Category: Notice Board

Observing Charlotte

Back in June I did a short interview* with Tyler Dukes for the Charlotte Observer. Here’s a taste:

Q: Science in pop culture tends to turn up a lot in your posts. Are you ever surprised by where ideas turn up?

If you want to, you can really can find science in everything because it’s about how the world works… It’s being able to find things that are really compelling and interesting and make you spend more time than you should writing about it or investigating it.

They actually published the interview in a timely manner. I’m only getting around to posting it here because I have been busy. How busy? I’m not sure how to quantify the business involved in international house hunting, relocating two small children transatlantically, and switching from full-time researcher to full-time science consultant/writer. I know how to describe it qualitatively, but not without swearing.

I’m also writing this from a laptop computer sitting on a desk made of cardboard boxes, because affordable moving companies are (a) slow, and (b) do not care.

*Well it was short by the time Tyler was done editing it down to something palatable.

Science Summer Books

Science has it’s annual summer books issue out this week.

Be sure to check out the review Darwin’s Devices: What Evolving Robots Can Teach Us About the History of Life and the Future of Technology by yours truly: “Evolution and Robots.”

A teaser:

I am envious of those who when asked what they work on can respond, “I study the evolution of robots.” John Long (a vertebrate physiologist at Vassar College) is one such researcher, and reading Darwin’s Devices is like listening, over drinks, to a voluble, engaging, and funny scientist tell you about his work. On occasion, his jargon gets a little heavy, he will toss in an unexplained concept, or he will digress about his youthful dreams to join the Navy. But for the most part, Long draws you into a compelling and wide-ranging conversation. This includes discussions of the mechanics of fish backbones, how we practice science, the nature of evolution, what it means to be intelligent, our dystopian robot future, and, most important, the crucial role of good models in science.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” Day

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Day is an official holiday in my house, and apparently in the UK this year (though they are claiming its for some chick named Elizabeth). According to the calculations of Larry Granillo, the inaugural Ferris Bueller’s Day Off occurred on 5 June 1985..

In honor of the 27th anniversary, I give you Ferris Club*:


*If you have not seen Fight Club, you will not get this; but, if you have not seen Fight Club, that probably happens to you a lot.

Bright Club – Scientists, make with the funny, NOW!

My understanding is that doing stand-up comedy is considered one of the most terrifying things a human being can possibly do, after all the things that are actually terrifying. Thanks to Bright Club Cambridge I got to be both terrified and very sweaty last Friday (ventilation por favor?).

You may laugh with me or at me; but only leave a comment if you pick option 1.

*Minor language warning for one or two naughty words.

Continue reading “Bright Club – Scientists, make with the funny, NOW!”

Cover Girl

Our art curator Michele Banks is going to hit y’all with her weekly “Art of Science” later day. We’ll get to that shortly. First, we get to brag about Michele. We are extremely proud to announce that her art (Blue Mitosis) graces the cover the 16 May 2012 issue of The EMBO Journal as you can see over this a way:

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Michele’s art inspired me with the beauty created by the marriage of science, nature, and creativity long before I ever met her (I was stealing thumbnails of her art off her website back in grad school, shhhhh). I’m very happy to see that the editors of some peer-reviewed journals are getting on board with my fine taste in art.