Boiling Point Archives - Page 22 of 23

Genes, zombie genes, and soap anti-fog

How many genes are expressed in a single cell at one single time? Researchers found out how to make that visible. Annoyed by your bathroom mirror getting fogged up every time you are having a shower? Why soap is the solution. Elephants are the biggest mammals on land and yet have one of the lowest […]

Drakes equation, space-bound cyanobacteria, rhesus factor

Alex talked about the likelihood of being the living on the only inhabited planet in space, Tim chatted about how the cyanobacterial species, Chroococcidiopsis, may help us colonise Mars, And Cat talked about the perks of having rhesus factor positive. #BoilingPointFM #eastsideradio #cyanobacteria Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20608477 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-15/hardy-bacteria-could-help-humans-breathe-on-mars/9871614 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6394/1210.full […]

Canine cancer detectors, massive Mars lake and the Parker Probe

Dogs and their noses could provide early detection of lung cancer in people. Is there life on Mars after all? The chances are high that there is at least a huge lake that has just been discovered. The Parker Probe will be launched this Saturday. The probe will get closer to the sun than any […]

The pioneer of CRISPR: In conversation with Francisco Mojica

Our very own Chantelle and Tim interviewed Prof Francisco Mojica, as he gave a talk at the University of New South Wales in July. He had discovered the mechanism that was later used as the gene editing technique CRISPR. The scientific world is captivated by this revolutionary technology, since it is easier, cheaper and more […]

Orca infanticide, green flash, wash your veggies.

Cat delved into the depths of the killing of a neonate orca by an adult male killer whale and his mother in the North Pacific. Chantelle explored the myths and reality of the green flash – the optical phenomena mostly associated with the setting sun. And Tim sorted through various fruit and veggie washing techniques […]

Mercury, mad hatters, electrons and fear of heights VR treatment

In this week’s dose of Boiling Point Science Tim, Alex and Cat discuss Mercury’s role in making mad hatters crazy, the very first picture of electrons and how virtual reality as a treatment for the fear of heights. Source: https://actu.epfl.ch/news/can-ultrashort-electron-flashes-help-harvest-nucle/ https://www.sciencenews.org/article/scared-heights-new-vr-therapy-could-help https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/dress-hat-fashion-clothing-mercury-arsenic-poison-history/ […]

Food poisoning susceptibility by blood type and will power vs fatigue

On this episode of Boiling Point, Chantelle and Tim investigate how your blood group may increase your susceptibility to food poisoning, and discuss whether there is a link between mental exhaustion and diminished will power. Sources: https://www.jci.org/articles/view/97659 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23531420-400-dont-quit-now-why-you-have-more-willpower-than-you-think/ https://replicationindex.wordpress.com/2016/04/18/is-replicability-report-ego-depletionreplicability-report-of-165-ego-depletion-articles/ https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23531420-400-dont-quit-now-why-you-have-more-willpower-than-you-think/ […]

UV and cataracts, armadillos and leprosy, Loch Ness and eDNA

Cat, Chantelle and Tim bring you this week’s instalment of Boiling Point Science. You thought leprosy is extinct? Think again. Armadillos still carry the pathogen around which can infect humans. You thought Nessie was a myth? Well, researchers are currently testing Loch Ness for eDNA. If Nessie exists, they will find it. You thought only […]

The colour blue, total recall and brain plasticity

Tonight’s Boiling Point episode is brought to you by Alex, Cat and Chantelle. Blue, the lost colour: Blue was long unknown in human languages. Does this mean our ancestors couldn’t see it? Total recall! What it is like to live with the perfect memory? Brain plasticity! How it works and how it changes our brain […]

Guevedoces, hydrating the brain and nocturnal

This week’s episode of Boiling Point is brought to you by Cat and Alex. You think your puberty was tough? Hear the story of the ‘Guevedoces’ in the Dominican Republic where ‘girls turn into boys’. Half a litre of liquid is passing through our brain everyday. How does this water get in there? Humans are […]

Tonsils, mouse models for ageing, the golden armed plasma donor

This week’s Boiling Point brought to you by Alex, Cat and Nick. Removal of tonsils and no worries? A recent study shows the long-term health impacts. Skin cells of mice as a new model for the ageing processes in the human brain, and ‘the man with the golden arm‘ and how he saved the lives […]

Brumby cull in the Snowy Mountains, microplastics and molars

This week’s dose of Boiling Point Science brought to you by Cat and Alex. They were joined by special guest Casey Gibson. Casey Gibson, an alpine ecologist at the University of New South Wales talked to us about why the brumby cull in the Snowy Mountains should go ahead. And find out how microplastics may be […]