This Week in Evolution

Nels and Vincent discuss the discovery of a short RNA with the ability to catalyze its own synthesis.
Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello
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A small polymerase ribozyme (Science)
Timestamps by Jolene
Science Picks
Nels – The University of Illinois Just Released a Popcorn So Good It Doesn't Need Butter
Vincent – Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash by Alexander Clapp
Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

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Nels and Vincent explain how stinkbug females smear fungus on their eggs to protect them from wasp parasitism.
Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello
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Defensive fungal symbiosis on insect hindlegs (Science)
Timestamps by Jolene
Science Picks
Nels – Meet the Olympic superstar who trains under the radar in Utah
Vincent – The Discovery That Changed the Universe
Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

Send your evolution questions and comments to [email protected]

Nels and Vincent explain how selfishness evolved multiple times from an essential tRNA synthetase gene in a nematode.
Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello
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Evolution of selfishness from a tRNA synthetase gene (Nat Ecol Evol)
Timestamps by Jolene
Science Picks
Nels - From Where Does it STEM?
Vincent - An Act of Cosmic Sabotage
Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

Send your evolution questions and comments to [email protected]

Nels and Vincent examines the use of AI and genome language models to design novel derivatives of bacteriophage phiX174.
Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello
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AI design of bacteriophage phiX174 derivatives (bioRxiv)
Timestamps by Jolene
Science Picks
Nels – NIH official resigns after flap over risks of seasonal flu virus study and The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requests input from all interested parties on Federal policy updates that aim to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking discoveries, and ensure that scientific progress and technological innovation benefit all Americans.
Vincent – One Plus One Equals One: Symbiosis and the evolution of complex life by John Archibald
Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

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Nels and Vincent explain research which shows that insertion of a retrovirus into the genome regulates a novel color trait in swordtail fish.
Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello
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Retrovirus and swordfish scale color (bioRxiv)
Timestamps by Jolene
Science Picks
Nels – Some like it hot! A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes and Kara Marshall's talk on history of science/science funding in the US, family connections to medical care, and her own lab's work at Baylor College of Medicine
Vincent – NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling
Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

Send your evolution questions and comments to [email protected]