Penny Higgins - Storyteller • Artist • Scientist
Combining Science and Joyful Creativity
#365papers for May 2, 2017
What’s it about?
Basalt is a common resulting rock from volcanic eruptions. Bubbles (technically called vesicles) are common in basalt, and simple organisms often move into these openings once the rock has cooled sufficiently. Here, the authors show what appears to be fungal filaments in vesicles formed 2.4 billion years ago. Continue reading “2.4-billion-year-old Fossils of Fungus – #365papers – 2017 – 122”
#365papers for May 1, 2017
What’s it about?
Hipparionines are a branch of fossil horses that include the genus Hipparion. Horse molars have complex ridges, basins, and swirly walls of enamel. The relationships, sizes, and shapes of these structures are used to distinguish among the various species of horses. The authors here examine the teeth of two ‘different’ species of Hipparion, using observation of complete specimens at various stages of wear, looking at whole jaws in cross-section using spiral computed tomography (CT), and by selecting several teeth to literally slice up to examine the changes in tooth enamel shapes over the height of the tooth.Continue reading “Distinct Species of Horses, and Illusions from Tooth Wear – #365papers – 2017 – 121”
#365papers for April 30, 2017
What’s it about?
Herein is described an archaeological site from southern California dates at 130,000 years old. The age is based on a radiometric technique called Thorium/Uranium. The influence of humans is based upon apparent working and tooling of bones and of stones in the site.Continue reading “Humans in Southern California 130,000 years ago? – #365papers – 2017 – 120”
#365papers for April 28, 2017
What’s it about?
Homo floresiensis is a species of the genus Homo that was discovered and descibed over 10 years ago. It is a species of small stature from the island of Flores. Many have argued about its placement with other members of the genus Homo and why it might have been so small.
The authors here show that H. floresiensis is at best a sister to H. habilis and may represent an even more ancient lineage of the genus. It probably represents an early migration of homonins out of Africa.Continue reading “Homo floresiensis didn’t come from H. erectus – #365papers – 2017 – 118”
#365papers for April 27, 2017
What’s it about?
This paper is the description of a juvenile turtle attributed to the species Manchurochelys manchoukuoensis. The authors compare this new specimen with several other species of turtle from the Jehol Biota and other faunas of similar age to argue that 1) it is a juvenile and 2) that their species attribution is correct.Continue reading “An Early Cretaceous Baby Turtle! – #365papers – 2017 – 117”
#365papers for April 26, 2017
What’s it about?
There are many papers published that discuss the dwarfing of animal species during episodes of global warmth. Here, the authors show that during times of coldness, the types of body shapes and sizes in both mammals and birds change rapidly.Continue reading “Cold Conditions Result in Rapid Evolution – #365papers – 2017 – 116”
#365papers for April 25, 2017
What’s it about?
Global warming is an important issue in the modern world. Many people are attributing extreme weather events – hurricanes, droughts, flooding, etc. – to global climate change. This paper is an attempt to assess and quantify how much global warming was an influence for such events.Continue reading “How Can We Know How Much Global Warming is Responsible for Extreme Weather? – #365papers – 2017 – 115”
I’ve been doing so well. Papers read and posts written for 107 papers thus far this year. Then suddenly… Silence.
It’s not that I haven’t been thinking about science. Quite the contrary.
I haven’t been reading or posting because I went there. I marched. In Washington DC. With 40,000 of my science colleagues.
With planning the trip, travel, and actually being there and trying to take in all of Washington’s museums and sights, well… It just didn’t happen. Nevertheless, I will catch up. I have papers selected. I’m ready to read.
In the meantime, enjoy some photos:
Continue reading “Marching for Science, or Why I am Behind at #365papers”
#365papers for April 24, 2017
What’s it about?
There are lots of ways to pretreat wood in order to optimize the ability to get ethanol out of it. Here, the authors discuss using water, heat, and alkaline solutions to prepare willow for hydrothemal liquifaction to get ethanol out.Continue reading “How Do You Break Down Wood to Make Bioethanol? – #365papers – 2017 – 114”
#365papers for April 23, 2017
What’s it about?
Fast growing wood is a potential source for sugars that can be fermented to alcohols. This paper discusses three of the most commonly grown woods and their relative ‘goodness’ for use as a source for ethanol.Continue reading “Making Ethanol? Grow Black Locust – #365papers – 2017 – 113”
Penny Higgins - Storyteller • Artist • Scientist