On Sunday, I participated in a panel discussion of the ENCODE project and issues related to it, with the folks from ScienceSunday via Google+ Hangouts. Ian Bosdet and I joined hosts Rajini Rao, Buddhini Samarasinghe, and Scott Lewis. to talk about ENCODE and make it accessible to those without a decade of post-graduate training in genomics If you have a spare 78 minutes, the discussion can be viewed on YouTube.
Author: Josh Witten
http://www.thefinchandpea.com
The Physics of Otters
This strip from Karl Kerschl’s The Abominable Charles Christopher sits at the intersection of art, science, and otters – a place I like to call “home”.
Neither Karl nor I vouch for the equations represented as being either perfectly accurate or the most relevant. Rather they serve as symbols representing the mechanics that go into making something as delightful as an otter sliding into the water. We do, however, provide a comment thread, if you would like to engage in a few rounds of cathartic pedantry (I know I do from time to time).
You can and should follow Karl on Twitter and The Abominable Charles Christopher on tumblr.
Crowdfunding the 3D Nile Crocodile – Outside & In
When you say 3D digital model, people think of something like a molded plastic toy, just on your computer. When artist Mieke Roth does a 3D model of an animal, she means the whole animal. She models it inside and out.
Artist Mieke Roth created a 3D model of an octopus and its internal organs. Now she is working on a 3D model of a Nile crocodile with the assistance of researcher John Hutchinson. To help fund the project, Mieke has an IndieGoGo fundraiser running through the end of tomorrow (15 March 2013, 11:59PM PT).
It’s like being in an episode of Inside Nature’s Giants, but without all the mess and smell (for us, it’s pretty messy & smelly for Mieke).
Today is NOT “Pi Day”
It may officially be Pi Day, but that doesn’t make it right1. The 14th of March is perhaps the least educational date we could pick for Pi Day. True, π=3.14; and, true, today’s date is 3-14 (using nonsensical American notation). That tells us what π is, approximately, it does not teach us what π means. Continue reading “Today is NOT “Pi Day””
Ye Olde Meteoroid
In the wake of the Russian meteorite over Chelyabinsk, Russia, Minouette compiled a fascinating look at how objects from space running into our fair planet have inspired art throughout of human history.
The Finch and Pea 