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jtotheizzoe: 2011 Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ could be biggest ever. The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, a result of nitrogen runoff from farming and human activities far up the Mississippi, has been measured this year at roughly the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined. The nitrogen influx allows algae and other tiny organisms to bloom, consuming the water’s oxygen and preventing fish and other wildlife from living or breathing there. This year’s dead zone may continue to grow past any previously recorded levels if it keeps up at this rate. 
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jtotheizzoe:

2011 Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ could be biggest ever.

The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, a result of nitrogen runoff from farming and human activities far up the Mississippi, has been measured this year at roughly the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

The nitrogen influx allows algae and other tiny organisms to bloom, consuming the water’s oxygen and preventing fish and other wildlife from living or breathing there. This year’s dead zone may continue to grow past any previously recorded levels if it keeps up at this rate. 

loeuvre-au-noir: March of the Microbes. Currently reading this. Anyone who has an interest in microbiology or is ignorant of how important they are should read this. “Because their form and size are so unimpressive, we are likely to conclude that microbes’ evolutionary accomplishments are trivial. Certainly, this is not the case. They solved all the fundamental problems of life - genetic, metabolic, and structural. We just added the more obvious, and perhaps dangerous, embellishments such as consciousness, intelligence, and articulate speech.” - John L. Ingraham
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loeuvre-au-noir:

March of the Microbes. Currently reading this. Anyone who has an interest in microbiology or is ignorant of how important they are should read this.

“Because their form and size are so unimpressive, we are likely to conclude that microbes’ evolutionary accomplishments are trivial. Certainly, this is not the case. They solved all the fundamental problems of life - genetic, metabolic, and structural. We just added the more obvious, and perhaps dangerous, embellishments such as consciousness, intelligence, and articulate speech.” - John L. Ingraham

#imnotacelebritygetmekloutofhere

Check this out:

I just visited Klout, my favorite website that measures online influence and I was listed, to my amazement, that I was given Celebrity status.  I immediately sent a tweet confirming this momentous achievement.  However, some minutes later, I received a very thoughtful mention from Klout officials that my Celebrity status was due to a bug.  Definitely no hard feelings, it was great to live the dream even if it only lasted 15 minutes.

Luckily I met some new temporary celebrities along the way and we created the hashtag #imnotacelebritygetmekloutofhere  

Maybe you were a celebrity today as well.  If you were, welcome to the club.

Happy weekend,


Will Spencer

@DrMicrobiology

In regard to the “telomere life span test” link I just posted …

jtotheizzoe:

My post basically explains how they aren’t to be trusted and how the science isn’t solid. And what should I see if I head over to the #Science tag page? A featured story about these life-span dna tests! Using a blood-sugar monitor for its picture, no less!

I love the #Science editors, great folks, mutual fans of each other’s Tumblrs … but come on y’all!

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