grrlscientist | September 25, 2008
Image: donated by a reader who likes to remain anonymous [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008tags: Butt of Lewis, Isle of Lewis, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Butt (north end) of the Isle of Lewis, approx. 58.5º N.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008tags: researchblogging.org, Seychelles magpie-robin, Copsychus sechellarum, behavioral ecology, conservation biology, endangered species, population dynamics, ornithology, birds
Seychelles magpie-robin, Copsychus sechellarum.
Image: Tony Randell (Wikipedia) [larger view].
Every once in awhile, I read a paper that surprises me. Today, I read one of those papers, and it surprised me because it analyzes a phenomenon that is so obvious that I wonder why no one ever thought of studying it in a systematic and rigorous way before. I am referring to a paper that was just published by a team of…
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008Here's another blog carnival for you to read and enjoy;
Carnival of Education, #190. This is filled with lots of education-related goodness.
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008tags: election2008 poster suggestions, humor, satire, presidential election, politics
Image: Cracked.com.
I like this poster's Harry Potter theme.
The silliness of this year's presidential elections has some people mocking them. Cracked.com especially, has taken this mocking to a new level, as you can see above from one of their poster suggestions. I have chosen my two favorite posters to show to you, but there are plenty more where those came from!
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008tags: election2008 poster suggestions, humor, satire, presidential election, politics
Image: Cracked.com.
I like this suggested poster's science theme.
The silliness of this year's presidential elections has some people mocking them. Cracked.com especially, has taken this mocking to a new level, as you can see above from one of their poster suggestions. I have chosen my two favorite posters to show to you, but there are plenty more where those came from!
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008This morning, a reader alerted me to tonight's celebration of The Best American Science Writing 2008 (pictured), being held at 700pm at Borders Bookstore at Columbus Circle. Even though I am getting ready to leave for Seattle (very!) early tomorrow morning, I am planning to attend this discussion of excellent American science writing! I hope you'll join me! Also, the rumor is that my colleague and friend, Carl Zimmer, will also be speaking!
What: Discussion of the best American science writing in 2008, a discussion led by Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind [DVD] and editor of this…
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008tags: Gull-billed Tern, Sterna nilotica, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Gull-billed Tern, Sterna nilotica, photographed flying over Bolivar Flats, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 6 June 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/2000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Read a detailed analysis for identifying this species below the fold ...
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
Compare this bird's shape and structure to the Sandwich Tern in a recent quiz. You'll notice…
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008tags: death by parody, python trek, humor, funny, streaming video
Oh, okay, I see how this is war is being fought! The truly evil scientist from across The Pond has begun cheating by launching a second satirical attack that introduces other characters into the fray! Oh, HO! In view of this egregious war crime, I have no choice but to escalate this war from a limited Shatner Satire conflict into a no-holds-barred all-out War of the Parodies! DEATH BY PARODY! [2:12]
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, L>osing My Marbles, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Losing my Marbles (2003).
Artist: Lisa Dinhofer.
Losing my Marbles, image 1, Detail 6. Glass mosaics on mezzanine walls of the 42nd Street (Times Square) for the A, C and E trains. This mosaic was just installed since I photographed it as the adhesive was still drying and the workmen were sweeping up their mess!
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
Lisa Dinhofer uses representations of toy marbles to challenge our imaginations by playing with illusions that alter…
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008I just learned that John "Eight McMansions" McCain has decided to suspend his presidential bid until someone fixes the economic mess that he helped the current adminstration get this nation into. Worse, he is going back to Washington DC to erm, "fix" this crisis. And he is telling Barack Obama to do the same.
Quite frankly, since McCain was in Washington DC while all the government deregulations were occurring, and he often supported a free economy (gone wild), I'd much prefer he remains distracted by the campaign and OUT of Washington so he can't do yet MORE damage!
Well, here's what I…
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008tags: Baile Tughaidh, Blackhouse Village, ancient human dwellings, Gearranan Scotland, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Baile Tughaidh.
Blackhouse village at Gearranan (Isle of Lewis, Scotland). These thatched-roof, drystone walled houses were still inhabited until 1976.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
On the exposed Atlantic coast of the Isle of Lewis, the blackhouse village of Gearrannan lies steeped in history and sited in an environment of outstanding natural beauty. Since 1989 the local community trust Urras nan Gearrannan (the Garenin Trust) has been…
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008The blogosphere, which is that part of the internet occupied by blogs, is experiencing explosive growth. According to Technorati, one of the major blog tracking services on the internet, the number of new blogs created increased from 75,000 to 175,000 per day from April 2007 to April 2008. Currently, there are at least an estimated 112 million active blogs.
These blogs discuss virtually everything from politics to dating, but there is one topic area that lags far behind in this public scrutiny: science. Even though many millions of active blogs exist, it is estimated that only 1500-2500…
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008tags: Sandwich Tern, Sterna sandvichensis, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Sandwich Tern, Sterna sandvichensis, photographed flying over Quintana and Bryan Beach, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 August 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Below the fold is a detailed analysis for how to identify this species ..
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
Does anybody else remember The Book of Terns? My favorite was the sketch of…
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008tags: x-ray crystallography, foot and mouth disease, research, viral research, streaming video
Below the fold is an utterly fascinating video that documents the current state of the research in one lab that is developing a drug that stops foot and mouth disease virus from replicating in the host cells. Even better, this beautfully executed video was created by the lab members themselves! I can hardly wait for more scientists and labs to document their research in real-people accessible videos such as these [6:03]
This lab has its own blog, so go there!
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008I am not sure about you, but I received this spam message yesterday and thought I'd share it with you. I am really broke and need the money desperately .. what is your opinion? Should I respond?
Subject:Help!
Hello ,
I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.
I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.
I am working with Mr. Phil…
grrlscientist | September 23, 2008tags: William Shatner, Shatner-Hasselhoff, humor, funny, streaming video
A truly evil scientist from across The Pond has launched a satirical attack in response to the Shatner Satire Wars. As a gawd-feering amerikan, I could not let that pass without bombing him into yesterday with a retaliatory counter-offensive satirical attack. To view Part 2 of this ongoing war against satire, peek below the fold [0:48]
grrlscientist | September 23, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, L>osing My Marbles, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Losing my Marbles (2003).
Artist: Lisa Dinhofer.
Losing my Marbles, image 1, Detail 5. Glass mosaics on mezzanine walls of the 42nd Street (Times Square) for the A, C and E trains. This mosaic was just installed since I photographed it as the adhesive was still drying and the workmen were sweeping up their mess!
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
Lisa Dinhofer uses representations of toy marbles to challenge our imaginations by playing with illusions that alter…
grrlscientist | September 23, 2008The NYC millionth comment party has FINALLY been scheduled! ScienceBlogs has rented out the top floor of the Delancey and will be providing pizza and a bar tab up to about $600 (drinks over that amount will not be covered) -- FREE! The Delancey will be suspending their usual cover charge, just for us.
So here are the two ScienceBlogs/Seed Media Group Millionth Comment parties that I will be attending:
ScienceBlogs' NYC-Boston area Millionth Comment party:
Date: Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Time: 7pm ET
Location: the top floor of The Delancey Bar and Nightclub, 168 Delancey Street on Manhattan's…
grrlscientist | September 23, 2008tags: Barpa Langass, Barpa Langais, neolithic tomb, Uist Scotland, Image of the Day
Barpa Langass (North Uist).
A Neolithic tomb, chamber opening faces east.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
Chambered Cairn
The best example of a chambered tomb in North Uist (Uibhist a Tuath) and the Western Isles of Scotland. The entrance to the chambered cairn is on the east side which is seen in the photo. The round cairn, about 24m in diameter, has an outer kerb of pointed stones. The entrance passage leads into an elongated chamber, built with seven massive upright stones (orthostats)…