ejohnson
Posts by this author
September 4, 2009
Below, Edward Einhorn answers the second of our three questions.
I have long wanted to work on a project I have called The Neurology of the Soul. I have conceived of it as a theater piece, as I do a lot of theater about neurology, but I think conceptually it is an exploration that could happen…
September 3, 2009
As David Dobbs reports on Neuron Culture, the use of antidepressants in the US has nearly doubled in the last decade. David agrees with fellow neuroblogger Neuroskeptic in attributing the increase to a broadened definition of depression. But if Americans are becoming more depressed, there is hope…
September 3, 2009
As you may have heard from one of our bloggers, ScienceBlogs will soon be introducing an optional user membership program. We hope that this will help you, as readers, connect with one another, keep track of the posts and discussions you are interested in, and control how you interact with the site…
September 2, 2009
Below, Margaret Turnbull answers the second of our three questions.
I have always felt that the notion of distinct disciplines in science is more of a reflection of our thought process, and perhaps maturity as a scientific civilization, rather than an accurate representation of how the universe is…
September 2, 2009
Our Rev Minds have told us how they think the lens of science can help to solve global problems. But a single lens may not always provide the best perspective, and often it is the combination of lenses that lends clarity to what we seek. With that in mind, we posed to the Revolutionary Minds a…
September 1, 2009
Monday marked the first day of the 2009-2010 academic school year for a large number of students and teachers. For many ScienceBloggers, this meant a return to the lectern and for others, a return to their own scholarly pursuits. Wherever ScienceBloggers might find themselves this semester, it is…
September 1, 2009
The first question we posted to our Revolutionary Minds turned up a bevy of thoughtful—and varied—responses. Nick Matzke's proposal to ban nuclear weapons and Moshe Pritzker's call to lengthen human life elicited the most feedback, but when we asked you to vote for your favorite answer, you also…
August 31, 2009
As the long days of late summer grow shorter and darker, many of us are trying to eke out as much time outdoors as possible before fall's sweaters and yellowing leaves arrive. ScienceBloggers are no exception this week as they took to the natural world, focusing the lens of science on wildlife.…
August 28, 2009
The current health care debate has centered largely on the elderly, but as ScienceBloggers are pointing out, young adults have equally as much at stake in the outcome of health care reform. On Thus Spake Zuska, Zuska recounts the struggles of two different young women--one a victim of the…
August 27, 2009
For the first time in over a century, New York's Salmon River is home to its namesake species of fish. Young Atlantic salmon were abundant in the Salmon River and nearby Lake Ontario in the 19th century but were driven away by damming, pollution and overfishing—now, USGS scientists have reported…
August 25, 2009
Though reported Swine Flu cases have dwindled over the summer months, the Centers for Disease Control warns that a full-blown pandemic is on the horizon as fall inaugurates the 2009-2010 Flu Season, mirroring the progression of the 1918 Spanish Influenza. Now, with the advent of vaccines and…
August 24, 2009
With summer vacation drawing to a close, many ScienceBloggers are trying to squeeze in some final summer reading before they--and their sprogs--embark on the new academic year. On Confessions of a Science Librarian, John Dupuis asks for his readers' assistance in selecting titles and offers a few…
August 21, 2009
Over the last few weeks, we've seen varied and thought-provoking answers to our first question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what…
August 21, 2009
Below, Anthony Dunne answers the first of our three questions.
There are many! But I think addressing potential future food shortages is a very important one. Science could provide fresh thinking about new ways of extracting nutrition from the environment, maybe even broadening the range of what…
August 21, 2009
Human athletic performance has the consistent ability to amaze us--we tend to think of the Michael Phelpses and Lance Armstrongs of the world as nearly superhuman. But in fact, there are physiological limits to our species' strength and speed. On Starts With a Bang, Ethan Siegel calculates the…
August 20, 2009
In peer reviewed research, scientific insight is often gained as much from the comments on a published journal article as it is from the paper itself. Comments address mistakes overlooked during peer review and offer scientists with opposing views a chance to critique their competitors' work. But…
August 20, 2009
Below, Michelle Borkin responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to…
August 19, 2009
Below, Moshe Pritsker responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to bring…
August 19, 2009
In the event of a zombie epidemic, scientists have settled on an unambiguous plan for survival: be aggressive. Mathematicians from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University modelled the outcome of responses to zombie infection including quarantine, development of a cure, and "regular,…
August 18, 2009
As reported in The New York Post, British botanists recently discovered a species of pitcher plant that consumes entire rats—not insects, rats. The plant was found atop Mount Victoria in the Philippines and has been named Nepenthes attenboroughii after Sir David Attenborough. Hapless rodents, like…
August 18, 2009
Below, Dalton Conley responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to bring…
August 18, 2009
At the annual ScienceOnline conference, organized in large part by ScienceBlogger Bora Zivkovic of A Blog Around the Clock, scientists gather to talk about the changing role of the Internet in the practice and communication of science. At the 2009 event in January, panel discussions included "…
August 17, 2009
Below, Nick Matzke responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to bring…
August 17, 2009
In his regular life, graduate student Matt Springer teaches undergraduates the basics of physics: the mechanics of heat, rotational motion, the relationship between kinetic and potential energy, and more. Matt takes a similarly instructional approach on his blog Built on Facts, walking readers…
August 14, 2009
A recent paper in Nature Biotechnology reported the first complete human genome to be sequenced using third-generation, single-molecule sequencing technology. The genome sequenced belongs to one Stephen Quake, co-founder of the biotech company Helicos that developed the Heliscope instrument used…
August 14, 2009
Below, Edward Einhorn responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to bring…
August 13, 2009
One week ago, physician PalMD of White Coat Underground began to document his day-by-day attempts to reduce his BMI through a combination of diet and exercise. Other ScienceBloggers were quick to jump in: Isis the Scientist, Janet Stemwedel, Bora Zivkovic and BikeMonkey have all offered dietary…
August 13, 2009
Below, John Wilbanks responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to bring…
August 11, 2009
Below, Margaret Turnbull responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to…
August 10, 2009
Below, Fernando Esponda responds to the question:
The boundaries of science are continually expanding as scientists become increasingly integral to finding solutions for larger social issues, such as poverty, conflict, financial crises, etc. On what specific issue/problem do you feel we need to…