Carl Zimmer
@nytimes columnist. New book: "She Has Her Mother's Laugh" bit.ly/SheHasHerMothe… My tweets are invitations to read the stories to which I link.
Thought Leader
| #395 | The New Center |
Last synced from Twitter 10d ago
Feds Target Butina’s GOP Boyfriend as Foreign Agent
Paul Erickson served as accused Kremlin spy Maria Butina’s guide as she penetrated the American conservative movement. Now he’s under investigation as a Russian agent, too.
14 great science and tech books to give as presents this Christmas
From the true nature of time to the world's most extraordinary brains to why you should ditch social media, Culture picks the best books to give this year
All the Light There is to See? 4 x 10⁸⁴ Photons
Astronomers have calculated all the light ever produced by all the stars in the cosmos. It’s a lot, but on the cosmic whole, not that much.
Carl Zimmer
All the Light There Is to See? 4 x 10⁸⁴ Photons
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Wealthy sex offender settles suit, averting victim testimony
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A last-minute settlement has been reached in Florida in a long-running lawsuit involving a politically-connected financier accused of sexually abusing dozens of teenage girls. The deal came Tuesday just before jury...
E.P.A. to Roll Back a Restriction on New Coal-Burning Plants
The move will make it easier to build new coal plants in the United States, the latest signal that the federal government is embracing the industry.
CRISPR Scientists Slam Methods Used on Gene-Edited Babies
Since He Jiankui presented his results at last week's gene editing summit, researchers have raised concerns about his protocol, calling the procedure "amateurish" and "unconscionable."
The 13 Best Geeky Gifts for Mom and Dad
From a smart microwave to a new board game, check out our favorite gifts for your favorite parents—whether they’re tech-savvy or not.
Carl Zimmer
What gift should you get for your parents? @wired suggests “She Has Her Mother’s Laugh.” THEY ARE SO RIGHT.
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Chinese lab sought help editing PCSK9 gene in human embryos
A member of Chinese scientist He Jiankui's lab emailed a U.S. researcher last year asking for advice on editing the PCSK9 gene in human embryos.
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Carl Zimmer
‘CRISPR babies’ lab asked U.S. scientist for help to disable cholesterol gene in human embryos statnews.com/2018/12/04/cri… via @statnews
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Mueller preparing end game for Russia investigation
The office of the special counsel investigating ties between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election says it is "tying up loose ends."
Carl Zimmer
Mueller preparing endgame for Russia investigation news.yahoo.com/mueller-prepar… via @YahooNews
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Ancient DNA from chewing gums connects material culture and genetics of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in Scandinavia
The discussion of an early postglacial dual-route colonization of the Scandinavian Peninsula is largely based on associating genomic data to an early dispersal of lithic technology from the East European Plain. However, a direct link between the two...
CNN's Idea of an E. coli Expert? ‘Food Babe’
The FDA poured cold water on the self-appointed food investigator's advice.
Climate change policy can be overwhelming. Here’s a guide to the policies that work.
A new book from veteran energy analyst Hal Harvey simplifies decarbonization.
Carl Zimmer
Climate change policy can be overwhelming. Here’s a guide to the policies that work. vox.com/energy-and-env… via @voxdotcom
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What is special about humans?
As soon as somebody asks the question “what is a ____?” we get into trouble. Not because we do not know about the thing in the blank, but because we tend to have the wrong idea about how to answer …
The CRISPR Baby Scandal Gets Worse by the Day
The alleged creation of the world's first gene-edited infants was full of technical errors and ethical blunders. Here are the 15 most damning details.
She Has Her Mother's Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity by Carl Zimmer
Award-winning, celebrated New York Times columnist and science writer Carl Zimmer presents a history of our understanding of heredity in this sweeping, resonating overview of a force that shaped human society — a force set to shape our future even...
EXCLUSIVE: Absentee ballot envelopes in North Carolina fit into "a pattern of fraud"
The Congressional race in North Carolina's 9th district, where Republican Mark Harris is leading Democrat Dan McCready by just 905 votes, has drawn national attention because of highly unusual patterns in mail-in absentee ballots. In Bladen County,...
The World Is Gathering To Save Us From Climate Change. It’s Not Going Well.
Expectations are lackluster for the year’s most important climate meeting, starting today in Poland’s coal country and sponsored by coal companies.
In the Blink of an Eye, a Hunt for Oil Threatens Pristine Alaska
For decades, opposition to drilling has left the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge off limits. Now the Trump administration is hurriedly clearing the way for oil exploration.
We need a temporary moratorium on making gene-edited babies
A three-year moratorium on making genetically modified babies gives time for both the science and societal discussions to advance without being a burden.
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Carl Zimmer
Commentary today from @pknoepfler: put a temporary moratorium on germline CRISPR—don’t let things get out of hand as they did with stem cell clinics.
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An ‘epic scientific misadventure’: NIH head Francis Collins ponders fallout from CRISPR baby study
Collins sees very few cases where altering “the very essence of humanity” would be justified
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Carl Zimmer
Heredity as essence: @NIHDirector says germline CRISPR gene editing would be "something that alters the very essence of humanity.”
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