jtoney
Posts by this author
December 7, 2010
In one of my favorite letters of all time, Thomas Jefferson wrote to Maria Cosway about a debate between his head and his heart. If you are not familiar, I encourage you to read the letter written by one of the great masters of the power of the word. In the spirit of this debate, I would like to…
December 7, 2010
Google announced yesterday that you can now access three million books from 4,000 publishers from their ebookstore. These eBooks can be read on an android, iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Nook and Sony bookreaders and - almost forgot - a computer.
With this announcement, I wanted to share with…
December 7, 2010
Anyone wanting to learn about Darwin's theories would do well to read his original letters. Thanks to an amazing resource from the University of Cambridge, the "Darwin Correspondence Project", you can access a treasure trove of his letters in an interactive timeline.
This resource addresses:…
December 6, 2010
As a member of the American Diabetes Association, I attended the ADA annual meeting several years ago and heard an inspiring lecture by Prof. Gene Barrett (Univerrsity of Virginia). Dr. Barrett delivered that year's President's Address titled: "The Sheep, the Ostrich, the Ant, Diabetes, and the…
December 6, 2010
With the virtues that online social networking may offer for education, a thought for today is to consider a strategy to give yourself a respite from the frantic, nonstop pace of Facebook, Twitter, Digg and any other virtual world that sucks you in. A curious new software (counterculture?) called…
December 6, 2010
As a scientist and educator, I had never planned on playing the role of a science journalist. That role was approached with caution step by step, on mental tiptoe, first with publishing Letters to the Editor in The New York Times, progressing inexorably towards Op-Eds and Blogs, propelled by a…
December 2, 2010
Today's report of Arsenic-eating bacteria published in Science could have some unanticipated benefits: clean up and bioremediation after an oil spill. I may be off base, but here's my reasoning. Caveat: these newly discovered bacteria may not be useful in reducing arsenic levels after an oil…
December 2, 2010
Thanks, "We, Beasties" for your article on cholera.
As you pointed out:
As cholera rampages through Haiti, some epidemiologists are warning that the country could face more than half a million cases over the coming year. Yet tracking and treating the disease is proving increasingly difficult as…
December 1, 2010
ejbSF's Flickr photostream
My office is often a flurry of activity with students coming with a wide array of questions. Whenever possible, I respond to their questions via email. Last Fall, one of our students expressed dismay when I told her I would respond to her request with an email.
"…
December 1, 2010
NBC's "Biggest Loser" has become a phenomenon, with over 10 million regular viewers. There is no doubt that this show delivers dramatic entertainment. Sagas about victory of the human spirit, against all odds, are timeless. With the final four contestants being featured next week, I would like…
November 30, 2010
I am delighted to be part of ScienceBlogs, the largest online community dedicated to science. I accepted this challenge because I believe that most in my profession are far more focused on making the next discovery rather than explaining to the public the value of what they do. I invite you to…
November 8, 2010
This Halloween, Lady Gaga costumes were all the rage, but one fan has taken devotion to a whole new level.
This fan, who has attended some 28 Lady Gaga concerts worldwide (so far!) and created an "adoring fan" website, happens to teach sociology and has developed a new sociology course, "Lady…
November 4, 2010
The past decade has been tumultuous for the pharmaceutical industry. The news media generally paints "Big Pharma" with a broad brush, an unflattering portrait of corporate greed more concerned with short-term profits than supporting public health through access to better, "smarter" medications. A…