Sheril R. Kirshenbaum
sheril
Posts by this author
April 9, 2008
Folks up in DC have the chance to catch my colleague Dr. Raphael Sagarin tomorrow at AAAS. He's in town to talk about his new book 'Natural Security: A Darwinian Approach to a Dangerous World':
'From observations of nature and studies in evolutionary biology, Dr. Sagarin has drawn some…
April 8, 2008
I'm troubled to read that according to a UN-commissioned report, women are discriminated against in almost every country. We make up 70% of the world's poor, owning 1% of titled land. While I often write about gender bias in academia, that disparity is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Surely more…
April 4, 2008
Chris and I, along with the rest of the ScienceDebate2008 steering committee, continue to work hard behind the scenes to push for candidates to talk about where they stand on issues related to science and technology. Here's the latest, from Alan Boyle with MSNBC:
If the candidates pass up the…
April 4, 2008
In the following photo, am I...
a) revealing my secret identity as a spy in the greater NC region?
b) laying low from the ScienceBlog paparazzi?
c) sharing lunch with Bora and Abel after we guest lectured at Duke's Sanford Institute on Public Policy on a sunny Spring day?
d) in the running for…
April 2, 2008
Chris has been posting his thoughts on framing, and while we share many ideas, it's time I provide my own perspective. You see, I'm often mistaken for my coblogger, and while I do understand a thing or two about storms and climate, we're not one in the same. So with that in mind... [deep breath…
April 1, 2008
Last night I had dinner with Geerat Vermeij--a man who can examine a shell and understand its history whether hundreds of millions of years old or newly collected on the seashore. He's one of the world's most famous paleoecologists and has published on subjects ranging from leaf morphology to bird…
March 31, 2008
Google takes part in Earth Hour 2008
Hope illuminated the darkness...
The next Earth Hour happens March 28th, 2009.
March 31, 2008
Over the weekend, an hour of darkness brought reason for hope. Earth Hour 2008 serves as evidence that around the world, we're collectively recognizing climate change and ready to act to curb our planetary fever.
Detroit
London
San Francisco
Check back for more photos throughout the day...
March 29, 2008
This hit my inbox last night, and after a week that left Scienceblogs reeling, it's a much needed reminder that we all ought to stop taking everything so seriously and laugh at ourselves too now and then. I don't know who made this, but atheist, agnostic, or spiritual at all, it's absolutely…
March 28, 2008
Today's the start of Canada's annual seal hunt and this year a new rule is in place to ensure seals are dead before they're skinned. Hunters must sever the arteries under a seal's flippers in an effort to make sure 'it's humane as it can be.' Seal pups 10-21 days old who haven't molted their…
March 27, 2008
It seems nearly universal that we are drawn to oceans. Children and adults alike marvel at whales, sea turtles, manatees, dolphins and on. Our imagination runs wild wondering about all the biodiversity and mystery lurking just below the surface of the great blue.
Check out my post over at…
March 26, 2008
Well it seems Nature has taken sides in The Great Marine Invertebrate Wars, which began here at The Intersection last week:A bizarre geek-fight has erupted in the blogosphere over which types of invertebrates are coolest, Echinoderms or Molluscs.
And I'm sad to report, the otherwise brilliant…
March 25, 2008
As I watch our traffic ebb and flow, I sometimes wonder whether these waves may reveal something deeper about human nature--acting as a microcosm of our broader society's attention span. Of course, we know those engaged in the blogosphere are not representative of the general population, but it's…
March 24, 2008
Dear PZ,
[It's worth pointing out, my problem is not with profanity. Regular readers know that long before I entered the blogosphere, I've vocally celebrated the right to free speech and independent thinking. However, when influential and well respected professors argue like children in a very…
March 24, 2008
Chris and Matt have already explained at length the danger in PZ's unintentional promotion of Ben Stein's Expelled. What's also interesting to consider is the strategy employed in the 'super trailer', which utilizes many subtle techniques that have proven successful in the social marketing of…
March 23, 2008
In the epic unfolding that began last week here at The Intersection--which has come to be known throughout the interwebs as The Great Marine Invertebrate Wars--it's a proud day for echinoderm enthusiasts everywhere...
Yes friends, the ever-charismatic sea cucumber has become a comic book hero!…
March 21, 2008
In this month's Evolutionary Psychology, an article titled 'Attractive Women Want it All: Good Genes, Economic Investment, Parenting Proclivities and Emotional Commitment' out of The University of Texas at Austin, reports women ideally want partners who have all the characteristics they desire, but…
March 20, 2008
Last week, Inoculated Mind's Karl J. Mogel interviewed me about ScienceDebate2008, science blogging, sea cucumbers, the intersection of science and policy, and the truth about PZ Myers fear to debate me over the best marine invertebrate.
vs
No contest! Cukes would eat squid for breakfast...
I'm…
March 18, 2008
..is to go beyond them into the impossible.
Arthur C. Clarke
1917-2008
Arthur C. Clarke, writer and futurist, predicted many of our technological breakthroughs with uncanny accuracy while maintaining humility and a sense of humor.
'I've never predicted the future, or hardly ever. I extrapolate.…
March 18, 2008
I'm Just One Person. What Can I Do About Global Warming?
EARTH HOUR 2008
Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming…
March 17, 2008
Our partner on the ScienceDebate2008 steering committee, Alan Leshner, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Executive Publisher of Science magazine contributed this Op-Ed piece to today's Philadelphia Inquirer:
A successful president thus needs to be science-minded.…
March 17, 2008
Well it's St. Patrick's Day and what better way to celebrate than taking pause to consider the science of BEER!
According to History.com, Americans annually consume 21.6 gallons per capita. Today, you might be able to imbibe green-dyed beer at one of the nation's 47,984 drinking places--many among…
March 14, 2008
Check it out at Carnival of the Blue 10 now live up at Kate Wing's place with a contribution from The Intersection in the mix...
March 13, 2008
Written Testimony of
William H. Gates
Chairman, Microsoft Corporation
Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation:
I believe this country stands at a crossroads. For decades, innovation has been the engine of prosperity in this country. Now, economic progress depends more than ever on innovation…
March 13, 2008
Remember high school? Social pressure and teen angst amid discovering sexuality and a changing physique... perhaps finding your first love while drunk on a cocktail of emotions that defy explanation?
Heck, at 27, I'm still confused now and then. But I suspect these feelings are universal and it'…
March 12, 2008
You know, here I try to have a nice relaxing week in New York City, and Governor Eliot Spitzer up and resigns...
Go figure.
March 10, 2008
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of "new" sins such as causing environmental blight.
The guidance came at the weekend when…