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'
Members: 22
Latest Activity: 2 hours ago
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
Started by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa. Last reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 4 hours ago. 10 Replies 0 Likes
The term 'near-death experience', or NDE, refers to a wide array of experiences reported by some people who have nearly died or who have thought they were going to die. It is any experience in which…Continue
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Image source: WIKIPEDIACoconut trees are iconic plants found across the…Continue
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Pathogen transmission can be modeled in three stages. In Stage 1, the…Continue
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Q: Science does not understand energy and the supernatural world because science only studies the material world. Is that why scientists don't believe in magic, manifestation or evil eye? Why flatly…Continue
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Using seismic activity to probe the interior of Mars, geophysicists have found evidence for a large underground reservoir of liquid water—enough to fill oceans on the planet's surface.
The data from NASA's Insight lander allowed the scientists to estimate that the amount of groundwater could cover the entire planet to a depth of between 1 and 2 kilometers, or about a mile.
But this reservoir won't be of much use to anyone trying to tap into it to supply a future Mars colony.
It's located in tiny cracks and pores in rock in the middle of the Martian crust, between 11.5 and 20 kilometers below the surface. Even on Earth, drilling a hole a kilometer deep is a challenge.
The finding does pinpoint another promising place to look for life on Mars, however, if the reservoir can be accessed. For the moment, it helps answer questions about the geological history of the planet.
Wright, Vashan, Liquid water in the Martian mid-crust, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2409983121. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2409983121
Driven by the physical theories of molecular interactions, the researchers soon made two independent encounters with experimental groups that helped confirm their results.
At this meeting, they presented exciting experimental data showing that the death and birth of FtsZ filaments were essential for the formation of the division ring. This suggested that treadmilling had a crucial role in this process.
They also saw that the in vitro results closely matched the simulations and further confirmed the team's computational results.
Energy-driven self-organization of matter is a fundamental process in physics. Researchers are asking how to create living matter from non-living material that looks living. Thus, their present work could facilitate the creation of synthetic self-healing materials or synthetic cells.
Self-organisation of mortal filaments and its role in bacterial division ring formation, Nature Physics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-024-02597-8
Part 2
How does matter, lifeless by definition, self-organize and make us alive? One of the hallmarks of life, self-organization, is the spontaneous formation and breakdown of biological active matter. However, while molecules constantly fall in and out of life, one may ask how they "know" where, when, and how to assemble, and when to stop and fall apart.
Researchers tried to address these questions in the context of bacterial cell division. They developed a computational model for the assembly of a protein called FtsZ, an example of active matter.
A previously unknown mechanism of active matter self-organization essential for bacterial cell division follows the motto "dying to align": Misaligned filaments "die" spontaneously to form a ring structure at the center of the dividing cell. The study, led by the Šarić group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), was published in Nature Physics. The work could find applications in developing synthetic self-healing materials.
During cell division, FtsZ self-assembles into a ring structure at the center of the dividing bacterial cell. This FtsZ ring–called the bacterial division ring–was shown to help form a new "wall" that separates the daughter cells.
The researchers' computational work demonstrates how misaligned FtsZ filaments react when they hit an obstacle.
By "dying" and re-assembling, they favour the formation of the bacterial division ring, a well-aligned filamentous structure. These findings could have applications in the development of synthetic self-healing materials.
FtsZ forms protein filaments that self-assemble by growing and shrinking in a continuous turnover. This process, called "treadmilling," is the constant addition and removal of subunits at opposite filament ends. Several proteins have been shown to treadmill in multiple life forms—such as bacteria, animals, or plants.
Scientists have previously thought of treadmilling as a form of self-propulsion and modeled it as filaments that move forward. However, such models fail to capture the constant turnover of subunits and overestimate the forces generated by the filaments' assembly.
Everything in our cells is in constant turnover. Thus, we need to start thinking of biological active matter from the prism of molecular turnover and in a way that adapts to the outside environment.
What they found was striking. In contrast to self-propelled assemblies that push the surrounding molecules and create a "bump" felt at long molecular distances, they saw that misaligned FtsZ filaments started "dying" when they hit an obstacle.
"Active matter made up of mortal filaments does not take misalignment lightly. When a filament grows and collides with obstacles, it dissolves and dies. Treadmilling assemblies lead to local healing of the active material. When misaligned filaments die, they contribute to a better overall assembly.
By incorporating the cell geometry and filament curvature into their model, the researchers showed how the death of misaligned FtsZ filaments helped form the bacterial division ring.
Part 1
It is easy to advice, 'be positive, be happy, don’t respond to bad criticism, be in control of your emotions'. But can people really do this in real life situations without the help of their biochemistry?
And without a tough training to improve their behaviour?
NO!
Increasing serotonin can change how people react and learn from negative information, as well as improving how they respond to it, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications.
The study by scientists found people with increased serotonin levels had reduced sensitivity to punishing outcomes (for example, losing money in a game) without significantly affecting sensitivity to rewarding ones (winning money).
The researchers found that increasing serotonin made individuals better able to control their behaviour, particularly when exposed to negative information. The study also showed that elevated serotonin levels benefited different types of memory.
These findings shed new light on how serotonin shapes human behaviour, particularly in negative environments.
This provides us with some exciting new information about the role of serotonin in humans. It shows that serotonin, which has been implicated in depression and in the effects of antidepressants, has more of a role in processing negative things, rather than boosting good responses.
These findings underscore the central role that serotonin plays in effortful cognitive processes, such as our ability to put the brakes on unwanted behaviors. This study helps to further understand why drugs that change serotonin levels are effective treatments for many mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Michael J. Colwell et al, Direct serotonin release in humans shapes aversive learning and inhibition, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50394-x
A crustacean positively too beautiful to eat
Rare "cotton candy" lobster found in New Hampshire
This lobster's shell was a swirling mass of blue, purple, and pink pigments, which looked like glazed, opalescent pottery when wet.
The fat-gut-cancer link
A study in mice and people suggests why there is a link between obesity and some cancers: a high-fat diet increases the number of Desulfovibrio bacteria in the gut. These release leucine, an amino acid, which encourages the proliferation of a kind of cell that suppresses the immune system. With a suppressed immune system, breast cancer tumour growth increases.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2306776121?utm_source=Live+Au...
This research is the first empirical demonstration of the benefits of genetic diversity for collective judgments.
The findings suggest that genetic diversity enhances the collective cognitive abilities of groups, providing a deeper understanding of how diverse crowds can achieve wiser outcomes. By uniquely highlighting the genetic aspect, this research adds a new dimension to the 'wisdom of crowds' phenomenon.
These findings highlight the significant impact genetic diversity can have on collective decision-making, underscoring the importance of embracing diversity in all its forms to enhance our cognitive abilities and tackle complex challenges more effectively.
Meir Barneron et al, Genetically-diverse crowds are wiser, Personality and Individual Differences (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2024.112823
Part 2
A new study by researchers reveals that genetically diverse groups make more accurate collective judgments compared to genetically homogeneous groups.
The research, published in Personality and Individual Differences, provides new insights into the origins of the 'wisdom of crowds' phenomenon, emphasizing the role of genetic diversity in enhancing collective intelligence.
Past studies have suggested that combining individual judgments can improve accuracy, especially when individuals differ in background, education, and demography.
The study involved 602 identical and fraternal twins, who participated by making numerical judgments in pairs. These pairs consisted either of co-twins (related pairs) or non-related individuals (unrelated pairs).
The results of this study revealed that judgments made by unrelated (i.e., heterogenous) pairs were more accurate than those made by related (i.e., homogeneous) pairs. Theoretically, however, this finding could emerge either from environmental or genetic factors.
In order to distinguish between environmental and genetic factors, the study compared the performance of related and unrelated pairs, separately among identical and fraternal twins.Using zebrafish "avatars," an animal model developed by the Cancer Development and Innate Immune Evasion lab, researchers studied the initial steps of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine's action on bladder cancer cells.
Their results, which are published in the journal Disease Models and Mechanisms, show that macrophages—the first line of immune cells activated after an infection—literally induce the cancer cells to commit suicide and then rapidly eat away the dead cancer cells.
The BCG vaccine was first used against TB in the 1920's and then started to be used as the first cancer immunotherapy around 1976. But decades before that, in the 1890's, William Coley, a surgeon working at the New York Hospital (now Weill Cornell Medical Center) had already tested a mix of different bacteria, coined "Coley's toxins," as a cancer immunotherapy.
Coley had noticed that several virtually hopeless cancer patients at the hospital went into seemingly "miraculous" remissions from their cancer when they caught a bacterial infection following the surgery performed to remove their tumors (sterile conditions for surgical procedures were then less than optimal). His idea was that such recoveries, far from being miraculous, were in fact caused by an immune response of the patients to the infection.
Coley started trying to induce bacterial infections in a number of sarcoma patients and was able to reproduce a few cancer remissions. At the time, though, his method was far from being proven and safe—and meanwhile, other treatment methods were developed, such as radiotherapy—so his research was not pursued. But in recent years, the field of immunotherapy has gained enormous momentum, bringing new and more scientifically robust ways of boosting the immune system to fight cancer.
BCG immunotherapy is still rather empirically used. However, since it works for many people, it has become a gold standard treatment. Surprisingly, it is a very effective immunotherapy, even when compared to so many fancy immunotherapies that are being developed."
The treatment consists of instilling the BCG vaccine directly into the bladder. When the treatment works, the 15-year survival rate for patients with so-called "non-muscle-invasive" (early-stage) bladder cancer is 60% to 70%. However, in 30% to 50% of the cases, bladder tumors are unresponsive to BCG treatment. In these cases, the whole bladder has to be removed.
Macrophages directly kill bladder cancer cells through TNF signaling in an early response to BCG therapy, Disease Models & Mechanisms (2024). DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050693
Research published recently in Nature Cell Biology, sheds light on the mechanism through which spermidine regulates autophagy, a process that ensures the recycling of components within the cell, to promote the anti-aging effects of intermittent fasting.
The work demonstrated that intermittent fasting increases the levels of spermidine, a chemical compound (natural polyamine), that enhances the resilience and survival of cells and organisms, through the activation of autophagy.
Autophagy is a process of cellular recycling, the destruction of non-functional/unnecessary components and organelles of the cell. Autophagy defects have been linked to aging, as well as, with the emergence of age-related disorders, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Dietary habits, such as low or high-fat diet, over-nutrition, or fasting can influence the development of these chronic diseases, the prevalence of which is expected to increase considerably in the coming years. Dietary interventions, such as caloric restriction and intermittent fasting, can slow down aging and promote longevity.
A key element of these interventions is the maintenance of cellular homeostasis through the induction of autophagy. Direct administration of spermidine is an alternative strategy for inducing autophagy and extending lifespan. However, the role of spermidine in the regulation of autophagy and aging upon intermittent fasting remains unclear.
Using a range of experimental models, ranging from the nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), mouse (Mus musculus), and human cell lines, the research teams of this study have shown that intermittent fasting increases the cellular levels of spermidine, which in turn induces autophagy, resulting in the prolongation of lifespan in these organisms.
Conversely, inhibition of spermidine synthesis, using appropriate inhibitors, counteracts the benefits of autophagy on lifespan through intermittent fasting.
The results of the research highlight the critical role of spermidine in regulating autophagy under intermittent fasting, thereby improving lifespan expectancy across all model organisms studied. The fact that the regulation of autophagy through spermidine and intermittent fasting is an evolutionarily conserved process, underscores its central role in monitoring and maintaining cellular homeostasis across different organisms.
Sebastian J. Hofer et al, Spermidine is essential for fasting-mediated autophagy and longevity, Nature Cell Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01468-x
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