Science and Philosophy Club Rules OK!

[PeanutBean]

I've just been listening to The Food Programme on Radio 4. It was about omega 3 oils and was very interesting. My opinions of the supplements have always been low and of course as a vegetarian I am not able to supplement with this oil anyway.

The programme was looking at claims of omega 3 levels in foods advertised as being high. In brief, omega supplements are usually 3, 6 and 9 and apparently the 9 will do nothing and is not necessary, the 6 is already present enough in our diets so doesn't need supplementing and the 3 in most supplements and foods comes from plant sources and not fish. Now, again as a veggie, I'd wondered about plant sources but apparently they are short chain and humans are really crap at converting them to long chain which are the ones with benefits. So it would seem that nothing one can buy is likely to do any good, short of eating lots of fish anyway.

I was pleased to hear supplement things being rubbished (I am hugely cynical of nutritional supplements) but was more pleased to hear them mention vegetarians at the end. I had just been saying to DH how is it if these oils are so necessary that vegetarians tend to live longer than meat eaters and also suffer less heart disease etc. The answer was basically that they didn't know but they did say that for vegetarians the best supplements will come from marine algae.

Now, I am of course a marine biologist and we studied about these oils in my degree. I knew they came from marine algae and we learnt that lugworms (Arenicola) are massively higher in omega 3 than fish. I think the fish generally get it from eating invertebrates like lugworms. Lugworms get it from marine algae as well as from their own conversions.

I thought this was all very interesting so wanted to share it with the science club. Any thoughts?

 

[brownhairedmom]

Bump for intelligence!!!!

 

[Sarahkka]

PB, I will most definitely consider eating lugworm supplements!
Just kidding!
I do think most supplements are bogus (with the exception of Vitamin D) and I cannot wait for the day when the "health" food industry (including homeo and naturo-pathic remedies) has to conform to standards and testing like the rest of the medical industry. I think we'll all have a lot more safe choices once that happens.

Okay, thoughts on Copenhagen?
Canada is really getting pasted for being climate neanderthals, which I think we richly deserve. But so do the Americans. They're not getting hit as hard because Obama is very popular.
Regardless, we both suck and need to stop talking and start doing something.

 

[brownhairedmom]

We do need to do something! Its rather ridiculous. I do believe that the US is worse than Canada! They're not even part of Koyto! Maybe I'm biased because I live here, but I think that at least Canadians are open minded to trying to do something. Canadians are becoming greener by the second, and I know around here there is a HUGE push to reduce emissions! The paper mill here has recently undergone some changes internally to clear their emissions of some percentage of pollutants. Most of what comes out now is supposed to be steam. They're also putting a policy in place where they won't be using logs to make paper anymore, but buying wood chips from saw mills instead. At least a big company like Kruger is trying. If the rest could follow suit, that would be lovely.

 

[PeanutBean]

I haven't much of anything relating to proceedings, have they actually started now? I don't know if you've had it in the press over there but we've been having a lot of crap in the paper touted by the climate change skeptics. Some scientists in the climate change dept at the Uni of East Anglia have had their emails hacked and publicised where there is evidence of some data fiddling to match the man-made climate change hypothesis. It's rather naughty and very unfortunate. I wonder who figured it all out? It's been released in a timely manner to ruin the plans for Copenhagen. Of course a couple of scientists means jack in the face of the volume of literature supporting the hypothesis but for our ignorant public it's a big nail in the coffin of taking any action.

On a different note, at a recent work event I heard a short presentation about brewing and the guy was telling us about the variable genetics of yeast. There are group of genes called flow genes that regulate some substance in the yeast's coat that causes the cells to stick together (flocculate). It's important in brewing because ultimately you want the yeast to sink so the beer clears well. Anyway the interesting thing was that he recently read in Nature that the same group of genes have been implicated in huddling behaviour in penguins. How cool is that?!

 

[Sarahkka]

One of the things about nature that inspires a deep sense of spirituality in me is the amount of shared material in all living things. I love the fact that we share 60% (?) of our DNA with earthworms, let alone the fact that chimps should probably be re-classified as hominids as we share so much DNA.
I love the conservation inspiration from that idea. See article below:
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0520_030520_chimpanzees.html
So PB, the idea that penguins and yeast would share something just makes me really happy.
So does the Fibonacci sequence. I plan to develop a math program for kids all about that. The same pattern over and over from cosmic to microscopic. It's wonderful.

And yes, we've been hearing all about the "climate-gate".
And this morning, there was discussion of "Alberta-bashing", because apparently we're being picked on due to our Tar Sands. Puh-leeze! I have been to the Tar Sands. It is desolation as far as the eye can see. I have friends who work in land reclamation there. They say there's no such thing after the oil companies have been in there.
On the other hand, I drive a car, use electricity from coal power plants and have had several jobs that were paid for by donations from Big Oil.
I know I'd take a hit financially if they closed down.
I am, however, willing to do a LOT in terms of change. If it's presented well, I think a lot of people might be the same. Here's hoping, Rae.

Hey, you guys should check out my recent trip to the Royal Tyrell museum in Drumheller. Spectacular place. You should both come visit and we'll do a big dino tour. The Badlands of eastern Alberta are absolutely mindblowing and you can seriously spend days there and still just be astonished!

 

[Sarahkka]

Ha! And look what just got posted today! So much for my mystical DNA connection!
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/09/0924_020924_dnachimp.html

 

[brownhairedmom]

Drumheller! I've heard of this. I've never been to Alberta. I tend to stick around the maritimes. I have to say that I'm glad I live here. Its pretty clean here for the most part.

 

[PeanutBean]

lol at only 95% DNA shared with chimps, 'cause that's so low!

Yeah Sarahkka, life's genetic makeup has come from such a small place it's ace to see the similarities. I love seeing the same genes act in different but complementary ways, it really highlights the process of evolution. There's so much to explore too.

When we finally come to Canada we'll make sure we look you up. Our boys will be about 10 by then though!

Oh and I'm not so hot with the maths theories. There's a guy I work with in the NE who does maths engagement in schools and he plans some really fantastic stuff. Does maths tours around shopping centers and uses big visual physical pattern-based activities for kids to get involved in. Hey, you might be interested in our UK science communication forum: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com Lots of stuff that might be useful for you but maybe new.

 

[brownhairedmom]

Rioting in Copenhagen today. Lets see how this goes.