My scientific specialty is chronobiology (circadian rhythms and photoperiodism), with additional interests in comparative physiology, animal behavior and evolution. I am not an MD so I cannot diagnose and treat your sleep problems. As well as writing this blog, I am also the Online Discussion Expert for PLoS. This is a personal blog and opinions within it in no way reflect the policies of PLoS. You can contact me at: Coturnix@gmail.com
In saying that without the power of the state, evil men would rule over the good it is taken for granted that the good are precisely those who at the present time have power, and the bad the same who are now subjugated.
- Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy
A repost from July 6, 2006:
OK, today I'd like you to superimpose a couple of very different articles that all look at the difference between patriotism and nationalism, but each from a different angle and see if, and how, they inform each other. First, I'd like you to read one of my old posts (…
Under the fold:
Ex-Cheney aide: Bush won't hit Iran:
US President George W. Bush will not attack Iran to halt its nuclear weapons program before his term ends in January, David Wurmser, a key national security adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney up until last year, has told The Jerusalem Post.…
Just two days after we opened registration for ScienceOnline'09 there are already 32 registrants!
And some people are blogging about it:
A Blog Around The Clock: Get your calendars...
A Blog Around The Clock: Will there be a Third Science Blogging Conference?
A Blog Around The Clock: ScienceOnline'…
Not in my back yard!
It appears that some people are, erm, a little behind the times down in Brunswick County. That dog will not hunt, though, as it has no legal legs to run on, as PZ explains - it's even less sophisticated than what the Dover board tried to do.
After a brisk evacuation from Texas ahead of Hurricane Ike, Rock Doctor came back and posted the second edition of Praxis, the blog carnival about the world of science and the people living in it.
Fastest Flights In Nature: High-speed Spore Discharge Mechanisms Among Fungi:
Microscopic coprophilous or dung-loving fungi help make our planet habitable by degrading the billions of tons of feces produced by herbivores. But the fungi have a problem: survival depends upon the consumption of their…
There is a nice article about science/nature blogging in Canberra Times. Several bloggers are mentioned, including Grrrl, Greg and Henry. There is the perpetual mix-up between Nature Network and Nature Blog Network, but that's OK, I guess.
"According to studies cited by Google, around 60 to 80…
From SCONC:
Wednesday, Sept. 17
6-7:30 p.m.
SCONC monthly meeting at BRITE
Please join us as we visit BRITE -- the Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise -- at NC Central University in Durham. (http://brite.nccu.edu) David Kroll, SCONC member, blogger and chairman…
From SES: Science, Education & Society - Science Diversity Meme - Latino/Hispanic Scientists:
September 15 is the beginning of Latino or Hispanic Heritage Month. (It concludes October 15). America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and…
When I posted this originally (here and here) I quoted a much longer excerpt from the cited Chronicle article than what is deemed appropriate, so this time I urge you to actually go and read it first and then come back to read my response.
From Dr.Munger's blog, an interesting article: Liberal…
History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.
- Thurgood Marshall
Under the fold....
What Makes People Vote Republican?:
Not everyone who votes Republican has been 'duped'. Conservative ideals appeal to some because they reflect heartfelt visions of a 'good society.
The Religious Right's Religious Right:
One of the fascinating things about the Palin story to me…
This post was initially published on September 16, 2004. It takes a critical look at some UCLA studies on brain responses of partisan voters exposed to images of Bush and Kerry:
Using M.R.I.'s to See Politics on the Brain
The researchers do not claim to have figured out either party's brain yet,…
There are 9 new articles in PLoS ONE today and all nine are amazing and quite bloggable (hint, hint).
As always, you should rate the articles, post notes and comments and send trackbacks when you blog about the papers. Here are my own picks for the week - you go and look for your own favourites…
Arctic Sea Ice At Lowest Recorded Level Ever:
Arctic sea ice may well have reached its lowest volumes ever, as summer ice coverage of the Arctic Sea looks set to be close to last year's record lows, with thinner ice overall.
How Memories Are Made, And Recalled:
What makes a memory? Single cells in…
A few seconds ago, the
Millionth Comment was posted on Scienceblogs.com (go there and make yourself eligible!).
Join us for the party!
And if you intend to come to the NC party, please filll this form so we can get the head count and give you prizes!
Also, here....
Before the days of Times Select, David Brooks used to provoke long rants twice a week. This post from October 24, 2004 is one of those.
David Brooks is so predictable. Every week or so, he comes up with a new scheme to explain the polarization of America. Each time he uses what seems to be…
The New York Times is read by the people who run the country. The Washington Post is read by the people who think they run the country. The National Enquirer is read by the people who think Elvis is alive and running the country ...
- Robert J. Woodhead
The Power of Political Misinformation:
As the presidential campaign heats up, intense efforts are underway to debunk rumors and misinformation. Nearly all these efforts rest on the assumption that good information is the antidote to misinformation.
But a series of new experiments show that…
This post from October 21, 2004 laments the lack of spatial and temporal context for Lakoff's theory of political ideology.
As I have complained before, Lakoff's theory leaves me wanting for a spatial and a temporal context. In other words, I believe that current analysis will remain untested…
Do not do whatever this cartoon is depicting or else!
Funny Pie Chart
Worst 'Before and After' pics ever
Only in Russia
Found around the Internets today....
A Morning-Specific Phytohormone Gene Expression Program underlying Rhythmic Plant Growth:
In plants, stems elongate faster at dawn. This time-of-day-specific growth is controlled by integration of environmental cues and the circadian clock. The specific effectors of growth in plants are the…
There are 9 new articles in PLoS ONE today. As always, you should rate the articles, post notes and comments and send trackbacks when you blog about the papers. Here are my own picks for the week - you go and look for your own favourites:
Snake Cathelicidin from Bungarus fasciatus Is a Potent…
