grrlscientist | March 3, 2008tags: blog carnivals, Gene Genie
The most recent edition of the Gene Genie is now available for you to enjoy. I am pleased to tell you that they included a contribution from me, too!
grrlscientist | March 3, 2008tags: blog carnivals, History Carnival
The 62nd edition of the History Carnival is now available for you to enjoy. I rarely have anything that is appropriate for this carnival, but this time I did, so be sure to check them out. And this is a big carnival, too, so there's plenty of interesting reading material there for your enjoyment, too.
grrlscientist | March 3, 2008tags: Microwave vs. Easter, streaming video
Easter has a special place in my heart because of those disgustingly wonderful confectionary creatures: PEEPS! [2:18]
grrlscientist | March 2, 2008tags: Nautilidae, Cephalopoda, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
Nautilus (but which species?)
as portrayed in tiles on the stairway of the NYC subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | March 2, 2008I have wifi from my apt right now so here's an update. I called the ER because the pain is so terrible, still, and they told me there are no pain relievers that are stronger than what they gave me. So I am taking oxycodone and ibuprofen. I have to return to the hospital tomorrow morning to see an orthopedic surgeon so it looks as though surgery is still an option, and possibly likely based on what I've been told by others.
I am trying to distract myself from the pain by reading a book that one of my readers sent as a Christmas gift, The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar. I can only…
grrlscientist | March 2, 2008tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, natural history books
"One cannot have too many good bird books"
--Ralph Hoffmann, Birds of the Pacific States (1927).
Here's this week's issue of the Birdbooker Report by Ian Paulsen, which lists bird and natural history books that are (or will soon be) available for purchase.
New and Recent Titles:
Crump, Marty & Alan. Headless Males Make Great Lovers: And other unusual Natural Histories. 2007. University of Chicago Press. Paperback: 216 pages. Price: $14.00. [Amazon: $11.90]. SUMMARY: Essays on unique animal behaviors.
Guttman, Burton S. Finding…
grrlscientist | March 1, 2008tags: birds, long-eared owl, Asia otus, ornithology, Image of the Day
Long-eared Owl, Asia otus, in Central Park.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [larger size].
Bob Levy writes: Did you know there are two Long-eared owls in Central Park this winter? They perch together in the Pinetum. My camera is not powerful enough to get a decent shot of them. Here's a not-ready-for-prime-time-posting-image of one. The other perches too deep inside an adjacent tree. There have been reports of a third but I have never seen it.
grrlscientist | March 1, 2008You are not going to believe this, but last night, I fell and broke my left arm. I spent the night in the ER on morphine and in excruciating pain. The doctors cannot put a cast on the fracture because it is so close to my shoulder that they cannot immobilize it. So I have my arm in a sling and I can feel the ends of the fracture moving around in there and the pain is so terrible that it makes me vomit. But there is good news: it doesn't require surgery.
grrlscientist | February 29, 2008tags: sloth, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
This is a three-toed Bradypus species of sloth (but which one?)
as portrayed in tiles on the stairway of the NYC subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 29, 2008tags: blog carnivals, Friday Ark
The most recent edition of the Carnival of the Spineless is now available for you to enjoy. The host, who is a pal of mine, asked me for a contribition, so I had to dig through my previous blog entries to find something that might be appropriate. I do what I can to support as many blog carnivals as possible, so you may or may not enjoy my meagre contributions ... you be the judge. But otherwise, do go there and support this blog carnival with your numbers and your comments!
grrlscientist | February 29, 2008tags: blog carnivals, Friday Ark
Yes, indeed, my friends, it is Friday once again, and as usual, my pal, The Modulator, has amassed a pile of links to ANIMAL IMAGES for you to enjoy in the 180th edition of the Friday Ark.
Did you know that this blog carnival began as a way to create a less contentious atomsphere on the internet, which had developed due to political sparring all week long, week after week? Anyway, in an effort to take a break from the fighting and to create a more congenial atmosphere, the political pundits began a campaign where they lowered their verbal armaments one day…
grrlscientist | February 29, 2008tags: animals, leucistic moose, Alces alces, zoology, Image of the Day
Leucistic Moose, Alces alces.
Image: orphaned [larger size].
grrlscientist | February 29, 2008tags: Frozen Trafalgar Square, streaming video
Do you remember how I posted a streaming video Frozen in Time at Grand Central Station? Well, apparently, another volunteer improv squad has done the same thing in London. Inspired by improv everywhere and made a reality by 100's of volunteers. At exactly 3:30pm on a secret cue, almost everyone in Trafalgar Square froze. The few bewildered tourists didn't know what was happening. For 5 minutes the participants held their positions, and then magically everyone unfroze. [2:37]
grrlscientist | February 28, 2008tags: whiptail lizard, Cnemidophorus species, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
I think this is a whiptail lizard, Cnemidophorus species (can you name the species?)
as portrayed in tiles on the stairway of the NYC subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 28, 2008tags: researchblogging.org, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, mental illness, mood disorder, functional genomics, blood test, biomarkers
Image: Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, serious mental illnesses affect approximately 44 million Americans. Serious mental illnesses include mood disorders; depression and bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, correctly diagnosing mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, appears to be a sort of voodoo science that depends upon the skill of the mental health professional…
grrlscientist | February 28, 2008tags: astronomy, South Pacific Ocean, sunset, hubble telescope, Image of the Day
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean.
Image: NASA (2007). [wallpaper size].
grrlscientist | February 28, 2008tags: blog carnivals, Writers from Across the Blogosphere
The February issue of Writers Across the Blogosphere is now available for you to read. This is probably the largest blog carnival that I contribute to, and it's likely the largest blog carnival out there, too -- and it celebrates good writing! And since having a high quality blog is all about writing well, how can you miss this one?
grrlscientist | February 28, 2008tags: Kitchen Science, elephant toothpaste, chemistry demonstration, streaming video
Elephant toothpaste is a classic chemistry demonstration that will make anyone overflow with joy. When hydrogen peroxide decomposes, it gives off oxygen gas and water. Under ordinary circumstances, it breaks down very slowly, but potassium iodide can act as a catalyst -- making the reaction tremendously fast. If there is some liquid soap mixed in with the hydrogen peroxide, steamy foam will gush out of the container. [1:05]
grrlscientist | February 27, 2008tags: blog carnivals, Horse Lovers' Blog Carnival
I had no idea that the Horse Lovers' Blog Carnival was still being published, but they just published their February issue of this blog carnival, so go over there to read what they've collected this past ... period of time.
grrlscientist | February 27, 2008tags: researchblogging.org, endocrine disruptors, environmental pollutants, DDT metabolites, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, birdsong, physiology, behavior
European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris.
Image: Gerd Rossen [larger view].
An elegant but disturbing paper was just published that documents that biologically relevant concentrations of endocrine disrupting pollutants are affecting the quality and quantity of song produced by male songbirds, which in turn, influences female mate choice. According to the research team, not only do these pollutants influence behavior, but they also affect…