Early Bird Science

Kristen discusses a new superglue from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania that imitates the way snail slime works. The adhesive is not only super strong - It stuck a human to the ceiling! - but is also reversible, a combination of properties that is currently rare and in-demand in areas like auto manufacturing, household use, robotics, research, and medicine. Kristen also gives an overview of how this new invention could make it to you as a consumer in the future through a process called "technology transfer."

References and Resources

• More details and video of a grad student suspending himself from ceiling with this adhesive: https://medium.com/penn-engineering/penn-engineers-demonstrate-superstrong-reversible-adhesive-that-works-like-snail-slime-9b98cc3db257
• Primary publication: https://www.pnas.org/content/116/28/13774
• Article: https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-engineers-demonstrate-superstrong-reversible-adhesive-works-snail-slime

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Website: earlybirdscience.com

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To the moon! ...Almost!

Kristen discusses what happened during the Chandrayaan 2 mission on September 7, 2019 when the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) lost contact with their spacecraft as they were trying to land it on the moon. She talks about why the setback is a bummer but also gives her opinion on why this mission and others like it bring hope for space exploration and even human purpose.

References and Resources

• Articles:
  • https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02697-z
  • https://www.sciencenews.org/article/india-lost-contact-chandrayaan-lunar-lander-before-touchdown-moon
  • "As Tricky As Holding A Newborn": ISRO Chief On Chandrayaan 2's Landing: https://youtu.be/ujl210f7tjU
  • Orbiter has located lander: https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/isro-finds-lander-vikram-exact-location-1596857-2019-09-08
  • Possible lander is still sitting in tact on the surface: https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/chandrayaan-2-lander-vikram-intact-moon-isro-says-not-confirmed-1597265-2019-09-09
• ISRO: https://www.isro.gov.in/

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Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

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Have you ever wondered what those squiggly lines mean on heart monitors in the hospital or on TV? More importantly, has a friend of yours ever gotten a heart beat tattoo, and you really wanted to critique it? This episode is part 2 of 2 on EKGs, so if you haven't yet listened to Part 1, we encourage you to go back one episode to get caught up.

In Part 2 Kristen discusses:

• Parts of an EKG signal
• Heart electrophysiology
• What doctors can tell from EKG signals, and
• Examples of unhealthy signals

References and Resources

Textbook: Vander's Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of Body Function, 13th Edition; Widmaier, Raff, Strang

Website: https://www.practicalclinicalskills.com/ekg

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Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience

Have you ever wondered what those squiggly lines mean on heart monitors in the hospital or on TV? More importantly, has a friend of yours ever gotten a heart beat tattoo, and you really wanted to critique it? In this episode, Kristen talks about what you're seeing when you look at an EKG. As AV explains, Kristen got a bit carried away recording this topic, so it is split into two parts.

Part 1 discusses:

• What an EKG looks like
• A brief review of anatomy of the heart
• What an EKG is and is not recording
• The definition of "EKG," and
• How EKG recordings are made

Listen for Part 2 in the next episode for more.

References and Resources

Textbook: Vander's Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of Body Function, 13th Edition; Widmaier, Raff, Strang

Website: https://www.practicalclinicalskills.com/ekg

Connect - Leave comments, and ask science questions!

Website: earlybirdscience.com

Twitter: @EarlyBirdSci

Instagram: @EarlyBirdScience

Facebook: @EarlyBirdScience

Kristen welcomes you to the first ever episode of Early Bird Science! She gives an introduction to the show and what you can expect from future episodes. Then Kristen talks about a scientific discovery that bees can recognize zero. She discusses the experiments researchers did to make this discovery, as well as why it is a big deal. We hope you are BUZZing with excitement!

References and Resources

Primary publication

• http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6393/1124

Why zero is important

• https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/what-zero-and-why-it-so-important/

Other references

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180607141031.htm
• https://www.newscientist.com/article/2142884-bees-are-first-insects-shown-to-understand-the-concept-of-zero/
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2044-835X.1986.tb00995.x

Show Site

earlybirdscience.com

Early Bird Science is coming soon! Kristen and AV tell you how to find out the moment Episode 1 is available.

earlybirdscience.com