Posts by Bridget DeSimone
Another Reason to Be Wary of Snakes: They Harbor a Deadly Brain-Swelling Virus
For years, scientists and public health officials couldn’t figure out how the deadly mosquito-borne Eastern Equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) survives the cold mosquito-killing winters in the Northeastern U.S. But a new study offers a missing piece to the puzzle: snakes. According to researchers who wrangled and tested snakes (mostly Cottonmouths) in the Tuskegee National Forest, the reptiles harbor the virus in their bodies throughout hibernation.
Challenging Rabies’ Killer Reputation
Rabies has been thought of as one of the world’s deadliest infections, and exposure to it—usually through the bite of a rabid animal—an automatic death sentence unless immediately treated with a series of painful injections. But according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers have uncovered a pocket of people in a remote area of the Peruvian Amazon who show a natural resistance to the disease.
Map Aims to Help Health Officials Take a Bite Out of Lyme Disease
After sizing up more than 5000 ticks, researchers have created a detailed map of the Eastern United States pinpointing where humans are at highest risk of contracting the disease.
Tinkering with Analogies
A clever analogy can be the best tool for communicating your important research findings to the public.
Making (Seismic) Waves with Social Media
Remember what a powerful medium social media is for promoting your work far and wide… and sometimes fast.
Artfully Answering the Wrong Questions with the Right Answers
Robin Hanson asks in a recent post on her blog Overcomingbias, “Why is modest question evasion so often tolerated in TV and radio interviews?” Her question was sparked by a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology’s April Issue that found that listeners often won’t notice discrepancies between the question that was asked and the answer that is delivered as long as it is done smoothly and confidently.
