Mmm Poison | Fossil Flesh | Astro Anemia

This issue is a MUST READ if you’re planning on eating, going to space, and/or having skin today. Good luck!

-Steve

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Mmm Poison

Poison dart frogs are what they eat, and now we know how. Scientists identified how they transfer over 500 alkaloids from diet to skin.

• Alkaloid = poisonous compound

• Newly identified protein = alkaloid binding globulin (ABG)

• Works similarly to mammalian proteins transferring hormones

Scientists believe studying ABG could lead to finding or creating proteins that can treat overdoses. Further research will determine how selective and widespread the protein is among the poison dart frog family tree. Sooo they don’t eat darts?

Any di-dart-ary restrictions?

Fossil Flesh

Amniote skin routines are SO in right now. Recently-discovered 290 million year old fossilized skin shatters the record for oldest known prehistoric skin.

• Pebbly crocodile-like texture

• 21 million years older than previous record

• Amniote = diverse classification of terrestrial vertebrates

This is evidence skin played an important role before amniotes diverged into many of the animals we see today. Though we don’t know which creature produced the sample, it adds to our understanding of evolution. And the importance of sunscreen.

Doesn’t look a day over 289 million years old

Astro Anemia

Our bodies are not great at being in space. Space anemia is impacting astronauts up to a year after returning from the ISS.

• 6 months in space = ~54% increase in red blood cell destruction

• 5 of 13 astronauts were anemic upon landing

• Previously thought to be a temporary side-effect

Red blood cell counts returned to normal within 3-4 months, but astronauts were still destroying 30% more than their pre-orbital selves up to a year after landing. Ongoing research will determine risk factors for future space missions. Or we could send robots?

Off-world problems

Unnatural Selection

Last week: “Which is the cooler math tool?”

Few people know of their abacus’ hidden M&M-counting feature. (helpful for calculating your lucky blue ones)

st3v on site

Missing Donuts

Good news: Dart frog ABG proteins work on st3v. Bad news: we’re out of donuts.

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