This week’s Filtrate features a slice of violent history from Asia, ancient tools, intoxicated tentacle porn, sick penguins, and more.

In the Plague Year of 2020, I started posting a weekly update of selected science news, which I called ‘The Filtrate.’ Now I’m starting it up again. Welcome to this week’s collection of stories about science and science communication, plus maybe a few bits that were too weird not to include.

Dickson Despommier, PhD, died February 7. He was a great teacher, an excellent scientist, and a wonderful friend. I miss him.

About half of all humans have ovaries, which are the fastest-aging organs. Inspired by her own experience, one researcher made a midlife change to figure out how that happens. The answers she’s finding will help us all.

We’re throwing billions of dollars’ worth of research on a digital compost heap. This needs to stop.

Just over a week ago, I stepped out onto a stage in New York City to join a show, in front of a live audience of 130 people. Tickets to the event had sold out almost as soon as they’d gone on sale. It was, of course, a massive ego boost, though the audience wasn’t there just to see me. They were there for the whole cast of “This Week in Virology,” the podcast I’ve been co-hosting for fifteen years.