evolgen
Archives for September, 2006
Insert Clever Title Playing on ‘Bitch’
Posted by RPM on September 30, 2006 Thomas Huxley was known as “Darwin’s Bulldog” for his many public defenses of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Richard Dawkins has been labeled “Darwin’s Rottweiler“, drawing a parallel between Dawkins’s current role as a popularizer of science (and defender of reason) and Huxley’s as a public face for Darwin. All that is well…
Is the Y Chromosome as Flawed as mtDNA for Studying Demographic History?
Posted by RPM on September 30, 2006 Via Yann Klimentidis come this paper comparing patterns of polymorphism in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosomes from Native American populations. The premise is that mtDNA reveals the maternal demographic history (because mitochondria are only passed from mother to child) of a population and the Y chromosome reveals the paternal history (Y chromosomes are only…
Near Blog Encounters
Posted by RPM on September 28, 2006 There is a general disconnect between the people I know from blogging and the people I know in real life. I’ve only met a couple of my fellow SciBlings (ScienceBlogs siblings): John Lynch, Mad Mike, and Carl. I have only once had a real world friend or colleague overtly mention to me in real life…
Tangled Bank #63
Posted by RPM on September 27, 2006 The sixty-third edition of Tangled Bank has been posted by the Indian Cowboy. Go read yourself some science.
An Informal Poll: Coffee Drinkers
Posted by RPM on September 26, 2006 If it weren’t for coffee, much of the research that gets done today wouldn’t get done. Or so I am led to believe based on the reverence people seem to have for the sacred bean. Frankly, I’d trade a cup of coffee for a good night’s sleep. Hell, I’d trade a cup of coffee for…
Circus of the Spineless Gets Inked
Posted by RPM on September 25, 2006 Ever wanted a tattoo of your favorite invertebrate? I hear they’re inking insects, molluscs, cnidarians, and all kinds of other spineless critters in Monterey. To get your tat, visit the newest edition of Circus of the Spineless at Deep-Sea News.
Yet Another “-ome”
Posted by RPM on September 25, 2006 As if we didn’t have enough “-omes” in biology, I have come across yet another one: the methylome. It’s beginning to sound like a Hindu temple up in here. My fascination with the -ome is well documented. I was made aware of the newest -ome in my collection by this preview of this article in…
A Dozen or So Songs About Me
Posted by RPM on September 24, 2006 I’m so vain I think I every single song is about me. Dave wants us to “make a music mix that is a reflection of your informative years.” I have no idea what he means by informative years, so I’m going to give you a list of a dozen or so songs (Dave’s suggested amount)…
The Old Guy Strikes Again
Posted by RPM on September 23, 2006 I saw him again at the supermarket today. This is the second time I’ve seen him at the supermarket — and third time overall. But this is the first time I was stealth, without any identification of my alma mater. In case you’re late to the game, this guy is an emeritus professor at my…
Human Rights, Respect for Science, and the Judicial Process
Posted by RPM on September 22, 2006 Five nurses and one doctor have been imprisoned in a Libyan jail since 1999, accused of infecting more than 400 children with HIV. They were condemned to death in 2004, but the verdict was overturned. Their retrial is due to wrap up very soon, and they await their new sentencing. The problem: the scientific evidence…