Author Archives: Peter

Favorite Links for Week 47 2019

Baddy One Shoe – Dear Hank & John podcast

“I’m just there to try and make the other people on Twitter feel better. I know how rough it is out there. I’m trying to help.” Said Hank Green, famous person on the internet. He said this on his podcast, Dear Hank and John, which I have recently discovered. I know I’m late to the party on this one, but it’s fun. The quote reminded me of Jack Torrence from The Shining (re-watched in preparation for Doctor Sleep, which I liked a lot more than Kubrik’s film).

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Favorite Links for Week 45 2019

What is the real, mathematical dog-year calculation?

Ok, so we all knew dog-years can’t be a linear translation to human years. So what is the real translation between human and dog age? There’s an “epigenetic clock” discovered by Steve Horvath. Basically, DNA gets little chemical modifications that help turn genes on and off. It turns out that some of those modifications accumulate with age. And this biochemical signature tracks age better than just about anything else. So is it the same in dogs? And can we use it to correlate dog-years to human-years? Yes. Tina Wang et al. figured it out (bioRxiv).

Personalized predictions of blood sugar based on poop bacteria

This 2019 paper, “Personalized Approach to Predicting Postprandial Glycemic Responses,” showed a predictive model for blood sugar spikes after meals. The composition of the food (carbohydrate content and calorie content) did not predict blood sugar spikes very well. On the other hand, food information PLUS information about a specific person’s gut microbiome did a very good job. So if you knew your gut microbiome, you could make better food choices.

Failure Found to be an “Essential Prerequisite” For Success

These folks used the NIH database of applications for grants to see what differentiates people who eventually succeeded from those who didn’t. The average was two failures before a successful grant application. I wish I could convey how incredibly hard it is to put together a proposal that gets rejected.

Philip Pullman on Children’s Literature and the Critics Who Disdain It

I read this essay a few days ago and loved it. It came up in conversation, too. The premise is that good literature is not accessible literature. That a book is something children enjoy just means that it is clear and accessible, not that it is simplistic. Generally, children don’t like simplistic. And if a book is enjoyable for children and has depth, it will be equally enjoyable for adults.

Atomic Force Microscope was used to look at single molecules and resolve details

The article, “Revisiting Kekulene: Synthesis and Single-Molecule Imaging,” is amazing. First, what a crazy molecule. Second, what an amazing technique to look at its structure and properties.

Little Things:

Can snakes use doorknobs? Wait for it to find out. 

 

Alternative to the Pyramid Scheme of “Aspirational content”

Youtube put out a caution about burnout. Penny arcade summed it up. “Creators: you’re feeling burned out because you are light bulbs. And there are always more light bulbs. You create young, energetic light bulbs with every video you make.”

Good educational content is distinct from aspirational content. As a chemistry professor, my primary job is to produce more chemists (and educate non-chemists who need the background). The point is not to generate a great many more chemistry professors. Complexly and the Scishow folks make great educational content. Aspirational content is the opposite: it endeavors to sell the idea that you too can become an aspirational content producer. Mostly by watching more aspirational content.

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Build video for the iron battery

I made a youtube video every weekday in 2017. That experience pulled me into the world of battery chemistry. Daily vlogging was hard but taught me something about social media, science outreach, and the topics that people are interested in. I was a little surprised to find that people were so interested in batteries. I like the opportunity to explore something that is of wide interest. Everyone has a battery in their pocket, and everyone wants them to last longer.

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