Howdy paleoposse! Here are this weeks sciency links for your weekend reading pleasure.  This weeks links cover gold producing neutron stars, the boredom of travelling to Mars, some words of inspiration from Richard Feynman, and Comic-Con 2013.

Things that are science:

• The Giant Impact Model has long been the go to hypothesis for how the moon formed. But this National Geographic article shows that the debate is far from settled. 
• It’s long been understood that any element heavier than iron was likely produced in a super nova. Now scientists are seeing evidence that gold may have its origins in the collision of neutron stars.
• Of all the risks we take sending people to Mars- Microwaved by solar radiation, malfunctioning equipment- none may be as deadly as human boredom
• Ed Yong has a really cool article about the ongoing debate of whether or not the pachycephalysaurus used its dome for headbutting or more ornamental purposes.   Continue reading Your science links for the week of July 19th →

Hello paleoposse! This week I bring you some of my favorite science articles from around the internet. In keeping with the podcast theme, I’ve divided it up into things that are science, things that are sort of science, and things that wish they were science. This week we cover everything from chondrules to volcanoes to the science of the Flash and even a crazy preacher.

Things that are science…

• One of the more enduring controversies in meteoritics is how the rounded silicate inclusions in chondrites, chondrules, were produced. Some have argued that they condensed from the early solar nebula, while others contend that they originated from the guts of the earliest exploded planetesimals. The latter explanation is gaining momentum.
• Slate has an excellent article on why testicles are kept in such a vulnerable position on most mammals.
• National Geographic brings us some gorgeous photos of the Mexican volcano, Popocatepetl.
• This article from BBC News looks at the science of pessimism and how one can become an optimist. Take some of it with a grain of salt, but still a fun read.
• Astronomers are working to figure out the origin of radio bursts that occur nearly every second every day. Some proposed ideas are evaporating black holes (my personal favorite) or black holes devouring neutron stars.
• Forget the Six Million Dollar Man. Bring on the new super food, the five million dollar broccoli! 

Things that are sort of science…

• Not a true science story, but one that talks about the implications of the water war occurring in southern Oregon.
• Ira Flatow tackles the reality of alternative medicine in this edition of Science Friday.
• Kyle Hill over at Scientific American put out an awesome post on why the Flash is the only person actually living in the present.

And things that wish they were science…

• In keeping with the “things that wish they were science” theme, io9 has a post about a preacher that’s convinced the new Star Trek movie will lead humans to really love their animals.