For Science!

For Science!


Episode 23 - The pitch drop disappointment

April 27, 2014

A mixed bag of stories this episode. We cover some ground, starting with bird life in and around Chernobyl, insect sex, new advances in biological printing and finally ending up somewhere in orbit.


28th Anniversay of Chernobyl disaster shows some bird species adapting quite well to the higher levels of radiation - http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/04/scienceshot-some-birds-thrive-chernobyls-radioactive-glow


UOQ Pitch drop experiment produces 9th drop since 1930 - http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25441-longest-experiment-sees-pitch-drop-after-84year-wait.html#.U1C3XabdKak


But! The pitch broke during a beaker change, breaking the run of uninterrupted drops.


Cave insects where the female appears to have a penis (but doesn't really) - http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/17/5617766/scientists-discover-insect-with-female-penis


New vaginal canals have been grown/printed from patients own cells - http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25399-engineered-vaginas-grown-in-women-for-the-first-time.html?utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=SOC&utm_campaign=twitter&cmpid=SOC%7CNSNS%7C2012-GLOBAL-twitter#.U0ce2nV522g


SpaceX finally launches, bringing a new space suit, supplies and a set of bacterial experiments - http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/apr/18/spacex-nasa-launch-cargo-international-space-station


Oh, and they brought a set of legs up for Robonaut2, the International Space Stations resident robot helper - http://www.slashgear.com/international-space-stations-robotic-crew-member-gets-legs-14325152/