. Bright ideas on how to do that — without getting wet or damaging your charges?
If you want to know more about Alcuin’s puzzles then Can You Solve Alcuin’s Puzzles? is a good starting point.

amusements, science

Thinking Thursday #6

Here begin the problems to sharpen the young is the beginning of a wonderful text which it is believed was written by the Carolingian scholar Alcuin of York (c.735–804). The work presents over fifty mathematical puzzles many of which remain a challenge even for modern readers. Here is one of the best known, which you may well have come across before:

A man has to take a wolf, a goat and a bunch of cabbages across a river. The only boat available can accommodate just two of them at a time. It is well known that if left alone together the goat would eat the cabbages, and the wolf would eat the goat; but the man has been ordered to transfer all of them to the other side dry and in good condition. How can he achieve this?

As always there’s no prize other than the satisfaction of solving the puzzle — but do feel free to show off by putting your answer in the comments.
Answer on Sunday evening, as usual.
Oh, and no cheating!

history, links, science

Your Interesting Links

Another of our monthly round-ups of links to items you may have not wanted to miss the first time round.
Science & Medicine
The Black Death, a strain of bubonic plague, wiped out an estimated 50 million people in Europe during the 14th century. But it didn’t then disappear.
Ever wondered how scientists choose those awful Latin names for species? Here’s the low-down.


We know cats are odd creatures, but apparently cats’ legs are extra weird.
Manx cats have no tail. It’s genetic, see, but that brings other problems along with it.
And yet more on cats … here are a dozen cat myths debunked.
Scientists and medics are beginning to discover (realise?) that our circadian rhythms affect the way drugs work.
Finally in this section, here’s an interview with one of our top science writers, Ed Yong, on being a science journalist.
Sexuality
Sex educator Emily Nagoski (author of Come As You Are) gave a TEDx talk on “Unlocking the Door to Your Authentic Sexual Wellbeing”. Here’s the video, and transcript.
Seems we’re too busy these days to have sex, but two minutes sexual arousal for its own sake can help a lot — apparently.
Environment
Beavers. It seems the ones in Devon are helping fight floods as well as improving the environment.

There’s been a lot of work in recent years on the intelligence of corvids. Now it seems corvids are the key to saving the world’s forests too.
Social Sciences & Business
Parenting — we all know it is tough work. But here are two articles, both from the Guardian, which might help. First “How to raise a brilliant child without screwing them up” and on a similar theme “How to get your kids to 18, sane and not hating you“.
Some thoughts on why we don’t live in a perfectly nude world?
History
Archaeologists are beginning to piece together the lost town of Dunwich which has progressively been reclaimed by the sea over the last 1000 years.
And now for several items on London’s history …
Firstly on the dissolution of London’s monasteries.
And on the two great 17th century diarists, Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn.
In his series on “Unbuilt London” IanVisits looks at the proposed Georgian Houses of Parliament.
There are lots of monsters in London, but they aren’t all scary.

Food & Drink
Why is it that some things we find tasty other cultures find disgusting, and vice versa?
Shock, Horror, Humour
And finally, IanVisits provides an entirely level-headed and rather interesting discourse on the EU referendum without coming down on one side or the other.
Another round next month.

current affairs, medical, science

Those Alcohol Guidelines, Again

Under the title No wonder Britain’s alcohol guidelines are so extreme — just look at who drafted them Christopher Snowdon at Spectator Health lifts the lid on the way in which the new alcohol guidelines were arrived at.
If true, and I have no reason to suspect Snowdon isn’t being truthful, this is a disgraceful abuse of power by the Chief Medical Officer, and others, to arrive at conclusions which suit their personal predilections in the face of major conflicting evidence.
Given the academic stature of many of those involved, they really should know better. The fact that they appear not to, should be sufficient to disqualify them from their roles and they deserve to be summarily sacked.

history, science

Oddity of the Week: Egyptian Pigments

William Perkin is credited with with making the first synthetic organic dye (using chemists’ meaning of organic, ie. carbon-based molecules) when he accidentally discovered aniline purple, aka. mauveine, in 1856 while trying to make quinine. (Incidentally Perkin set up his factory to manufacture mauveine on the banks of the Grand Union Canal just half a mile from my home in Greenford.)
However Perkin was probably beaten to the first organic synthetic dye by the Egyptians, possibly as early as 3000BC. By heating a mixture of sand, ash, calcium carbonate (from shells?) and a copper ore to temperatures of over 800°C they manufactured blue calcium copper silicate, otherwise known as Egyptian Blue. This was then used in glazes to produce a stunning range of hues — as in this votive cup with cartouche of Amenhotep III (c.1391–1350BC).


There’s more on modern chemistry firsts which were known in ancient times including chromium plating, concrete and nanotubes.