Greetings–
On this Friday the 13th, I wish you only good luck and offer you the following diversions…
The DNA of a Million Veterans
–I’ve got a new story at STAT, about the next chapter in the history of genetics. Researchers are launching massive studies of huge numbers of people in order to link genes to diseases. One of the biggest is being run by the U.S. military. The Veterans Administration is gathering the DNA of a million veterans to study everything from diabetes to PTSD. I went inside the Million Veteran Program to get a first-hand look at this new way of exploring our genes. (Be sure to check out the video of the enormous operation!)
Introducing “Science Happens”
At STAT, I’m also going to be presenting a monthly video series called “Science Happens.” I’ll be visiting labs where some of the most intriguing medical research is taking place. The first video is now ready for your delectation. I visit John Krakaeur, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins University, who is developing a new way to treat people with strokes: using video games in which people pretend to be dolphins. Along the way I discover that if I were a dolphin, I’d probably end up as a shark’s breakfast pretty quickly.
I’m putting together a list of other labs to visit for the series, so if you know of any that are especially cool, let me know!
The Lilliput Effect
Mass extinctions don’t just wipe out lots of species. They also push evolution off in new directions. For my latest column for the New York Times, I write about new research revealing that vertebrates got small after a mass extinction. It’s a phenomenon scientists call the Lilliput Effect, and it offers a sobering hint at what life will be like on Earth as we drive big animals to extinction.
The Talks
New! In August I spoke at the New York Academy of Sciences about telling stories about science. They’ve posted the video here.
Also New! November 18, noon ET: I’ll be on Reddit’s “Ask Me Anything” page to talk about science writing, STAT, and recent developments in genetics and medicine. Join us and ask me anything. (Here’s a previous AMA I did a couple years ago to give you a sense of how they work.)
November 19, the New York City Genome Center: A panel discussion on “Jewish genomics” Details here.
January 28, the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ: Details to come.
June 23-25 International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, Plenary Lecture. Durham North Carolina. Here’s the meeting site.
July 31. I’ll be giving the keynote lecture at the annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America in Savannah
The End
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Best wishes, Carl
Originally published November 13, 2015. Copyright 2015 Carl Zimmer.