Standing in my kitchen, I first heard this track on the CBC Radio program Key of A. Beautiful, haunting? Check. And inspired by Carl Sagan. What? The name caught me ear and I turned to the radio and, yes out loud, asked again “What?”. That brief mention was enough to make me very curious, and I tracked down Colleen Brown, the Edmonton singer-songwriter responsible for this gem to ask her about it. Continue reading “Scientific awe & wonder in Colleen Brown’s Swallowed Whole”
What’s on your “To Do” List?
This was my four-year-old’s “To Do” list. I think she gets it.
Unfortunately, investing in her life coaching sessions is not cheap*.
*Insert college tuition joke here.
(Political) Science Caturday: Kittehs of the World, Unite!
Yesterday was May 1, also known as International Workers’ Day, a celebration of labor and the working classes that is promoted by the international labor movement. Although it is barely celebrated in the US, it’s a big deal in communist and socialist countries, with parades and festivities, and of course, a day off work. Every day is a day off work for cats, so let’s just say they celebrate this one on behalf of their humans, who trudge off to work each day to earn the money to provide noms, warm pillows and fluffy mice.
As a side note, the popularity of memes like Lenin Cat and Chairman Meow demonstrates the enduring appeal of the punchy graphic design, if not the actual theory and practice, of communism. Score one for the artists, who are generally among the most downtrodden workers of all.
Days of the Enola Gay
In a must read article at Slate, Ben Lillie (Story Collider) looks at the events surrounding the Thirty Meter Telescope protests at Mauna Kea. He challenges scientists and the science community to recognize and reflect on the dark parts of our history – and how that history affects today’s events:
I’m disturbed that this conflict came as a surprise, and disturbed about what that says about the culture of science. I’m disturbed by how scientists see ourselves as separate from culture and history, unaffected by it, and not responsible for its ills, and I wonder what we can do about that…And so transcendence can take the form of blindness to differences between people and to our own biases.
–Ben Lillie
I am compelled by his argument that we should, in addition to the days we promote for celebrating scientific achievement, set aside days in our year for reflecting on the regrettable aspects of scientific history. The Days of the Enola Gay (8:15AM 6 August – 11:02AM 9 August) will be going on The Finch & Pea‘s calendar of holidays (in the traditional sense of holy days).
Science for the People: Pests in the City
This week, Science for the People is exploring the ways human-made environments support – and shape – the lives of many species we think of as vermin. We’ll talk to Geography and Environmental Studies Professor Dawn Day Biehler about her book Pests in the City: Flies, Bedbugs, Cockroaches, and Rats. We also speak to postdoctoral researcher Clint Penick about his research on the junk food diets of urban ants.
*Josh provides research & social media help to Science for the People and is, therefore, completely biased.
The Finch and Pea 