Episode 76 of the Mindcast is now up!

Download it here, or Subscribe to the podcast (iTunes).

Show topics:

First synthetic bacterial genome made from scratch, raises promise and bioethics issues, MicroRNAs evolved early in vertebrates, Horseshoe crabs now 100 million years older, nitrogen fertilizers may lower biodiversity of prairie grasses, yet also increase growth in tropical forests, and gene silencing breakthrough may help protect crops against pests. Native bees in Oregon and California can give ailing honeybees some help, a new component is added to the International Space Station, and fish accused of interspecies sexual harrasment!

Interview with Dr. Neil Shubin, Co-discoverer of Tiktaalik and author of Your Inner Fish. Theme = Jurassic Park by John Williams.

Brought to you by Calcium Carbonate.