Alien Entomology: Science on the Silver Screen

Alien Entomology: Science on the Silver Screen

Our expert for Alien in our Science on the Silver Screen film series was Dr. Matt Frye. Dr. Frye is an entomologist, a scientist who studies insects. The alien xenomorphs might be from another planet, but they have a very insect-like lifecycle and many insect-like body features as well. They are also something else that Dr. Frye has experience with: Parasitoids. This article is adapted from his presentation, and discusses the biology of the deadly xenomorph alien. 

Read More

How to Save the Earth from an Asteroid Without Blowing Anything Up

How to Save the Earth from an Asteroid Without Blowing Anything Up

Asteroids 10 km (~6 miles) in diameter strike the Earth every 50 to 100 million years. That puts us in the golden window of expecting another extinction-level extraterrestrial impact, though none appear likely in the near future. However, if we did spot a dangerous asteroid, there are more ways to deflect it than nuclear strikes, some of which are quite bizarre and entertaining.

Read More

The Power of Placebo: When Surgical Benefits Are All in the Mind

The Power of Placebo: When Surgical Benefits Are All in the Mind

Thought is a powerful thing, powerful enough to have dramatic effects on our bodies and health. while it’s become commonplace to compare medicines to placebos, there are other medical treatments that usually go forward without this placebo testing. One field that rarely involves placebo testing is surgery. The idea of testing placebo surgeries may seem absurd, but given the risky nature of surgery, it is vitally important to make certain that surgical interventions do what they’re supposed to.

Read More