Tales of Science

Thoughts about Theories, Truth, and Unicorns – written by Ines Leko

Where Is The Unicorn?

Are unicorns a real thing? Not the ones printed onto bottles of alcohol or condoms, but as living, breathing creatures? No? Can you proof it?

Written by Ines Leko

How about Evolutionary Ethics?

How the evolution of mankind can be linked to ethical behaviour.

Dune Review – written by Daniel A. Pritchard

Killing the Kwisatz Haderach: how Dune dismantles Eugenic Philosophy

As a long-standing fan of Frank Herbert’s Dune novels and a fan of heady sci-fi in general I’ve have been delighted by the mass adoption of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies. The adaptation of a saga whose core themes are environmental protection, the dangers of charismatic leaders and allowing machines to think for us, itself feels more relevant than ever in an age of climate disaster, rising far right populism and AI. A theme that we as students of evolution should pay attention to however is that of Eugenics.

Comic Book Peer Review – written by Daniel A. Pritchard

A Reminder Lab Safety Protocols are Important.

If Neil DeGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, and director of the Hayden Planetarium, can ruin your favourite movies with science. Then I, a perpetually perplexed evolutionary geneticist, and PhD can use that same over-analysis to explain a few comic book storylines you’ve never heard of.

Under the dissection microscope this issue is:

Spider-Man: The Six Arms Saga (Amazing Spider-Man Issue #100-103)

"Do lab rats dream of testing chambers?" – written by Max Baldy
Theeyebrow-labrats-picture
© Taylor Rystrom

Some facts about animal dreaming

People have speculated about animal dreaming for a long time. The scientific and philosophic community however, has been hesitant to ascribe internal states to non-human animals in the past, perhaps out of fear of anthropomorphisation. Indeed, some people argue that dreaming is an entirely human affair. But again, many things once thought to be exclusively human characteristics turned out to be not that exclusive after all.

"Can domestication be regarded as a form of evolution?" – written by Melanie Gleske
Theeyebrow-domestication-picture
© Taylor Rystrom

Wild cavies versus guinea pigs

Whether it is your cat, dog or the grazing cows you see driving by a field – most animals with which we have something to do on a daily basis are domesticated.

"Cry me a werewolf" – by Angelica Coculla
Theeyebrow-crymeawerewolf- C Angelicacoculla
© Angelica Coculla

The molecular synchronization of werewolf transformation to the circalunar cycles

When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
The werewolf will morph
under the full moon
And someone will be doomed.