Nels and Vincent discuss the discovery of a short RNA with the ability to catalyze its own synthesis.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• A small polymerase ribozyme (Science)
• Timestamps by Jolene

Nels – The University of Illinois Just Released a Popcorn So Good It Doesn't Need Butter Vincent – Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash by Alexander Clapp

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Nels and Vincent explain how stinkbug females smear fungus on their eggs to protect them from wasp parasitism.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• Defensive fungal symbiosis on insect hindlegs (Science)
• Timestamps by Jolene

Nels – Meet the Olympic superstar who trains under the radar in Utah Vincent – The Discovery That Changed the Universe

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Nels and Vincent explain how selfishness evolved multiple times from an essential tRNA synthetase gene in a nematode.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• Evolution of selfishness from a tRNA synthetase gene (Nat Ecol Evol)
• Timestamps by Jolene

Nels - From Where Does it STEM? Vincent - An Act of Cosmic Sabotage

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Nels and Vincent examines the use of AI and genome language models to design novel derivatives of bacteriophage phiX174.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• AI design of bacteriophage phiX174 derivatives (bioRxiv)
• Timestamps by Jolene

Nels – NIH official resigns after flap over risks of seasonal flu virus study and The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requests input from all interested parties on Federal policy updates that aim to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking discoveries, and ensure that scientific progress and technological innovation benefit all Americans. Vincent – One Plus One Equals One: Symbiosis and the evolution of complex life by John Archibald

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Nels and Vincent explain research which shows that insertion of a retrovirus into the genome regulates a novel color trait in swordtail fish.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• Retrovirus and swordfish scale color (bioRxiv)
• Timestamps by Jolene

Nels – Some like it hot! A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes and Kara Marshall's talk on history of science/science funding in the US, family connections to medical care, and her own lab's work at Baylor College of Medicine Vincent – NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling

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Nels and Vincent explain research attempting to explain why among humans, females around the world live on average 5 years longer than males, but the trend is reversed in many birds, amphibians, and insects.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• Sexual selection drives sex difference in adult life expectancy (Sci Adv)
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Nels – NIH Leadership Is Failing Early Career Researchers Vincent – Kennedy's Comments on Circumcision Are Only Going to Confuse and Shame Parents

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Nels and Vincent discuss research which shows a shift from the rule that living organisms produce same-species offspring: an ant that produces individuals from two distinct species.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• David Baltimore interview (TWiV 100)
• One mother for two species (Nature)
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Nels – Dr. Bill Rom, NYU canoes every lake connected by a portage trail in the Boundary Waters in Minnesota Vincent – Google just made photography obsolete

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Nels and Vincent discuss research on hidden evolutionary constraints that dictate the retention of coronavirus accessory gene, which was flagged by NIH as potentially dangerous gain-of-function research.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• Hidden evolutionary constraints and retention of coronavirus accessory genes (Curr Biol)
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Nels – NIH suspends dozens of pathogen studies over 'gain-of-function' concerns and Mentorship and acts of kindness Vincent – Kennedy's case against mRNA vaccines collapses under his own evidence

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Nels and Vincent review research on how neuropeptides influence the behavior of leafcutter ants, and regulate the different caste behaviors such as defenders, leaf foragers, brood care, and fungus farming.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• Neuropeptides and behavior of leaf cutter ants (Cell)
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Nels – My academic job offer was rescinded. I'll keep going—but U.S. researchers are running out of road Vincent – There's a new acid in our rain — should we be worried?

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Nels and Vincent discuss an ultra reduced archaeal genome, the closest cellular entity to date that approaches a viral strategy of existence.

Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

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• Ultra-reduced archaeal genome (bioRxiv)
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Nels – The Bethesda Declaration Vincent – US to Drop Guidance to Limit Alcohol to One or Two Drinks Per Day, Sources Say

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