Sheril R. Kirshenbaum
sheril
Posts by this author
November 20, 2007
...the world is changing. How will we observe these changes if we're flying blind? That's what Loarie et al. are worried about - and with good reason.
Let me explain... Imagine you're a scientist monitoring the planet from space using satellite imagery. You depend on these pictures to…
November 19, 2007
Cyclone Sidr has passed, but there is no calm after the storm. The death toll - now reported over 3,000 - continues to rise as we're hearing of devastation throughout the region. I've been touched by readers emails from Bangladesh and elsewhere, sharing experiences and firsthand accounts of what'…
November 15, 2007
It's about time. It's past time. Bay of Bengal cyclones have previously killed tens or even hundreds of thousands from storm surges and flooding. While those of us watching Sidr develop have been sounding alarm, the U.S. media has all but ignored an impending tragedy.
Today the storm made…
November 14, 2007
On August 28, 2005, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. Like so many, I felt helpless understanding the devastation that would ensue in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina. Just over two years later, I have that same feeling.
Because Bangladesh is one of the low-…
November 14, 2007
It had to happen sooner or later for a site at the nexus of science, politics, and pop culture... Look to our sidebar at the newest feature - The InterSeCtion SoundTrack link
We're kicking things off with Van Halen's 'Right Now':
Reader's sometimes question why we care so much about the…
November 13, 2007
Okay, I like Rolling Stone. As a drummer, it's kind of protocol. And James Lovelock is an interesting character - the very kind of fellow that I'd probably keep in good company were we of the same generation. I like those intelligent out-of-the-box types with big ideas. That said, I'm seriously…
November 12, 2007
I'm undoubtedly a big proponent of changing our actions to combat global warming, but you can bet I'm more than wary of ideas to experiment with our home Terra. Namely, because I plan to stick around here for a little while. Someone my age better damn well provide representation at the table and…
November 9, 2007
Thanks to my favorite Mooney, I'm enjoying life as a writer. Well a blogger really, but that's a style of writing just the same. Open correspondence to both everyone and no one at all. Chris recently considered whether bloggers should unionize and I suspect that will come with time as our new…
November 8, 2007
Have you seen this paper making the rounds in cyberland?
Carbon dioxide production by benthic bacteria: the death of manmade global warming theory? Journal of Geoclimatic Studies (2007) 13:3. 223-231.
As suspected, it appears to be a hoax. And you thought the Halloween trickery was over...…
November 7, 2007
You may have noticed Science Blogs runs a regular Ask A Science Blogger question referenced on Frontpage where different Sciblings provide interesting perspectives.
Well twice now, Sparticus Maximus the Great has taken over The Intersection with his own expert bird brain opinion. He weighed in…
November 6, 2007
You may have been hearing all the hullabaloo over 'ocean acidification.' Sure sounds frightening [visions of a melting Wicked Witch of the West], but no CAP, the oceans are not turning to acid. Still, it is a very scary possibility nonetheless... So what's really going on just beneath the surface…
November 5, 2007
They did.
When a person's cornea - the transparent surface layer at the front of the eye - becomes damaged, it can be replaced using tissue from an organ donor. But there is a big shortage of corneal donors, as there are for every other type of organ.
An ideal solution would be to develop an…
November 5, 2007
Over at Cephalopodcast, check out Carnival of the Blue VI. It's a synthesis of the best ocean-related blogging and, as Jason explains, does represent the other 70% of our planet! You'll find a couple of my posts from October and recognize some other familiar sciblings who have made interesting…
November 2, 2007
I'm publicly responding to a particular reader's provocative comments because women-in-science is a topic that needs to be settled. Finally. After which, I'll be moving away from the great gender divide for a while and back to science and policy next week. Here goes.
November 2, 2007
Hello there…
October 31, 2007
Halloween 2007 finds me dressed as a pirate doing my part to combat global warming!
And now a reader poll on this 31st day of October...
Which of the following do you find scariest and why? (answer in comments)
a) Global Warming
b) Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley at the 1994 MTV Video Music…
October 30, 2007
Yesterday, I mentioned iron fertilization and more than one email found my inbox inquiring exactly what that means. So with readers in mind, I've composed a blog post over at CORRELATIONS explaining Iron Fertilization 101.
Phytoplankton take up CO2 in oceans and then go on to die and sink, and…
October 29, 2007
It's nice to wake up in The District again. Today I'm headed over to the Hill to talk about the interface between climate and oceans. Iron fertilization and U.N. Law of the Sea are among the myriad of topics to be discussed.
And being back is also reason to share one of my very favorite legends…
October 28, 2007
Last Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency faked a news briefing about their response to the California wildfires. Really. There was a script and questions came from FEMA employees. Turns out no actual reporters were present. So sure, it was the week before Halloween, but I just don'…
October 26, 2007
This weekend I'm returning to my old stomping grounds to brief Hill folks on oceans, climate, and their interface in the policy realm. I'm looking forward to catching up with friends and Autumn is a wonderful time to be back because the humidity has finally subsided. While my heart is always with…
October 26, 2007
I can't deny my co-blogger here is a sexy geek. Heck, even if I tried, I'd have no case--it's been documented. Well, the west coast is starting to seem like a parallel universe because now I have this other co-blogger named Chris who's also a sexy geek with WIRED and they even live in the same…
October 25, 2007
It was with great interest I read last weekend's Executive Order to protect America's striped bass and red drum fish populations, but I'm left wondering whether the President should have the power to make important decisions in fisheries management and conservation? A few excerpts from his speech…
October 24, 2007
Fossils always have interesting stories to tell, and two studies by prominent scientists in the field suggest this one may not have a happy ending...
Today's Seattle Times reports that in Earth's 520+ million year history, four of the five major extinctions are linked to warmer tropical seas.…
October 23, 2007
Can the federal government actually penalize universities that are not actively working to overcome subtle and unconscious gender bias by invoking Title IX of the Civil Rights Act?
Step back and first consider these stats from Harvard on women in the life sciences:
undergraduates: 57%doctoral…
October 23, 2007
Emmy Rossum's first album Inside Out drops today. You may remember her from Phantom of the Opera. And what, you may be wondering, does this possibly have to do with The Intersection? We live in a world where girls are hugely influenced everyday by media images of who and what we are expected to…
October 22, 2007
As someone who's spent a heck of a lot of time studying sea cucumbers, I'm the first to know when these critters make the news. It's not because I follow the literature, but rather that everyone who does feels the desire to forward me related articles. Despite that this is an extremely…
October 22, 2007
Their unusual style made an impression on me in Vegas. Readers can decide if the Blue fellas are as memorable here.
October 19, 2007
Well, you might have noticed I tend to keep things light on Fridays and this one's no exception. I won't be posting again today because I'm holding a roundtable on (you guessed it) Science Communication. I'm in good company with Dietram, Matt, Abel, and a few other leading experts on how messages…
October 18, 2007
'Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.'
- Jane Goodall
On Tuesday, I finally got to listen to one of my heroes, Jane Goodall, speak to all of us about why there is reason for hope. Now I was told by a dear friend beforehand that the…
October 18, 2007
Stephen Colbert - comedian, anchorman, and bestselling author of the 'I Am America (And So Can You!)', - penned an Op-Ed for NYTimes columnist Maureen Dowd this week. He does a pretty ummm... 'comprehensive' job of discussing politics and the upcoming presidential election. Since we expect to be…