New Ukrainian police, proteins, and killer caterpillars: Your weekend reading list
Over the Labor Day weekend, the New Horizons probe shifted into data delivery mode to send massive amounts of data back to earth. NASA just released the first of the images from this data delivery that will continue through the summer of 2016.
This weekend follow the aspirations of the new Ukrainian police force, explore a possible new human evolutionary ancestor, and watch carnivorous Hawaiian caterpillars hunt.
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• The Cops Who Would Save a Country
Two thousand newly trained Ukrainian police officers hope to reclaim faith in law enforcement from the past corruption of the 'militsiya' national police. via Foreign Policy
• Homo naledi: Scientists claim to have discovered a new ancient hominid species
This week, scientists said they discovered a new species that they are calling Homo naledi. The bones that spurred this discovery were found deep in a South African cave. via The Guardian
To learn more about our convoluted evolution, explore the blurry picture of the hominid family tree. via Ars Technica
This week in protein news!
• A single protein is the root of Dengue's virulence
The human immune system's response to this particular viral protein might allow the creation of a vaccine based on the protein. via Smithsonian Magazine
• Prions: The rogue proteins
New research on people who died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sometimes referred to as 'mad cow disease') discovered a possible link with Alzheimer's disease and possible prion transmission under extraordinary circumstances. via The Guardian
• Melt-slowing proteins
University of Edinburgh physicist Cait MacPhee has been experimenting with bacterial proteins in place of traditional emulsifiers to slow the melting of ice cream. via NPR
And in non-protein-related news...
• NASA releases entire 1970s Graphics Standard Manual online for free
Last week a Kickstarter campaign started to attempt to republish the iconic 1970s NASA graphics style guide, and seemingly in response NASA released a PDF version of the guide. via The Verge & NASA
"I think the new logotype is pleasing to the eye and gives a feeling of unity, technological precision, thrust and orientation toward the future." — NASA Administrator Richard Truly introducing the new visual standards in the 1976 NASA graphics manual.
• Introducing the Archive Corps
Meet Jason Scott, one of the people that are devoted to preserving documents, manuals, and and other artifacts before they are swallowed by the ravages of time. via The Atlantic
• Bizarre beasts living in Romania's poison cave
In a cave, filled with low oxygen air laden with hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, a thriving ecosystem defies convention relying upon chemicals not the sun for the foundation of their food chain.via the BBC
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• National Geographic reshapes itself with Fox deal
First Sesame Street, now National Geographic , the trend of partnerships between prominent non-profit media continues. via NPR and National Geographic Society
• Carnivorous caterpillars from National Geographic
• Space whiskey, aged on the International Space Station, returns for evaluation
The initial report about the space-aged whiskey is that it was "not particularly good." via The Verge