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- GMOctopus | Space Brain | Caffeine Buzzzz
Welcome to a big milestone issue! Today we’re celebrating 2 years of explaining science in sweatpants. AND st3v’s 1st birthday!
To celebrate, st3v wanted to share the story that inspired his side-gig, Bee’s Knees Coffee. (3rd topic below)
-Steve
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GMOctopus
Aliens Octopuses rewrite their cells when waters get chilly. Tweaking cellular proteins allows them to survive broader temperatures than previously thought.
Messenger RNA (mRNA) sends protein templates from nuclei
Most of us: “k”
Octopus: “AcTuAlLy, I’m cold, so build it this way”
As the only way to thermoregulate, they make it happen in just 20 hours. Researchers will continue attempting to uncover more tricks these cephalopods have up their sleeves. All 8 of them.
Space Brain
Going to space makes your brain bigger. But that’s not a good thing, and we’re learning how multiple trips affect our thinking sponge.
Spaceflight increases ventricle size and brain fluid volume
Current theory: Helps brain adjust for fluid shifts in zero-G
Limited testing - 30 astronaut MRIs
Researchers believe our brains may not fully bounce back after leaving the planet. Something they’ll continue to study so moon bases and Martian postcards become reality. Sooo who's gonna tell Elon?
Caffeine Buzzzz
Caffeinated bees work more efficiently and target specific flowers. A recent study found that buzz-enhanced bees could be trained to seek out plants by pairing the target plant odor with caffeinated sugar.
Caffeine: naturally occurring plant chemical
Improves bee memory
Business ideas: Starbuzz. Dunkin Hornuts.
Influencing flower choice can increase productivity of commercial bee sales. Farms import bees to pollinate their plants, but often lose many to nearby wildflowers. This caffeine training would enable farmers to corral their bees to specific areas.
Related: An article on caffeine trained humans, by Michael Pollan. (no, that’s pollen)
Clickables
😸 What came first, the kitten or the egg?
🎨 Beautiful barcodes = scannable art
🥵 Unexpected step in the AI takeover - sweaty robots
💤 Another way to awkwardly sleep on a plane
🌍️ Can you travel hack Earth’s rotation?
st3v on site
Happy Birthdaversary!
The bees threw a work party knowing how much st3v loves donuts…and that he had to dip them in water last week.
Forward to a friend!
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Missed last week’s science in sweatpants?
Catch-up here: 🔬 Sarcofungus | Moody Spidey | Space Donut
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