Bees: still not doing well. Photo by net_efekt.

• This week at Nothing in Biology Makes Sense! The evolutionary origins of polar bears.
• Fanning the flames. How industry lobbying has created regulations that made flame retardants ubiquitous in American home, even though the chemicals are hazardous, and don’t actually prevent fires.
• There’s a TREE paper somewhere in this blog post. The distinction between genes and environments is not as sharp as you might think.
• Nanotubes—in—space! A new drug delivery method developed by NASA will help more than astronauts.
• Good point, actually. Without randomized controlled trials, how do we know that parachutes work?
• It’s networking, not self-promotion. Why scientists are (still) suspicious of blogging, and why they shouldn’t be.
• And we still don’t know everything responsible. Honeybees are still in trouble.
• Omigod you guys, we’re surrounded by chemicals! The many things Nick Kristof’s crusade against “chemicals” gets wrong.
• Also, kinda gross. These caterpillars may have the prettiest anti-predator defense ever.
• And by “coexisted with,” I mean “eaten.” A giant prehistoric crocodile could’ve coexisted with early humans.
• As anyone who’s been computer-matched to a college roommate could tell you. “Scientific” dating services aren’t actually very good at match-making.
• Teeny-tiny transmitters! To track orchid-visiting bees.

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