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
This month's Science Cafe (description below) will be held on February 17th at The Irregardless Cafe. We will be meeting Dr. Yvette Cook from the Rex Hospital Sleep Disorders Clinic. She will be talking with us about sleep patterns and why people may have trouble getting a good night's sleep. I…
The latest edition of Encephalon is up on Of Two Minds
Friday Ark #229 is up on Modulator
18th Cancer Research Blog Carnival is up on Science and Reason
Ecologists Report Quantifiable Measures Of Nature's Services To Humans:
The idea of ecosystem services is a promising conservation concept but has been rarely put into practice. In a special issue of the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, researchers use novel tools to report some of…
It is not at all uncommon for someone to arrive at a scene of brutality or injustice and, with a sympathetic murmur or heroic flourish, attack the victim. It happens all the time.
- Renata Adler
Apparently, the Washington DC press corps is peeved at the Obama White House because Press Secretary Gibbs is stonewalling them. They thus equate Gibbs to Fleischer/Perino/McClellan and equate Obama to Bush.
But they are myopic and wrong. And Jay Rosen explains why.
Bush dissed the press by…
So, let's see what's new in PLoS Genetics, PLoS Computational Biology and PLoS Pathogens this week. 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:…
I and the Bird #93: The Compelling Nature of Birds - now up on Vickie Henderson Art
The latest Change of Shift: Welcome to The Fishbowl is up on Digital Doorway
There are 15 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. You can now also easily place articles on various social services (CiteULike, Connotea, Stumbleupon, Facebook and Digg) with just one…
That was last week, but I had no time to listen until now - check out the podcast (in the upper left corner of the page):
In 1989, Dr. Harold Varmus won a Nobel Prize for his cancer research. He was director of the National Institutes of Health during the Clinton administration, and now heads the…
Scientific American podcast for February 4th, 2009:
Scientific American Editor in Chief John Rennie talks about the content of the February issue, including naked singularities and the greenhouse hamburger. N.Y.U. journalism professor Jay Rosen discusses social media. Plus, we'll test your…
Gary Mitchell will be playing and singing at La Vita Dolce, in Southern Village (610 Market St, Chapel Hill NC), this Friday at 7pm. Bring 3 friends and get some items free.
Tinkering With Circadian Clock Can Suppress Cancer Growth:
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have shown that disruption of the circadian clock - the internal time-keeping mechanism that keeps the body running on a 24-hour cycle - can slow the progression of cancer.
How…
Most people are mirrors, reflecting the moods and emotions of the times; few are windows, bringing light to bear on the dark corners where troubles fester. The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.
- Sydney J. Harris
From Michigan Daily: University professors turn to the blogosphere, for classes and recognition:
In recent years, academics across the country have started using blogs to relay information and ideas. Many are now incorporating the medium into their classes, asking students to take to their…
There are 16 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. You can now also easily place articles on various social services (CiteULike, Connotea, Stumbleupon, Facebook and Digg) with just one…
Personal Touch In Farming: Giving A Cow A Name Boosts Her Milk Production:
A cow with a name produces more milk than one without, scientists at Newcastle University have found. Drs Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson have shown that by giving a cow a name and treating her as an individual,…
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
- Winston Churchill
When I was a little kid, almost nothing was known about evolution of whales. They were huge, they were marine and they were mammals, but their evolutionary ancestry was open to speculation. Some (like Darwin himself) hypothesized that the terrestrial ancestor of whales looked like a bear. Others…
There are 13 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. You can now also easily place articles on various social services (CiteULike, Connotea, Stumbleupon, Facebook and Digg) with just one…
From SCONC:
Even if you haven't heard of Bisphenol A (BPA), you've likely been exposed to it. The endocrine disrupting compound is common in plastic infant bottles, water bottles, food cans and lots of other products. Scientists debate its dangers but the National Toxicology Program (based in RTP)…
Grand Rounds - Vol 5, no. 20 are up on Not Totally Rad
Gene Genie #43 is up on Pharmamotion
The 162nd Carnival of Homeschooling is up on Dewey's Treehouse
Mammals That Hibernate Or Burrow Less Likely To Go Extinct:
The best way to survive the ill-effects of climate change and pollution may be to simply sleep through it. According to a new study published in The American Naturalist, mammals that hibernate or that hide in burrows are less likely to…
Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shouting and doing the things historians usually record, while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs.
- Will Durant
This shows how waves of humans spread throughout the world from their origins in Africa over a period of some 50,000 years. The video was created by geneticist Daniel Falush of University College Cork in Ireland and colleagues. For more info, go here: http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info%3Adoi%…
Comment threads on blogs are an important aspect of the blogging culture. But I disagree that it is a defining aspect - there are many excellent blogs out there with no commenting allowed. Such blogs usually have a prominently displayed contact information for direct e-mailing to the author. One…
There is some interesting stuff published in PLoS Medicine and PLoS Biology today:
What Should Be Done To Tackle Ghostwriting in the Medical Literature?:
Background to the debate: Ghostwriting occurs when someone makes substantial contributions to a manuscript without attribution or disclosure. It…
February Scientiae is up on Fairer Science
Carnival of the Blue #21 is up on The Oyster's Garter
The Accretionary Wedge #16: Pondering the geological future of Earth, is up on Clastic Detritus
Festival of the Trees #32 is up on Treeblog
The 73rd History Carnival is up on Diapsalmata
