Book Discussion: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.
Index
1. Introduction: Yali’s Question
2. The Controversy of Yali’s Question
Guns, Germs, and Steel Discussion Index
March 11, 2007 By 1 Comment
Pioneer Plaques
March 9, 2007 By Leave a Comment
As you are reading this, the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes have lost all power and are silently flying in the darkness of space. NASA lost contact with Pioneer 10 in 2003 and Pioneer 11 in 1995. Odds are that they will continue their lonely journey into eternity. However, there is a very slim, but not impossible chance that a intelligent civilization living on a different planet will detect these probes.
If this amazing event were to happen, these beings will find a golden plaque on each probe. On these gold-plated aluminum plaques are a depiction of Earth’s location in the galaxy, a diagram of the hydrogen atom, a map of the Pioneer’s journey through the solar system, and a picture of a man and woman. 
Obviously this is a true shot in the dark, but I just love this cosmic “message in a bottle”. One question that comes to mind is: “would an intelligent alien be able to understand the plaque?”
Stay tuned for upcoming articles that take a tour of the plaque. Each element of the plaque is a science lesson in itself. For example, the use of the arrow to describe the gravity slingshot around Jupiter was criticized because an arrow is symbol that stems from the hunter-gather aspects of past (and present in some cases) human civilization. If our intelligent “neighbors” developed their civilization under water, the arrow could be totally meaningless.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
Source:
“Pioneer plaque”, Wikipedia entry
Kelly Egan – Better Know A Scientist
March 7, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Today’s installment of Better Know A Scientist features Kelly Egan, an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Herb Chen’s lab in the Department of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin Hospital.
Explain to the readers what you do?
My most recently completed project involved doing a risk-benefit analysis of parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism in patients 80 years of age and older. (Parathyroidectomy is removal of parathyroid glands. They glands located behind the thyroid gland in your throat and regulate calcium levels. Hyperparathyroidism is a condition of overactive parathyroid glands that leads to elevated calcium levels). Basically we were trying to prove that surgery (the only cure for primary hyperparathyroidism) is safe and effective in elderly patients.
What led you to your current position?
I was looking for research experience before I start medical school and a friend of mine had a great experience working for Dr. Chen.
What did you want to do when you were growing up?
I’ve wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I like the clinical aspect of research and hearing patient stories on how their quality of life improved after the surgery. I was also able to scrub in and assist on surgeries this summer, something that is almost unheard of for undergrads. Every new experience that I have convinces me more that I have chosen the right career path.
What is the most challenging aspect?
My paper that I wrote is going to be published this spring and surgeons all over the world will be reading my research (and critiquing it). That’s a lot of pressure! Also, presenting my research at a surgical conference in February was scary, but rewarding.
What’s on the horizon in your line of work?
I’m starting medical school at the University of Wisconsin in the fall, specialty undecided.
Any advice for students interested in your field and science in general?
Start getting experience while you are young. I was the only undergraduate at the Academic Surgical Conference, but I didn’t let that stop me from networking and talking to surgeons in many different fields. Be willing to put in the extra hours and go above and beyond what is required of you.
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Kelly Egan is finishing up her senior year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the fall of 2007. Her paper, “A Risk-Benefit Analysis of Primary Hyperparathyroidism in Octogenarians and Nonagenarians” will be published in the Journal of Surgical Research in spring 2007.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
El Nino winding down and maybe a little La Nina?
March 6, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Even though predicting weather a mere 24 hours in advance can be very difficult, every month the kind folks at the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center take on the challenge of long term forecasting. While most of us have little practice use for this report, they can be encouraging for those of us still stuck in the dead of winter. I’m definitely getting tired of scraping Wisconsin ice and snow off of my car, so I’m happy to hear that the 3 month outlook forecast calls for warmer temperatures in the western third of country with a pocket of warmer climate that stretches along the northern border states to the Mississippi River Valley. Predictions for the rest of the country are up in the air.
The precipitation forecast calls for below average rainfall in the western and central Gulf Coast Regions along with the Far Southwest. Above average rainfall is predicted for the southern Rocky Mountains and the high plains state. It’s a toss up for the rest of the country.
Can’t forgot about Hawaii – long-term prediction: big surprise….paradise (If you must know, they are predicting average temperature with below average rainfall amounts).
How do they predict the long-term weather?
There are many factors that go into these predictions. An interesting factor is the so-called “memory” effect that ice and snow cover has on climate. For example, if there is a lot of snow on the sun doesn’t heat the ground very well because the energy from the sun is reflected by the snow so the climate “remembers” the recent colder weather. One of the most influential factors is the temperatures of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. While El Nino is the most powerful and well-known trend, there are other ocean trends like the Northern Atlantic Oscillation.
Speaking of El Nino, the current El Nino event is winding down and the Pacific Ocean will be ENSO-neutral (El Nino – Southern Oscillation is the full name of the ocean temperature pattern) sometime in the next month or two. In fact, by the summer we may be heading towards La Nina conditions but it’s way too soon to know for sure.
What are El Nino and La Nina?
El Nino and La Nina refers to changes in the average temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that have impacts on weather worldwide. An average increase of 0.5 degrees C in the central topical Pacific is the official definition of El Nino and a decrease of 0.5 degrees C is the definition of La Nina. This doesn’t seem like much, but .5 degrees C of warmer water multiplied by a huge area of ocean is a lot of energy and has a very noticeable effect on global weather.
If you are interested in learning the effects of El Nino on the weather in your location, check out this good website from the National Oceanic and Atomospheric Administartion (NOAA) Here’s a website discussing La Nina effects.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
Sources:
1. “Long-Lead Seasonal Outlook – February 15th 2007″, Climate Prediction Center, National Weather Service.
2. “El Nino-Southern Oscillation”, Wikipedia entry
Better Know A Scientist
March 5, 2007 By 1 Comment
Short “get to know you” interviews with scientists ranging from professors to the lab technician.
Index:
1. Stephen Gaeta – Cardiac Electrodynamics: Alternans
2. Kelly Egan – Risk-Benefit Analysis of Thyroid Surgery
3. Dr. Pete Jordan – Human Metabolism and Body Composition
4. Byron Roberts – Reperfusion Cardiac Arrhythmias
Stephen Gaeta – Better Know A Scientist
March 5, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Welcome to the first installment of an interview series called Better Know A Scientist (index). Stephen is in the Weill Cornell / Rockefeller / Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD program and is a member of David Christini’s Cardiac Electrodynamics Lab.
Explain to the readers what you research?
I’m currently working towards my thesis in David Christini’s Cardiac Electrodynamics laboratory at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, where I use a combination of mathematical modeling and more traditional experimental work to research the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias. Specifically, I am currently working to probe the underlying cause of a specific electrical rhythm disturbance, known as “alternans”. Alternans is a precursor to potentially fatal arrhythmias including ventricular fibrillation, a major cause of death worldwide. Understanding its genesis and dynamics will allow more insightful research into means of controlling its formation and progression. Alternans could be controlled through pharmacological means, or through more effective implantable devices. My research could contribute to advances in either of these approaches.
What led you to your current position?
Starting in this lab was a fairly big departure from my previous work. As an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin– Madison, I studied molecular biology and neuroscience, working primarily in a neuroscience laboratory. The brain has always been my scientific passion, and– for better or worse– until recently i have dedicated most of my work and energies solely into this field. Following graduation, I began here at the Weill Cornell / Rockefeller / Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD program, where I am now nearing the end of my third year. In the first two years of this program, students complete the first half of medical school, and rotate through multiple labs of their choosing before deciding upon a thesis laboratory. With the exception of my current lab (which I have declared for my thesis), all of my rotations were in neuroscience labs. I was drawn to this departure by the power of computational research to answer a different kind of question than is possible in more traditional laboratories, and by the prospect of gaining expertise in computational research, which is becoming an increasingly important and powerful technique in biological research. Though I retain my passion for the study of the brain, I could not be happier with my decision for this phase of my training.
What did you want to do when you were growing up?
Looking back, I can’t identify a particular job I looked towards, and in a way I find that telling. I’ve always had diverse interests, and relished learning anything and everything available to me. Deciding to complete a dual degree program has allowed me continue to leave as many doors open as possible for my future, and continue on a path towards an uncertain, but promising future.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
In the right graduate school environment, learning is not only encouraged, but is essential. My lab is an amazing forum for scientific discussion and education, and I find this both personally satisfying as well as motivational.
What is the most challenging aspect?
As I think any researcher can tell you, science can be a harsh mistress. Research has been a continuous lesson in perseverance, but fortunately the successes (even the modest ones of my experience) far outweigh the failures.
What’s on the horizon in your line of work?
As I mentioned, computational research is an increasingly powerful and essential tool in research, and I believe as it continues to mature it will become mainstream in more and more fields of research.
Any advice for students interested in your field and science in general?
I have a great deal of advice for students interested in MD-PhD programs, too much to include in a brief interview. For those interested in science in general, my advice is not to pigeon-hole yourself too early on. It’s impossible to know if you’re interested in a field until you’ve been properly exposed to it, and I think it’s important to gain a diversity of experience before honing in strongly on one area in particular. Even if your experience with an area leads you away from it, there are always lessons and skills that you can carry with you from any scientific situation.
Many thanks go out to Stephen. Stay tuned to learn more about his research and for future installments of Better Know A Scientist (index).
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
French paradox
March 1, 2007 By Leave a Comment
Despite having diets rich in saturated fat, the citizens of France have a remarkably low incidence of coronary heart disease. This is known as the French Paradox.
There are many researchers who believe that the ingredients of wine in regions of France play a role in this paradox. In a recent article, I talked about an ingredient called reservatrol that is found in higher amounts in red wines. Reservatrol is very promising, but this may not explain the French paradox because reservatrol isn’t found in significant amounts in most wine. On the other hand, there is significant amounts of procyanidins in wine. They belong to a class of compounds called polyphenols that are found in plants are believed to protect blood-vessel cells. Interestingly enough, some of most procyanidin-rich wines are found in wine grapes found in South France.
Not surprisingly, it’s not as simple as drinking a few glasses of wine. French diets are rich in folic acid, their portion size are smaller, and the beautiful Mediterranean climate of Southern France leads to more aerobic activities like hiking and bike-riding. However, the moderate consumption of wine definitely helps explain the French paradox.
Stay tuned for more on this subject, especially since I’m now convinced to starting drinking more red wine.
Cheers!
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Like every article on the health benefits of alcohol, I must also stress that going beyond low amounts of alcohol on a regular basis is unhealthy for a very long list of reasons.
The consensus opinion for safe, moderate alcohol consumption is currently no more than 2 drinks of day for men and no more than 1 drink a day for women. If you have any health conditions, definitely consult your doctor. While taking nutritional supplements like grape seed extract isn’t nearly as fun as good-tasting wine, drinking wine for health reasons might not be a good idea for you.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
Sources:
1. “Alcohol”, Harvard School of Public Health
2. “French paradox”, Wikipedia entry
Anatomy of a Storm – Tornadoes
February 26, 2007 By 4 Comments
The past two articles talked about the recent storm system that caused a blizzard in Wisconsin and heavy freezing rain in Illinois. The third and final article about this storm is about the southern end of the recent storm and a powerful tornado that devastated the town of Dumas, Arkansas.
What caused these tornadoes?
The cold front associated with low pressure system that causes a blizzard in Wisconsin and freezing rain in Illinois generated the formation of thunderstorms. The cold front brought in cold winter air from the northern US. This cold air combined with moist warm air to create updraft of air that formed the thunderstorm clouds. Once again, the currently strong jet stream over Arkansas played a big role. These upper levels winds enhanced spinning columns of air that are found in all thunderstorms. The updraft winds rotated these columns of air to a vertical position and this results in a rotating wall cloud.
As the storm becomes more powerful, heavy rainfall causes an area of air called the rear flank downdraft (RFD). The RFD’s rapid descent drags the rotating wall cloud close to the surface. At this point, a funnel cloud drops out of the funnel cloud and causes death and destruction on the ground.
Why does the funnel cloud form?
At this point, it remains unclear but many scientists are working on figuring this out. Stay tuned for more on this.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
Sources:
1. “Neccessary Ingredients for Thunderstorms”, NOAA’s JetStream – Online School for Weather
2. “Thunderstorm Hazards – Tornadoes”, NOAA’s JetStream – Online School for Weather
3. “Cyclogenesis”, Wikipedia entry
Anatomy of a Storm: Freezing Rain
February 25, 2007 By 2 Comments
In addition, to the heavy snow that fell in Wisconsin last night and today there was a significant freezing rain event in Illinois. In Mercer County, there were reports of a 2 inch coating of ice on power lines. Add strong winds to the equation and it’s easy to see why 83,000 people lost their power.
What is freezing rain?
Freezing rain forms when a layer of warmer air aloft traps a shallow layer of colder air at the surface. As the rain or snow falls to the surface it melts in the warmer air, reaches the cold air and starts to supercool (cooling a liquid to temperature below it’s freezing point without the liquid becoming solid), then the precipitation freezes on contact with power lines, trees, and roads. The key is the depth of the cold air at the surface, if the layer is deep enough the rain will have time to freeze into relatively harmless sleet. Sleet is separate particles of moisture and can be moved around with a shovel or plow. Freezing rain on the other hand, forms a solid layer of ice because just before the liquid water freezes it molds to the power lines, pores in the road, and already formed freezing rain. One of the more notable freezing rain events took in place in 1998 when an area that included Montreal, Quebec and Northern New York was coated with a devastating 60 to 120 millimeters (3-4.5 inches) of freezing rain. Some people went without power for weeks and close to 30 people died due to the ice.
I couldn’t find a solid source for exact mechanism behind this particular freezing rain event, but my semi-educated guess is the counter-clockwise rotation of this storm system swept up warm air (via a warm front) from the south and this warm air was undercut by a strong and cold east wind that maintained freezing temperatures. This strong wind was due to the high pressure air mass of freezing temperatures that a particular strong jet stream rammed this storm system into.
For more about this storm system and the blizzard further north, click here.
The next article and stop on the tour of this storm will be the tornadoes that occurred to the south. Stay tuned for that.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
Sources:
1. “Midwest suffers through brutal snow system”, CNN.com article
2. “Freezing rain”, Wikipedia entry
3. “North American ice storm of 1998″, Wikipedia entry
Anatomy of a Storm: Midwestern Blizzard February 2007
February 24, 2007 By 2 Comments
Current weather bulletin for my corner of the world from from the U.S. National Weather Service:
“A blizzard warning is in effect tonight for all of South Central and Southeast Wisconsin. Snowfall tonight will reach 8 to 14 inches (20 to 36 cm) with some locally heavier amounts possible across much of the area. Strong easterly winds gusting up to 40 mph (64 km/h) at times will result in blizzard conditions at times with visibilities severely restricted to one-quarter mile (400 m) or less at time tonight into Sunday…..The heavy snow may be accompanied by lightning and thunder.”
Sure enough, about half an hour ago as I was doing the research for this article I could hear the rumble of thunder along with the howl of old man winter. As the above weather bulletin reads, the Upper Midwest especially Wisconsin is being slammed with a blizzard.
Here’s the current weather map for the Upper Midwest from the Weather Channel’s website.
As I’m writing this, there is very powerful low pressure system (the red “L” is the center) that is packed full of moisture. The light purple front line is called an occluded front and represents the merging of cold and warm fronts found in strong systems. (This will be explained in future artices). The faint white lines represent the same atmospheric pressure along the line. As you can see the lines are packed together tightly over the upper midwest. This means lots of wind because air is rapidly moving to stabilize the pressure gradient.
The driving force behind all the moisture and wind is the jet stream that is currently very dynamic. Below is the path of the current jet stream:
The very sharp upward swing of the jet stream helped to steer the system rapidly from the moisture-rich southern US and rammed the storm into the cold winter air of Wisconsin.
More importantly, the current jet stream is very fast-moving and created a stronger cyclonic effect on this low pressure area. This is known of extratropical cyclogenesis. Another way to describe this is that the jet stream helped to form a tighter ball of low pressure energy. Although the process of formations are vastly different, this is the same cyclonic effect that makes hurricanes so powerful. The low pressure center is essentially the “eye” of this storm.
There you have it. I’m just glad that I don’t have to go out tomorrow.
Update: The next two articles will be a north to south tour of this nasty storm system. The article about the freezing rain in Illinois can be found here and stay tuned for a 3rd article on the tornadoes to the south.
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Posted by Tim Roth, author of the political blog Think Anew and Act Anew
Sources:
1. National Weather Service Bulletin from the Milwaukee, WI office – February 24, 2007 (no permalinks available)
2. Weather Channel TV broadcast February 24, 2007
3. Weather Channel website – Current Midwest Weather and Jet Stream (no permalinks for these constantly changing maps)
4. “Blizzard”, Wikipedia entry
5. “Cyclogenesis”, Wikipedia entry