The challenge from skullsinthestars is up - pick up a very old, classic science paper and write a blog post about it. Put it in a proper historical, theoretical, methodological and philosophical context. You can always go back to blogging about the latest research or latest creationist idiocy tomorrow.
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My scientific specialty is chronobiology (circadian rhythms and photoperiodism), with additional interests in comparative physiology, animal behavior and evolution. I am not an MD so I cannot diagnose and treat your sleep problems. As well as writing this blog, I am also the Online Discussion Expert for PLoS. This is a personal blog and opinions within it in no way reflect the policies of PLoS. You can contact me at: Coturnix@gmail.com
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« Thanks, Jim Neal! | Main | Yay for Platypus! »
Blog about a classic science paper
Category: Blogging • History of Science
Posted on: May 7, 2008 11:36 AM, by Coturnix
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Comments
As Blake put it. It may even go into the Basic Concepts list afterwards, just tell John Wilkins.
Posted by: Coturnix | May 7, 2008 12:48 PM
How old? Any guidelines?
Posted by: PalMD | May 7, 2008 12:50 PM
The original challenge says "before WWII", but I think it all depends on the discipline, whenever the key classic papers were written.
Posted by: Coturnix | May 7, 2008 12:55 PM
Coturnix: Thanks for mentioning the "challenge"! You're absolutely right: I said "before WWII", but it's clearly discipline dependent. My personal goal was to seek out research that formed the foundations of a field, before the important concepts were taken for granted.
Posted by: gg | May 7, 2008 1:07 PM
What a great idea. Wish I had time to work up an entry. I'll be cheering from the sidelines.
Posted by: bill | May 7, 2008 1:19 PM
Oh, man, what a very neat idea! There is a paper (actually, an original paper and then one that was more like a commentary on the first from the same author) that I have always loved. Perfect for this challenge. And I can't believe it, but I found it available in PDF--I think. If I could find a copy of my thesis I could be sure. But I'm not quite sure where that is these days....
Is there a date for this? I work better with deadlines :)
Posted by: Mary | May 7, 2008 7:18 PM
Mary: I just posted a semi-official 'end of May' deadline for entries, just to keep people motivated! (I should have planned this at the beginning, but I wasn't necessarily expecting anyone to do the challenge...)
Posted by: gg | May 7, 2008 9:32 PM
@gg: gotcha! I'm gonna do it. I found the paper I was remembering. Has lines like this:
I had forgotten how much I loved this paper; this post is practically coming out of my head fully formed. Thanks so much for the inspiration.
Posted by: Mary | May 7, 2008 10:03 PM
Update: the deadline is end of May.
Posted by: Coturnix | May 8, 2008 8:24 AM
I tried to use the track-back for this post on mine, but it gives me a 404. Am I doing it wrong?
Posted by: Mary | May 8, 2008 10:01 AM
Trackbacks are disabled on Sb.
Posted by: Coturnix | May 8, 2008 10:03 AM
There's a very sad note on a classic neural crest paper by Raven and Kloos, from the mid-1940s, indicating that Kloos had been shot and killed by the Gestapo. I make the point with the grad students that it's important to maintain perspective, even when things seem really rough.
I feel compelled to write a post on a favorite classic avian neurodevelopment paper from the 1930s, however...might have to be "neural connections week" on my blog.
Posted by: Barn Owl | May 8, 2008 1:12 PM