Feel Free to Introduce Yourself

As many places as there are on the internet (and science blogs in particular) to find insightful, thought provoking, and well written science writing, I always come here first. I'm a rising senior in high school, and started following your blog about the time you made the jump onto the SciBogs network. I have always had a special interest in the history of science, as well, as paleontology, herpetology, bio mechanics, and the science vs. creation debate(And this is a nicely lucid oasis in that little storm of name calling, unlike others on this network.) Simply put, your blog has supplied all of that in thetime I've been visiting it, and it's become a vital part of my early morning net surf.
I also love your photography; it's gorgeous stuff, and I always feel a little thrill of recognition when I see your images of the Delaware Water Gap or Cape Henlopen, as I visited those places as part of an SCA crew two years ago.
If there is one thing I miss, it's your Bad Movie/Bad Book reviews. I know it's not quite in keeping with the general feeling on the blog, but they were always great fun to read.
Thanks for running this blog, and I have every confidence it will continue going strong!

I've just obtained my BA in Evolutionary Biology. My honors thesis was on dolphin communication, and I'm now studying the evolution of birdsong in a neuroscience lab. I enjoy reading Laelaps for both the content (I grew up wanting to be a paleontologist and enjoy keeping up on new developments in the field) and for the more personal side--we're both about the same age and in similar places professionally. Hearing about your frustrations with Rutgers and existential crises is comforting, and seeing you do well and succeed is very encouraging! I was so happy when Carl Zimmer started mentioning you as his go-to expert paleontologist. I'm excited for the book, and I hope you keep on writing--another great thing about Laelaps is that while most blogs reproduce the same couple news stories, you're always able to bring some neat thing up from the collections that no one else is talking about at the moment. Well, enough gushing--enjoy being outside and take lots of pictures for us!

I'm Dom Nardi, an environmental lawyer with an interest in paleontology and conservation biology particularly in Southeast Asia. As a kid I always wanted to be a paleontologist, but somehow lost my way and ended up in law school. Laelaps is one of the few blogs I've seen focusing on cutting edge paleontology, but in bites easy for non-specialists to digest (especially since I often read the blog over lunch or a snack break). I appreciate the fact that Laelaps not only reports on the science, but also analyzes it and treats it skeptically (unlike most of the media). All this makes the blog one of my favorite sites. Overall, well done Brian!

I would be interested (in the odd chance you are looking for a new topics to research) in a post on the geopolitical implications of paleontology and conservation biology. I know some authoritarian states in East Asia, such as Myanmar and North Korea, have trumpeted primate fossil finds in order to improve their governments' legitimacy (and, of course, to "prove" that they were the cradles of civilization). Likewise, Indonesia right now seems to be using its position as host to some of the greatest island biodiversity (and deforestation) in the world to play an outsized role in the climate change negotiations. I'm not as familiar with the way China treats its fossil finds, but knowing how nationalistic the government has become since the end of the Cold War, I wouldn't be surprised if all of those recent paleontological discoveries in China (feathered dinosaurs, Eosimias, not to mention Peking Man) have not been used to support the notion of China as the Middle Kingdom. There are probably other examples as well.

Anyhow, great job!

I'm Brian Beatty, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Long Island. I'm pretty broadly interested in vertebrate paleobiology, particularly that of marine mammals, and specialize some on Desmostylia, Sirenia, Cetacea and methodologically on dental microwear and paleopathology. I also enjoy biomechanics and biomaterials, and have been doing some work on the role of food material properties and how they influence tooth wear and the evolution of tooth form. I also have a strong interest in Miocene faunas in general, and some of the lesser known artiodactyl families, such as Protoceratidae, Palaeomerycidae, Antilocapridae, and Camelidae.
I read a number of paleontology, comparative biology, and evolution blogs, and especially like Laelaps for bringing up some uncommon topics and not obsessing over dinosaurs as much as many other blogs do. I also enjoy the book reviews like commenter #1. I just recently started a blog mainly to offload all the ideas that come to mind that I'd rather share than let stagnate while I am busy doing other work. It takes time to get projects done, and if I let all my ideas distract me into starting things, my backlog would be absurdly long (which it already is). Laelaps is one of those blogs that stimulates some ideas and helps remind me to enjoy discussing ideas in a friendly community instead of hide in my office writing papers. Thanks Brian!!

In all honesty, Brian, I do not visit this blog as much as I used to because, for the simple reason, I had more time THEN, than I do now! For the times I AM here though, I see nothing you could do differently that could really change the quality of this blog. Simply, you can just keep doing what you have been doing. I mean, that's why it's where it is in the first place. I enjoy this blog for the most part. I guess the ONLY thing I feel I must say is that if you have a particular purpose for this blog, then this should help narrow it down to what you could possibly write about. At least....that's what's helped me. Other than that, I see nothing you could possibly do any different to keep this blog going strong. :P

I like critters.

I love reading about creatures that once existed, the best speculation about how they evolved & lived, and the insight into classifications & the histories of paleoarcheology.
Brilliant blog that I always try to make time for -- thankyou!
Doug.

Since you seem to want to get closer to us, readers, I feel that I could introduce myself.

For those you do NOT know me, my name is "Raptor" Lewis, or well...that's my "pen"name anyway. :P I run a Paleontology Blog entitled "PaleoQuest," in which the readers follow my exploits as I become a Vertebrate Paleontologist and understand evolution and natural history as well as myself. Along the way, I act as a teacher in the science of Paleontology. I do NOT get TOO technicall as I understand that MOST readers may or may not have an interest and/or know the vocabulary. I DO, however, try to give the most correct and up-to-date information as I can, so it's an interesting read. I have been blogging since October 2008 and I have also grown in my skills as a writer and as a teacher of Paleontology. If you are interested, here is the URL: http://paleoquestfossilhunter.blogspot.com/ or you can click on my name.

I also am Moderator for a very popular Paleo Forum called Dinosaur Home. If you are interested in discussing the science of Paleontology on the internet with others with the same interests, feel free to join us. We're always happy to welcome new members and my team and I will be sure to make you feel more at home. I also hope you know I'm not spamming you. I am merely introducing myself as a blogger and sending out an invite, if you're interested.

Well, that's about it for me as a blogger. :P Hope you learned a little about me and if you are interested, you're MORE than welcome to stop by to one of the site mentioned....oh wait! I forgot the URL for Dinosaur Home. :P Here it is: http://www.dinosaurhome.com/ and it's FREE!!

Laelaps is always interesting Brian. Just keep writing! You and your young paleontological colleagues (like my friend and your "commenter" Brian Beatty) keep my old brain from drying up and blowing away. If I'm real lucky, I'll get to work with you on something in the future.

High School senior who like just about everything about you blog. I don't comment much, as I have very little to say, but I do read each and every thread and they are all very well-written and thought provoking (especially the paleontology ones ;) Extinct life forms seem to come back to life when you write about them; its a shame they aren't around anymore. I would love to see Lystrosaurus just walking down the street, but your blog is the next best thing!

I'm a 3rd year computer science student. I'm especially fond of your "Photo of the day" entries, although I also enjoy reading about all the interesting creatures in your articles.

I'm a mom with a 5 year old daughter who LOVES dinosaurs. We have had a blast learning about dinosaurs these past couple of years. I started reading blogs with dinosaur and palentology content as to be better prepared to answer her questions and now I read them because I find it interesting. Thanks for all the work you do. I'm learning tons!

Although I enjoy your photography and writing, it was probably your posts about raising stray cats that initially caught my attention. I come by every couple days to see what is new and, no matter how important of a task it is, frankly every now and again I need a break from killing zombies.

I like reading about science in general and paleontology in particular as a hobby. Learning about science brings me a sense of awe and wonder. Science is an invitation to feel at home in an amazing universe. I came across Laelaps through Dinosaur Tracking, which I also enjoy very much. I follow about a dozen science-related blogs. Yours are the most accessible, even-handed, and welcoming.

As for me, I'm a Unitarian Universalist minister. The guidance of reason and the results of science are part of my faith.

I rarely comment but I always enjoy reading your blog - you write so well & on fascinating topics. Also your photos are great :-) I particularly enjoy the history of science posts & those on primate evolution - but they're all good.
Me - I'm a uni lecturer & ex-high-school teacher; do a lot of science communication (cafe scientifique & bloggin, plus school visits)... not only do I enjoy your posts but they point me at material that I might not otherwise have read, but which is useful in my various 'lives'. Thank you!

I came across your blog quite by accident - following a trail from one Tweet to another on Twitter (is that "Twithering"?)- and I read it every day. I read it because it is consistently well written, always interesting, and it runs through with a real passion for the creatures, people, and places that you write about. Not just that, but a passion for communicating science in an intelligent and exciting way.

As for me, I teach and research sociology of medicine, science, and technology at a university in the UK. Your posts have reignited in me long buried interests in what used to be called 'natural history'. The good result of this is that in the middle of long and very dull meetings I find now myself thinking about extinct elephants rather than the proper use of 'flexibility and sustainability funding'.

Keep writing @Laelaps! I'm enjoying your work, and the new territories that it opens up for me.

I'm pretty sure I've been reading your blog almost since you started it (before SB, certainly); I don't remember how I first found it. As both a paleo-nerd and a history-nerd, this is my sort of place.

I'm a wildlife biologist with a wide range of interests. I teach sessional biology courses at university, and sometimes sessional environmental toxicology and chemistry courses at community college (in the summers I run around doing my field research on tundra plant communities--not wildlife at the moment, long story--and effects of climate change on seed germination as part of the ITEX).

Part of my teaching involves dealing with evolutionary biology and I like Laelaps for the perspective it brings. I especially appreciated the coverage of Darwinius and the hype-debunking, as well as many of the links where I found information that debunked some common creationist claims about Nebraska Man.

Knowing how events in history were interpreted and misinterpreted by special interest groups gives insight into how findings today may be misinterpreted. In preparation for the inevitable question/accusation concerning scientific dishonesty about Darwinius I've copied and pasted links and articles demonstrating how the science community really did react to this find that will "change everything".

And this blog covers a fascinating subject area. Slightly different circumstances and I may have been doing work in this field instead.

I prefer not to use my real name, if that is ok. I have a somewhat irrational mild phobia about being Googled and having my name come up in non-professional contexts.

I'm a graduate student of biological anthropology at the University of Michigan. I enjoy any kind of Cenozoic mammalian paleontological stuff, particularly that related to primates. I especially enjoyed your treatment of Darwinius and the discussions your posts sparked, although I've been a relatively frequent reader since you came to ScienceBlogs. I've also enjoyed your posts about Rutgers and your attempts to get through school.

I'm a nearly-complete-after-many-years Aerospace Engineer who's here to dig up old news. Mammal evolution after the K-T event is never something I knew much about, so I enjoy learning about the denizens of the past 65 million years, you write superbly and have a good handle on current events in the old-news blogosphere.
The daily photos are fun, too.

I am still here and reading. I like the way you present your articles which makes topics easily accessible to laypeople like me.

Been a fan and will continue to be a fan. I especially like when you write about historical incidents in science such as the story about Saartje Baartman and the Calaveras skull.

Keep up the good work!

I've just finished my BA in German studies (!), but I have been getting back into Natural History since I graduated and yours is one of the really interesting blogs I read.
I like the history of science and evolution studies, alot, I find people changing perceptions very interesting. I find it refreshing that you don't focus on the modern creationist vs science debate, but focus more on how we got where we are today.
I found your blog via Darren's Blogroll.

I am an undergraduate student of ecology and evolutionary genetics in University of Jyväskylä, Finland. I read a lot of paleontology and zoology-related blogs, and am, as unfortunate as it is, becoming more interested in them than the actual thing I'm studying. It's a shame I live in a country with basically no fossils.
I appreciate that you don't give too much attention to the evolution-creation debate, since it already gets way more media time than it deserves. It just makes the creationists feel important.

I'm Christophe Thill, from Paris, France. I work as a statistician doing socio-economic studies. I'm more a "social sciences" than a "hard sciences" guy but I've been a dinosaur enthusiast for ages, and the fact that I grew up not very far from the National Museum of Natural History helped a bit. Later on, I read SJ Gould and understood what evolution really is about. Now I'm a very regular reader of a few selected science blogs, among which Tetrapod Zoology, Pharyngula, and of course Laelaps.

The main reason I keep coming back here is that I'm waiting for Brian's announcement that his book is finally out... Then there's the fact that the blog is well written, interesting, scholarly... Brian has an original area of expertise in the domain of old science and its illustrations; these are things you don't read about in many other places. Finally, Brian seems to be a nice, kind and pleasant guy, someone I could be frineds with in real life. And he loves cats.

I have to confess my discovery of your blog came at the time of the Ida controversy. Palaeontology always interested me when I was growing up, but like so many interests it was put on the shelf. Then one Christmas I received "Beasts of Eden: Walking Whales, Dawn Horses and Other Enigmas of Animal Evolution" by David Rains Wallace. This re-ignited my interest and when the Ida controversy reared its head shortly afterwards, I followed a link to your blog. I have been hooked ever since.

As for my proffessional background, since completing an English Language degree a few years ago, I now work in sales and marketing for a small aeronautical IT systems company.

Hi!
I'm a graduate student at NYU studying Human Skeletal Biology and Museum Studies. Recently, I've particularly enjoyed your sneak peak at the "Extreme Mammals" exhibit and your compilation of "Ida" resources. I actually had students access your site when we did a unit on science and media that focused on Darwinius masillae earlier this summer. You do a great job with your research, and pepper in just enough personality to make it interesting without sacrificing your sense of authority.

Thanks!

I'm a recent Biology graduate from the American University of Beirut, and am heading for a PhD in paleontology in the States.

Even though I've gotten to the point where I open the internet maybe once a week, Laelaps is an excellent blog worth returning to time and again, thanks to paleo-posts covering a wide variety of fascinating or obscure (sometimes both) topics. In terms of recent articles, the Darwinius post was an especially good buffer to the hype. Plus, there are pretty photos. And cats.