On 28 November 1967, she detected a “bit of scruff” on her chart-recorder papers that tracked across the sky with the stars.
11 Likes
In 2018, she was awarded the Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. Following the announcement of the award, she decided to use the $3 million (£2.3 million) prize money to establish a fund to help female, minority and refugee students become physics researchers.
15 Likes
I’d still like a word or two with the jerks who were in charge of handing out the Nobels back when.
6 Likes
For chronic GI issues, there is this:
Science!
12 Likes
Ok, this is straight nerding out but wow! I never even thought of hearing and cnidarians in the same thought.
This woman is doing good work.
(Flashback to college days. Simon Frasier 2as one of our rivals in swimming at the national level.)
7 Likes
Asked to speculate on the interactions and possible conflicts that may have taken place between H. naledi and H. sapiens, Berger replied, “Everything you just asked, within the next 36 months, we will have answers.”
7 Likes
They are kidding, right? Homo sap will fuck anything that is marginally compatible, and lots that are just not. Curious about possible genetic components that might crop up, though. Naledi is probably too ancient for DNA to be recovered, so it would have to be exclusionary, but the possibility is there!
11 Likes
As a species- we’ve been around the block a few times. And a few blocks.
10 Likes
13 Likes
15 Likes
That is absolutely fascinating. Good thing i have time tomorrow to go diving into that wormhole!
5 Likes
Nah, the thagomizer is found on stegosaurs, this is about ankylosaurs. Thagomizer is still valid. (In a hilarious aside, paleontologists have actually adopted the term “thagomizer” as a real, official designation for that part of the animal!)
14 Likes
They’re related, though. Both are suborders of Thyreophora.
The article makes a serious reference to the thagomizer, with no apologies.
“This structure is similar to but distinct from the thagomizers of stegosaurians and the tail clubs of ankylosaurids.”
13 Likes
I really wanted to say thagomizer was for stegosaurs but I was worried about the reaction to being so pedantic about a made-up term from a Far Side cartoon, so thank you. 
I have also seen it used for Spinophorosaurus, a sauropod that actually did have tail spines the same way.
“Forgive me, father, for I have sinned. I have drawn dinosaurs and hominids together in the same cartoon.” –Gary Larson
16 Likes
7 Likes
11 Likes
If you were a dinosaur with a big, smashy spiked tail, wouldn’t you just use it on everything?
10 Likes
If you can’t get away from a predator you use everything you have, whether or not it’s suitable for the purpose. But they make a good argument it didn’t come up as much and didn’t have a role in shaping ankylosaur clubs.
The spiked tails of stegosaurs are very likely a different matter…there I think they have found at least a little evidence they were defensive.
7 Likes
