Observations
Masks and Emasculation: Why Some Men Refuse to Take Safety Precautions
They think it makes them look weak, and avoiding that is evidently more important to them than demonstrating responsible behavior
Blogs
Observations
How a Landmark Physics Paper from the 1970s Uncannily Describes the COVID-19 Pandemic
Phil Anderson’s article “More Is Different” describes how different levels of complexity require new ways of thinking. And as the virus multiplies and spreads, that’s just what the human race desperately needs...
Observations
The Fight against COVID-19 Threatens to Cause Collateral Health Damage
The pandemic is no excuse to abandon chronic disease management and prevention
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Observations
Are There "Serious Flaws" in the EPA's Bid to Regulate Greenhouse Gases?
Did the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency err when it found in 2009 that greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, endanger public health? Based on a new report from the agency's Inspector General, climate change denier and U.S...
Observations
Tool-Using Fish Caught on Tape [Video]
Chimps use rocks to crack open nuts, dolphins use sponges to scare up hidden fish, New Caledonian crows use sticks to fish for insects, certain octopuses—those Einsteins of the invertebrate world—use coconut shells as armor...
Lab Rat
Assassin snails vs. Prawn
I'm having a break before starting my PhD next week, so I thought I'd have a brief non-microbial post with a few adventures from my fish-tank. The other day, my husband decided to try sticking a whole prawn (dead and cooked) into the fish tank to see the reaction of our underwater lodgers.Most of the fish weren't too interested, but as well as the fish we also have five assassin snails in the tank and they loved it...
Video of the Week
Nudibranchs and Neurons
Video of the Week #10, September 28, 2011 Life is Learning | HHMI iPad app Promo from Small Mammal on Vimeo. From: Using nudibranch neurons to promote an ipad app - and other brilliant ideas from Small Mammal Films by Carin Bondar at PsiVid Original source: The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) hired John Pavlus [...]..
Doing Good Science
What a scientist knows about science (or, the limits of expertise).
In a world where scientific knowledge might be useful in guiding decisions we make individually and collectively, one reason non-scientists might want to listen to scientists is that scientists are presumed to have the expertise to sort reliable knowledge claims from snake oil...
Observations
Turkey Legs Tell the Tale of Our Unsung Tendons
Most of us omnivores eschew turkey tendons, the elastic strands that get in the way of a forkful of pure dark- or light-meat delight. For a team of Brown University researchers, however, these dinner discards are providing some new insights into how our bodies move and protect important muscle fibers.High-impact activities, such as hiking down a mountain, can be hard on our muscles, as the hard shock of landings damages fibers (fascicles) during descent.Muscles, however, are not acting alone, it turns out...
Disease Prone
Hendra Virus
In recent months Australia has seen the lengths science will go to to control the potential outbreak of significant infectious diseases. At this stage, Hendra virus is not particularly infectious in humans but is very deadly and some important recent developments have led to increased concern in the scientific community.Hendra virus is named after the suburb Hendra in Queensland, Australia, where the virus was first detected...
Observations
Education: A Bright Line through Google Zeitgeist
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona—When Google Chairman Eric Schmidt addressed attendees here at the Google Zeitgeist gathering Monday, he literally set the stage for the next two days."We need to set out an agenda for innovation for our country as a whole," he told the crowd at the invitation-only conference where curious minds meet—from scientists to CEOs (some of whom are both)...
Guest Blog
Save Burger King! Data Bring Global Warming Forecasts to Life in East Boston
Should we fight global warming to save our urban infrastructure? Alexis Madrigal suggested this approach in an article for The Atlantic. In this article, I’m bringing that idea down to the ground level...
Symbiartic
SciArt Plugs 2: Lectures, Exhibits, News and More
This week, there are several new exhibits to note, as well as a monthly discussion forum on science and art in DC. Also, don't miss the calls for entries in two new exhibit opportunities - one pays in cash, the other, glory!...
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