You’re an Adult. Your Brain, Not So Much.

Posted on by admin

The New York Times, December 21, 2016

Link

Leah H. Somerville, a Harvard neuroscientist, sometimes finds herself in front of an audience of judges. They come to hear her speak about how the brain develops.

It’s a subject on which many legal questions depend. How old does someone have to be to be sentenced to death? When should someone get to vote? Can an 18-year-old give informed consent?

Scientists like Dr. Somerville have learned a great deal in recent years. But the complex picture that’s emerging lacks the bright lines that policy makers would like.

Continue reading “You’re an Adult. Your Brain, Not So Much.” →

Friday’s Elk, December 9, 2016

Posted on by Matt Kristoffersen

The writing life can be lumpy. Last week was so quiet that I didn’t bother sending out a Friday’s Elk. Today, on the other hand, I’ve got a batch of things to tell you about.
 

A Talk With Longform

I’m a huge fan of the Longform podcast, a weekly interview with journalists about their careers and how they do their work. When I teach writing, I always make sure to include links to some Longform episodes on the syllabus so that students can get a sense of what it’s really like to be a journalist. Continue reading “Friday’s Elk, December 9, 2016” →

Monkeys Could Talk, but They Don’t Have the Brains for It

Posted on by admin

The New York Times, December 9, 2016

Link

Primates are unquestionably clever: Monkeys can learn how to use money, and chimpanzees have a knack for game theory. But no one has ever taught a nonhuman primate to say “hello.”

Scientists have long been intrigued by the failure of primates to talk like us. Understanding the reasons may offer clues to how our own ancestors evolved full-blown speech, one of our most powerful adaptations.

On Friday, a team of researchers reported that monkeys have a vocal tract capable of human speech. They argue that other primates can’t talk because they lack the right wiring in their brains.

Continue reading “Monkeys Could Talk, but They Don’t Have the Brains for It” →

A virus, fished out of a lake, may have saved a man’s life — and advanced science

Posted on by admin

STAT, December 7, 2016

Link

Dodge Pond, which sits on the outskirts of East Lyme, Conn., is an ordinary New England lake. It’s home to fish like bluegill and alewife, along with smaller organisms like water fleas, algae, and bacteria. There are viruses in Dodge Pond, too, most of which infect its bacteria. And one of Dodge Pond’s viruses, known as OMKO1, has now earned it a place in medical history.

Earlier this year, in an experimental treatment, doctors put 100 million OMKO1 viruses into a man’s chest to save his life.

Continue reading “A virus, fished out of a lake, may have saved a man’s life — and advanced science” →

Friday’s Elk, November 25, 2016

Posted on by Matt Kristoffersen

Apologies for the long radio silence. This month has been full of distractions, and not just the election. I went to London for a few days to report on a scientific meeting about evolution and cranking out a story about it. It was published this Tuesday by Quanta.

Seventy years ago, geneticists and other researchers created a new framework for investigating Darwin’s theory of evolution. The Modern Synthesis, as it’s now known, has been a powerful tool ever since. But in recent years, some scientists have argued that it needs an overhaul. They’ve developed a new framework that they call an “Extended Evolutionary Synthesis.” They hold that we need a broader understanding of the causes of evolutionary change. Scientists need to take into account the constraints on development, for example. They need to explore how species shape their environment, which in turn shapes their evolution. Continue reading “Friday’s Elk, November 25, 2016” →