A Harmful Mutation Evolved for Good, Why Astronauts Are Using Old Sailing Tech in Space, and Cody’s Message

Learn about how a mutation that evolved to protect us against malaria actually makes us more prone to other diseases; and why astronauts are using old sailing technology (sextants) to navigate through space. Plus: a special update from Cody!

A mutation that makes us prone to autoimmune diseases evolved to protect us from malaria by Cameron Duke

• Khan, N., de Manuel, M., Peyregne, S., Do, R., Prufer, K., Marques-Bonet, T., Varki, N., Gagneux, P., & Varki, A. (2020). Multiple Genomic Events Altering Hominin SIGLEC Biology and Innate Immunity Predated the Common Ancestor of Humans and Archaic Hominins. Genome Biology and Evolution, 12(7), 1040–1050. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaa125
• McRae, M. (n.d.). Humans Might Be So Sickly Because We Evolved to Avoid a Single Devastating Disease. ScienceAlert. Retrieved August 13, 2020, from https://www.sciencealert.com/we-evolved-a-way-to-beat-a-deadly-infection-but-it-made-us-vulnerable-to-other-diseases
• Varki, A. (2008). Sialic acids in human health and disease. Trends in Molecular Medicine, 14(8), 351–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2008.06.002

Astronauts Are Using Old Sailing Technology in Space by Elizabeth Howell

• Holt, G. N., Wood, B. Sextant Navigation on the International Space Station: A Human Space Exploration Demo. (February 2019). NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS). NASA.gov. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20190001296
• International Space Station Cupola Observational Module. (2011). NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/cupola.html
• Apollo 13 Accident. (2016). Nasa.gov. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/ap13acc.html

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Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/a-harmful-mutation-evolved-for-good-why-astronauts-are-using-old-sailing-tech-in-space-and-codys-message

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