The hottest Biology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

Links 2/18/23

Quibbling • 0 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Engineered biodegradable seed carriers inspired by nature can help with environmental challenges like landslides and reforestation.
  2. Microsoft is making changes to Bing Chat AI after it made unsettling comments, but overall AI technology is quickly improving.
  3. Integrating AI into education can lead to low-quality results initially, but using multiple prompts and co-editing can improve outcomes.

Glycolymericks

The Science Monologue • 0 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Enzymes play crucial roles in converting sugar into energy
  2. Hexokinase, Phosphoglucose isomerase, and Phosphofructokinase-1 are key enzymes in the process
  3. The glycolysis pathway involves multiple steps and enzymes to produce ATP

Institutional economics through the lens of scale-free regulative development, morphogenesis, and cognitive science

Engineering Ideas • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Socioeconomies are non-ergodic systems with hysteresis, and history matters in understanding their structures.
  2. The complexity of socioeconomic structures goes beyond individual behavior and requires a non-reductionist approach.
  3. Policies and regulations in economies are more effective when supported by networks of checks and balances among various organizations.

Industrialized Bio-Sequestration

A Natural Language • 0 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Topsoil carbon is a major contributor to the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
  2. Fossil fuels directly contribute 12% of atmospheric carbon dioxide, despite a drop in use during economic lockdowns.
  3. Capturing waste output from smokestacks and using it for plant growth can help mitigate carbon emissions.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Wednesday Curiosity Links

Grist Potentia • 0 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Today in history, G. H. Hardy was born - a famous mathematician known for his work in number theory.
  2. Genes may not be the complete blueprint for life as previously thought.
  3. Noise pollution is a significant environmental concern that needs attention.

Friday Curiosity Links

Grist Potentia • 0 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. James Joyce, an influential writer, was born on February 2, 1882.
  2. Spider webs collect environmental DNA from land vertebrates.
  3. Physicists are hunting for the missing matter in the universe in a 'Dark Dimension.'

Thursday Curiosity Links

Grist Potentia • 0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Fritjof Capra, an Austrian-born American author and physicist, emphasized interconnectedness and systemic information in his works.
  2. Microbes that led to all plants and animals becoming multicellular were discovered to have existed 1.6 billion years ago.
  3. There is an increasing focus on inner speech in philosophy and the implications it holds.

Wednesday Curiosity Links

Grist Potentia • 0 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Ken Wilber, American theorist and writer on transpersonal psychology, had an unconventional path in education.
  2. I.I. Rabi discussed the connection between the sciences and the humanities in relation to the Atom Bomb.
  3. Physicists found evidence suggesting time reversibility in glass.

Links for Fall 2023

Perambulations • 0 implied HN points • 20 Nov 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Cats are evolutionarily perfect due to their extreme specialization for hunting.
  2. Data visualization can lead to cognitive errors and should be carefully considered.
  3. Polygenic risk scores have marginal benefits in disease screening and may not be effective for population-wide risk stratification.

Book Review: "The Great Mental Models: Physics, Chemistry and Biology" Vol. 2 - by Farnam Street 4/5

Poczwardowski Notes • 0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. The second volume of 'The Great Mental Models' explores physics, chemistry, and biology, offering practical and timeless concepts that can improve our thinking.
  2. The second book maintains the high quality aesthetic of the first volume but feels more practical and grounded in the laws of nature.
  3. Exploring concepts from various scientific branches, such as those presented in the book, supports multidisciplinary thinking, helping us solve problems better and avoid repeating mistakes.

Links #3

Splitting Infinity • 0 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. The use of genetically modified neurons to improve MRI imaging of the brain by producing protein-based contrast agents is an intriguing idea.
  2. Real hedge funds do not seem to use certain advanced algorithms for portfolio selection despite proven performance improvement.
  3. FPGA's are versatile hardware that can be programmed for various computational tasks and have applications in fields like antennas, random number generation, and hardware security.

Links #1

Splitting Infinity • 0 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Research is exploring deriving spacetime from simple quantum models, potentially changing how we understand gravity and space.
  2. Innovations like ultrasound for gene therapy and brain imaging are showing promise in medical advancements.
  3. Focusing on specialized models for deep learning tasks could lead to safer and more efficient AI development.

isotope

the rohn report • 0 implied HN points • 22 Aug 20
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Isotopes are atoms with different numbers of neutrons, which can affect their stability and behavior.
  2. Different isotopes have varying half-lives and can be used for dating materials, such as carbon-14 for archaeological purposes.
  3. Studying isotopes like uranium has practical applications and helps in understanding Earth's history and the origins of life.

Electric Mushrooms and the Circuitry that Loves Them

Cybernetic Forests • 0 implied HN points • 05 Jun 22
🔬 Science Biology
  1. A synthesizer transforms electricity into sound, similar to how a bassoon uses airflow to create music. The path electricity takes in a synthesizer is altered by manipulating the components and circuits.
  2. Electricity is everywhere, and the manipulation of electrical signals is crucial in creating music with synthesizers. Understanding circuits and modules in a synthesizer helps control the direction of electric pulses.
  3. Living things, like mushrooms, emit electrical signals that can be harnessed and interpreted by synthesizers. Electric currents from organisms can be used as control signals, influencing the flow and shape of generated waves.

Shiitake Mushroom, How Do You Know?

Cybernetic Forests • 0 implied HN points • 10 Apr 22
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Mushrooms communicate through electrical pulses that resemble human language, showcasing the complexity of nature's communication systems.
  2. The project 'Appetite for Deconstruction' explores using mushrooms to remediate plastic and transform cultural artifacts, highlighting the potential for innovative environmental solutions.
  3. Listening to nature, like mushrooms, can provide insights into different forms of intelligence and communication beyond human understanding, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Writing in Biology, Society, and Technology

Ulysses • 0 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. The essays explore how our biological limitations influence society and drive technological advancements.
  2. Topics include survival, role specialization, memory, social conditioning, and more, all tied to biology's impact on society.
  3. The roadmap hints at additional essays exploring dating markets, artificial intelligence, evolution, and inherent human limitations.

The Many Forms of Vitamin K

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 28 Apr 13
🏥 Health & Wellness Biology
  1. The names 'vitamin K1' and 'vitamin K2' are historical artifacts based on their initial sources.
  2. The length and saturation of the tail structure of vitamin K determine how it is distributed to different tissues in the body.
  3. Different forms of vitamin K, like MK-4 and MK-7, have unique roles in the body, such as MK-7 being better at supporting blood clotting and reaching bone, while MK-4 plays a role in gene expression and inhibiting the growth of certain cancers.

Cholesterol's Importance to the Cell Membrane

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 27 Dec 08
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Cholesterol is a crucial component of cell membranes, contributing to about 20% of its mass and helping maintain the membrane's integrity.
  2. Cholesterol helps regulate the fluidity of cell membranes, preventing them from becoming too fluid or too firm, ensuring optimal cell function.
  3. Cholesterol plays a key role in securing important proteins within the cell membrane, aiding in various cellular functions and communication between cells.

Isoprenes

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 20 Dec 08
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Isoprenes are essential compounds found in every living cell, with various important functions in the human body such as being precursors to cholesterol and coenzyme Q10.
  2. Humans obtain crucial isoprene compounds from their diets, which are not produced by the body, and they are also present in medicinal plants like licorice.
  3. Isoprenes play a vital role in the synthesis of glycoproteins, which are essential for cell communication, and are involved in anchoring proteins to cell membranes for various functions.

Cholesterol's Hydrocarbon Tail

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 09 Nov 08
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Cholesterol's hydrocarbon tail is non-polar because the electronegativity of hydrogen and carbon are similar, making the electron cloud evenly distributed over both atoms.
  2. Polar molecules like water dissolve in other polar molecules, while non-polar molecules like fats dissolve in other non-polar molecules, creating a division between water-soluble and fat-soluble substances.
  3. Cholesterol is amphipathic, containing both a water-soluble region (hydroxyl group) and a fat-soluble region (steroid ring structure and hydrocarbon tail), making it vital for its function in the body.

Cholesterol's Hydroxyl Group

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 09 Nov 08
🔬 Science Biology
  1. The hydroxyl group in cholesterol is important because it is polar, having positive and negative poles, and is water-soluble.
  2. Water is a polar molecule due to its hydroxyl groups, demonstrating how opposite charges attract each other.
  3. Cholesterol is an example of an amphipathic molecule, with a water-soluble polar region and a water-insoluble non-polar region.

Atoms and Molecules

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 06 Nov 08
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter, made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. They form by balancing positive and negative charges.
  2. Covalent bonds are formed when atoms share electrons to fulfill a full outer shell, creating molecules like water.
  3. Ionic bonding occurs when atoms transfer electrons, resulting in charged ions that stick together oppositely to form compounds like table salt.

Cholesterol Chemistry 101

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 0 implied HN points • 17 Sep 08
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Cholesterol is composed of a hydrocarbon tail, a ring structure with 4 hydrocarbon rings, and a hydroxyl group. The combination of these regions classifies cholesterol as a sterol, the animal sterol.
  2. Cholesterol is amphipathic because it contains both water-soluble and fat-soluble regions. It travels in the blood via lipoproteins like LDL and HDL.
  3. Cholesterol, although containing a water-soluble region, is not water-soluble enough to dissolve in the blood directly. Instead, it travels in the blood with fats and fat-soluble nutrients.

Physics of intention and action

Space chimp life • 0 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Thought needs to have some effect on the world to be useful. If it doesn't change anything, we can't test or notice it.
  2. Actions often require more energy than the intention behind them. Like how a tiny joystick can move a heavy crane, we need stored energy to make big movements happen.
  3. The energy involved in our actions connects back through history. Every time we move, we are using energy that has been stored and transformed, showing how life's history influences what we do.

When the tide goes out

do clouds feel vertigo? • 0 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. We all have internal rhythms that control our daily life, like how we breathe and sleep. These rhythms have critical points where they shift from one state to another.
  2. When something shifts between two states, like being calm and angry, it’s similar to how systems in nature move from order to disorder. This helps us understand how change happens.
  3. Counting breaths can help us manage our emotions better. Instead of saying 'I'll see you later,' we can measure time in breaths for more peace and balance.

Quacking the Code: Bridging the Animal-Human Divide

Nano Thoughts • 0 implied HN points • 04 Apr 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Transfer learning allows computers to use knowledge from one area to help in another. This approach helps in drug development by applying what we've learned from studying animals to predict how those drugs might affect humans.
  2. Gene reactomes help us compare how genes respond to drugs across different species. This means we can identify which genes may act similarly in humans and animals, leading to safer drug development.
  3. The Universal Gene Embedding framework acts like a translator for genetic information. It allows scientists to understand gene functions across species, making it easier to predict how drugs will work in humans based on animal studies.

The NextSeq 550 LEDs And More Dye Experiments

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. The NextSeq 550 uses affordable components like $30 LEDs and image sensors, making it impressive for its cost-effective design.
  2. Experimenting with the LED pinout and driving them at certain voltage and current allowed for practical testing with a spectrometer.
  3. The author shares measurements taken through the NextSeq 550 optical system, indicating a hands-on approach to understanding its functionality.

Bodies Bodies [3]

The Author Is Dumb • 0 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. There is a giant humanoid figure in the stratosphere, which is really huge and looks like a human but we don't know what it's made of. It's just sitting there and not moving at all.
  2. No one knows how this figure got there or if it's dangerous. It might even affect the weather and air travel because it's blocking the sky.
  3. Everyone is puzzled and scared about this thing, and scientists are trying hard to figure out what it is and where it came from. Governments are meeting to plan what to do next.

Wax On, Data On: Why Systems Biology Needs Its Mr. Miyagi Moment

Nano Thoughts • 0 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Building a strong foundation before specialized learning is important. Just like in karate, having basic skills helps in mastering advanced techniques later.
  2. Large datasets without labels are crucial for training AI in systems biology. These datasets can help uncover hidden patterns in biology, similar to how language models learn from vast amounts of text.
  3. Advanced AI can make healthcare more personalized and efficient. With better AI models, diagnoses may be quicker, and treatments could be more suited to each person's needs.

Not All Zeros Are Equal

Nano Thoughts • 0 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
🔬 Science Biology
  1. Not all zeros in data mean the same thing. Sometimes, they can indicate something was never there, or other times, they mean something was just missed.
  2. Zero inflation happens when there's lots of data and many readings come back as zero. This can make it hard to understand what's really going on behind those zeros.
  3. There are different methods to deal with zeros in data, like checking if they are real or just unnoticed signals. Choosing the right method is important to get accurate insights.