Unlocking Life’s Code … With a Museum Exhibit
Today’s Newscripts post was written by C&EN intern and genomics fiend Puneet Kollipara.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Human Genome Project’s completion—when scientists successfully sequenced nearly all the base pairs of human DNA. It’s also the 60th anniversary of James Watson and Francis Crick’s discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA. What better way to commemorate those milestones than with a museum exhibition devoted to genomics?
VIPs browse “Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code,” which seeks to educate the public on genomics and its societal implications, following a reception honoring the exhibit’s launch. Credit: Puneet Kollipara
That’s exactly what the Smithsonian Institution and the National Institutes of Health have done in a new partnership. Last week they opened “Genomics: Unlocking Life’s Code” to educate the public on the science of genomics and its societal implications. A website accompanying the exhibit provides additional educational resources. The 4,400-sq-ft exhibit runs at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, in Washington, D.C., through September 2014, after which it will travel to other museums around the country.
The exhibit’s architects faced a number of challenges when dreaming up the installation. For starters, translating such a large, hard-to-visualize scientific field into a story that a general audience can understand was no easy task, says Vence Bonham, a researcher with NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). To aid in communicating the concepts, the exhibit features a number of high-resolution screens that play videos or animated graphics explaining key concepts in genetics and genomics.
The exhibit also emphasizes the use of activities to teach complicated subjects; for example, an interactive puzzle teaches visitors about how genomics could improve medicine by having them use genetic information to find the best drug for a disease. Another display asks visitors’ opinions of controversial issues in genomics, such as whether people are obligated to participate in genomic research.
Other activities within the exhibit are just plain cool: One lets you build a necklace that has a vial containing a visible sample of your own DNA — a way to remind you that nearly all your cells contain the code of life. To make the DNA visible, visitors take a sample of their cheek cells and place them into a detergent- and alcohol-containing solution that breaks down cell membranes and causes the genetic material to clump together.
Another more unique challenge during the creation of “Genomics” was the ever-changing nature of the scientific field: Just as genomics is continually evolving, so too must the exhibit. To address this challenge, the designers made the exhibit flexible enough that individual elements can be swapped or edited easily, says NHGRI Director Eric Green. The exhibit architects don’t just expect to have to make changes — in a way they welcome them, because new discoveries will likely benefit society. Continue reading →
In Print: Prince Harry Turns into a Doll and Other Misleading Headlines
Read all about it: Misleading headlines can even plague presidential elections. Credit: Byron Rollins/AP/Wikipedia
The Newscripts blog would like to be closer Internet buddies with our glossy print Newscripts column, so here we highlight what’s going on in the print issue of C&EN.
There’s an unfortunate trend that seems to be becoming increasingly popular in today’s science news world. The recipe goes like this: Take one misleading headline, add an introductory sentence that takes liberties with the subject matter it’s covering, and stir in one gullible blogosphere, and before you know it, you have a distorted science news story that appears to be popping up everywhere.
That’s the controversy that C&EN Senior Editor Carmen Drahl took on in last week’s Newscripts column. Carmen stumbled upon a press release purporting to have found a way to analyze human health through the measurement of genetic material. She called bullocks on the claim, and the journal responsible for the press release apologized.
According to Carmen, this incident is nothing new. She says National Geographic blogger Ed Yong and many others have been leading a battle against misleading public relations for years. She also remembers stumbling across two particularly dubious “news stories” herself. One centered on the ENCODE (ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements) Project. As Carmen remembers, the project’s attempts to catalog the pieces that make up the genome led to press releases that claimed so-called junk DNA served a life function, which in turn led to a barrage of articles both deriding the articles as hype and asking for clarification on what constitutes as “junk.”
Amusing News Aliquots
Silly samplings from this week’s science news, compiled by Sophia Cai, Bethany Halford, and Jeff Huber.
It’s a boy: And he’s pregnant. Credit: Chicago Department of Public Health
Newest scare tactic to prevent teen births: photos of pregnant boys. [Today]
Speaking of dude looks like a lady, Aerosmith’s organist is a leading geneticist in his spare time. [CNN]
Mountain livin’ changes the way people talk. In a related story, talkin’ about mountain livin’ makes the Newscripts gang want to drop the letter g from gerunds. [Perth Now]
Here’s a job we don’t want: tiger acupuncturist. [CBS News]
The world’s best sci-fi-themed bars. It’s like they were made for the Newscripts gang. [io9]
Florida scientists dismiss the notion of “vampire mosquitoes.” Somewhere a “Twilight” fan sighs heavily in disappointment. [News 13]
Turns out antidepressants kill the libidos of male minnows. No word yet on whether some Barry White music and a bottle of wine might mitigate these effects. [TreeHugger]
There’s no front basket for E.T. to sit in, but this helicopter bike can actually fly (with video). [Gizmodo]
And while we’re on the subject, these scientists are tired of waiting to hear from aliens–they’re phoning E.T. first. [NBC News]
Hey, ACS, Where’s My Comic Book?
BAM! Don’t mess with Tesla. Credit: APS
If you read this blog with any regularity (I know there’s at least one of you out there, two tops), you’ll remember a post I wrote awhile back bemoaning the lack of chemistry coloring books. I had just come across a supercool version about biology—filled with stem cells and neurons and viruses, oh my!—and was wondering what a chemistry version (perhaps produced by the American Chemical Society) might look like.
Well, that coloring book still hasn’t materialized, and now I’m even more miffed: The physicists have comic books. And notice that I didn’t say “a” comic book. They have many of them.
I spotted a few of these at the American Physical Society (APS) national meeting, held in Baltimore, back in March. One called “Nikola Tesla and the Electric Fair” caught my eye, as well as a S-E-R-I-E-S of books about the original laser superhero Spectra (you know how it goes: She discovers her powers after a class on lasers and winds up being able to cut through metal and play CDs … just your typical teenage drama). These educational aids for middle school classrooms are distributed by APS.
Able to spot-weld a building in a single bound. Credit: APS
But I wouldn’t even say they’re just for middleschoolers. I read all the way through the story of Telsa: It brings to life the epic battle between himself and Thomas Edison over alternating current (AC) and direct current. I guess I never realized that the “War of the Currents” ended when Tesla successfully used AC to light the infamous World’s Fair in Chicago (where the Ferris Wheel also made its debut). Via the comic, I also discovered that Tesla had a fondness (perhaps a little too much fondness) for pigeons.
So even I learned something!
But it wasn’t until I received a press release about Stephen Hawking’s new comic book that I was pushed over the edge to write this post and point out this educational trend.
Page from new Hawking comic detailing how he learned of his disability. Credit: Bluewater Productions
“Stephen Hawking: Riddles of Time & Space” is produced by Washington-based Bluewater Productions. It chronicles the cosmologist’s life, including how he discovered that he had ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and his dispute with scientist Fred Hoyle over the Big Bang Theory.
You can get your print copy of it here for $4.33.
Folks making comic books about physics is by no means a bad trend. But I’m once again left wondering, “Where’s the chemistry equivalent?” We may not have Stephen Hawking or Nikola Tesla to brag about, but surely we’ve got someone who’s got an interesting story to relate to the general public? Organic chemist R.B. Woodward, in all his Mad-Men-esque glory? One of the many bearded chemists of yore?
What about Kevlar, the original polymer superhero? Or how about turning the periodic table of elements into superheroes, an idea originated by a graphic designer here?
Readers, what kind of chemistry comic book would you like to see? (And ACS, when can we have one, pretty please?)
Chemists are notoriously bad at tooting their own horns to the public (go ask someone on the street to name a famous chemist, and you’ll see what I mean). But I’m certain they’ve got interesting stories to tell—the tales have just got to be drawn out.
Flame Challenge 2: And The Winners Are
Some 20,000 11-year-olds voted to determine the winners of the Flame Challenge 2 competition. Depending on the format of scientists’ responses to this year’s question, “What is time?” entries were categorized as written or visual. Nicholas Williams, a retired scientist who spent 33 years working at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and ACS member Steven Maguire, a Ph.D. candidate in inorganic catalysis at the University of Ottawa, in Ontario, were recognized as the winners on June 2 at the World Science Festival, in New York City.
Both winners have experience communicating science, which is the goal of the competition. Williams, the winner of the written category, continues to work with LLNL through its “Fun with Science” outreach program. About teaching science, Williams says, “Teach so it makes sense. Teach so it can be understood. Teach so it can be remembered.” And this he did in his entry. He begins his prose mimicking a nagging parent and their child, “Time to go to school, time to clean your room, time to do this, time to do that.” No wonder 11-year-olds like his answer: He immediately relates to their world before he gets to the tough stuff.
Maguire, winner of the visual category, hosts a Web series, “Science Isn’t Scary.” In each video clip, he answers a science question that seems complicated, but by the end of the explanation Maguire has helped the viewer better understand the science behind how or why something works. His series is essentially mini Flame Challenges, so he has experience explaining scientific concepts to an audience in a way that they’ll understand.
According to the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, a division of Stony Brook University, in New York, and one of the sponsors of the Flame Challenge, there will be another question from 11-year-olds for scientists to answer in 2014. If you know an 11-year-old who has a suggestion for the Flame Challenge 3, submit their question here.
Amusing News Aliquots
Silly samplings from this week’s science news, compiled by Sophia Cai, Bethany Halford, and Jeff Huber.
Credit: The New Institute on Flickr
In an alternate universe, we all live in houses built from Heineken bottles. [Gizmodo]
A quadrotor helicopter deftly navigates a 3-D obstacle course. It’s controller? A human brain (with video). [iO9]
Abbotsford, British Columbia, has an answer for its homeless problem: chicken poop. [Sun News]
Finally, something Justin Bieber’s fans and non-Beliebers can both be excited about—he’s registered for a trip to space. [NBC News]
Just as Justin Bieber feels prepared for space, astronaut Buzz Aldrin feels prepared for rocking out on stage (with video). [iO9]
A patent for thwarting the paparazzi with technology. [Guardian]
Researchers find evidence that fetuses practice crying in the womb, lending credence to all those older siblings who have been wrongfully punished for their younger siblings’ fake tears. [BBC]
Dark “hole” appeared in the sun last week, finally legitimizing the prophecy made by Soundgarden’s “Back Hole Sun” in 1994. [The Atlantic]
Our bridges and highways are crumbling, but the Romans made concrete that’s lasted more than 2,000 years. These folks think they know the secret to the ancients’ success. [UC Berkeley]
South Korean firm starts contest to find the U.K. dog that most deserves to be cloned. The competition brings to light ethica—look, cute puppies!!!! [LiveScience]
Here’s a shocker: eHarmony’s scientific adviser finds that couples who meet online have happier marriages. [iO9]
In Print: Cooking With Cicadas
The Newscripts blog would like to be closer Internet buddies with our glossy print Newscripts column, so here we highlight what’s going on in the current issue of C&EN.
Apparently skewered invertebrates (and sea horses) are standard snacks in Beijing. The cicada shish kebobs are in the center.
Credit: National Geographic/Photograph by Victor Fraile, Corbis
The cicadas are coming. Here at Newscripts headquarters in Washington, D.C., we’ve been tracking Brood II’s invasion progress warily. Senior Editor Linda Wang, who has survived previous infestations and lived to tell the tale, assures the Newscripts gang that we will survive. As Linda remembers, the last infestation brought annoying buzzing sounds and dead bodies strewn on the sidewalks–dead cicada bodies, that is. Phew.
As she writes in her Newscripts print column this week, Linda isn’t terribly worried about this impending resurrection 17 years later. Instead, she’s adopted the stance of “if you can’t beat them, eat them,” thanks to her discovery of some cicada recipes in a National Geographic article.
“Cicada recipes?!” you exclaim. (Okay, we exclaimed it.) Apparently insects are high in protein and low in fat and carbs, which we suppose sounds healthful. There’s even a legitimate, university-backed cookbook that has recipes for cicada dumplings, cicada rhubarb pie, and sizzling chili cicadas.
Linda isn’t quite ready to go home and blanch some cicadas she finds on the sidewalk, however, just to try out these recipes. “I can barely cook normal food on my own, so if I eat cicadas anywhere, it’d be at a restaurant or fast-food joint,” she muses.
So far, she’s tried a grasshopper taco at a tapas restaurant in D.C. and recalls: “Honestly, there wasn’t much flavor to it, it was just salty and crunchy. Not terrible, but not amazing either!”
She also thinks it would be fun if McDonald’s chimed in with a cicada milkshake on the Dollar Menu. “If I have to eat a cicada,” she says,” I might as well enjoy it!”
If you enjoy it so much, Linda, you can have ours, too!
Amusing News Aliquots
Silly samplings from this week’s science news, compiled by Sophia Cai, Bethany Halford, and Jeff Huber.
Siberian researchers recover the first-ever sample of mammoth’s blood, which was preserved in ice. Credit: Semyon Grigoriev/The Siberian Times
Icy Siberian conditions preserve mammoth blood and muscle tissue. Can mammoth clones be far off? And will we be able to use them as vacuums and showers like the Flintstones did? [Siberian Times]
Study finds that diet soda harms teeth just as badly as crack cocaine does. So either diet soda is more harmful than you initially thought, or crack cocaine is less harmful. [My Fox Atlanta]
Well hello there, hydrogen. You look gorgeous. [iO9]
Marijuana stash more than 2,000 years old is discovered at a Chinese grave site. Time-travel movie starring Cheech and Chong now seems inevitable. [NBC News]
Apes may be even closer to us, or at least our children, than we thought–they, too, throw temper tantrums when their risky, emotional choices don’t pay off. [NBC News]
For all you chemists working on top floors in high rise buildings, let this be a lesson to you: Throwing your glassware out the window can be lethal. [Slate]
Time-lapse video documents what the Mars Curiosity rover has been doing for the last nine months. If the Curiosity rover was on parole, its officer would be well pleased. [Huffington Post]
Create a hand-shaped, light-responsive hydrogel, check. Ask Robin Williams if he’d be up for a remake of “Flubber,” pending. [Wired]
In Print: Mission to Mars, Molecular Fashion
The Newscripts blog would like to be closer Internet buddies with our glossy print Newscripts column, so here we highlight what’s going on in the current issue of C&EN.
Meet Anders. He’s 51 and Swedish. He’s also one of more than 78,000 people who have applied to take a one-way trip to Mars.
Red rocks: Rendering of Mars One settlement. Credit: Bryan Versteeg/Mars One
As this week’s Newscripts column explores, Netherlands-based “nonprofit” Mars One is currently soliciting applications from individuals interested in traveling to the Red Planet in 2023 and never returning. Approximately 28 to 40 applicants will be chosen from the pool of applicants to participate in a reality show in which they will train for seven years for the mission. An audience vote will then help determine the four people who will ultimately go where no man has gone before.
There is a video portion to the application that requires applicants, such as Anders, to tell a little bit about themselves and explain their reasons for wanting to travel to a foreign planet. Many of these videos are posted to the Mars One website, and what’s most striking about them is the general lack of enthusiasm many of these applicants have when discussing the opportunity to go to Mars. “I’ve often fantasized to just get on board a spaceship and go to explore the universe. I often get the feeling that I don’t belong here, but out there, in space,” the aforementioned Anders says, without so much as a smile. Continue reading →
Amusing News Aliquots
Uncanny resemblance: Side-by-side comparison of the U.S. national symbol and Arsenal soccer manager Arsene Wenger. Credit: Bald Eagles That Look Like Arsene Wenger/Tumblr
Silly samplings from this week’s science news, compiled by Sophia Cai and Jeff Huber.
Website dares to ask the question millions of Premier League fans have wondered for years: Is the manager of Arsenal’s soccer team a bald eagle? [Grantland]
Don’t go chopping off your fingers for kicks just yet, but we’re one step closer to regenerating body parts like salamanders can. [iO9]
Drug-resistant tuberculosis has finally met its match, scientists say. It’s a powerful, expensive, and rare supplement called … vitamin C. [BBC]
Rubbing dirt in wounds can ward off infections. Boy Scouts everywhere rejoice that getting a first aid merit badge just got a whole lot easier. [Popular Science]
Would you rather lose $1,000 or gain 20 lb? Turns out, people will pay a pretty penny to keep a pretty figure. [USA Today]
NASA puts a new spin on Friday night pizza – no need to order takeout, just print it out. [Huffington Post]
Forget worrying about the war on robots, and start worrying about the super-Einsteins and super-MacGyvers next door. [iO9]
Amphibians are disappearing at a surprising rate in the U.S. Wait a minute, when was the last time I saw the Warner Bros. frog? [Baltimore Sun]
From The CENtral Science Blogs
Newscripts
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