On feeling safe Recently, I saw an advertisement for a beach volleyball tournament in Texas, a state that is at the moment undergoing a major COVID-19 outbreak. The advertisement made specific mention about keeping participants safe, so I inquired about what specific measures were being taken. The reply I received included the mention that players […]
In 2005, when elections were restored to Iraq, voters marked their participation by dipping their index finger in blue ink. Texas forbade the use of mail-in ballots for elections beyond a certain set of strictures, so most are forced to vote in person at a time when COVID–19 cases are increasing at an alarming rate […]
Before May 14, 2020, Texas reporting of coronavirus test mixed results from two different kinds of tests: the PCR tests and the antibody tests. The PCR test looks for the presence of the genetic material of SARS-COV-2, it answers the question: “Is the patient infected and contagious?” The other kind, the antibody test, looks for […]
A Single Gene Causes Thelytokous Parthenogenesis, the Defining Feature of the Cape Honeybee Apis mellifera capensis, by Yagound et al, 2020 That means virgin birth. A single gene controls the switch from sexual to asexual modes of reproduction The scientists used an impressive combination of classical backcrossing and genomic data to pinpoint the gene, and […]
Remdesivir is an experimental antiviral drug made by the company Gilead. Designed to act against the RNA driven RNA polymerase enzyme in RNA viruses, it was initially tested on Ebola. Since coronaviruses are also RNA viruses, Remdesivir is expected to work on them, too. Published in The Lancet: Clinical trial of remdesivir in adults with […]
99% Invisible is always a thoughtprovoking podcast on how design affects the world around us – but this episode is particularly important. We take design for granted, and only notice when it doesn’t work explicitly. But in all the subtle ways, design decisions are a product of the culture the designers live in.
An episode of This American Life called Tell Me I’m Fat. It’s riveting and self reflecting of the subtle biases we take for granted, just by judging people’s appearances. It can ruin lives. Please have a listen.
There’s a great guy here in town who volunteers his time in a local church gym to host free indoor volleyball sessions. He sets up three nets, welcomes people, negotiates disputes, and tries to get people to play equitably. All for free. Now that it’s the holiday season, and schedules are a bit more free, […]
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