September 29, 2011

Google Logo Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm

Editor's Selections: Tapeworms, Schizophrenia, Little Ice Ages, Home Ritual Spaces, and Roman Religion

By Krystal D'Costa

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

A diverse collection to share this week from ResearchBlogging.org:

  • At Body Horrors, Rebecca Kreston tells readers tapeworms can grow 22 cm a day or 1 cm per hour - and the longest specimen every found was recorded at an alarming 25 m or 82 ft. Kreston has a somewhat terrifying history of the tapeworm in the United States among Scandinavian and Jewish populations.

  • The Neuroskeptic discusses research that challenges the understanding of schizophrenia in the developing world. Existing research suggested that recovery rates were higher in developing countries, though reasons why this might be were not readily understood. The research Neuroskeptic reports on identifies some differentiators, but our skeptical host cautions that the perspectives be a bit biased.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

  • At Up and Down in Moxos, Umberto investigates the hypothesis that Amazonian depopulation could have helped contribute to the Little Ice Age. The proposal is that depopulation caused by European diseases would have led to more abandoned farmlands that would have been reclaimed by reforestation - the process would have had an impact on the climate, driving a cool down. Umberto examines Amazonian population counts to determine if this would have been possible.

  • At Tropaion, Nikolaos Markoulakis discusses the creation of private ritual spaces within homes in Ancient Greece, tracing steps that echo in the small religious shrines that many observant people establish today.

  • And finally, at Genealogy of Religion Rousseau meets Frazier as the host explores the relationship between Roman political organization and civic religion.

I'll be back next week with more from anthropology, philosophy, and research.

Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism

Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.

When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.

Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber

Thank you,

Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe