Thursday, November 15, 2018

Cratonically Yours: Thinner Lithosphere and Crust in Western Antarctica Than in Eastern Antarctica

        The frozen landmass of Antarctica has been studied using satellite imagery to understand some of the  earth's tectonics, revealing  several hidden structures of the least-understood continent in research published 11/5/18.



      Due to its remote location and abundance of ice, charting the geological characteristics of Antarctica is complicated, but the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite can see what other satellites can't. GOCE precisely measured the pull of earth's gravity to map out hidden terrain.



     GOCE crashed out of orbit after running out of fuel in late 2013, but researchers are still poring over the data it collected. The researchers say it offers new insights into how Antarctica was formed, and how plate tectonics can function. See the colorful, newly-created video of continental movement.

      "In East Antarctica we see an exciting mosaic of geological features that reveal fundamental similarities and differences between the crust beneath Antarctica and other continents it was joined to until 160 million years ago," says one of the team, Dr. Fausto Ferraccioli from the British Antarctic Survey. The shape index, tectonic regularization, and crystal thickness were combined to create the above video.





      Antarctica was once part of the supercontinent Gondwana, which began to disintegrate about 130 million years ago, although the bond between Antarctica and Australia held together as recently as 55 million years ago.




      By combining GOCE readings with seismological data, the researchers were able to create 3D maps of Earth's lithosphere, made up of the crust and the molten mantle beneath. That lithosphere includes mountain ranges, ocean backs, and rocky zones or cratons, the leftovers of ancient continents embedded in continents as we know them today.



      
     "The satellite gravity data can be combined with seismological data to produce more consistent images of the crust and upper mantle in 3D, which is crucial to understand how plate tectonics and deep mantle dynamics interact," says researcher, Dr. Jörg Ebbing from Kiel University in Germany.




     The GOCE satellite circled our planet for over four years, from March 2009 to November 2013. During that time it got unusually close to Earth – an altitude of just 225 km (140 miles) – to maximize the accuracy of its measurements.


     The International Space Station, by comparison, is about two times farther away from earth's surface.




      Among the findings from the new study was the discovery of a thinner crust and lithosphere under West Antarctica compared to East Antarctica.  The latter has a mosaic of older cratons interspersed with thinner regions of rock, similar to India and Australia, to which it was once joined.



      And the data is useful for more than just tracing the remnants of ancient continents across the past 200 million years: It can be used to help figure out how ice sheets above the underlying terrain might react to warmer temperatures.




     With so many variables to consider, predicting how ice melt might progress across Antarctica is a real challenge, so any help scientists can get will be welcome. GOCE is still proving its use long after its mission ended.

Antarctically yours,
Steph

Brussels Sprouts and Heirloom Tomato Omelette








122 comments:

  1. And I didn't mention Bouguer Anomaly even once . . .Who nose? Maybe 'snot important now. . .;-)

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  2. I know there is tension between more liberal "saltwater" economists on the East Coast and in California, and conservative "freshwater" economists in the Mid-West. Do New York and Chicago geologists debate thin crust versus thick crust tectonics? Do Antarctic scientists in the East and West prefer different pizza styles?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ;-)

      It's more of a continental vs. oceanic crust thing. Continental granitic crust is much thicker and less dense whereas oceanic basaltic crust is thinner and denser.

      Not many geologists to poll in east and west Antarctica. Is freeze-dried pizza, thick or thin, a thing?

      Delete
    2. Not a fan of frozen pizza. With climate change, they'll probably go for Hawaiian there soon (blech!).

      Delete
    3. I take it you’re not a fan of pineapple 🍍 on your pizza? If it’s done right, it can be delicious but done wrong it’s terrible.

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    4. Could be worse. In Israel, your pizza always comes with a container of Russian dressing to pour on top.

      Delete
    5. Ew. This rotev sauce?

      https://www.joyofkosher.com/recipes/rotev-israeli-pizza-dip/

      Delete
    6. It's a long way from Frank Pepe's.

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    7. Now I want Frank Pepe’s. Or maybe Beau Jo’s here in CO. I used to bring their half-baked pies back to my teenage brothers. They still have it when they visit!

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    8. The St Louis specialty is "Provel" topped pizza. Provel has a flavor that makes you yearn for some Kraft American slices (individually wrapped of course, the plastic enhances) to wash down the flavor.

      The only time I had it was after spending the day in and driving down from Chicago. I had thought it couldn't be that bad, yet that was the only time in my life I'd thrown out an entire pizza after 2 bites (second was to confirm the horror).

      My best friend in 5th grade loved peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches. And no, I did not make that up.

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  3. Replies
    1. They surely picked D.C. on purpose.

      Geogenetics was new to me. The Centre for Geogenetics opened in Copenhagen in 2010.

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  4. Replies
    1. What a gruesome recovery effort.

      I have no memory of the crash as it happened during my time working in the field in Cobachi, Mexico, without tv, radio, or newspapers. That Thanksgiving was spent eating Chinese food with U of Sonora professors in the big city of Hermosillo.

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    2. I think the Jonestown recovery 40 years ago today was probably worse, at least frozen bodies don't wreak. The tropics aren't friendly, and warm bodies create an unbelievable stench.

      Small aside, I've driven by Jones' original churches in both Redwood Valley and San Francisco. I've always thought it would be fun to lead a freaky dark tour of the SF Bay Area:
      - Room where Warren Harding died
      - Banks robbed by Patty Hearst
      - her apartment in Berkeley where she was kidnapped
      - SLA headquarters
      - Fatty Arbuckle scandal room
      - City Hall window where Dan White entered City Hall to murder Harvey Milk and George Moscone
      - The university "home" and hidden cave of Ishi, last of the Yahi
      - Clubs where Billie Holiday and Lenny Bruce were arrested
      - Spot where Sara Jane Moore tried to shoot Gerald Ford
      - Charles Manson's house

      There must be many others, especially from drug culture years.

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    3. eco, agreed.

      I would pass on your freaky dark tour but I know many folks who would join in.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Cool illustrations. With a nod to Stan Lee perhaps?

      Tardigrade makes the grade.

      Delete
  6. PEOTSians, Happy Thanksgiving to all. Or, as the woodworker said, Happy Thanksgiving to awl. Or, as the ornithologist said, Happy Thanksgiving to owl. . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy Thanksgiving to oil the petrogeologists, too.

      Delete
    2. Said the chronic procrastinator, Happy Thanksgiving, I'll...

      Delete
  7. Here's a dicey subject for Black Friday.

    If you prefer cute videos try this version.

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  8. Replies
    1. Thanks for this, though even a dumb architect can see the error in "Dicynodonts are part of a larger group called synapsids, which mammals and all animals belong to."

      Birds and reptiles belong to the group called sauropsida (the article later says dinosaurs are sauropods), but that doesn't make them any less of an animal. Or do I misremember?

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    2. eco, good catch. You are correct. I wonder how it got past the editor. It is an egregious error.

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    3. I refrained from an overly fussy comment on "... and sauropods gave produced [sic] species such as the long-necked Diplodocus ..." Grammatical slips are seen too often in emails and hastily written blogs; and I suspect overlooked by hasty readers. With so many errors I've given up hope for proper and correct language.

      He publishes as many as 6 articles each day, I suspect he is the editor, and doesn't budget a lot of time for that once important function. The writing is also a bit loose stylistically (I'm being nice for the moment); I appreciate that you (seem to) take the time to carefully write your articles.

      Delete

  9. eco, I can’t recall exactly how I found the ZME Science site earlier this month. I am partial to the letter Z (Zoë, Maizie) so it could be as simple as that.

    From their mission statement:

    “ZME Science was established in the summer of 2007. Along the years, we’ve grown into a trusted and provocative source of science news and features, covering research and developments from all scientific fields. Our purpose has always been to bring you the best and latest information, while keeping it as simple as possible. We strive to make our articles accessible for everybody, regardless of their age, education and background, so that everyone can learn, stay informed, and develop as human beings.”

    Yeah, it is a bit loose stylistically, perhaps the “provocative” part of their mission. And, the average reader spends just over 2 minutes at the site so they rely on pizzazz. Huh, pizzazz has lots of Zs. . .

    Thank you for the kudos, too!

    Wordz Womanz

    ReplyDelete
  10. As far as I can tell, ZME is Zeolite-Modified Electrodes.

    ZME Science gets a very high, “pro-science” rating by mediabiasfactcheck:

    https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/zme-science/

    which means:

    “These sources consist of legitimate science or are evidence based through the use of credible scientific sourcing. Legitimate science follows the scientific method, is unbiased and does not use emotional words (emphasis mine). These sources also respect the consensus of experts in the given scientific field and strive to publish peer reviewed science. Some sources in this category may have a slight political bias, but adhere to scientific principles.”

    “Emotional words” could easily be the topic for a whole different article. . .

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  11. Replies
    1. How about
      1. Stockpiling enough nuclear weaponry to destroy the world many times over?
      2. Spending more on military than every other country combined?
      3. Listening to an idiot describe the best method for launching planes off an aircraft carrier?

      One could go on. I do think it cool that the Apollo engineers were still using slide rules.

      Delete
    2. Not just the engineers: the Apollo astronauts also carried slide rules. The first week or so of my freshman chem class was devoted to using one, too.

      Yeah, hearing about Trump saying you need to be Einstein to operate an electromagnetic catapult really illustrates how limitless his ego is. I did like the sailor's retort.

      Delete
    3. Anyway, if Putin is really planning to go to the moon to chase a conspiracy theory, he and Trump are better matched than I though.

      Delete
    4. That sounds awful to me. Did you slide?

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    5. I'd do it if it wasn't enclosed. Did you enjoy it?

      Delete
    6. Looks like what it would be like to be flushed in public, including the stains at the bowl.

      Delete
    7. Speaking of toilet bowls, my friend just installed one of these in a very small space.

      Delete
    8. As I recall the early versions of this (25+ years ago) didn't have the soap dish recess, but otherwise were much the same. Kind of weird deciding how to stand while washing your hands.

      I've asked building officials if they'd approve this, even in renovations, but so far the answer has been no.

      Delete
    9. The open slides are more fun, as you get more sense of falling a distance. One of the slides includes a clear section that passes through a shark-filled pool, but you can't really see any of them from inside.

      Delete
    10. I've taken open slides in natural gorges, and those are certainly fun, but not as long or exhilarating as human contrivances. I'd definitely take a slide that went from 12,500 mph to a soft landing in < 7 minutes. Especially if it didn't put me in jeopardy.

      And here are some words in Jeopardy.

      Delete
    11. That's a pretty tame ride. Works out to less than 1.4 g deceleration, on average.

      I think the past couple of years have made it painfully clear that TV personalities should limit themselves to being TV personalities.

      Delete
    12. What a weird interview with Trebek. I must agree with jan on his suggestion.

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    13. eco, back to toilets, I don’t think my friend in Borrego Springs, CA, is calling in building officials. If he did, it would be only on his b-day. ;-)

      Delete
    14. Jan, thanks for the perspective on deceleration, and now I know where to find on-line acceleration/ deceleration calculators. The numbers sound big - I try to stay under 1000 mph. I suppose another way of looking at it is the average deceleration is just under 30 mph/ second. About twice as hard as slamming on the car brakes.

      The 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder and the 2016 Tesla Model S P100D w/Ludicrous+ Update can do the reverse, 0-60 in just over 2 seconds. I think I'll change cars....

      Much of the Trebek interview was fine; I liked his description of the role of the game show host. And his jabs at certain politicians about the importance of knowledge. The weird part for me was his harping on the MeToo movement, sometimes historic acceptance and apologies are needed, even if you weren't personally a perpetrator.

      WW: I've been to Borrego Springs, eerily beautiful part of the world, albeit a bit dry. I agree the building officials are not a strong presence there. A recently departed friend did a film largely set in the nearby Salton Sea area, the landscape (physical and psychological) is very much integral to the story.

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    15. Yes, the pictures my friend sent are eerily beautiful. He just moved there from the Bay Area in the spring. I can tell he misses the ocean (he sails), but at least he has the Salton Sea! :-)

      Delete
    16. The film is intriguing. Thanks for the link to the trailer.

      Delete
  12. Replies
    1. Between cetacean cerumen and ambergris, I find whales unfit for polite company. Not that I advocate extreme measures

      Delete
    2. In looking at the footnotes I see the article is filled with old cetaceans.

      In the days before the internet Dave Barry wrote a very funny piece about the whale incident, also includes a bit about climate change and Congress (some things don't change!) that is as apt today.

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    3. eco, old cetaceans, hahaha.

      I don’t recall the exploding whale story, being even later to the party than Dave Barry.

      I will check the Blubberography to see if I can learn more.

      Surely this has happened more than once; what generally happens to a whale carcass on shore?



      Delete
    4. While looking for the Dave Barry story I also saw that Snopes did a piece on this incident. They point out that Barry used some artistic license with his version, but more amusingly in the intervening times (with internet) many citations basically took Barry's story as truth, without fact checking.

      That's a shocker.

      Delete
  13. I stumbled on this P. Allen Smith Home and Garden Tour video of Crystal Bridges and the Frank Lloyd Wright Bachman-Wilson Home disassembled from Millstone, NJ, and reassembled on the northwest Arkansas property:

    https://youtu.be/KM925UKhNkE

    The video was on our PBS station today. It looks like a return trip to northwest AR in the autumn may be on the docket. And Thornecrown Chapel, for sure, eco.

    It’s about 24 minutes long. What a stunningly beautiful place of art, architecture, and nature.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing the video, Wright's houses are spectacular, even when small.

      "It looks like a return trip to northwest AR in the autumn may be on the docket." By my calendar you've got 3 weeks left in autumn. Or are you thinking 2019?

      Delete
    2. eco, glad you enjoyed the video. It made me want to go back soon!

      2019. I am trying to convince my mom to join me from CT. Although, it was spectacular in April, too, so spring could also work. My friends who lived there a year have advised me to skip summer and black fly/skeeter season.

      Any plans for a visit for you?

      Delete
    3. Arkansas isn't on my list, even with Thorncrown.

      Trying for a trip for the best of the southwest - Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, other stuff around 4 corners (but not the disappointing placemarker), maybe Chaco Canyon. A friend pointed out GC is the same distance as Stanley ID where I went for the eclipse last year. Puts it in perspective.

      Delete
    4. That sounds like an amazing trip. I enjoy all the reds and oranges, browns and yellows of the landscape. And, I could dwell on the Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon area dwellings and artifacts for a long time.

      Did you notice all the red soil around the Bachman-Wilson excavation site in the video at Crystal Bridges? It surprised me to see such red soil and clay all over northern Arkansas. Most of the red is covered by lots of vegetation, of course.

      I grew up with lots of green but now appreciate the whole red-brown palette. Sometimes I have visitors from the east who just can’t get over the lack of green.


      Delete
    5. You clearly have a dirty mind. Is Bentonville, like most towns, in a bit of a valley? Don't clay soils tend to accumulate in valleys? Isn't Bentonite naturally red? IS THERE A GEOLOGIST IN THE HOUSE WHO CAN HELP?

      Okay, I known Bentonville is not named for bentonite, and it probably isn't even bentonite clay there, unless Arkansas has a volcanic history. But lake beds and valley floors usually accumulate clay, everyone in Berkeley grouses about their gardens, and the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys are famous for clay, and hence pottery.

      I also grew up with lots of green in the east coast, which has been replaced by the browns (the tourist bureaus call it golden) of California. Visitors also notice the expansiveness of the west, the "big views" that aren't blocked by trees. In the opposite sphere I now notice how enclosed the east feels, almost claustrophobic.

      Delete
    6. Swell questions, eco. Most bentonite I’ve seen is gray or creamy colored, although just a bit of iron could change that.

      From Wikipedia:

      “The soils in northwest Arkansas are classified as ULTISOILS, commonly known as red clay soils. They are one of twelve soil orders in the United States Department of Agriculture soil taxonomy. The word "Ultisol" is derived from "ultimate", because Ultisols were seen as the ultimate product of continuous weathering of minerals in a humid, temperate climate without new soil formation via glaciation. They are defined as mineral soils which contain no calcareous (calcium carbonate containing) material anywhere within the soil, have less than 10% weatherable minerals in the extreme top layer of soil, and have less than 35% base saturation throughout the soil. Ultisols occur in humid temperate or tropical regions. While the term is usually applied to the red clay soils of the Southern United States, Ultisols are also found in regions of Africa, Asia, and South America.”

      I am mostly interested in the underlying Paleozoic rocks of the Ozarks, specifically the Boston Mountains. These mountains are less deformed than the Ouachita Mountains to the south of the Arkansas Valley. The Ozarks-Boston Mountains-Ouachita Mountains are some of the only east-west trending mountain ranges in the U.S.

      Yes, the east’s tree cover does feel a bit claustrophobic; I agree with that. It is harder to get one’s bearings.

      Delete
    7. And, yes, Bentonville is in an understated valley. (And was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. senator from Missouri). The term Bentonite was first used for a clay found in 1890 in upper Cretaceous tuff near Fort Benton, Wyoming.

      Delete
    8. So what is the geomorphology of the Boston Mts? Why do they run east-west? I'm used to parts farther north, shaped by the caravans of glaciers coming from Canada.

      Delete
    9. This Encyclopedia of Arkansas offers a fairly simplified explanation of the geography and geology (including geomorphology) of the region:

      http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=401

      I did field work farther south in the Ouachitas. Arkansans are very proud of their unusual geology; local geologists took us on a field trip which was a roadcut to roadcut to roadcut tour. Good thing I’d studied the aerial view before I got there, as the roads are quite serpentine. As we were talking about earlier, it is harder to get one’s bearings in a heavily vegetated place like central and northern Arkansas.

      The novaculite or Arkansas Stone of the Ouachitas was used for thousands of tears as a sharpening stone. I still have a very sharp sample of the microcrystalline silica mineral I picked up there in the 90’s:

      http://archeology.uark.edu/novaculite/index.html?pageName=What%20is%20Novaculite?

      Delete
    10. I'd never thought about Arkansas' geology, didn't know it was so diverse. And responsible for hillbilly culture, too!

      I'd also never heard of novaculite (thousands of "tears"?). I think obsidian is the choice out here. I know of a large deposit of obsidian flakes in an obscure part of Yosemite; I barely resisted the temptation to take some of those artifacts.

      Delete
    11. Ha! Years not tears. What an odd autocorrect.

      As “flyover country” goes, northern Arkansas is quite interesting geologically and culturally. “Arkansas: The Natural State.”

      Glad you left the Yosemite artifacts. . .

      Delete
    12. The flakes were small and not very appealing. I'm glad I didn't face the test of finding a full arrowhead or something more desirable....

      Delete
  14. The Alaskan earthquake today with the epicenter 7.5 miles north of Anchorage caused significant damage:

    https://abcnews.go.com/US/magnitude-67-quake-rocks-anchorage-alaska-officials/story

    Hoping there are no lives lost. Damage to roadways is significant.

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    Replies
    1. So far no reports of deaths or even major injuries, which is a relief. People rarely die from earthquakes, it's the structures falling down that kill them.

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    2. So it’s all the architects’ fault? (pun intended)

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    3. Those wisecracks could cause a serious rift.

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    4. According to Trump we need to reduce regulations. Might help with the population problem.

      Side note: I agree with the governor, but then I consider that almost every building code regulation has a dead body behind it.

      Delete
  15. Are you cairn enough to leave the rocks alone in our National Parks? —>>>

    https://www.newyorker.com/culture/rabbit-holes/people-are-stacking-too-many-stones

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Take only pictures, leave ... not even footprints?

      Delete
    2. I blame Andy Goldsworthy. Though Robert Smithson probably started it.

      Delete
  16. Scientists at University of Central Florida say that Pluto's classification as a non-planet was mistaken.

    I like this comment from The Onion: "It's the children who are hurt most by this kind of bickering."

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  17. What is he Zinke-ing?

    https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/monumental-disaster-at-the-department-of-the-interior/

    Truly unsettling for our country and our planet.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The new season of Amazon Prime’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has some scenes set in Bell Labs in the late 1950’s. I am imagining they are fairly realistic (?).

    I am quite enjoying the series. The Paris scenes in this new season were delightful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The scenes in the show are supposed to represent Bell Labs' offices at 463 West St, in NYC. That building was sold before I started. In 1967, the company moved its headquarters to Murray Hill, NJ, where I used to work.

      I saw the first few episodes of the first season, but never got into it. My wife is a fan.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the scoop on the Bell Labs building. Those soundproof rooms with locking entry buzzers were really a thing, then. . .

      I’ve been impressed with the detail of the sets, dialogue, and costumes. The Paris episode in season 2 will be fun for almost any Francophile and the Catskills scenes are great, too. (It also makes me glad women no longer have to wear those high heels on every excursion and that not everyone smokes everywhere now)

      Delete
    3. Yeah, it's jarring to realize how ubiquitous smoking was not so long ago. I smoked in my 20s, including in offices and hallways at work. There were several styles of ashtrays available in the Bell Labs stockroom.

      Delete
    4. My mom said she practiced how to look elegant and attractive to boys while holding a cigarette certain ways.

      Delete
  19. Replies
    1. “You’re not just collecting data; you’re filling in the blanks.”

      That 3-D rendering is cool.

      Delete
    2. After a few minutes of looking, I wonder if it's the seemingly disappearing creek located at 52.656,-120.145? None of my on-line maps (Google Earth, Google Street, Bing, have very high resolution.

      Not too many "state" parks around here have such mysteries.

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    3. On second thought, probably not, too many trees in the satellite views.

      Delete
    4. I don't think that's it, eco. According to the article, the river "exits the cave about 1.3 miles away through another opening." The one at your position re-appears after a few hundred feet.

      It sure doesn't look like they have much to fear from "Instagram tourists" -- that area seems pretty inaccessible, even if it's only 280 miles from Vancouver.

      Delete
    5. I noticed the distance thing too, but was hoping the scales were inaccurate, even though I've used them in the past and found them to be pretty good.

      Yes, Canada is exceedingly vast. And sparsely populated away from the coasts and the southern border.

      Delete
  20. Replies
    1. When I saw that last night I almost coughed up dinner. The part about unfurling it left no doubt in my mind concerning past decisions about medical school.

      But I do like UCSF, the site of the largest project I ever did - maybe, it was close. Very smart people up there.

      Delete
    2. In some ways, the bronchial tree cast and the 3-D reconstruction of the newly discovered cave in Canada seem like similar ideas at different scales.

      I've run into a bit of a medical mystery myself. Had a cold for about 3 weeks. Just some nasal congestion and a cough, with some occasional clear sputum. No fever, headache, ear pain, sore throat, swollen nodes. The, at some point on Monday, I lost all sense of smell, and with it, just about all taste. (I can detect sugar, salt, or vinegar in water, but that's about it.) I started using a nasal steroid spray and saline rinse, but no change. Went to an ENT on Friday. He scoped out my nasal passages and sinus openings with a fiber optic device, sucked out some pus that he said was a good sign because it pointed to an infection as a cause, and put me on an antibiotic (even though these things are usually viral) and an oral steroid. He said that anosmia from infections resolve within 6 months for 80% of patients. Kinda bummed.

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    3. Wow, jan, 6 months without smell/taste would be a drag. I hope it resolves sooner.

      I have had a stubborn cold for about a week now. Elderberry stuff and cough drops, copious liquids/chicken soup, and steam are helping.

      During the night, though, I felt like that coughing-up -a-lung-unfurling-specimen could have been mine.

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    4. Jan: If it were an infection couldn't they do a simple test for elevated white blood cells? Or am I showing (again) my ignorance of biological sciences?

      We all resort to the realms we know, I note that exposure toxics and toxins can induce similar symptoms. Molds can cause these troubles, though I think they are more prevalent in winter out here....

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    5. The ENT did take a swab for a culture, but again, these are usually caused by viruses, for which there is no specific treatment. Anyway, the issue isn't really controlling the infection, which tends to be self-limiting, but reducing inflammation, the immune system's response to infection, plus the regeneration of the damaged nerve tissue. I think if there's no response in a few weeks, he'll want to do some imaging to rule out a tumor or stroke, but given the symptoms of an upper respiratory infection and the lack of any other neurological deficits, those seem really unlikely.

      Delete
    6. Ah yes, elevated white blood cells would be evident whether it's a virus or a biologic source. I fear what will is happening from over-prescribing antibiotics.

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    7. Over-prescribing antibiotics is a clear and present danger. As is pressure from patients for a Z-pack to treat their colds. MRSA is ubiquitous enough that I mostly use sulfa drugs for skin infections; I was a little surprised that my ENT didn't choose that for me.

      Delete
    8. In CA or CO you could get CBD oil, the magic potion that cures everything!

      I worked with cannabis advocates decades ago - hemp fiber (no THC) is an excellent substitute for many industrial products.

      I used to smirk at the further contentions of cannabis benefits, on the other hand it does help folks with cancer pain, glaucoma, and epilepsy.

      Delete
    9. Many vets here are prescribing CBD oil for our canine friends. It has helped ease many canine friends’ pain from cancer and arthritis.

      Hope you are feeling better, jan.

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    10. Thanks, WW. I've never felt too bad, just no sense of smell or taste. Still. That nasal culture grew out an unusual bacteria that was partially resistant to the first antibiotic, so now I'm on a different one, with no change so far. I found a reference to a paper that may have been the source of my ENT's 80% recovery statistic. Turns out to have been an observational study of just 63 patients, and talked about recovery within 12, not 6, months. On the plus side, getting no reinforcement from eating makes it much easier to avoid all the holiday treats around the office.

      Delete
    11. Now is your time to binge on Brussels Sprouts.

      Delete
    12. Indeed. I'm OK with Brussels sprouts, but I've always hated fish. Took a bite of my wife's oily smoked salmon last week. Nothing. So I had a tuna melt the other night. No problem.

      Delete
    13. jan, sending you virtual Brussels Sprouts above. And, congrats on your fish meals. How about lobsta?

      (I am working on gardening/cooking ideas for this summer. Thanks, in a roundabout way, to Will Shortz, I'll be teaching in northeast Denver with Slow Food.)

      Delete
    14. No point in paying lobster prices when you can't taste it. Thinking of just going with Soylent.

      Delete
    15. True. I was wondering if you liked the taste of lobster before this recent scentsational issue.

      I hear Soylent tastes like chicken.

      Delete
    16. I've considered the lobster an expensive taste I was fortunate not to have cultivated. Though, Wallace did have a point. My wife used to like octopus until she read about them.

      Delete
    17. As for Soylent, I don't think chicken is one of their flavors. They look to be vegetarian, though not vegan. Or, were you referring to the fictional, uh, humanitarian product?

      Delete
    18. The latter. We are all going green now, yes?

      Delete
  21. Planning the trip with my mom to Crystal Bridges and Thorncrown Chapel in northwest AR in April 2019.

    It was so quiet over on Google Maps tonight that you could hear a pin drop.

    There was Little Rock.

    Stop me now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are going for the parsnip cake:

      http://www.midwestliving.com/travel/around-the-region/spring-getaway-to-arkansas-ozark-mountains/

      Delete
  22. New post on "Spirals: Golden or Not: Fib O’ Gnocchi?" is now up.

    ReplyDelete

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