Science Moms lean into ‘humanness’ to educate on climate change risk - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Three years ago, I published a series of four articles (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) engaging with Dave Farina who had published a video critique of Michael Behe’s three books, Darwin’s Black Box, The Edge of Evolution, and Darwin Devolves. Farina, though not holding a terminal degree in any field, is a popular YouTuber. He is a rather sad example of today’s low-quality Darwin defenders. Now, I am no credentialist, and I would not draw attention to Farina’s lack of a terminal degree were it not for the fact that he styles himself as “Professor Dave,” despite neither holding a doctoral degree in any discipline nor having a professorship position. Farina’s lack of an advanced degree does not even by itself form my opinion of his competence in the subjects that he addresses on his channel. To me as an expert, however, in some of the subjects Farina engages with, it is painfully apparent that Farina lacks expertise on these topics. I am not the only one to have this impression of Farina’s material. I know Professor James Tour arrived at a similar conclusion regarding Farina’s interaction with Tour’s own subject matter.

Scientists have identified a remarkable protein switch that influences whether cells burn fat or store it. Disabling this protein increases fat consumption and interferes with the formation of new fat cells, raising the possibility of a different approach to treating obesity. Subsequent research has strengthened the discovery, revealing that the same protein helps regulate how much energy the body burns. What if one of the keys to fighting obesity lies not in suppressing appetite, but in changing how the body's cells use energy?

The tiny remains of the Laurentide Ice Sheet began getting somewhat less tiny. Baffin Island is a good location for ice sheets to spend their retirement.

New aquabot offers a way to design small, efficient “biohybrid” robots. Continue reading MIT’s paper-thin robot swims with power from living cells on Tech Explorist .

Five spooky skywatching targets perfect for naked eye stargazing this Halloween!