cwilcox

While it might sound science fiction or comic book fodder, scientists have actually developed a kind of wearable protective cloth from T-shirts that contains the same ultra-strong material used to armor tanks. Modern high-impact military vehicles and bulletproof vests are reinforced with a…

While reading through the science news headlines today, I came across a very interesting one from the Telegraph: "Handling cash 'better at killing pain than aspirin', study claims." Intrigued, I sought out the paper mentioned in the article. It turns out it wasn't published recently at all - it was…

The Wildlife Conservation Society has just released their newest book, State of the Wild 2010-2011. It's a collection of essays that center around current and emerging issues in conservation from conservation experts and powerful nature writers. It's a must-read for anyone driven to understand and…

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When I saw these pictures over at Zooborns, I knew they had to be this week's dose of cute. These are some of the cutest animals I have ever seen! These photos were taken by Flickr user PeterH81 at the British Wildlife Centre. Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are the species that we tend to think of…

(Thanks for the link, Adrian)

A little while back I wrote an article about a recent study which largely blamed farmed Tilapia for the loss of native biodiversity in Fijian waterways. I have since received e-mails from Gerald Billings, the Head of Aquaculture at the Ministry of Fisheries and Forests in Fiji. He expressed his…

These little guys are my Stepmom's baby chickens. Aren't they adorable? Photo by Sue Wilcox Happy Easter Everyone!

Stop what you're doing. You HAVE to read this. Your life will be changed forever. You can cook a cake in a microwave. In 5 minutes. Seriously. Barry stumbled across this recipe for how to make a cake in a mug. In a MUG. How did I not learn of this during all those years as an undergrad?! I…

... over at Beetles in the Bush. Go read it! Now! Next month's carnival will be over at Evolution: Education and Outreach. Submit now through this handy-dandy little form!

... Then check out Bora's interview of me. Oh, and also, I wrote a little self-indulgent fluff piece awhile back, too, if you haven't read that.

Domestication is by far man's greatest genetic experiment, and we've been at it for well over 10,000 years. While domestication can produce wild variation (see my post on dogs, for example), a few changes seem to be universal. These include behavioral changes, like reduced fear of humans and…

Dear Discovery, This is really hard for me to say. We've been so close for such a long time, and I feel like there was something real between us. Sure, there have been some rough times, like when you decided deforestation was worth televising. We've had our fights about silly things like how you…

For blog newcomers: On top of being a graduate student and blogging about science, I, on occasion, actually get to go out in the world and enjoy where I live. When I get some good pictures or go somewhere neat, I pass on my experiences with my readers. This is that kind of post. When you drive…

Sure, when he gets big, this little guy will be one of the world's largest lizards, weighing in at 150 lbs and growing to length of up to 10 feet long. He'll be feared as a man eater, possessing a venomous bite that can be fatal. But right now he's just a little guy, and boy, is he cute! Komodo…

We all get sick. Young or old, male or female, everyone gets sick at some point in their lives. But only some are susceptible to a specialized disease known as the "Man Flu," which somehow causes men to think they have the flu when, in fact, they have only a little cold. Where did the idea of a…

Those of you who follow me on twitter have been flooded with links about the recent United Nations meeting which included a once-every-three-years Conference of the Parties for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). As a biologist, I take…

It seems this week is full of moving. Ed Yong, my dear friend who convinced me to join Science Blogs, is moving up in the world and has moved Not Exactly Rocket Science over to Discover.Com! Ed is an amazing writer and it's no shock that the big guys would take notice of him. I hope that all of…

The latest study from Boston University has college students everywhere popping open a brewski and saying "I told you so." Researchers found that getting drunk the night before a test had no effect on the student's performance, although it left them feeling rotten on test day. What college student…

Observations of a Nerd has migrated from its ancestral home on Blogger.com and invaded Science Blogs! Aloha! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Christie. I've been blogging since 2008, and I write about whatever tickles my fancy, from science news to cute critters. I like to keep…

Octopuses* and their cephalopod relatives are some of the smartest animals on the planet. Accordingly, many scientists want to understand how their mind works. To gain insights into the complex minds of cephalopods, researchers have been studying behavior in individual animals for years by…

During the summer, strange formations can be found on some species of Goldenrod. The stems become enlarged and form a hardened golf-ball like object called a gall. Cut into this weird sphere and you'll quickly find what causes the plant to create such a strange object: the larvae of the Goldenrod…

Often, the cutest things come in small packages. Not so with Ralph - at 42 lbs, he's a record-breaking rabbit. Ralph comes from a huge family - both his mother and father previously held the world records for largest rabbit in length and weight. And though he's already the biggest bunny in the…

First off, the e-mails have been sent, and if you're a member of ResearchBlogging.Org, then you should haev a vote to cast in the ResearchBlogging Awards! So go vote for Observations of a Nerd for the best lay-level and biology blog as well as best research post of the year *cough* *cough* your…

Remember those perhaps gross but cool insect jewelry artists I mentioned before? Now, their incredible tube-making skill might be used in an entirely different field: medicine. Dr. Russell Stewart, an assistant professor at the University of Utah, has been studying natural adhesives for years. He…

It's almost a given that, during any discussion about male infidelity, someone will throw out some variation of "men are biologically programmed to spread their seed." Why is there this theory that men are more driven to cheat? Part of it has to do with the size of their gametes. If bigger is…

I awoke this morning at 5:50 am because of a nightmare, only to hop online and find out another one had occurred in Chile. An 8.8 magnitude earthquake had struck. Ten minutes later, the first tsunami warning siren sounded. It was deafening. I remember when I was a little kid growing up in Hawaii…

I know you've been on pins and needles waiting to hear, so I'm happy to report that the finalists are out! Congrats to everyone! There are some fantastic blogs in the running for some nice sums of cash. In a week or so, voting will open to allow research blogging members to vote for their…

On the easternmost end of Oahu there is a fun, 2-mile hike to the top of Makapu'u point, where there sits a cool little lighthouse that was built in the 1900s. The way is steep at times, but it's nicely paved, and it's an excursion just about anyone can enjoy. Once at the top, you get a stunning…

It's really hard for me to write about sharks. It makes me angry. Unlike with so many species under the threat of extinction, when I try to talk to people about sharks, the message just doesn't get through. Show them a movie about Taji and they get infuriated. Have them look into the eyes of a…