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"Gene" is a general word for a piece of DNA that creates proteins, but what exactly are genes? Why do they matter?

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Sources:

DNA can't explain all inherited biological traits, research shows

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150402161751.htm

"Characteristics passed between generations are not decided solely by DNA, but can be brought about by other material in cells, new research shows. Scientists studied proteins found in cells, known as histones, which are not part of the genetic code, but act as spools around which DNA is wound. Histones are known to control whether or not genes are switched on."

Rosalind Franklin: Biography & Discovery of DNA Structure?

https://www.livescience.com/39804-rosalind-franklin.html

"Many people recall that the structure of the DNA molecule has the shape of a double helix."

What Are Proteins And What Do They Do?

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer#howgeneswork

"Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs."

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This sucker is nuclear, baby! Nuclear energy has been toted by some as the solution to our energy crisis, while others warn of its immense danger. But how did we even discover it? Why aren't we using it more? And what's the real deal with radiation, really? In this episode with Trace Dominguez, and special guest Dianna Cowern (Physics Girl), we explore all things nuclear.

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Sources:

Introduction: The Nuclear Age

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9956-introduction-the-nuclear-age/

Could this be the first nuclear-powered airliner?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160713-could-this-be-the-first-nuclear-powered-airliner   

Why America abandoned nuclear power (and what we can learn from South Korea)

https://www.vox.com/2016/2/29/11132930/nuclear-power-costs-us-france-korea

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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

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Ocean acidification, over-fishing, warming climate and other environmental triggers may spell the next "Great Dying," but are we there yet?

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Sources:

Early Accretion Of Water In The Inner Solar System From A Carbonaceous Chondrite-like Source:

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/346/6209/623

“Determining the origin of water and the timing of its accretion within the inner solar system is important for understanding the dynamics of planet formation."

Dehydration Melting At The Top Of The Lower Mantle:

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/344/6189/1265

“The high water storage capacity of minerals in Earth’s mantle transition zone (410- to 660-kilometer depth) implies the possibility of a deep H2O reservoir, which could cause dehydration melting of vertically flowing mantle."

Why Do We Look For Water When Searching For Extraterrestrial Life?:

https://io9.gizmodo.com/5728932/why-do-we-look-for-water-when-searching-for-extraterrestrial-life

“The assumption that alien biochemistries probably require liquid water may seem a little Earth-centric. But given the chemical possibilities available from the most abundant elements in the universe, even an alien scientist with a different biochemistry would probably agree that a water-solvent-based biochemistry is quite likely to occur elsewhere in the universe – and might well be the most likely foundation for a complex ecosystem in which intelligent life could develop."

Scientists Discover The Oldest, Largest Body Of Water In Existence — In Space:

https://www.fastcompany.com/1769468/scientists-discover-oldest-largest-body-water-existence-space

“Scientists have found the biggest and oldest reservoir of water ever—so large and so old, it’s almost impossible to describe. The water is out in space, a place we used to think of as desolate and desert dry, but it's turning out to be pretty lush."

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Follow Trace on twitter: http://twitter.com/tracedominguez

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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

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We spend 36 percent of our entire life asleep, but what exactly is happening to your body and brain while snoozing?

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Sources:

Do All Creatures Sleep?

https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/all-creatures-sleep.htm

Do Microbes Sleep?

https://www.popsci.com/blog-network/our-modern-plagues/do-microbes-sleep

Sleep vs Coma vs Anesthesia

https://www.tuck.com/anesthesia/

____________________

Follow Trace on twitter: http://twitter.com/tracedominguez

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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

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We've all learned it takes 24 hours for the Earth to rotate once on its axis but that isn't the whole story at all. There's much more to it.

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Sources:

Why Are There 24 Hours In A Day?:

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/11/15/3364432.htm

“While each country has (in broad terms) historically had distinct measurements for distance, weights etc the method of splitting the day into 24 hours, one hour into 60 mins and one minute into 60 seconds seems to be the only one in use, and indeed to me the only one I know of. "

Keeping Time: Why 60 Minutes?:

https://www.livescience.com/44964-why-60-minutes-in-an-hour.html

“How did we come to divide the hour into 60 minutes and the minute into 60 seconds? These smaller divisions of time have been in practical use for only about 400 years, but they were vital to the advent of modern science."

Why Is A Minute Divided Into 60 Seconds, An Hour Into 60 Minutes, Yet There Are Only 24 Hours In A Day?:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-time-division-days-hours-minutes/

“In today's world, the most widely used numeral system is decimal (base 10), a system that probably originated because it made it easy for humans to count using their fingers."

____________________

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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

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Noise and sound are not the same thing… Noise is more than just an annoyance, it's messing with our heads, literally. Too much noise can actually affect how we evolve, but just the write amount of noise makes us more productive! In this episode with Trace Dominguez, and special guest Mike Rugnetta (Reasonably Sound, CrashCourse) explores how exactly noise impacts our lives.

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Sources:

How Sound Shaped The Evolution Of Your Brain

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/09/10/436342537/how-sound-shaped-the-evolution-of-your-brain

The World Now Sounds Different to How it Did a Century Ago

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161110-the-world-now-sounds-different-to-how-it-did-a-century-ago

Owls use 'stealth technology' to help capture prey

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/aug/17/owls-use-stealth-technology-to-help-capture-prey   

____________________

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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

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Earth has shaped the way humans look and behave. How will future generations in space evolve under radiation and little gravity?

Sources:

How Many People Can Earth Support?:

https://www.livescience.com/16493-people-planet-earth-support.html

"The power of population is so superior to the power of the Earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race."

AFTER EARTH: WHY, WHERE, HOW, AND WHEN WE MIGHT LEAVE OUR HOME PLANET:

https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-02/after-earth-why-where-how-and-when-we-might-leave-our-home-planet

"Earth won't always be fit for occupation. We know that in two billion years or so, an expanding sun will boil away our oceans, leaving our home in the universe uninhabitable-unless, that is, we haven't already been wiped out by the Andromeda galaxy, which is on a multibillion-year collision course with our Milky Way."

____________________

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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

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We're excited to share the first episode of our new podcast BAD SCIENCE. If you'd like to subscribe, be sure to find the show on Apple Podcasts or find us wherever you discovery and listen to podcasts.

Calling all padawans! For Bad Science: Episode I, Ethan sits down with Reggie Watts for an epic conversation with Emily Manor-Chapman, a NASA Systems Engineer, to break down the science of STAR WARS: EPISODE V - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

We learn about gas giants like Bespin, the body warmth of dead Tauntauns, communicating at the speed of light, and a whole lot more.

Shoot us an email at [email protected].

Check out Emily's Inisght Mission (to Mars!) which launches May 5th.

https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/

More on Reggie at reggiewatts.com - see him nightly on THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN, and check out his new show TASKMASTER, Fridays at 11pm on Comedy Central.

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Coming May 1st, a new weekly show by Seeker that puts popular films under the microscope, breaking down the science with the help of a comedian and a scientist.

Be sure to subscribe and join us next week as we launch our first episode with Reggie Watts, dissecting Star Wars with a Nasa Systems Engineer.

Find it on iTunes or listen here.

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Blood is the red liquid that flows through your body and each of us have about 9-12 pints in us. Today we're taking a deep dive into the science of blood: what it's made of, what it does, and why it's so bloody important.

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Sources:

Blood Facts And Statistics

https://www.redcrossblood.org/content/redcrossblood/en/donate-blood/how-to-donate/how-blood-donations-help/blood-needs-blood-supply.html

Researchers closer to being able to change blood types https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150429132926.htm

Innate immunity: the first line of defence

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/lab-rat/innate-immunity-the-first-line-of-defence/

____________________

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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

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