Here be links
I took another night off. A decision I feel I may regret upon waking tomorrow but right now I'm enjoying kicking back with a beer.
So, here be links of procrastinationess. I figured I could keep spamming stalkbook or I could collate them here (where I can easily find them again).
Optogenetics: Plant genes create photosensitive neurons that allow precise control of brain activity using light. How cool izzat!
...They'd shown that a beam of light could control brain activity with great precision. The mouse didn't lose its memory, have a seizure, or die. It ran in a circle. Specifically, a counterclockwise circle.
Precision, that was the coup. Drugs and implanted electrodes can influence the brain, but they are terribly imprecise: Drugs flood the brain and affect many types of neurons indiscriminately. Electrodes activate every neuron around them.
This is bad for researchers, because practically every square millimeter of the brain contains a mess of different kinds of neurons, each specialized for a particular task. Drugs and electricity set off cascades of unwanted neural activity. Side effects.
It's bad for patients, too. Cochlear implants, which let the deaf hear by shocking the auditory nerves, produce fuzzy sound because the electricity spreads beyond the neurons it's aimed at. Deep brain stimulators for Parkinson's patients allow them to walk and speak but may cause seizures and muscle weakness. Electroshock can help depression but often results in memory loss.
A thought experiment with Charles Stross: How habitable is the earth?
78% of the surface area is seawater. Drop a naked meat puppet there and it's going to go glug glug glub ... tritely, this is Not A Good Start.
Some US Senators are slimily trying to slip clauses into the Health bill that will give rebates for prayer services and faith healing of all things, despite repeated studies proving these methods to be completely ineffective (well duh, you might be thinking). Steve Novella provides a nice take down:
"Christian Scientists, based upon the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, do not believe in medicine - because they do not believe in illness - because they do not believe in reality. We are purely spiritual beings, they believe, and physical reality is all an illusion, and therefore all illness is as well and is really just a crisis of faith. Therefore prayer and faith is all that is needed. Seeking medical attention is actually a failure of faith and will lead to illness or death."
Somewhat disturbing proof that eating plastic isn't good for you (or the environment).
Finally, reading material of the Urban Fantasy variety should you be so inclined: Boneshop by Tim Pratt.
Also, the entire household jumping into the pool fully clothed after dinner was pretty fun too. Yay for summer!
So, here be links of procrastinationess. I figured I could keep spamming stalkbook or I could collate them here (where I can easily find them again).
Optogenetics: Plant genes create photosensitive neurons that allow precise control of brain activity using light. How cool izzat!
...They'd shown that a beam of light could control brain activity with great precision. The mouse didn't lose its memory, have a seizure, or die. It ran in a circle. Specifically, a counterclockwise circle.
Precision, that was the coup. Drugs and implanted electrodes can influence the brain, but they are terribly imprecise: Drugs flood the brain and affect many types of neurons indiscriminately. Electrodes activate every neuron around them.
This is bad for researchers, because practically every square millimeter of the brain contains a mess of different kinds of neurons, each specialized for a particular task. Drugs and electricity set off cascades of unwanted neural activity. Side effects.
It's bad for patients, too. Cochlear implants, which let the deaf hear by shocking the auditory nerves, produce fuzzy sound because the electricity spreads beyond the neurons it's aimed at. Deep brain stimulators for Parkinson's patients allow them to walk and speak but may cause seizures and muscle weakness. Electroshock can help depression but often results in memory loss.
A thought experiment with Charles Stross: How habitable is the earth?
78% of the surface area is seawater. Drop a naked meat puppet there and it's going to go glug glug glub ... tritely, this is Not A Good Start.
Some US Senators are slimily trying to slip clauses into the Health bill that will give rebates for prayer services and faith healing of all things, despite repeated studies proving these methods to be completely ineffective (well duh, you might be thinking). Steve Novella provides a nice take down:
"Christian Scientists, based upon the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, do not believe in medicine - because they do not believe in illness - because they do not believe in reality. We are purely spiritual beings, they believe, and physical reality is all an illusion, and therefore all illness is as well and is really just a crisis of faith. Therefore prayer and faith is all that is needed. Seeking medical attention is actually a failure of faith and will lead to illness or death."
Somewhat disturbing proof that eating plastic isn't good for you (or the environment).
Finally, reading material of the Urban Fantasy variety should you be so inclined: Boneshop by Tim Pratt.
Also, the entire household jumping into the pool fully clothed after dinner was pretty fun too. Yay for summer!