All manner of human creativity on display
David Ng is Director of the Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory at the University of British Columbia - this is a just a fancier way of calling himself a science teacher.
Benjamin Cohen is an Asst. Professor of Science, Tech., and Society at the University of Virginia. He studies the place of S & T in environmental history, policy, and ethics. He also writes other stuff.
Trying to find your way around this place? Like most expositions, we offer a map: Map of The World's Fair
Need a car? Of course you do. Try this one:
August 20, 2008
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
"Over the past three decades, grosso modo discourses of militancy in AFNs in the US have been superseded by more circumspect, incrementalist narratives of change, better adapted to hegemonic notions of the market and consumer choice promulgated by the dominant neoliberal political economy."
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 7:15 PM • 0 Comments
August 19, 2008
Category: Video links (archive.org samples, for example; Youtube.com; others...)
I just saw this video at McSweeney's (which in turn got it from Today's Big Thing). It's quite the stunner, watching the lightning seek out ground and then BOOM.
Posted by David Ng at 11:54 AM • 1 Comments
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
Recently used this graphic at a student conference opening, and it was met with a surprisingly good reaction. Weird how no matter how hard you look at this, you can't get past the Disney influence.
Posted by David Ng at 10:41 AM • 5 Comments
August 18, 2008
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
Let's start this off with a mini-meme. Do you, or anyone you know, have apparent "superpowers"?
This request is not as weird as it seems - let me explain.
Posted by David Ng at 2:11 PM • 26 Comments
Category: Podcastia
This post was written by guest blogger Elizabeth Green Musselman.*
One year ago I began producing The Missing Link, a monthly podcast on the history of science, medicine, and technology. In case you are unfamiliar with the world of podcasting, which is a type of audio blogging that began in 2005, let me give you a brief equation that will explain what I am about to do:
1 year = grizzled, world-weary podcaster experience
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 2 Comments
August 15, 2008
Category: Humor stuff, and in the best of worlds, science humor stuff
JESUS: What is cloning?
GENETICIST: That is a very good question indeed. In short, cloning is the experimental act of producing an identical copy. It can refer to copying something as small as a specific piece of DNA, or as grand as duplicating an entire organism. For instance, you may be interested to know that it is now possible to clone a human being.
JESUS: Is that like the resurrection of the dead?
Posted by David Ng at 7:28 AM • 1 Comments
August 14, 2008
Category: Humor stuff, and in the best of worlds, science humor stuff
CELEBRITY: Who are you?
GENETICIST: I am a geneticist.
CELEBRITY: Like, is that a big word for someone who is not as cool as me?
Posted by David Ng at 7:23 AM • 2 Comments
August 13, 2008
Category: Podcastia
I don't make it a point to keep up with the goings on at Lower Blakemere Farm, Blakemere, Herefordshire (UK). But they have a very well-developed series of podcasts that let me do so anyhow.
Here then, with a great name: Wiggly Wigglers. Criminy, there's a lot -- they're up to #144.
Fun to listen to folks ways away talk local food. Check out their blog too.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 8:00 AM • 0 Comments
Category: Humor stuff, and in the best of worlds, science humor stuff
OLD MACDONALD: Do you want to buy some beef?
GENETICIST: If the beef is not tainted with mad cow, then I would be very much interested in purchasing your beef. However, as there have been a few recent outbreaks of this disease in North America, I think I will abstain for now.
OLD MACDONALD: What is mad cow?
Posted by David Ng at 7:20 AM • 0 Comments
August 12, 2008
Category: Nuclear Energy
In a time of increasing concern for water quality and availability, nuclear power facilities require enormous quantities of water and put back effluent into those nearby water sources. At a time of carbon counting, they also generate considerable carbon emissions through the process of construction and with the life-cycle chain of fuel (uranium) mining, milling, transporting, and disposing. As Americans relearn the breadth of what an environmental issue is, nuclear plants all the while create new social and cultural problems for community stability and autonomy. Coal-fired plants quite obviously produce carbon too and, especially with mountain-top removal sites, destroy community as well as nature, but the option for energy source is not either/or.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 4:00 PM • 5 Comments
Category: Humor stuff, and in the best of worlds, science humor stuff
BONO: Why am I so weary?
GENETICIST: From a genetic point of view, I would say that your weariness is a reflection of your metabolism. That is, your ability to pull energy from the food you eat, and the ability to utilize that energy effectively. Both of which should not be a problem for a person of your age and affluent stature. My guess is that you are just overdoing things. Here, Mr Bono, would turning up the lights help wake you up?
BONO: You know, I am probably overdoing things. Sure, turn the lights on, although first let me put my sunglasses on. My eyes are quite sensitive to the glare. And just call me "Bono." Not "Mr. Bono," or else I'll have to get Larry to pound you.
Posted by David Ng at 2:31 PM • 0 Comments
Category: NatureLand: What They Used to Call the Environment
MIT Press publishes a series called Urban and Industrial Environments. Several of the "author-meets-blogger" books were from that series. The main editor is Robert Gottlieb of Occidental College out in California. I was just made aware of a blog for his Urban & Environmental Policy Institute there, where one can find notices of new books, discussions of current issues in environmental justice, and, you guessed it, matters of urban and environmental policy more broadly speaking.
In addition to the well-stocked and premier Urban and Industrial Environments list, Gottlieb also edits a new series called Food, Health, and the Environment.
Take a look and maybe keep it in your bookmarks folder. It's good stuff. You'll hear more about those books here in the coming months.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 0 Comments
Category: Humor stuff, and in the best of worlds, science humor stuff
GRIMACE: What am I?
GENETICIST: That is a very interesting question indeed. And we should begin by briefly discussing your known history. According to your records, you were born as "Evil Grimace," with four deft arms, and a penchant for amusing yourself by stealing milkshakes from small children. Then, in 1974, you experienced a change of heart, a loss of two arms, and a metamorphosis into what is your current incarnation--a supposedly warm, gentle, and seemingly living representation of the "embodiment of childhood."
GRIMACE: Is that why I have only one orifice?
Posted by David Ng at 7:17 AM • 0 Comments
August 11, 2008
Category: Humor stuff, and in the best of worlds, science humor stuff
ELMO: Elmo is not very happy today. Elmo is sad. That is why Elmo is here to see you Mr. Geneticist.
GENETICIST: Tell me, little one. Why are you so sad?
Posted by David Ng at 8:34 AM • 2 Comments
Category: Humor stuff, and in the best of worlds, science humor stuff
(Since I'll be away for the next week or so, I figured this is as good a time as any to reprint a few "speaks to a geneticist" pieces. Hope you enjoy them).
LIESL: Why is it that we can all sing very well?
GENETICIST: Liesl, that is an excellent question! And essentially one that boils down to the classic debate of nature versus nurture. Are your genes responsible for this particular talent, or has it more to do with your upbringing? Looking at this scenario objectively, I would have to say that it is both. There have been reports that the ability to have perfect pitch--that is the ability to distinguish musical notes without points of reference--is a hereditary phenomenon, thereby strongly suggesting a genetic basis. This would seem to be supported by your father's musical talent as well. Of course, you've also had the benefit of being tutored by your wayward novice governess with all-world pipes, Maria.
In conclusion, like most things pertaining to our individuality, we are influenced by both our biology and our surroundings.
GRETL: I think Liesl is very beautiful. Why am I not as pretty?
Posted by David Ng at 7:12 AM • 0 Comments
August 8, 2008
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
A couple things converging here. Namely, the exterior painting of my home (a nice rustic red colour), and the Beijing Olympic games. As well, you find that household paints these days have the most luxurious names ever, so I figure why not use pollution as an inspiration (the smog in Beijing seems to be all the rage for instance).
Anyway, here is the colour swath for Beijing, and there's a few more below.
Posted by David Ng at 12:50 PM • 1 Comments
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
One of the realities of science academics (well, any academics for that matter), is the likely need to switch locales during your career path. And because of this reality, one often gets into debates about "good" versus "bad" places to go. I find nowhere is this discussion more heated is the perspective that the West coast and East coast each have their own advantages and their own faults.
Posted by David Ng at 10:50 AM • 12 Comments
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
After the little round of history of science talk earlier this week (this one from me; this one from Dave; this one from John Lynch) I was talking to a colleague about comparable history of technology blogs -- blogs that take the subject of studying and discussing the history of technology as their premise. That is, I *don't* mean the great many blogs that talk about technologies that existed before this moment in time (the one I like most being that Paleofuture blog linked over there on the side of this page). I mean one that, as with the history of science blogs, actually delve into the subject matter.
Can anyone help here? Are there historians of technology blogging about their work and research? I see the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) has a "web log," but it's only informational. I also see that noted historian of technology David Nye has one too, After the American Century, but it appears to be about politics and culture. Scienceblogs added the "technology" category when it reworked the channels a little while back, but I don't think there are any actual historians of technology here.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 10:00 AM • 2 Comments
Category: Industrial Agriculture
"But it's delicious."
Here's a link worthy of linking to, eminently linkable: "Carnivores, Capitalists, and the Meat We Eat", by Jon Mooallem, in The Believer some time back (October 2005). It's all about popular meat writing. I take that to be about environmental ethics too, about how humans live in and treat the non-human world.
He starts by quoting Whitman. I paste it here for us:
This is the meal equally set--this the meat for natural hunger; It is for the wicked just the same as the righteous--I make appointments with all... --"Song of Myself"
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 3 Comments
August 7, 2008
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
From friend-of-The-World's-Fair WJG comes a link to The Grass Seed, a graphic story/comic strip by Claudia Davila at Ballyhoo Stories.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 12:00 PM • 2 Comments
Category: NatureLand: What They Used to Call the Environment
See this:
This glorious piece of work is doing amazing things, amazing things!
Posted by David Ng at 10:16 AM • 14 Comments
August 6, 2008
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
Aren't these kind of pretty?
Posted by David Ng at 12:33 PM • 12 Comments
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
According to Mussina (13-7, 3.56), the piece was entitled "Discarded Titles For Hunter S. Thompson's Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas," and included such examples as "Dread And Abhorring In Las Vegas," "Trepidation And Disliking In Las Vegas," and, in what Mussina described as a "bit of a switch," "Fear And Loathing In St. Paul, Minnesota." Mussina said he submitted the piece--his seventh attempt overall--last Thursday, and received an e-mail reply Monday morning notifying him that it had not been selected.
Let's say I'm a fan of this piece, though I suspect it hits a smaller target audience than most of their stories. It's not only that the it combines the two worlds of McSweeney's and The Onion more gracefully than Captain and Tennille, but it does so through Mike Mussina, whom I've followed since he broke in with the now/still/again pathetic Orioles back in the early '90s. To up the ante (and by way of full disclosure) yet another reason this has worlds colliding is that I was until last year, as my most hallowed CV line, the lists editor at McSwny (in aid to the now Onion-famed John Warner). All I can say is the Onion writers have done their homework. Read up. And submit more lists.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 8:30 AM • 1 Comments
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
I came across this slide show by Christopher Benfey at Slate earlier this summer. It's a series of photographs by the German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher. Apparently Bernd passed away last year, so I don't know (and Benfey didn't know) if there will be more. All of the Becher's pictures on display at a MoMA showing are black and white photos of industrial settings. Although they are images of a worked- and lived-in nature like those of Edward Burtynsky and other industrial landscape photographers, the ones recently displayed at MoMA are of places still at the center of those living worlds, not wastelands or polluted off-sites. "If one function of photography, as Susan Sontag argued long ago," and as Benfey writes, "is to uncover new kinds of beauty, the Bechers have found it in unusual places." Here's one:
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 8:00 AM • 0 Comments
August 5, 2008
Category: Video links (archive.org samples, for example; Youtube.com; others...)
Another score at TED talks. "Benjamin Zander: Classical music with shining eyes."
Posted by David Ng at 3:02 PM • 4 Comments
Category: The STS Compages
Yesterday, Ben threw out the following question:
What does a scientist actually think the history of science offers?
To be frank, I don't think it's necessarily a tough question to answer, but I do think that my answer, and other answers presented will be a challenge to enact in the real life workings of scientific research.
Posted by David Ng at 2:50 PM • 4 Comments
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
We once pondered aloud what Homer had in mind with his claim that Batman's a scientist. Since then, and I'm sure because of it, a new movie about Batman has been released. Now Jon Barnes at the Times Literary Supplement traces seven decades of evolution in the Batman character and persona.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 11:30 AM • 4 Comments
August 4, 2008
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
Historians and some scientists argue that it is a relevant and important pursuit to understand more about the history of science. I agree; in part this is what my day job is. But why exactly does it matter? To whom is it important? In what way? What will they get from it? How do historians know those reading the history of science get what they (the historians) think they should get? These are generations-old questions, to be sure. (I suppose one would have to know the history, though, to know that they are generations-old questions.) It could be relevant for students in the sciences and humanities; for practicing scientists; for historians of other sub-fields; for general public readers; for non-historical scholars. It might not. But it might be.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 2:05 PM • 7 Comments
August 1, 2008
Category: About writing generally
The other day I was having a conversation with a number of scientist types, and specifically the topic of movies like Sizzle or Expelled came up. This, of course, led to the whole "framing" thing, which to be frank is a little confusing to me generally.
It was here, that one of my colleagues mentioned that an old creative non-fiction piece of mine, about science communication, might actually make a good narrative for a movie on big science issues. In particular, the ones that desperately need communicating and clarification to the public at large, but also those that are more meta in nature, such as the importance of literacy and engagement. This piece was my "Be Very Afraid" article that I wrote a few years back, primarily as a way to prepare for a keynote talk.
Anyway, I just reread it to see if it still works as a piece, and whilst some of the alternative energy bits may need a little less strongly worded text, I think it's still a good overview of some of the things you need to be wary of in the world of science.
In any event, I've reprinted it below for folks to take a gander. I actually think it would make an unwieldy film narrative (it's kind of all over the place), but then I'm not one to talk really when it comes to film.
Posted by David Ng at 12:39 PM • 9 Comments
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
Chemical & Engineering news has a profile of Food Network guy Alton Brown. (Did you know the Food Network is about the only family-friendly station I can ever find? True story. Ergo, I've seen Alton Brown before.)
If you've not seen him, Brown's "presentation style [is] a combination of Julia Child, British comedy troupe Monty Python, and Mr. Wizard." He's influenced in part, he says, by James Burke's Connections and he uses a lot of multi-syllabic words. Like multi-syllabic.
Extended excerpt below the fold:
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 1 Comments
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
Proof of "a threshold species between modern birds and their prehistoric dinosaur relatives" hanging out with Mephistopheles in Flight. Though don't take my use of the word "proof" too sincerely.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 8:00 AM • 0 Comments
July 31, 2008
Category: Books that are just good - literature in general
This is great.
And this is also an image that seems appropriate when choosing to speak about water as a resource generally - it might, for instance, be a good prelude to discussions like this.
Posted by David Ng at 2:30 PM • 0 Comments
July 30, 2008
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
Would appreciate it if you could pass this on somehow?
Thoughts?
Posted by David Ng at 4:08 PM • 7 Comments
Category: Nature as in Earth, as in Global, as in Global Issues Generally
This got published a while back in the Walrus, but I just noticed that it's also now freely available online. 0.7%, in case, you're not aware is the hallmark figure suggested by Pearson as a target for foreign aid to developing nations.
Anyway, hope you enjoy. My favourite line, by the way, is:
You're Wilco playing to the High School Musical crowd.
Posted by David Ng at 4:03 PM • 0 Comments
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
The response for the "Things to avoid at all cost when speaking publicly" post was awesome, and so, I've tried to formalize the suggestions into a fairly definitive list. The ones that didn't make it tended to be more debatable, although admittedly, there are few in the list right now that sort of sit on the threshold of that parameter (I'm think about stuff like "winging it" or being "arrogant").
Anyway, the list can be viewed at the SCQ, but I'll reprint it here for your viewing pleasure.
Posted by David Ng at 3:56 PM • 1 Comments
July 29, 2008
Category: NatureLand: What They Used to Call the Environment
Our lawn finally came in this year after three years in this house. We hadn't put much of an effort into it, I'll admit, though the original builder sought to. Our dirt is awful, just god awful. Ask my dad. He, the ardent gardener, is astonished by how poor the soil is. But this year the crabgrass grew in. And it looks good, real good. Plus it's helped prevent erosion from the occasional torrential downpours and for the most part it manages itself. So, yeah.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 2:30 PM • 1 Comments
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
The recent upswell in two-culture talk around Scienceblogs is driving me nuts (here's a good jumping in point -- oh wait, this one's better). One might question the so very many unquestioned assumptions in the current conversation about "what is science" and "what are the humanities" and "what does it mean to *know* science" and "what does it mean to *know* a poem," but instead I'll repost below something I contributed to The Education of Oronte Churm earlier this year. Call it the problem of the 13 culture divide.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 8:15 AM • 7 Comments
July 28, 2008
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
As plans for our student speaker conference are ramping up, we've been talking about ways to recruit excellent speakers to the project (this is where we're trying to host a university centric TED talks sort of thing). One idea, was to make some kind of video public service announcement that would direct people towards the application process as well as have a bit of web (as in hopefully viral) fun.
Anyway, I thought it might make an interesting slideshow to present things that you definitely should avoid at all costs when giving a talk. Some of these are obvious, some maybe not so much, but it would great to open this up and see if there are others out there worth highlighting.
So, without further ado - here is the beginnings of such a list.
Posted by David Ng at 5:00 PM • 42 Comments
July 24, 2008
Category: Links to interesting sites and discussion of them
...According to Ex-Marine Brad Collum.
And Kevin Fleming, his apparent interlocutor, as originally published here.
You thought we couldn't pull off three Apple product satires in a row? Not to mention the Dick Cheney one we didn't like as much so we didn't include in this reprint series. But it is timed-posts week after all, so there you are. Don't miss the iPod Zepto and iPod User's Guide, oh inconsistent reader. Then and only then check below the fold for a reprint from the iPod-as-a-deadly-weapon genre of literature.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 2 Comments
July 23, 2008
Category: Links to Other Conversations and Articles
This is one from the vault. Though not our vault. It was posted here in the original. But we offer a full reprint below the fold.
If you're a fidgety right-finger-on-that-mouse-scroller zooming-down-the-page reader (oh, did I nail it Mark?), don't miss chapter 18:
XVIII. Using the iPhone to learn whether superstring theory's positing of 10 dimensions (or 11 in M-theory) is viable in light of recent discoveries relating to dark matter
Enjoy.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 1 Comments
Category: The Art/Science (Non?)Divide Building
Just a quick note. Although it's been a while, a few of us are meeting for drinks on Friday night (July 25th) at The Revel Room in Gastown, Vancouver (8pm on). It just so happens that it's about the 500th Day Anniversary of the Science Scouts.
What's this? Well, it's this. Think: science plus badges plus raising a pint in celebration and you're getting close.
If you happen to be in the area feel free to drop by - better yet, let us know by replying to the facebook page.
Posted by David Ng at 7:58 AM • 0 Comments
July 22, 2008
Category: Links to Other Conversations and Articles
Apple, Inc. joke week continues here during an all star World's-Fair-Scheduled-Posts-While-We're-Away Link Week. This one was originally published here, back in 2005, and remains one of my favorites of technology satire. (Oh, you have one too? What's yours? Is it Vonnegut's Player Piano? Cat's Cradle? No? I'm not even close? It isn't Vonnegut at all? Then what's your point, hombre? What the hell's your point?)
Your sample:
Q: I hate having to recharge my iPod Zepto every 12 minutes. Is there any way to extend the battery life?
A: Yes, if you keep your iPod Zepto's power button in the off position, the battery will last significantly longer.
The rest in full below the fold.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 1 Comments
Category: Knoxville '82: Where Miscellany Thrive
Posted by David Ng at 7:32 AM • 0 Comments
Category: Nature as in Earth, as in Global, as in Global Issues Generally
I recently had a chance to catch the movie WALL-E, and I must say, it's very good. Still, I couldn't quite shake the irony of a show with (I thought) a fairly implicit environmental message that also happens to have logos and pics emblazon on all sorts of wasteful possibly disposable ware (like on toys, presumably various product tie-ins, fast food?, etc).
In fact, there's an interesting bit on this very thought courtesy of an interview with one of the movie's directors (at the Globe and Mail - although note: I actually found this at a salon.com's review).
Posted by David Ng at 7:04 AM • 1 Comments
July 21, 2008
Category: About writing generally
This post was written by World's Fair guest Rachel Carr.^
I am the village idiot.
It's not obvious, mind you, when the locals first meet me. I approach them -- the 30-some nuclear physicists at Michigan State University's National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, where I've miraculously landed a science writing internship -- like I approached crepe vendors on the streets of Paris. I whip out the full reserves of my introductory college physics, or high school French, as the situation dictates, and start off sprinting. Ah! Bien sur, les neutrons volent aux les incroyablement grandes vitesses et puis ils frappent les... Pause. Ils frappent les... les... how you say...uh, those scintillation things?
And suddenly my interlocutors know: I'm not from here. I'm a little... slow.
Posted by Benjamin Cohen at 9:00 AM • 5 Comments
Category: The Book Building
It's been a while since I've enjoyed a book this much. That's all.
Posted by David Ng at 8:18 AM • 0 Comments
Category: Nature as in Earth, as in Global, as in Global Issues Generally
As of 2007, residents of Vancouver, on average used 295 litres of water per day (Per capita water consumption number is 542 litres per day factoring in non-residential water use).
(link)
After reading the above article, I did a bit of number crunching. The contrast in water consumption, say. between a place like Vancouver and a place like Bhopal, India is pretty striking.
Posted by David Ng at 7:30 AM • 5 Comments
July 18, 2008
Category: The Book Building
The SCQ children's book contest is back again.
Posted by David Ng at 12:37 PM • 1 Comments
July 17, 2008
Category: Podcastia
New Zealand and Canada both "received a significant number of settlers from
