Rebecca Enzor's Blog, page 6
January 31, 2017
Science Tuesday: January 2017
Happy Tuesday, Aledan Merfolk! It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted a Science Tuesday, but since I’m focusing on science activism this year, I thought it was time to start it up again. I’m posting tons of science news from the past month, so get ready to have your mind blown by awesomeness.
Incubation times for some dinosaur eggs stretched into months
Second type of dark matter may have once existed in early universe
NASA may house astronauts on Mars in advanced igloos
Geologist may have found fossil of ancient reptile
Scientists seek answers about Earth’s earliest years
A look at how connectomes work
Gut membrane reclassified as organ
Off switch devised for CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system
Ancient cross etched near older menorah carving in Israel cave
Songbirds experiencing mating woes as urban development grows
Ocean ecosystems detailed in new 3D map
Tiny worm species starts life as a “swimming head”
Study compares mortality rate in adults born to mothers with, without diabetes
Distant dwarf galaxy source of recurring radio bursts, researchers say
Bizarre asteroids focus of 2 new NASA missions
Purple rocks on Mars linked to mineral
Ancient shark-like creature related to mysterious modern chimaeras
Researchers show how carbon atoms can break 4-bond rule
Mediterranean diet may stave off brain shrinkage
1.7% of patients become long-term opioid users, study finds
Huge quantity of black holes seen in X-ray image taken by space observatory
Ancient, rare berry fossil found in Patagonia
Scientists use high-tech techniques to reconstruct face of ancient man
Massive iceberg close to breaking off from Antarctic ice shelf
Infants’ early introduction to peanuts could prevent allergies later
Device allows safer insertion of softer nanoelectrodes into brain
Study finds no link between inadequate vitamin D in infancy, food allergy
Stars on track to collide in about 5 years
Strong, light structures created with graphene
Great Barrier Reef’s past holds lessons for today
Pathogen that caused Irish potato famine started in South America
Hagfishes’ loose skin can protect them from shark bites
Microbes linked to endometrial cancer, could help screen for disease
Several objects hit Earth, creating moon from moonlets
Hubble looking at interstellar clouds with eye toward future missions
New negatively charged hydrogen clusters created in lab
Higher levels of shellfish toxin seen when ocean temperatures rise
Silicon may be among elements found in Earth’s core
Study associates prenatal antacid intake, increased asthma risk
Comets detected flying toward star in the Beta Pictoris Moving Group
Exoplanet may be causing shadow in disk surrounding star
Wounds may one day be stitched with artificial spider silk
Wings of huge ancient goose built for fighting, not flying
Physical components needed for speech may have evolved earlier than thought
Strange digestive tract keeps leggy sea spider’s blood circulating
Stem-cell procedure restores vision in blind mice
Pain-signaling protein also triggers relief
Childhood secondhand smoke exposure may increase miscarriage risk
Protein found in bacteria can act like a prion
Predatory behavior triggered in mice when brains stimulated by laser light
World’s tightest knot created by chemists in UK
Mysterious Planet Nine may have come from another solar system
Study reveals moon is 4.51 billion years old
Atari game system gets the best of neuroscientists
Consumed planet, not aliens, caused star’s strange dimming
Harvester ants soften large seeds by letting them germinate
Researchers examine how earwax works
Number of ring-tailed lemurs in wild drops 95% since 2000
Geologists uncover details about supercontinents
Japanese spacecraft spots massive gravity wave over Venus
Oxygen levels briefly high enough to support complex life 2.3B years ago
Formerly mated leopard shark now produces offspring asexually
Researchers identify genes behind false thumbs on giant, red pandas
Common leopards heading higher in Tibetan mountains
Compound can block old blood’s aging effects in brain
Researchers examine efficacy of wearables to predict diseases
Babies learn language very early
Machine learning algorithm can predict quantum computer’s state
More countries to release bacteria-infected mosquitoes to fight dengue, Zika
Vampire bats widen their menu to include human blood
Turtle-shaped sunspot seen in ALMA radio telescope images
Cirrhosis risk higher for hospital patients with alcohol problems
Saturn moon Daphnis seen making waves in A ring
Curiosity’s latest Mars rock find likely a meteorite
It looks like 2016 has edged out 2015 as world’s warmest year
60% of primate species could soon be extinct
Traffic noise raises tree frogs’ stress levels
Mexico’s Colima volcano eruption recorded by webcam
3D-printed model helps researchers understand ancient portable sundial
Observing sun’s position helps ants navigate
Researchers developing polio vaccine that contains no live virus
Stronghold located in Scotland is from Dark Ages
Cell-like chemically active droplets may contain clues about origins of life
New Horizons on way to study Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69
Humans may have spurred extinction of Australia’s ancient megafauna
Caterpillar with leafy covering seen moving through Peruvian Amazon
Sedentary lifestyle may make cells age faster
Remains of ancient wolf-sized otter found in China
Solar system’s past uncovered in rare shards of early meteorites
Fear of death eased following out-of-body experience via VR
Masked hypertension may elevate heart disease risk
Hormone injections may help with sexual arousal
US cervical cancer mortality rates are underestimated
Researchers create bacteria with 2 additional letters in genetic code
Personality traits linked to brain wrinkles
Plasma accelerator may be key to studying information loss in black holes
Clusters of dwarf galaxies discovered
Cats likely have episodic memory
EPA told to stop new grants, contracts
Rats grow mouse pancreases in lab
Head ornamentation linked to larger dinosaurs
Evidence of plate tectonics seen on Charon
Measurement of kilogram to be redefined in 2018
Chimera embryos developed in sows for 28 days
Hydrogen transformed into metal under extremely high pressures
Interest growing for pro-science march in D.C.
Pilgrimages may have spread leprosy to medieval England
Study unlinking memories in mice could lead to PTSD treatments
Avian influenza’s geographic reach, diversity of strains could signal danger
Unique amber-encased insect should have its own order, researchers say
Rise in drug-resistant bacteria seen in China
Time crystals that move without energy developed
Ancient, rare meteorites were common over 466 million years ago
What makes something meaningful examined in study using LSD
Newly discovered Amazon reef seen in pictures from Greenpeace
Children with autism may benefit from microbiota transfer therapy
Researchers develop new canine influenza vaccines
Methane spikes may have kept ancient Mars warm enough for liquid water
Rocks may be concealing life on Mars
Oxygen in moon soil may have been picked up from Earth’s magnetosphere
Tiny sea creature is humans’ oldest ancestor
Researchers aim to improve wine through biotechnology
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January 27, 2017
Baby Showers and Activism
Happy Friday, Aledan Merfolk! It’s been a long, draining week that started in a tiny plane and running from one side of Dulles airport to the other with all my bags in three minutes, and ended with my neck and rib going out in an excruciatingly painful manner (probably because of said plane and running). The neck and rib are back in place and I made the connecting flight, so everything’s good, but I’m exhausted and ready for a weekend at home filled with reading, writing, and animals (and possibly another trip to the theater to see Rogue One).
[image error]Last weekend I flew home to Michigan for my little sister’s baby shower. Her belly was so big, and I got to feel my niece kick! It was wonderful
Ah, the inauguration. All week (hell, since the election), I’ve been drowning in politics. Several folks posted this article: How to #StayOutraged Without Losing Your Mind, and one of the points was to chose the issues that are most important to you and focus on those, otherwise you’ll drown trying to focus on everything. So I’ve chosen my issues: women’s reproductive rights (I set up monthly donations to Planned Parenthood last year), and science, especially now that the EPA and other government agencies are under a gag order. I’ll RT other causes to bring awareness, and do what I can, but I’m focusing on the two things that are most important to me at the moment.
In reading news, I finished possibly the best overall series I’ve ever read with MORNING STAR by Pierce Brown. I really can’t say enough amazing things about this series, especially considering the political climate we’ve found ourselves in. I also caught up on the Gentleman Bastards series with THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES which was possibly my favorite of the series because Sabetha is such a great character.
Other than the audiobooks, I’ve been reading STORY FIX to fix my stories. And it’s working! I figured out what’s wrong with Kaye’s storyline in Fie Eoin, but I haven’t successfully figured out how to fix it yet. I’m going to try to write a query for her side of the story to see where I can strengthen it and see if that helps me figure out how. She needs more conflict, and to tie into the core story more, but I’m not quite yet sure how to get there and keep what I need to happen in. Either way, I highly recommend Story Fix if you’re floundering with your novel.
Keep working, keep fighting, and enjoy your weekend, Aledans!
[image error]Me and my “sisters” celebrating little Nugget
January 16, 2017
Custom of the Week: Wish Bear
Happy Monday, Aledan Merfolk! Last week on Twitter I came across an article of another author who started out writing with My Little Pony! I was super excited to meet a fellow pony-collecting author, and eventually the conversation turned towards other 80’s cartoon/toys, with many people mentioning Care Bears. And I remembered I had recently seen a Care Bear custom that I’d been meaning to feature, so off I went to find it!
[image error] Wish Bear, by Gotbunny Customs
The nose! 
