This week in science: The worm will turn

I spoke this about this briefly on Kagro in the Morning last Thursday, climate change skeptics rejoice! We're off the hook! New research indicates it's been the earthworms all this time!

Earthworms probably increase GHG emissions through a combination of mechanisms, as they change the soil environment in many different ways. They mix organic plant residues in the soil, which may increase decomposition and CO2 emissions. Moreover, the earthworm gut also acts as a microbial incubator, boosting the activity of N2O-producing microbes. Finally, by burrowing through the soil, earthworms make it easier for GHGs in the soil to flow to the atmosphere.

So earthworms produce nitrous oxide farts? I expect that might make the little wrigglers even more popular among a certain segment of the population than they might soon be with their new found champions among the usual suspects! Why it seems like only yesterday when a powerful congressman was mocking the idea that humans could affect the climate because it is ordained and controlled by God. But tiny spineless Precambrian annelids? "I knew it was them all along" -- something Inhofe would say!

• I'm not sure exactly how this works, but apparently a group of researchers were able to use 3-D printing technology to make a human embryonic stem cell or a facsimile thereof. Forget beam me up Scotty, now it's FAX me back, quick!
• Thanks to the Kepler Mission, NASA/ESA/JPL researchers now estimate there are a bunch of earth-like planets in our galaxy. And by a bunch astronomers literally mean Billions and billions.
• Find out how smart your dog is right now!
• Speaking of Kagro in the Morning ... TONS of fun. I recommend everyone whose interested call in. Thanks to my heart stent post heart attack, I have time this month to help Kagro with some programming. I already have some top rated science bloggers lined up, one might be on next week to talk about Comet ISON. What science-y topics and scientists would you like to hear from?
• Speaking of comets, ISON will be in fair position for viewing from earth beginning in November. But dammit, it will be in a spectacular position for our robotic explorers on Mars! There is no chance of it hitting us, but I made some guesses and played around with some impact simulators to see what would happen if something like ISON did strike earth. Hint: it would be bad.