Shakespeare

Although one can not be certain, all the evidence points to the fact that William Shakespeare smoked pot. This is not a new story. My good friend and colleague, Dr. Francis Thackeray, who has never smoked pot in his life but who has acted in Shakespeare's plays numerous times, led a research team that put 2 and 2 together and came up with narcotic literary munchies. In Shakespeare's time, land owners were required to grow pot in order to provide fibers for making the rope needed hoist the sails and flags over the increasingly powerful British Navy and merchant vessels. One of the better…

When that I was and a little tiny boy, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, A foolish thing was but a toy, For the rain it raineth every day. But when I came to man's estate, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, 'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate, For the rain it raineth every day. But when I came, alas! to wive, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, By swaggering could I never thrive, For the rain it raineth every day. But when I came unto my beds, With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, With toss-pots still had drunken heads, For the rain it raineth every day. A great while ago the…

from "Would dew believe it: The stunning pictures of sleeping insects covered in water droplets," at the Daily Mail Given the day, we find both foolishness and meat. Fun stuff first: Science, Nature Team Up on New Journal - ScienceNOW Does the WTF1 gene trigger the inferior supra-credulus? @edyong209 falls for the whole thing: http://bit.ly/bLlzqx Getting real: Is the Mirror Neuron theory unfalsifiable?: Greg Hickok thinks so. Pfizer paid $35m to MDs and Researchers. Latter claim $ doesn't influence practice.. Somebody's mistaken.http://s.nyt.com/u/N5m Motherly love may alter genes for…

In the New York Times today there is an interesting article about Helene Hegemann whose debut novel, "Axolotl Roadkill," drew wide praise. You know this story: turns out that the book contains plagiarized passages (plagiarism: check, sales rising: check.) What I find fascinating about the story, however, is not this rehash of a tried and true marketing tactic, but Ms. Hegemann's defense of herself, summarized in this quote: "There's no such thing as originality anyway, just authenticity," said Ms. Hegemann in a statement released by her publisher after the scandal broke. Why do I love this…

If you need a neurohook, think language acquisition, attention, mirror neurons, make your pick. No need. This one wins on entertainment value alone. via the twitter feed of the fine writer P.D. Smith. When you're done, tune into RadioLab's stunning piece on Hamlet's last utterings.

tags: London England, London's Globe Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, performing arts, travel A duel of the drummers at London's Globe Theatre. Image: GrrlScientist, 1 September 2008 [larger view]. The day after Nature's European ScienceBlogging Conference had concluded, I set out to photograph the city with my friend and colleague, Bob O'Hara, and then to attend a play at the Globe Shakespeare Theatre. This photoessay details our Globe Theatre experience. After roaming around London, taking photographs and drinking beers at a variety of historical pubs, Bob and I walked across…