Interesting Science Stuff

[Tidewater]

Here is another archaeology story. This one about the oldest known battlefield in Europe: Tollense Valley in northeastern Germany from 3,250 years ago.
Thousands of bones and hundreds of weapons reveal grisly insights into a 3,250-year-old battle


An image showing where the wounds found on the bodies. These wounds were found on multiple bodies, but when I first read the caption, it appeared that these wounds were all on the same guy. I was imagining the inner monologue of this poor guy, saying to himself, "Man, what an awful day I'm having."

 

[BamaNation]

... but when I first read the caption, it appeared that these wounds were all on the same guy. I was imagining the inner monologue of this poor guy, saying to himself, "Man, what an awful day I'm having."

 

[NationalTitles18]

 

[Bamaro]

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Star Trek was a lie!

 

[B1GTide]

Star Trek was a lie!

No, they used a warp drive which allowed them to move much faster than the speed of light.

 

[NationalTitles18]

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Bloomberg article on a 3D printer that has the potential to print human organs.

Australia’s Fast New 3D Bioprinter Can Mimic Human Tissues - Bloomberg

It's early, not fully tested, and generally not yet ready for prime time.

Still the possibilities are fascinating. I'm wondering if it has the potential to generate transplantable organs customized to the individual human being, and therefore not likely to be rejected. If so, nobody would die on the waiting list for a matching heart, liver, kidney, etc.

 

[NationalTitles18]

 

[NationalTitles18]

No reason to panic, but definitely concerning. The mutations are bringing this ever closer to a crossover event where human to human transmission will occur. I am not allowed to express all my concerns here any more, but the science-based concerns are enough by themselves.

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/05/nx-s1-5286265/bird-flu-cow-cattle-nevada

 

[B1GTide]

No reason to panic, but definitely concerning. The mutations are bringing this ever closer to a crossover event where human to human transmission will occur. I am not allowed to express all my concerns here any more, but the science-based concerns are enough by themselves.

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/05/nx-s1-5286265/bird-flu-cow-cattle-nevada

Virologists agree that this will make the jump to humans at some point. What remains uncertain is how dangerous the strain will be when that happens. But, yeah, it could really be a problem.

 

[NationalTitles18]

Plastic shards permeate human brains

Our brains are increasingly plastic. Minuscule shards and flakes of polymers are surprisingly abundant in brain tissue, a study of postmortem brains shows.

www.sciencenews.org

Plastic shards permeate human brains
A study of microplastics and nanoplastics in brains shows an astonishing increase over time

 

[NationalTitles18]

Sadly, at least one child died from vaccine-preventable measles from the ongoing outbreak.

Before vaccines 400-500 people a year were dying and after vaccines when measles was brought here - because the US had eliminated it with vaccines - it was usually US nationals bringing it back and only were able to spread it to a handful before the high vaccination rate stopped it. That rate has to be about 95% to stop community spread like is now ongoing and spreading to other states.

The MMR vaccine is safe, effective, and cheap and could have prevented this death. Study after study after study indicates it does not cause autism (there is zero credible evidence it does, in other words), as the fraudulent paper from the 1990s seemed to show due to falsified data.

Science is awesome. It's the method that helps us learn how to make our lives better and longer.

 

[NationalTitles18]

PS Some adults who were vaccinated before 1968 and those at high risk, such as healthcare workers and the immunocompromised, should consider getting a booster. Thankfully the CDC so far still has this information available here.

Adults
Adults who do not have presumptive evidence of immunity should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine.

Certain adults may need 2 doses. Adults who are going to be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles or mumps transmission should make sure they have had two doses separated by at least 28 days. These adults include

• students at post-high school education institutions
• healthcare personnel
• international travelers

With rare exceptions every child should be vaccinated to prevent getting and spreading this highly contagious and potentially deadly disease.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Agreed on the vaccines. And agreed that they don't cause autism.

But do you know where that idea got traction?

 

[NationalTitles18]

Agreed on the vaccines. And agreed that they don't cause autism.

But do you know where that idea got traction?

Wakefield's fraudulent study with falsified data. Then the idea was spread by grifters who, whether true believers or not, were also out to make a buck or two. The ones responsible for this have risen to prominence and power now, which from a purely public health point of view is concerning.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Wakefield's fraudulent study with falsified data. Then the idea was spread by grifters who, whether true believers or not, were also out to make a buck or two. The ones responsible for this have risen to prominence and power now, which from a purely public health point of view is concerning.

Here's an excellent summary of the problems with the Wakefield study. Starting with it was only 12 kids, most of whom had already been diagnosed with autism.

The autism-vaccine story: fiction and deception? - PMC

How it got published in Lancet at all is something I'd like to know.

 

[Padreruf]

Can one get the measles if they've been vaccinated?

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Here's an excellent summary of the problems with the Wakefield study. Starting with it was only 12 kids, most of whom had already been diagnosed with autism.

The autism-vaccine story: fiction and deception? - PMC

How it got published in Lancet at all is something I'd like to know.

Here is something I have always wondered. Experts say our brain is not fully developed until our mid 20s. If autism was caused by the MMR shot, why don't adults that get the booster at 17/18 show any signs of cognitive decline afterwards? Most of us college folks that got the booster are doing pretty well for ourselves. My guess is this is a move the goalposts type thing for the anti-vax crowd.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Can one get the measles if they've been vaccinated?

I've been researching a similar question: I had red measles as a child, about 7 or 8 years old. Do I need the vaccine?

Everything I've found says, "No. You're immune."

Of course, there are rare cases of re-infection even among people who've already had it. But the consensus is if you've already had measles, you're good for life.

The word on having had the vaccine is close, but not quite that strong. If you were vaccinated before 1967, or work in public-facing healthcare, or are immuno-compromised, or planning to travel internationally (especially to developing countries), you might want to consider a booster.

Side note: Even at that young age, I still remember how miserable I felt for what seemed like an eternity. Missed a week of school, and I rarely missed school at all. That would have been 1966 or 67, and I'm not sure if I was vaccinated. Probably not.

The Basket Cases are going across the pond in the next few months, and we both plan to get a COVID booster about 3 weeks ahead of 8 hours in the germ tube.