Neurotopia

'Tis the 4th

Category: Synaptic Misfires

w00t

I know not all my readers are from the US (I know I've got a couple in the UK, some in Canada, and some in New Zealand. What up, guys?) but 'round these digs, the 4th of July is usually celebrated as Independence Day, the day a bunch of people who didn't like their taxes decided to let their government know it in a really violent manner.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not the day the 2nd Continental Congress voted to declare independence. That was July 2. Neither was it the day when the Declaration was read out loud to the city of Philadelphia (that was July 8). Some say it was the day when the Declaration of Independence was signed officially, but it's believed the official signing didn't happen until after all the details were hammered out, on August 2. So WHAT, pray tell, happened on July 4? The Declaration of Independence was adopted. Yeah. That's it. Not voted on. Not signed (though maybe it was), not read to a cheering populace. John Adams always thought that Independence Day should be celebrated on July 2. Others thought August 2. Perhaps people were compromising.

So today is the day. The day of cook-outs, and fireworks, and food, and patriotism. After all it's been through, and all it's going through, and all the crap we have to contend with, and all the issues, in the end, Sci is American, and she's proud of her country. She tries not to get too cynical. After all, everyone in the Roman empire moralized when the empire was 250 years old that everyone had gone soft, and after the Punic wars, what was there to live for, and the whole empire was going downhill. That was around 100 BCE (or a little before or after), and they managed to stick around for while. And in the US, we don't have despotic emperors (anymore), and no lead in the drinking water, and actually give people the vote even if they don't have enough money for a cavalry horse and armor. So I hope we'll stick around a while, at least long enough to fix some of the problems.

Democracy is delicious.

Posted by Scicurious at 12:39 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Has you any Russian Brides?

Category: Synaptic Misfires

Ok, there's a big furor going on around Scienceblogs over some truly disgusting ads in the side bars for thing like Thai women and Russian brides and chelation therapy. Sci would like to take this opportunity to state that Neurotopia in no way approves of these ads. However, I haven't really seen them popping up around these digs. It could be that our keywords are just not the right ones to activate them. Has anyone seen them up around here? I usually see stuff for banks. We are assured the problem is being taken care of, so we shall hopefully be back up and running soon.

In the mean time, may I assure you that that credit ad on the top bar will NOT change your life, that mail order bride ads are disgusting, and that you should NOT, repeat, should NOT, get chelation therapy unless you have seriously overdosed on some heavy metals.

Posted by Scicurious at 8:26 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Friday Weird Science: Echidnas like it cold and torpid

Category: Friday Weird Science

Ok, I'll admit, this post is kind of stolen from the fabulous Ed Yong of Not Exactly Rocket Science, who just won the Association of British Science Writers' Best Newcomer award! Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, Ed. :)

Well, the post isn't stolen, but the subject is. And it's actually been a little disappointing. When I first scanned the title, I thought it said "echinoderm", rather than "echidna", and I thought "Starfish sex!!! w00t1!!!" But no. Instead of talking about these getting it on:

(oh yeah)

We're talking about these:

(Via Ed)

You see? It's just...not the same...sigh...well, ok, they're pretty cute. Check out Ed's post for an adorable video.

Morrow and Nicol. "Cool sex? Hibernation and reproduction overlap in the echidna" PLoS ONE, 2009.

Read on »

Posted by Scicurious at 12:57 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Happy Hump Day

Category: Synaptic Misfires

It wasn't until college that Sci first heard Wednesday referred to as "Hump Day".

She apologizes for a certain lack of hefty content in the latest series of posts. This thing, they call it "real" life", and it's getting in the way.

But there are some things you NEED to see.

1) The guys at Deep Sea News posted a video last night on some critters found in a sewer in NC. O.M.G. Don't watch this with food. ALIEEEEENNNNNSSSSS. Really, the scientists don't know what the gigantic, glistening thing in the video IS. It's...really scary. Evolution in action, and I think this thing is going to take over the world!!! I should recruit it for my gigantic mutant army.

2) Sci has posted a number of posts on depression, and a bunch of other Science bloggers have as well. But all the scientific writing on etiology, with words like "lethargy" and "anhedonia", just doesn't compare to stories of the people going through it. And it's a really important question as to WHAT to do with those people, especially when those people are in academia. Dr. Isis posted a letter on one student with depression and their options, and Dr. Pal just posted another. Not only that, Drugmonkey has a really great discussion going of the issues of mental illness in academia. Check them out!

3) Sci noticed that Laelaps has an interview up at PawTalk, who previously interviewed our own Evil Monkey (Sci should note that the picture seen in the interview with Evil Monkey is in fact quite a good resemblance, especially when Evil hasn't had any coffee). Also, there's an interview with gg of Skulls in the Stars at Bora's! And he says nice things about Sci. I think we should ALL read nice things about Sci.

4) Ok ok. One more thing. I'm TOTALLY excited about the newest Tim Burton remake of Alice in Wonderland. The costumes are going to be magnificent!!! Seriously, I'm almost as excited for this as I was for Star Trek. And that's pretty excited. Spock is my man.

Sigh...look at that HUGE CRANIUM. Feel the genius...see the pointy ears...

Posted by Scicurious at 9:39 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

We have not yet begun to fight!

Category: Activism

Today is the last day in the month of June, and so the last day that you can click on these awesome blogs, and have the proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders. So click once, or twice, or many many times!

The Intersection
On Becoming A Domestic And Laboratory Goddess
Aetiology
Neurotopia
Bioephemera
The Questionable Authority
Adventures in Ethics and Science
DrugMonkey
Blog Of The Moderate Left
Seattle Grassroots Examiner
the rugbyologist
Sciencewomen

And of course, a huge thank you to the many, many blogs who helped spread this around. Sci hopes that this is just the beginning, that we will be able to keep awareness going. It's not just about the money that's been raised, it's about knowing what's going on. Being aware can make a difference.

Sci herself is rather stunned at all the things she has learned. She has learned what massive problem rape is, not just in Liberia, but even in the US. To people you know. Sci has seen incredibly moving prose from people with some pretty awful experiences. She is proud to call these strong, resilient people friends. And she has seen guys step up to the plate like she never expected, defending their wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters, and telling men how to be better, and how to teach other men to be better to both men and women.

So if Silence is the Enemy hasn't changed you, I hope it has taught you something, shown you new perspectives, and made you think. As for Sci and Neurotopia, my co-bloggers are good to me and are letting all proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders. I hope we'll keep doing it. We can all help in more ways than one.

This isn't the end of Silence is the Enemy. It is only the beginning.

Posted by Scicurious at 12:10 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

"GRAAAHHHHHH"

Category: Synaptic Misfires

The call, half roar, half terrifying honk of annoyance, echoed across the room. From the depths of a warm, comfortable nest, the monster stirred. Something was prodding it out of its lurid, murky dreams.

"brrt, brrt, brrt...

...brrt, brrt, brrt..."

Snarling, the beast surged from the bed, lunging over to the alarm clock placed irritatingly just out of reach. Awakened from its rest, the animal dragged itself around the room, uttering incomprehensible grunts which made the small, furry carnivores huddled around the nest scatter in panic.

The beast, sight blurred, flung itself under a powerful stream of hot water, yelping in a distinctly higher pitch as the water shocked it awake. But it still wasn't enough. Now passably clean, the monster shuffled through the morning routine, feeding fluffy carnivorous mammals, snatching the femur from the previous meal's leavings for lunch, and lunging out the door.

Three cups of coffee later...

*bzzt* *twitch* Good MORNING!!!! Hello, world, Scicurious here! How is everyone! I hope your day just keeps getting nicer and nicer and nicer...

No really, still not awake.

But a lot of things happened over the weekend, and one should probably mention them.

Read on »

Posted by Scicurious at 9:14 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

For Jason

Category:

More like an opinion, but that's not quite right.

Posted by Scicurious at 6:00 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

Friday Weird Science: Sex: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Category: Friday Weird Science

We know that a lot of organisms, from humans to bacteria to birds to bees, have lots of sex. But what has mystified scientists for years is WHY. I mean, it's fun and all (unless you're a poor beetle girl stuck with this), but what purpose does it serve? On the face of it, in fact, sex seems to be pretty BAD for about half of the population: the women. For example, there's a lizard out there than can reproduce both asexually and sexually. When it reproduces asexually, it producing nothing but girls, all of whom can reproduce both asexually and sexually. Net win. But when it reproduces sexually, it will produce about 50% BOYS, which can only reproduce sexually, and if they aren't lucky and their courtship messages suck, they won't even do that. Why bother?! Why not just keep reproducing asexually and passing your genes directly on (no mixing!) to hundreds of thousands of lizards?

For many years scientists puzzlesd over this one. But recently, a series of three new hypotheses has been formed. Welcome to the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Zimmer. "On the origin of sexual reproduction" Science, 2009

Read on »

Posted by Scicurious at 12:22 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks

In which Sci is FAMOUS!

Category: Synaptic Misfires

Sci loves it when she's famous. This is mostly because it never happens in real life. But you will ALL know who Sci is when she TAKES OVER THE WORLD. Mwah ha ha ha.

I know I look cute and furry. Don't be fooled.

And now, as part of my new plan for world domination, there's an interview with me over at Bora's place!! Truly, the Blogfather has been good to me. Check it out!

Posted by Scicurious at 2:17 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks