clock | April 27, 2007I am starting my BIO101 for adults course again on Monday and this time I am deteremined to use a blog in the classroom. To begin with, I copied my lecture notes here (still needs some fiddling and editing before Monday) and we'll see how it works out.
clock | April 27, 2007Dogs Copy Other Dogs' Actions Selectively, The Way Humans Do:
A distinguishing feature of human intelligence is our ability to understand the goals and intentions of others. This ability develops gradually during infancy, and the extent to which it is present in other animals is an intriguing question. New research by Friederike Range and Ludwig Huber, of the University of Vienna, and Zsofia Viranyi, of the Eötvös University in Budapest, reveals striking similarities between humans and dogs in the way they imitate the actions of others. The phenomenon under investigation is known as "…
clock | April 26, 2007I think scientists should stop wasting valuable resources trying to cure cancer and focus on more important issues, like keeping me from drooling in my sleep.
- Bill Hewins
clock | April 26, 2007The first edition of Carnival of Space is up on Why Homeschool.
Submit your entries for the next edition here and volunteer to host here.
clock | April 26, 2007John James Audubon was born on his father's plantation in Haiti on this day in 1780. Despite being born of his father's mistress, he was raised in France by his father's wife and educated with other young aristocrats. He took an early interest in drawing birds, when he found himself without an income he proceeded to paint some of the finest images of North America's avians. The modern Audubon Society approves of his art but would hardly approve of his methods: He got the birds to pose for him by first shooting them.
It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.
- Aesop
The birds I…
clock | April 26, 2007Excellent article by Jeff Jarvis: The obsolete interview (hat-tip: Anton). As I've been interviewed several times this year, I agree. The world is changing: media, just like science publishing (see below) and getting a job (see further below) will change....
clock | April 26, 2007Thus reports The Scientist:
Researchers from three different labs have identified a new circadian gene in the mouse, according to two papers in Science and one paper in Cell published online this week. Mutagenesis screens revealed that mutations in a protein called FBXL3 lengthen the mouse circadian period by several hours, and biochemical analyses showed that FBXL3 is necessary for degradation of key circadian clock proteins.
I'll probably have something more to say once I get hold of the actual papers.
In a perfect world, the three groups would have done Open Notebook science, found each…
clock | April 26, 2007With Bob Geary of The Independent Weekly. Listen to the whole thing here or read an excerpt here.
clock | April 26, 2007I'll have to find my remote control and remember how to use it, because the 08 campaign season is officially starting tonight with the first Democratic presidential debate in South Carolina, at 7pm ET on MSNBC. You all know who I am rooting for.
clock | April 26, 2007Yes, we are working on it. Anton just put up the new wiki and the first scaffolding for the program. At this point in time we certainly invite your suggestions, but mostly are looking for sponsors in order to see how ambitious we can be next year in comparison to the First Conference.
Oh, and don't forget to submit your nominations for the second edition of The Open Laboratory.
clock | April 26, 2007I am teaching my BIO101 again starting this Monday. The class is very small, so the discussions and student presentations will not last very long. Thus, I will have extra time at the end of each lecture. This can be a good time to show some videos. So, if you know of good movies available online or that can be ordered as CDs or VHS tapes, let me know in the comments (check the link for the topics I need to cover). I have a couple of ancient tapes whcih will do in a jiffy, but I am looking for more recent and better stuff. Keep in mind that this is VERY basic biology. Thus, the cool…
clock | April 26, 2007Horses Suffer From Obesity, Just Like Humans:
Horses are inheritably couch potatoes. An overeating, slothful horse leads to an obese horse. Unlike humans, however, horse owners often don't see the dangers of an obese horse. Caretakers may see no harm in giving their horses rich foods, but obesity in horses is just as unhealthy as obesity in humans and can lead to fatal diseases.
The Power Of Speaking Ladylike:
Does gender make a difference in the way politicians speak and are spoken to? This is the question posed in a new study¹ by Dr. Carmelia Suleiman and Daniel O'Connell from Florida…
clock | April 26, 2007They are asking you to rate them here.
I have never heard of about half the people on the list - perhaps they are 'influential' in their small circles. Others are celebrities, and they may be influential in distracting people from things that matter. Some used to be influential in the past, or are influential abroad but not here. PZ suggests everyone gives Dawkins a 100%. Sure - the only scientist on the list (although they call him, gasp, an "evolutionist"!!!!).
Watch out - the stuff loads really slowly and it is too easy to give a 50% when your intention is to give a different rating…
clock | April 25, 2007In three minutes, 98 percent of all the matter there is or will ever be has been produced. We have a universe. It is a place of the most wondrous and gratifying possibility, and beautiful, too. And it was all done in about the time it takes to make a sandwich.
- Bill Bryson
clock | April 25, 2007Update: The issue has been resolved amicably and Shelley has some further thoughts. And some even more further thoughts. The discussion will continue here on Scienceblogs and elsewhere in the follwoing days....
If you read other Scienceblogs and not just me, you are likely quite aware of the "Wiley Affair", but if you are not here is a quick summary:
My esteemed colleague here at scienceblogs, Shelley Batts of the Retrospectacle blog, did what we all do all the time - what is one of the primary role of science blogs: compared what a scientific paper says to what the press releases and…
clock | April 25, 2007It is the malaria week right now, isn't it? Check out this nifty website about the efforts to fight malaria in Kangaba, Mali. Just click and drag on each picture and you can swing it around full 360 degrees.
Hat-tip: Anton
clock | April 25, 2007Cold Spring Harbor 72nd Symposium: Clocks & Rhythms, May 30 - June 4, 2007. Abstract deadline is way past due, but just to go and be there (and blog from there) would be super-awesome.
clock | April 25, 2007If you have a moment, this is a useful study to participate in:
Do you blog? If yes, then please consider participating in an online survey from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Information and Library Science. The study, Blogger Perceptions on Digital Preservation, is being conducted under the guidance of the Real Paul Jones. The study team is interested in hearing from all bloggers on their perceptions on digital preservation in relation to their own blogging activities, as well as the blogosphere in general. To hear more about this survey, please visit the study'…