Curiosity Killed the Rat

Welcome to the first of our special episodes brought to you in conjunction with Pint of Science! If you don’t know what Pint of Science is, you can find out more via their website: https://pintofscience.com.au . Have you ever wondered how the cells in your brain and nervous system talk to each other? Neurons connect and communicate with each other via tiny structures called “synapses”. Elysa Carr - a graduate researcher from the Presynaptic Physiology laboratory at The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health - joins us for this special Pint of Science episode. They teach us all about these synapses, their research trying to understand the processes involved in how synapses work, and why on earth we should care. So, crack open a beer (or a soft drink!) and enjoy!If you loved what Elysa had to say, you can find them on twitter (https://twitter.com/asciencequeer). If you want to know more about Pint of Science you can also find them on twitter (https://twitter.com/pintofscienceAU). And as always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email us at [email protected] Sources:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234146/https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/brain-metrics/are_there_really_as_many/https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.01703

What do a facebook group, a superhero movie, and a science podcast have in common?ANTSThat’s right, this episode we dive deep into the world of ants! What is really going on inside an ant’s nest, deep below ground? How do ants carry out epic heists when they can’t really plan or communicate? How accurate WAS Marvel’s Ant Man? Both in ant science… but also in physics?Episode Sources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ2jMZ-gaIhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/ant-colonieshttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004101011300384Xhttps://science.sciencemag.org/content/343/6174/1014https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/osj/8/1/8_1_81/_article/-char/ja/https://academic.oup.com/jee/article-abstract/109/2/779/2379622https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/414723https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/585892https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1629898https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfLNIxKjDkchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HedZXw_hAbshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG-QZOTc5_Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3zy5M-L2s8&t=213sYou can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]

Kate and Matt are joined this episode by the chemical cowboy Declan Burke, who tells us all about the wonders of Hydrogen. Why is Hydrogen such a good fuel? How do we make Hydrogen fuel? Why hasn’t the world fully embraced it yet? We also tackle a listener question that builds on our previous episode as we plunge briefly back into the world of soap… can germs grow on a bar of soap? If so… can soap actually make us sick?Studies mentioned in episode: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8264434https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17051871https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1256339/?page=1&fbclid=IwAR3hgwykglvB4ltFY0ZETvRzlmWMS4NQXo7AjWtL7r8FbWwGjKzs5bl_nyIhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=3402545&fbclid=IwAR1b2PKDweCQcUuEOvEIL2pfz2PthEKL525fG0YIMn2ycSSDMIEQScR1MEMYou can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]

Amidst the madness of the COVID-19 pandemic, we keep hearing the constant message of “wash your hands”… but why is this so important?! How does something as simple and ancient as soap manage to become our most effective weapon against this virus? To understand this, Kate and Matt delve into the chemistry behind soap and what is actually going on when you wash something with soap. Our listener question then takes a slight detour from our current pandemic-driven reality, and we chat about alcohol… does drinking on an empty stomach actually effect your blood alcohol concentration? How!?Episode Sources:https://www.livescience.com/57044-science-of-soap.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/health/soap-coronavirus-handwashing-germs.htmlhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/why-soap-preferable-bleach-fight-against-coronavirus/https://www.latimes.com/xmje8wabslg-123https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2020/3/11/21173187/coronavirus-covid-19-hand-washing-sanitizer-compared-soap-is-dopehttps://mcwell.nd.edu/your-well-being/physical-well-being/alcohol/absorption-rate-factors/https://www.intox.com/physiology/You can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]

In the final instalment of our epic 3-part coronavirus special, once again joined by public health expert Ellie Duckworth, Ellie and Kate tackle all your questions! We plough through most of the questions we got, which range from molecular-based to philosophical to basic advice. We then go over some of the best conspiracy theories we’ve heard - is there any truth there? We then wrap up with the positives to have come out of this situation, to leave you maybe a sense of hope going forward!If you loved what Ellie had to say you can find her on twitter (https://twitter.com/elliedemiology), and as always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQsu3Kz9NYo (good visualisation of PCR)ACE-2 References:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867420302294https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4594Reproductive number calculations:https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316Genome Sequencing and Originshttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htmhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16195424https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4875465/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32007145https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2012-7Clinical features:https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltextCOVID-19 vs. Flu:https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-fluKids and COVID-19:https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/possible-biological-explanations-for-kids-escape-from-covid-19-67273Respiratory droplets:https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-warm-weather-study.htmlhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973SARS and MERS:https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12985-015-0439-5https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8953389_The_Severe_Acute_Respiratory_SyndromeWHO Situation Reports:https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/Other:https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/scientists-firmly-determine-that-sars-cov-2-was-not-engineered-332244?fbclid=IwAR1WIcJibcTaFw3C4aen5nzjihUO_jFVRIYOG7yHMii2MxRK98RZQDL6XLAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP9bcNkvTMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlRvqhGdPkhttps://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/vitamin-d-helps-the-immune-system-during-cold-and-flu-seasonhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30675873https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

In the final instalment of our epic 3-part coronavirus special, once again joined by public health expert Ellie Duckworth, Ellie and Kate tackle all your questions! We plough through most of the questions we got, which range from molecular-based to philosophical to basic advice. We then go over some of the best conspiracy theories we've heard - is there any truth there? We then wrap up with the positives to have come out of this situation, to leave you maybe a sense of hope going forward!

If you loved what Ellie had to say you can find her on twitter (https://twitter.com/elliedemiology), and as always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]

Refences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQsu3Kz9NYo (good visualisation of PCR)

ACE-2 References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867420302294

https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4594

Reproductive number calculations:

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316

Genome Sequencing and Origins

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16195424

<...

This is part 2 of a 3-part series on the coronavirus pandemic currently sweeping the globe. Joining us again we have Ellie Duckworth – our epidemiologist – weighing in with educated opinions on the matter. This episode the Duck teaches the Hucks about the specifics of this novel coronavirus, SAR-CoV-2, and the resulting COVID-19 illness. We give a brief outline of how this thing has unfolded, and how it differs from the SARS and MERS situations discussed in the previous episode. We talk about the method of testing for COVID-19, how that works and why there is currently a shortage of tests. We discuss the Australian government’s response, specifically delving into the response regarding schools – are we doing the right thing by keeping them open? We then blast through some of the biology and virology of the disease. How does it bind and enter our body? What does it do once it gets in there? Then we address and explain the all-important buzz term of “flattening the curve”, why it matters, and how you can help. Finally, we clarify what is meant by the “incubation period” and what you can actually expect regarding symptom presentation.If you loved what Ellie had to say you can find her on twitter (https://twitter.com/elliedemiology), and as always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQsu3Kz9NYo (good visualisation of PCR)ACE-2 References:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867420302294https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4594Reproductive number calculations:https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316Genome Sequencing and Originshttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htmhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16195424https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4875465/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32007145https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2012-7Clinical features:https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltextCOVID-19 vs. Flu:https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-fluKids and COVID-19:https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/possible-biological-explanations-for-kids-escape-from-covid-19-67273Respiratory droplets:https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-warm-weather-study.htmlhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973SARS and MERS:https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12985-015-0439-5https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8953389_The_Severe_Acute_Respiratory_SyndromeWHO Situation Reports:https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/Other:https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/scientists-firmly-determine-that-sars-cov-2-was-not-engineered-332244?fbclid=IwAR1WIcJibcTaFw3C4aen5nzjihUO_jFVRIYOG7yHMii2MxRK98RZQDL6XLAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP9bcNkvTMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlRvqhGdPkhttps://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/vitamin-d-helps-the-immune-system-during-cold-and-flu-seasonhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30675873https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

This is part 2 of a 3-part series on the coronavirus pandemic currently sweeping the globe. Joining us again we have Ellie Duckworth - our epidemiologist - weighing in with educated opinions on the matter. This episode the Duck teaches the Hucks about the specifics of this novel coronavirus, SAR-CoV-2, and the resulting COVID-19 illness. We give a brief outline of how this thing has unfolded, and how it differs from the SARS and MERS situations discussed in the previous episode. We talk about the method of testing for COVID-19, how that works and why there is currently a shortage of tests. We discuss the Australian government's response, specifically delving into the response regarding schools - are we doing the right thing by keeping them open? We then blast through some of the biology and virology of the disease. How does it bind and enter our body? What does it do once it gets in there? Then we address and explain the all-important buzz term of "flattening the curve", why it matters, and how you can help. Finally, we clarify what is meant by the "incubation period" and what you can actually expect regarding symptom presentation.

If you loved what Ellie had to say you can find her on twitter (https://twitter.com/elliedemiology), and as always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]

Refences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQsu3Kz9NYo (good visualisation of PCR)

ACE-2 References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867420302294

https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4594

Reproductive number calculations:

This is it. Our biggest and most ambitious episode so far. In this massive multi-part special episode, we talk all things coronavirus. Matt and Kate are joined by Ellie Duckworth: A Master of Public Health graduate, specialising in epidemiology and biostatistics. In our opening episode, we try to give a bit of background and context to the current situation. We give a brief history of other coronavirus outbreaks, like SARS and MERS, which have given scientists a head-start when it comes to understanding this novel coronavirus. We detangle definitions: what is COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 or just plain old “coronavirus” and how are they different? What do we mean by a pandemic vs an endemic vs an epidemic?If you loved what Ellie had to say you can find her on twitter (https://twitter.com/elliedemiology), and as always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]:

ACE-2 References:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867420302294https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4594Reproductive number calculations:https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316Genome Sequencing and Originshttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htmhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16195424https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4875465/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32007145https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2012-7Clinical features:https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltextCOVID-19 vs. Fluhttps://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-fluKids and COVID-19https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/possible-biological-explanations-for-kids-escape-from-covid-19-67273Respiratory droplets:https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-warm-weather-study.htmlhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973SARS and MERShttps://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12985-015-0439-5https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8953389_The_Severe_Acute_Respiratory_SyndromeWHO Situation Reports:https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/Others:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQsu3Kz9NYo (good visualisation of PCR)https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/scientists-firmly-determine-that-sars-cov-2-was-not-engineered-332244?fbclid=IwAR1WIcJibcTaFw3C4aen5nzjihUO_jFVRIYOG7yHMii2MxRK98RZQDL6XLAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP9bcNkvTMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlRvqhGdPkhttps://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/vitamin-d-helps-the-immune-system-during-cold-and-flu-seasonhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30675873https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

This is it. Our biggest and most ambitious episode so far. In this massive multi-part special episode, we talk all things coronavirus. Matt and Kate are joined by Ellie Duckworth: A Master of Public Health graduate, specialising in epidemiology and biostatistics. In our opening episode, we try to give a bit of background and context to the current situation. We give a brief history of other coronavirus outbreaks, like SARS and MERS, which have given scientists a head-start when it comes to understanding this novel coronavirus. We detangle definitions: what is COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 or just plain old "coronavirus" and how are they different? What do we mean by a pandemic vs an endemic vs an epidemic?

If you loved what Ellie had to say you can find her on twitter (https://twitter.com/elliedemiology), and as always, you can follow Curiosity Killed the Rat on twitter (https://twitter.com/CuriosityRat), Insta (https://www.instagram.com/curiosityrat/), and facebook (https://www.facebook.com/curiosityrat/), and email in your listener questions to [email protected]

Refences:

ACE-2 References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867420302294

https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4594

Reproductive number calculations:

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316

Genome Sequencing and Origins

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16195424

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4875465/