MetaFilter posts tagged with biology

Journey to the center of the brain

homunculus — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:50:28 -0800

Mapping the Structural Core of Human Cerebral Cortex. A new study of the connections in the brain has identified the brain's central hub.

Octopus

homunculus — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:40:29 -0800

How Smart Is the Octopus? [Via Pharyngula]

Yale Environment 360

homunculus — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:16:08 -0800

Yale Environment 360 is an online environment magazine from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. It has a lot of great material, like "Biodiversity in the Balance" by Carl Zimmer and "Carbon’s Burden on the World’s Oceans" by Carl Safina and Marah J. Hardt. [Via Zimmer's blog The Loom]

We Have Met the Aliens and They Is Us

saulgoodman — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:08:11 -0800

The Cosmic Womb: Recently published findings from researchers with the Imperial College London’s Department of Earth Science and Engineering seem to bolster the case for extra-terrestrial sources for the origins of life on Earth. (A PDF of the published results can be downloaded here, if you want the technical specifics.) As this news is only the latest in a series of findings favorable to their cause, Panspermia theorists everywhere may be starting to feel just a little bit cocky about their recent track record. Previously related MeFi posts here, here, and here.

What Is A Species?

homunculus — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:12:17 -0800

What Is A Species? "To this day, scientists struggle with that question. A better definition can influence which animals make the endangered list."

"I very seldom tell anyone what I actually do, because you just don't know who you are talking to."

fearfulsymmetry — Sat, 31 May 2008 04:14:22 -0800

"The Guardian has been granted exclusive and unfettered access to one of the most controversial research facilities at a British university." Caring or cruel? Inside the primate laboratory. Audio slideshow. A necessary evil - Colin Blakemore. Wise monkeys - Gill Langley.

We are weird. And somewhat echoey.

divabat — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:01:21 -0800

KnowHow2Go wants you to take on the tough classes - such as Biology, Foreign Languages, and Algebra II - to prepare yourself for college.

Brittlestar Galactica

Kronos_to_Earth — Mon, 19 May 2008 05:58:10 -0800

Tens of millions of brittlestars have been discovered inhabiting the peak of a sea mount in the Macquarie Ridge south of New Zealand. Strong currents are believed to be responsible for sweeping their predators away, more or less recreating their home 300 million years gone....

GATTACA

Kronos_to_Earth — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:38:27 -0800

The first ever, it is believed, has been produced at Cornell University. The feat was apparently much overlooked, and has many concerned over the lack of public debate of this field of research. Genetically modified human embryos.

Planetary Pathogens

Kronos_to_Earth — Thu, 08 May 2008 20:11:35 -0800

West Nile virus and Avian influenza and Chronic wasting disease, oh, my! (and Monkeypox...) Outbreaks of disease in populations of wild and domestic animals, having such a heavy impact on human health, has led the United States Geological Survey and the University of Wisconson to develop a way to track news of disease outbreaks around the planet: The Global Wildlife Disease News Map.