Skepticism
Skepchick Quickies 6.19
- FDA cracks down on “cancer cures”– Thanks James! More coverage at Science-Based Medicine.
- First successful reverse vasectomy on endangered species performed– To quote Emory, who sent this in: “Let’s say you have a horse that’s a member of an extremely rare, endangered horse species, already extinct in the wild.  Further suppose that this horse  is the “seventh most genetically valuable horse”  in the selective breeding program that’s keeping this species from going the terminal dodo-and-dinosaur route.  What would be the dumbest thing you could possibly do?
If you said “Give the horse a vasectomy!”… Congratulations!” - How to power nap and why you should– Mmmm, sleep.
- Sally Ride honors 25th anniversary of her spaceflight with a push to protect Earth-Â Ride is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her flight by hosting a conference for teachers on the basic science behind climate change and ways to bring that science into the classroom.
Re Power Naps. Great News! Although it looks like I’ve passed out in the tea room after a long lunch of beer and peanuts, I’m actually consolidating my neural thingy. Yipee
I’m glad to see that the article acknowledged the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, whose 45th anniversary just passed on Monday.
Also: I was power-napping before power-napping was cool.
Dangit, I knew it was going to be a Przwalski. Those guys are AMAZING. I saw some once in a Parisian park or zoo. It makes you realize that the Lascaux cave painters weren’t taking as much stylistic license as you might think.
I’m power napping right nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
I’ve been experimenting with napping for a few years, since I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy. It’s possible that my circadian rhythm has been destroyed along with the part that turns my sleepiness on and off.
This article lays it out a lot more clearly than I’ve seen, and explains why I might have such a hard time waking up and why I feel so much more tired after a nap. I might try it out again.
I also a little wary that more time spent napping means even less time exercising, but I won’t be surprised to find that napping might work better than exercising for me. A body that is in a constant state of sleep-deprivation is pretty reluctant to do anything but store fat, despite how much exercise you do.