Science, Art, Litt, Science based Art & Science Communication
JAI VIGNAN
All about Science - to remove misconceptions and encourage scientific temper
Communicating science to the common people
'To make them see the world differently through the beautiful lense of science'
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WE LOVE SCIENCE HERE BECAUSE IT IS A MANY SPLENDOURED THING
THIS IS A WAR ZONE WHERE SCIENCE FIGHTS WITH NONSENSE AND WINS
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”
"Being a scientist is a state of mind, not a profession!"
"Science, when it's done right, can yield amazing things".
The Reach of Scientific Research From Labs to Laymen
The aim of science is not only to open a door to infinite knowledge and wisdom but to set a limit to infinite error.
"Knowledge is a Superpower but the irony is you cannot get enough of it with ever increasing data base unless you try to keep up with it constantly and in the right way!" The best education comes from learning from people who know what they are exactly talking about.
Science is this glorious adventure into the unknown, the opportunity to discover things that nobody knew before. And that’s just an experience that’s not to be missed. But it’s also a motivated effort to try to help humankind. And maybe that’s just by increasing human knowledge—because that’s a way to make us a nobler species.
If you are scientifically literate the world looks very different to you.
We do science and science communication not because they are easy but because they are difficult!
“Science is not a subject you studied in school. It’s life. We 're brought into existence by it!"
Links to some important articles :
1. Interactive science series...
a. how-to-do-research-and-write-research-papers-part 13
b. Some Qs people asked me on science and my replies to them...
Part 6, part-10, part-11, part-12, part 14 , part- 8,
part- 1, part-2, part-4, part-5, part-16, part-17, part-18 , part-19 , part-20
part-21 , part-22, part-23, part-24, part-25, part-26, part-27 , part-28
part-29, part-30, part-31, part-32, part-33, part-34, part-35, part-36, part-37,
part-38, part-40, part-41, part-42, part-43, part-44, part-45, part-46, part-47
Part 48, part49, Critical thinking -part 50 , part -51, part-52, part-53
part-54, part-55, part-57, part-58, part-59, part-60, part-61, part-62, part-63
part 64, part-65, part-66, part-67, part-68, part 69, part-70 part-71, part-73 ...
.......306
BP variations during pregnancy part-72
who is responsible for the gender of their children - a man or a woman -part-56
c. some-questions-people-asked-me-on-science-based-on-my-art-and-poems -part-7
d. science-s-rules-are-unyielding-they-will-not-be-bent-for-anybody-part-3-
e. debate-between-scientists-and-people-who-practice-and-propagate-pseudo-science - part -9
f. why astrology is pseudo-science part 15
g. How Science is demolishing patriarchal ideas - part-39
2. in-defence-of-mangalyaan-why-even-developing-countries-like-india need space research programmes
3. Science communication series:
a. science-communication - part 1
b. how-scienitsts-should-communicate-with-laymen - part 2
c. main-challenges-of-science-communication-and-how-to-overcome-them - part 3
d. the-importance-of-science-communication-through-art- part 4
e. why-science-communication-is-geting worse - part 5
f. why-science-journalism-is-not-taken-seriously-in-this-part-of-the-world - part 6
g. blogs-the-best-bet-to-communicate-science-by-scientists- part 7
h. why-it-is-difficult-for-scientists-to-debate-controversial-issues - part 8
i. science-writers-and-communicators-where-are-you - part 9
j. shooting-the-messengers-for-a-different-reason-for-conveying-the- part 10
k. why-is-science-journalism-different-from-other-forms-of-journalism - part 11
l. golden-rules-of-science-communication- Part 12
m. science-writers-should-develop-a-broader-view-to-put-things-in-th - part 13
n. an-informed-patient-is-the-most-cooperative-one -part 14
o. the-risks-scientists-will-have-to-face-while-communicating-science - part 15
p. the-most-difficult-part-of-science-communication - part 16
q. clarity-on-who-you-are-writing-for-is-important-before-sitting-to write a science story - part 17
r. science-communicators-get-thick-skinned-to-communicate-science-without-any-bias - part 18
s. is-post-truth-another-name-for-science-communication-failure?
t. why-is-it-difficult-for-scientists-to-have-high-eqs
u. art-and-literature-as-effective-aids-in-science-communication-and teaching
v.* some-qs-people-asked-me-on-science communication-and-my-replies-to-them
** qs-people-asked-me-on-science-and-my-replies-to-them-part-173
w. why-motivated-perception-influences-your-understanding-of-science
x. science-communication-in-uncertain-times
y. sci-com: why-keep-a-dog-and-bark-yourself
z. How to deal with sci com dilemmas?
A+. sci-com-what-makes-a-story-news-worthy-in-science
B+. is-a-perfect-language-important-in-writing-science-stories
C+. sci-com-how-much-entertainment-is-too-much-while-communicating-sc
D+. sci-com-why-can-t-everybody-understand-science-in-the-same-way
E+. how-to-successfully-negotiate-the-science-communication-maze
4. Health related topics:
a. why-antibiotic-resistance-is-increasing-and-how-scientists-are-tr
b. what-might-happen-when-you-take-lots-of-medicines
c. know-your-cesarean-facts-ladies
d. right-facts-about-menstruation
e. answer-to-the-question-why-on-big-c
f. how-scientists-are-identifying-new-preventive-measures-and-cures-
g. what-if-little-creatures-high-jack-your-brain-and-try-to-control-
h. who-knows-better?
k. can-rust-from-old-drinking-water-pipes-cause-health-problems
l. pvc-and-cpvc-pipes-should-not-be-used-for-drinking-water-supply
m. melioidosis
o. desensitization-and-transplant-success-story
p. do-you-think-the-medicines-you-are-taking-are-perfectly-alright-then revisit your position!
q. swine-flu-the-difficlulties-we-still-face-while-tackling-the-outb
r. dump-this-useless-information-into-a-garbage-bin-if-you-really-care about evidence based medicine
s. don-t-ignore-these-head-injuries
u. allergic- agony-caused-by-caterpillars-and-moths
General science:
a.why-do-water-bodies-suddenly-change-colour
b. don-t-knock-down-your-own-life-line
c. the-most-menacing-animal-in-the-world
d. how-exo-planets-are-detected
e. the-importance-of-earth-s-magnetic-field
f. saving-tigers-from-extinction-is-still-a-travail
g. the-importance-of-snakes-in-our-eco-systems
h. understanding-reverse-osmosis
i. the-importance-of-microbiomes
j. crispr-cas9-gene-editing-technique-a-boon-to-fixing-defective-gen
k. biomimicry-a-solution-to-some-of-our-problems
5. the-dilemmas-scientists-face
6. why-we-get-contradictory-reports-in-science
7. be-alert-pseudo-science-and-anti-science-are-on-prowl
8. science-will-answer-your-questions-and-solve-your-problems
9. how-science-debunks-baseless-beliefs
10. climate-science-and-its-relevance
11. the-road-to-a-healthy-life
12. relative-truth-about-gm-crops-and-foods
13. intuition-based-work-is-bad-science
14. how-science-explains-near-death-experiences
15. just-studies-are-different-from-thorough-scientific-research
16. lab-scientists-versus-internet-scientists
17. can-you-challenge-science?
18. the-myth-of-ritual-working
19.science-and-superstitions-how-rational-thinking-can-make-you-work-better
20. comets-are-not-harmful-or-bad-omens-so-enjoy-the-clestial-shows
21. explanation-of-mysterious-lights-during-earthquakes
22. science-can-tell-what-constitutes-the-beauty-of-a-rose
23. what-lessons-can-science-learn-from-tragedies-like-these
24. the-specific-traits-of-a-scientific-mind
25. science-and-the-paranormal
26. are-these-inventions-and-discoveries-really-accidental-and-intuitive like the journalists say?
27. how-the-brain-of-a-polymath-copes-with-all-the-things-it-does
28. how-to-make-scientific-research-in-india-a-success-story
29. getting-rid-of-plastic-the-natural-way
30. why-some-interesting-things-happen-in-nature
31. real-life-stories-that-proves-how-science-helps-you
32. Science and trust series:
a. how-to-trust-science-stories-a-guide-for-common-man
b. trust-in-science-what-makes-people-waver
c. standing-up-for-science-showing-reasons-why-science-should-be-trusted
You will find the entire list of discussions here: http://kkartlab.in/group/some-science/forum
( Please go through the comments section below to find scientific research reports posted on a daily basis and watch videos based on science)
Get interactive...
Please contact us if you want us to add any information or scientific explanation on any topic that interests you. We will try our level best to give you the right information.
Our mail ID: kkartlabin@gmail.com
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Hydrogen sulfide, a colourless gas that smells like rotten eggs, is produced naturally from decaying matter. This gas is lethal to breathe in, and hydrogen sulfide present in high concentrations can…Continue
Started by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa. Last reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday. 4 Replies 0 Likes
When I was a very young school girl, I still remember very well, my Dad used to tell me to bear the pain out and not to scream and cry whenever I hurt myself and was in severe pain. I never ever saw…Continue
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Science communication series - part 15Scientists take lots of risks while coming out in public regarding their work. And sometimes they will have…Continue
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Over and over again we hear about deadly stampedes. And we wonder how these tragedies happen so frequently. Did you know that Science can provide solutions to such problems ?While these events…Continue
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Bacteria modify their ribosomes when exposed to widely used antibiotics, according to research published in Nature Communications. The subtle changes might be enough to alter the binding site of drug targets and constitute a possible new mechanism of antibiotic resistance.
Escherichia coli is a common bacterium which is often harmless but can cause serious infections. Researchers exposed E. coli to streptomycin and kasugamycin, two drugs which treat bacterial infections. Streptomycin has been a staple in treating tuberculosis and other infections since the 1940s, while kasugamycin is less known but crucial in agricultural settings to prevent bacterial diseases in crops.
Both antibiotics tamper with bacteria's ability to make new proteins by specifically targeting their ribosomes. These molecular structures create proteins and are themselves made of proteins and ribosomal RNA. Ribosomal RNA is often modified with chemical tags that can alter the shape and function of the ribosome. Cells use these tags to fine tune protein production.
The study found that, in response to the antibiotics, E. coli begins to assemble new ribosomes that are slightly different from the ones produced under normal conditions. Depending on which antibiotic is used, the new ribosomes lacked certain tags. The tags were specifically lost in the regions where antibiotics latch on to and halt protein production. The study found this made the bacteria more resistant to the drugs.
The researchers think the bacteria's ribosomes might be altering its structure just enough to prevent an antibiotic from binding effectively.
Bacteria are known to develop antibiotic resistance in different ways, including mutations in their DNA. Another common mechanism is their ability to actively pump and transport antibiotics out of the cell, reducing the concentration of the drug inside the cell to levels that are no longer harmful. The study is evidence of an entirely new survival strategy. E. coli is altering its molecular structures with remarkable precision and in real time. It's a stealthy and subtle way of dodging drugs.
The researchers made the findings using advanced nanopore sequencing technology, which read RNA molecules directly.
Native RNA nanopore sequencing reveals antibiotic-induced loss of rRNA modifications in the A- and P-sites, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54368-x
For pregnant women, exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) was associated with altered immune responses that can lead to adverse birth outcomes, according to a new study. The study is the first to examine the relationship between PM2.5 and maternal and fetal health on a single-cell level and highlights the health risk of PM2.5 exposure for pregnant women.
The study is published in Science Advances. This study represents a substantial step forward in understanding the biological pathways through which PM2.5 exposure affects pregnancy, maternal health, and fetal development. Its advanced methodology represents a significant innovation for how we study immune responses to environmental exposures.
Previous research has found associations between exposure to PM2.5 and maternal and child health complications including preeclampsia, low birth weight, and developmental delays in early childhood. To understand these associations on a cellular level, the researchers used air quality data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency to calculate study participants' average PM2.5 exposure. Participants were both non-pregnant women and 20-week pregnant women.
The researchers then used an innovative technology to understand how pollution modified the DNA of participants' individual cells. Within each cell they were able to map changes to histones, the proteins that help control the release of cytokines—proteins that help control inflammation in the body and that can affect pregnancy.
The study found that PM2.5 exposure can influence the histone profiles of pregnant women, disrupting the normal balance of cytokine genes and leading to increased inflammation in both women and fetuses. In pregnant women, this increase in inflammation can correspond with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
These findings highlight the importance of minimizing air pollution exposure in pregnant women to protect maternal and fetal health.
Youn Soo Jung et al, Impact of air pollution exposure on cytokines and histone modification profiles at single-cell levels during pregnancy, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp5227. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp5227
Standing desks became popular thanks to phrases like "sitting is the new smoking," which highlighted the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.
A new study, however, has found standing desks might do more harm than good, not improving heart health but actually leading to circulation problems.
The study focused on 83,000 people who wore devices to track their sitting, standing and other physical activity over nearly seven years.
Researchers found sitting for more than 10 hours a day was associated with a higher risk of heart disease. Simply standing did not mitigate this risk, however.
Standing for extended periods was instead found to increase the risk of circulatory problems—such as blood pooling in the legs—which could lead to varicose veins. If left untreated, varicose veins can lead to bleeding, ulcers or other complications.
Researchers discover that a key mechanism in fat cells protects the body against energetic excess
A research team has identified an essential mechanism in fat cells (adipocytes) that enables them to enlarge safely to store energy. This process avoids tissue damage and protects the body from the toxic effects of accumulating fat molecules (lipids) in inappropriate places.
The results, published in Nature Communications, signify a major advance in the understanding of metabolic diseases. Moreover, this discovery opens the door to the development of new therapeutic strategies to combat diseases related to chronic energetic excess, such as overweight, obesity, lipodystrophy, and metabolic syndrome, and their grave cardiovascular and metabolic complications.
In modern societies, characterized by sedentary lifestyles and high-calorie diets, adipose tissue is a key determinant of metabolic health. Adipocytes can enlarge to store energy in the form of fat, preventing excess lipids from accumulating in organs like the liver or in the blood vessel wall (especially in the heart and the brain), where they could cause irreparable damage.
Nevertheless, this process is not risk-free. When adipocytes are overloaded with fat they can rupture, releasing their toxic contents and generating inflammation and metabolic alterations.
The team found that when an adipocyte accumulates fat and its surface is under increased tensile stress, the caveolae flatten, releasing a 'reservoir' of membrane that allows the cell to enlarge without breaking apart. Conversely, when fat reserves diminish, these structures regroup to reduce the excess membrane and restore cellular stability.
As well as physically protecting adipocytes, caveolae also play an essential role in coordinating cell metabolism. Molecular components of these membrane structures travel to other cell compartments, conveying signals that adjust metabolic activity to match the level of energy reserves. This capacity for internal communication makes caveolae key elements for efficient caveolar function.
However, when these structures are absent or malfunction, adipocytes become more rigid, vulnerable to rupture, and less efficient at storing energy. The result, is an inflammatory reaction that compromises the body's metabolic health. This phenomenon is linked to conditions such as lipodystrophy, in which the body cannot store fat, leading to severe metabolic and cardiovascular alterations.
Plasma membrane remodeling determines adipocyte expansion and mechanical adaptability, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54224-y
More than a million years ago, on a hot savanna teeming with wildlife near the shore of what would someday become Lake Turkana in Kenya, two completely different species of hominins may have passed each other as they scavenged for food.
Scientists know this because they have examined 1.5-million-year-old fossils they unearthed and have concluded they represent the first example of two sets of hominin footprints made about the same time on an ancient lake shore. The discovery will provide more insight into human evolution and how species cooperated and competed with one another, the scientists said.
"Hominin" is a newer term that describes a subdivision of the larger category known as hominids. Hominins include all organisms, extinct and alive, considered to be within the human lineage that emerged after the split from the ancestors of the great apes. This is believed to have occurred about 6 million to 7 million years ago.
The discovery, published in Science , offers hard proof that different hominin species lived contemporaneously in time and space, overlapping as they evaded predators and weathered the challenges of safely securing food in the ancient African landscape.
Hominins belonging to the species Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, the two most common living human species of the Pleistocene Epoch, made the tracks, the researchers said.
Their presence on the same surface, made closely together in time, places the two species at the lake margin, using the same habitat.
If the hominins didn't cross paths, they traversed the shore within hours of each other.
While skeletal fossils have long provided the primary evidence for studying human evolution, new data from fossil footprints are revealing fascinating details about the evolution of human anatomy and locomotion, and giving further clues about ancient human behaviors and environments.
With these kinds of data, we can see how living individuals, millions of years ago, were moving around their environments and potentially interacting with each other, or even with other animals. That's something that we can't really get from bones or stone tools.
The footprints are significant because they fall into the category of "trace fossils"—which can include footprints, nests and burrows. Trace fossils are not part of an organism but offer evidence of behavior. Body fossils, such as bones and teeth, are evidence of past life, but are easily moved by water or a predator.
Trace fossils cannot be moved.
Kevin G. Hatala, Footprint evidence for locomotor diversity and shared habitats among early Pleistocene hominins, Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.ado5275. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado5275
COVID caused cancer tumours to shrink in mice – new study
A fascinating new study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, has revealed an unexpected potential benefit of severe COVID infection: it may help shrink cancer.
This surprising finding, based on research conducted in mice, opens up new possibilities for cancer treatment and sheds light on the complex interactions between the immune system and cancer cells – but it certainly doesn’t mean people should actively try to catch COVID.
The study here focused on a type of white blood cell called monocytes. These immune cells play a crucial role in the body’s defence against infections and other threats. However, in cancer patients, monocytes can sometimes be hijacked by tumour cells and transformed into cancer-friendly cells that protect the tumour from the immune system.
What the researchers discovered was that severe COVID infection causes the body to produce a special type of monocyte with unique anti-cancer properties. These “induced” monocytes are specifically trained to target the virus, but they also retain the ability to fight cancer cells.
A trial is looking at delivering malaria immunity through bites from mosquitoes infected with modified versions of Plasmodium falciparum, one of the parasites that cause the disease. The parasites are genetically engineered to stop developing around six days after they enter the body, during a crucial phase of infection where they replicate in liver cells. In the trial, almost 90% of participants exposed to the modified parasites avoide... after being bitten by malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.
Nature |
Reference:
Light-up brain tissue could stop seizures
Pulses of green light can shut down the hyperactive neurons that cause seizures. Researchers used a virus to deliver genes for light-sensitive proteins into brain tissue taken from people with epilepsy, then implanted fiber-optic cables into neural regions that were prone to misfiring because of the disease. Using a remote-control system, they flipped on the light when a seizure began, temporarily disabling the neurons that were driving it. If the viral-delivery system can be adapted to living people, “we’ll be able to give people much more subtle, effective control over their seizures”.
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News |
Reference:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-024-01782-5?utm_source=Live+...
Factors beyond carbohydrates have a substantial influence on blood glucose levels meaning current automated insulin delivery systems miss vital information required for glucose regulation, a new study has found.
A team of researchers analyzing automated insulin delivery data from people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) has discovered that unexpected patterns in insulin needs are just as common as well-established ones.
The study, published as a preprint on JMIRx Med, aimed to identify patterns in changes in insulin needs and to analyze how frequently these occur in people with T1D who use OpenAPS, a state-of-the-art, automated insulin delivery system (AID).
The results support the hypothesis that factors beyond carbohydrates play a substantial role in euglycemia—the state when blood glucose levels are within the standard range.
However, without measurable information about these factors, AID systems are left to adjust insulin cautiously with the effect of blood glucose levels becoming too low or high.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body produces too little insulin, a hormone needed to regulate blood glucose.
The principal treatment for T1D is insulin that is injected or pumped. The amount and timing of insulin must be skillfully matched to carbohydrate intake to avoid increased blood glucose levels.
Beyond carbohydrates, various other factors such as exercise, hormones, and stress impact insulin needs.
However, how often these factors cause significant unexpected effects on blood glucose levels has been little explored, meaning that despite all advances, insulin dosing remains a complex task that can go wrong and result in blood glucose levels outside the range that protects people with T1D from adverse health effects.
The findings highlight the complexity of glucose regulation in T1D and demonstrate the heterogeneity in insulin needs among people with T1D, underlining the need for personalized treatment approaches.
For factors beyond carbohydrates to become more systematically included in clinical practice, scientists need to find a way to measure and quantify their impact and utilize this information in insulin-dosing. This could also aid more accurate blood glucose forecasting, which the study showed is not consistently possible from information about insulin and carbohydrates alone.
Isabella Degen et al, Beyond Expected Patterns in Insulin Needs of People With Type 1 Diabetes: Temporal Analysis of Automated Insulin Delivery Data, JMIRx Med (2024)
Public health recommendations generally suggest drinking eight cups of water a day. And many people just assume it's healthy to drink plenty of water. Now researchers at UC San Francisco have taken a systematic look at the available evidence. They concluded that drinking enough water can help with weight loss and prevent kidney stones, as well as migraines, urinary tract infections and low blood pressure.
The study, which analyzed 18 randomized controlled trials, was published on Nov. 25 in JAMA Network Open.
The researchers found the most evidence in favor of drinking water to prevent kidney stones and to help people lose weight.
Drinking eight cups of water a day significantly decreased the likelihood of getting another kidney stone.
Several studies found that drinking about six cups of water a day helped adults lose weight. But a study that included adolescents found that drinking a little more than eight cups of water a day had no effect.
Still, the authors said that encouraging people to drink water before meals would be a simple and cheap intervention that could have huge benefits, given the increased prevalence of obesity.
Other studies indicated that water can help prevent migraines, control diabetes and low blood pressure, and prevent urinary tract infections.
Adults with recurrent headaches felt better after three months of drinking more water.
Drinking about four more cups of water a day helped diabetic patients whose blood glucose levels were elevated.
Drinking an additional six cups a day of water also helped women with recurrent urinary tract infections. It reduced the number of infections and increased the amount of time between them.
And drinking more water helped young adults with low blood pressure.
On the other hand, someone who suffers from frequent urination at times may benefit from drinking less.
There isn't a one-size fits all approach for water consumption.
Hakam N, et al. Outcomes in Randomized Clinical Trials Testing Changes in Daily Water Intake: A Systematic Review. JAMA Network Open. (2024) DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.47621
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