Humans Are All Thumbs!
Channel: This Week in Science (TWIS)
Date: 2021-02-03

What happened 'This Week in Science'??? What is up with human thumbs? How will remote sensing change humanity? Find out with TWIS on Episode 810!

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[For Story Links, please see our TWIS web site for show notes — https://www.twis.org/03-february-2021-episode-810-humans-are-all-thumbs/]

(0:00) - Recording Start  
(1:08) - Intro, Dr. Kiki
(1:34) - Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer! - Justin
(2:33) - Opening Theme Music, Dr. Kiki
(3:07) - Opening "Good Science!" Greetings - with Dr. Kiki, Blair & Justin. Intros & Top Story Headlines. 

(5:05) - Quick Science Bytes! —

(5:11) - Your amazing thumb is about 2 million years old - Dr. Kiki
(12:49) - Martian landslides caused by underground salts and melting ice? Looks likely. - Justin
(18:32) - On nights before a full moon, people go to bed later and sleep less, study shows - Blair 
(26:08) - New global 'wind atlas' propels sustainable energy with a map of top wind speeds - Dr. Kiki
(31:01) - Prehistoric bone etchings believed to be among oldest evidence of human use of symbols. Or, are they just doodles? - Justin 
(39:21) - Fungus that eats fungus could help coffee farmers in their fight against coffee rust - Dr. Kiki 

(45:46) - COVID-19/Sars-CoV-2 Update
• Johns Hopkins Covid-19 Tracker - https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html 
• WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard - http://bit.ly/who-covid-19-dashboard  -or-  https://covid19.who.int 
• NY Times Coronavirus U.S. Map - https://nyti.ms/3cY0fW0 

(46:09) - In the CDC Covid-19 Science Update released January 29, 2021 are some interesting studies: one looks at airflow in cars driving at highway speed, and several others suggest children are more likely to be asymptomatic AND contagious. - Dr. Kiki
(51:49) - mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 appear to work against circulating variants, but circulating SARS-CoV-2 spike N439K variants maintain fitness while evading antibody-mediated immunity. So, vaccines continue to be effective while antibody therapies become questionable. - Dr. Kiki
(55:22) - An assessment of maternal and neonatal cord blood found SARS-CoV-2 antibodies implying that mothers can pass immunity to babies. - Dr. Kiki
(56:39) - The antidepressant fluvoxamine could keep mild COVID-19 from worsening. This is exciting as it is a drug already approved for safe use by the FDA. - Dr. Kiki

(1:00:06) - Blair’s Animal Corner
(1:00:17) - Blair’s Animal Corner Theme
(1:00:38) - Traffic noise makes mating crickets less picky, Blair
(1:08:54) - How to blackmail your family (Bees), Blair

(1:19:17) - And we're at the break! 

(1:19:27) - This is where you can find out about our Zazzle store (http://www.zazzle.com/thisweekinscience), and supporting us through Paypal (http://bit.ly/twis-paypal) and Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/thisweekinscience). 
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More minions, please!

More Science News —

(1:20:00) - Based on a study using remote sensing of facial blood flow, researchers concluded that marmoset monkeys eavesdrop and understand conversations between other marmosets. - Justin
(1:27:52) - Not that long ago, the Arctic Ocean was covered by a shelf ice and filled with freshwater. - Justin
(1:32:44) - Like a brain brake pedal, a study reveals neurons of the dorsal and ventral subthalamic nuclei are responsible for rapidly stopping behaviors and actions. - Dr. Kiki
(1:38:15) - Scientists propose a new way to detect emotions using wireless signals and a deep-learning framework. Is this the beginning of the end of privacy? - Dr. Kiki 

(1:49:00) - Show wrap up.

(1:50:07) - Thank you’s to our Patreon Sponsors

(1:53:37) - End Theme

And that's all, folks! Except, we still have...

(1:57:05) - The After Show! — Are you back there, Blair? Blair has moved. How did Sadie the Corgi handle the move? By running away to Blair's Mom & Dad! And much, much more...