Big Biology

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.comWhat happens when potential fraud is detected in research papers on major medical issues?In this episode, we talk to Charles Piller, an investigative journalist who published a shocking story in Science magazine in July this year laying out compelling evidence for misconduct in multiple journal articles on Alzheimer’s disease. This misconduct appears to have occurred in recent papers involving the experimental drug, simulfilam, as well as older, foundational papers in Alzheimer’s research.Charles’s story focuses on the sleuthing of Matthew Schrag, a neuroscientist and physician at Vanderbilt University who studies Alzheimer’s disease himself. In an extensive (even heroic) effort, Schrag identified over 100 potentially manipulated images in multiple major research papers. We talk with Charles about the consequences of those seemingly fraudulent images for the field and for public trust in science. We also talk about the potential consequences for whistleblowers like Schrag, and what journals and funding agencies are doing to support integrity in basic research.Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.comCan genes in single species act as keystones in ecosystems? What is AOP2, and how does it affect community composition and persistence?In this episode, we talk to Matt Barbour, a professor at the University of Sherbrooke, about “keystones” in biology. You’re probably familiar with the keystone species concept, but Matt’s research focuses on whether genes can play a similarly fundamental role in an ecosystem. In an incredible set of experiments, Matt and his colleagues used simple experimental food webs to find that the stability of these miniature complex systems was strongly associated to the genotype at one specific locus in the plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, called AOP2. The particular genetic variant led to complete breakdown of community stability, imbuing that gene with a keystone-like function.We talk to Matt about his recent publication in the journal Science and discuss how results from his simple lab setup relates to keystone effects in natural communities.Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.comHow much coffee should we drink? Is there a scientific way to have a healthy, happy life? And how do we distinguish scientific sense from nonsense?In this episode, we talk with author and University of Alberta professor Timothy Caulfield about decision making and misinformation in the modern world. A surprising number of “common sense” decisions that people make in their daily lives are not actually backed by strong scientific evidence, and Tim strives to debunk these in his recent book, “Relax, Dammit!: A User's Guide to the Age of Anxiety”.Among other things, we discuss with Tim how often we should check email, and how risky it really is for kids to walk to school. We also talk about how science communication can be used to curb misinformation, and Tim shares his dos and don’ts for effective scicomm.Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

The biggest and best  biology and science podcast!! If you enjoy  science podcasts featuring in-depth conversations with scientists  subscribe now. Big Biology covers breaking  research and original thinking regarding evolution, genetics,  physiology, psychology, wildlife, nature, conservation, epidemiology and  more. Everything biological, anything mysterious, anything philosophical, everything scientific, you'll find it here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.comWhat are model organisms? Why have they been so important to biology?Much of biological research over the past 50 years has relied on model organisms. These species – which include mice, rats, fruit flies, and others – have yielded many insights and led to the development of better molecular tools and a scientific culture centered on sharing. At the same time, the money and effort devoted to model organisms may have undermined work on a broader diversity of species, more representative of life as a whole. In this episode, we talk with Sabina Leonelli and Rachel Ankeny, two philosophers of biology, about the history of model organisms and the positives and negatives of studying them.Sabina Leonelli is a professor and director of the Exeter Center for the Study of Life Sciences. Rachel Ankeny is a professor in the School of Humanities at the University of Adelaide. They are also authors of the book Model Organisms, a philosophical exploration of the concept of the 'model organism' in contemporary biology.Cover art: Keating Shahmehri

Season 5 of Big Biology starts next week, so this week we are thrilled to highlight Genetics Unzipped, another one of the great science podcasts out there. Genetics Unzipped is the official podcast of the Genetics Society, one of the oldest learned societies dedicated to promoting  research, training, teaching and public engagement in all areas of genetics. Hosted and produced by Drs Kat Arney and Sally Le Page, Genetics Unzipped entertains listeners with fascinating stories about all things genetics and DNA. In this episode, learn the science behind the macabre question, "when should you eat your relatives?" A look at kin-selection and all the wild scenarios in nature where this question arises, this episode is one of our favorites for all the “family dinner” puns alone!  Visit www.geneticsunzipped.com to learn more and see full episode transcripts, subscribe to Genetics Unzipped wherever you get podcasts, and say hello on Twitter @GeneticsUnzip This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.comWhy do some rove beetles look like ants? Why do living things evolve similar solutions to common problems? Is there predictability within the evolutionary process?On this episode, Art and Marty talk with Joe Parker, an entomologist at Caltech. Joe has been collecting beetles since the age of 16, when he first became amazed by their incredible diversity. He now focuses on rove beetles and studies their evolutionary relationship with ants to understand how different species converge upon similar traits.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.comWill cancer ever become just another chronic but manageable disease? What can a squirrel biologist teach us about treating cancer?In this episode, Marty and Art talk with Joel Brown about how to contain cancer using basic ideas from ecology and evolution. To Joel, cells in tumors are like organisms in ecosystems, and fighting cancer means using what we know about species in nature to tilt the playing field against the worst kinds of cancer cells. He and his team at the Moffit Cancer Research Center in Tampa, Florida, are starting to have some remarkable success treating different kinds of cancer.We interviewed Joel in front of a live audience at Circa 1949 in Tampa, FL—our first live event!

How do mantis shrimp punch as fast as a bullet… underwater? How do they break open one of the toughest materials on earth?Tune into this podcast to hear Art and Marty talk to Sheila Patek about how mantis shrimp pack such a powerful punch and why we should care. For example, mantis shrimp hammers can be used hundreds of thousands of times to break open the tough shells of snails and clams, and this research may help inspire lightweight, heavy duty military armor.Sheila studies the mechanics of ultrafast movements at Duke University. You may have seen her work featured by Science News (and numerous others) about the rules of animal fight clubs. But we can't talk about those. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigbiology.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit bigbiology.substack.comHow do animals construct tissues, organs, and limbs in the right places during development? How do some animals manage to regenerate missing body parts?On this episode of Big Biology, we talk with Michael Levin, a biologist at Tufts University who studies how electric fields inside animals guide cells during development and regeneration. His work shows that electric fields play fundamental roles in structuring body plans and, in some species, can even be inherited across generations.