ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 491

How To Get Off The Couch And Into Exercise

Health and Medicine





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Starting an exercise regime from scratch can be daunting. Krissa Corbett Kavouras/Flickr, CC BY-SA

Current guidelines suggest Aussie adults should accrue at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. However, 60% of us fail to meet this recommendation, and around one in six aren’t doing any regular exercise at all.

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Counting Cheetahs: A New Approach Yields Results In The Maasai Mara

Plants and Animals





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A new method of counting cheetahs has helped researchers to get a better idea of their numbers. Mara Cheetah Project, Femke Broekhuis

Being a cheetah researcher in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, I’m often asked how many cheetahs there are in the region. It’s an important question, especially for conservation as it is crucial to accurately estimate population sizes and to monitor trends into the future.

Should We Edit Out Genetic Disease?

Health and Medicine





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Pipette tips with reaction mixture to amplify DNA. anyaivanova/www.shutterstock.com

As genomic medicine advances, the possibility of manipulating our genetic makeup, and that of our future children, is rapidly becoming a reality. But, even if we could edit out genetic disease, does that mean we should?

The Greatest Taboo? The Surprising Truth Of What The Bible Says About Incest

Editor's Blog





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Lot and his daughters, by Hendrick Goltzius, 1616. Dennis Jarvis/flickr, CC BY-SA

Incest sparks strong emotions – and today, in many cultures at least, they are largely negative. But has it always been thus? Or is the taboo peculiar to certain times and places?

Incest taboos are often said to be universal – and sex with a close relative (one’s parent, child, or sibling) is widely considered particularly depraved, as well as detrimental and stigmatising for any offspring who might result from such a union.

Atomic Oxygen Has Been Detected In Mars’ Atmosphere

Space





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The present is the key to the past. Vadim Sadovski/Shutterstock

As far as we know, we’re the only habitable planet in the Solar System. We have yet to discover life elsewhere, but Mars – even today – is a pretty good bet. It’s got salty, liquid water on its surface, and although its atmosphere is thin and insubstantial, microbial life could lurk within the sediments, where it’s shielded from incoming solar radiation.

The UAE Wants To Build A ‘Rainmaking Mountain’ – Are We All Ok With That?

Environment





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pisaphotography / shutterstock

Eglwyswrw is a real place. This village in Wales is as long on rain as it is short on vowels. Last winter, it rained for 85 days in a row, just missing out on setting the British record.

How The Last Two Montserrat ‘Mountain Chicken’ Frogs Could Save Their Species

Plants and Animals





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This particular male, calling on a rock, may be the last hope for his species. Photo Sarah-Louise Adams, Durrell, Author provided

The “mountain chicken” frogs on the Caribbean island of Montserrat are in a perilous and seemingly irredeemable situation. It’s worth questioning whether attempted recovery is even worth the effort. After all, this species, one of the world’s largest frogs, will have to recover from just two individuals.

“Scarface,” The Beloved Bear Of Yellowstone Park, Has Been Killed

Plants and Animals





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Scarface, pictured in spring 2014. rwarrin/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

One of Yellowstone National Park’s most famous residents has been killed.

Officials from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced last week that “Scarface” the grizzly bear was shot by a hunter last fall, just outside of the park’s boundary near Gardiner, Montana.

HIV-Infected Organs Transplanted For The First Time In The U.K.

Health and Medicine





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It is hoped that this could open the way for HIV-infected patients to routinely donate organs. sfam_photo/Shutterstock

Doctors have performed transplants with HIV-infected organs for the first time in the U.K. The organs were given to patients on the transplant waiting list who were also HIV positive, and they have so far been recovering well. It is hoped that by relaxing the rules and regulations regarding who can donate organs, for which HIV-positive people had been banned, more organs will be available for those on the waiting list.