grrlscientist | June 11, 2009tags: TEDTalks, ornithology, dodo bird, Adam Savage, streaming video
A unique ecosystem of plants, birds and monkeys thrives in the treetops of the rainforest. Nalini Nadkarni explores these canopy worlds -- and shares her findings with the world below, through dance, art and bold partnerships [18:15]
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on…
grrlscientist | June 10, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Red rose bud, Rosa species.
Photographed on Manhattan's Upper West Side
near the corner West 83rd street and Amsterdam.
Image: GrrlScientist, 27 May 2009 [larger view].
Roses originate in Central Asia. The rose has long been valued by people. For example, it was considered the "Flower of the Kings" by the Chinese. The Romans used the fragrant rose petals to produce perfume and as a symbol of luxury. Today, a red rose is typically considered a symbol of love and romance.
grrlscientist | June 10, 2009tags: Northern Pygmy-Owl, Glaucidium californicum, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Northern Pygmy-Owl, Glaucidium californicum, photographed in Clallum County, Washington State. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Marv Breece, 23 May 2009 [larger view].
Canon EOS 350D 1/2000s f/7.1 at 300.0mm iso400
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | June 10, 2009tags: agribusiness, agriculture, dairy farm, cows, industrial dairy farm, milk, dairy products, streaming video
This is interesting video sums up my view of America perfectly .. After visiting a Denny's Restaurant, President Obama was visibly shaken and disillusioned; and plans to abandon complex policies on emissions, clean coal and refocus on achievable goals like applying deodorant daily, and learning what to say when you burp [2:46]
Of course, I want to point out that Denny's looks upper middle class when compared to the McDonald's in my 'hood. Just sayin'.
The Onion News Network is an…
grrlscientist | June 9, 2009tags: The Ant Whisperer, ants, hymenoptera, pheromones, EO Wilson, behavioral ecology, sociobiology, evolution, streaming video
Because I do not own a television, I was thrilled to find that Lord of the Ants, the Nova program that aired on PBS tonight, is freely available as a streaming video. This program describes some of EO Wilson's amazing discoveries about ant communication, behavioral ecology and evolution [52:23]
grrlscientist | June 9, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Pansy, Viola hybrid, giant white cultivar.
Photographed on Manhattan's Upper West Side
on West 83rd street, across from the post office.
Image: GrrlScientist, 27 May 2009 [larger view].
grrlscientist | June 9, 2009tags: NYC, Manhattan, NYC Life, cities, image of the day
Goodbye, 99-cent store.
You kept me alive on my
(miserable lack of) income for years,
but now, alas, it's goodbye.
Image: GrrlScientist, 9 June 2009 [larger view].
Is this the end of frugal living for me?
If there was either a god or justice in this life, the McDonald's that is two doors down would have burned up instead.
grrlscientist | June 9, 2009tags: book review, Plastic Fantastic, How the Biggest Fraud in Physics Shook the Scientific World, physics, ethics, fraud, Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies, Jan Hendrik Schön, Eugenie Samuel Reich
Physicist Jan Hendrik Schön was too good to be true. After graduating from the University of Konstanz in 1997, he was hired by Bell Labs in New Jersey, where he quickly rose to scientific fame. By 2000, he had published eight papers in the world's most prestigious journals, Nature and Science. One year later at the height of his career, he was publishing one scientific paper every eight days --…
grrlscientist | June 9, 2009tags: Pangani Longclaw, Macronyx aurantiigula, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Pangani Longclaw, Macronyx aurantiigula, photographed in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Dan Logen, 30 August 2007 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | June 9, 2009
Image: wemidji (Jacques Marcoux).
Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est (And thus knowledge itself is power)
-- Sir Francis Bacon.
Scientia Pro Publica (Science for the People) is a blog carnival that celebrates the best science, nature and medical writing targeted specifically to the public that has been published in the blogosphere within the past 60 days. To send your submissions to Scientia Pro Publica, either use this automated submission form or use the cute little widget on the right (sometimes that widget doesn't upload when the mother site is sick). Be sure to include the URL or "…
grrlscientist | June 9, 2009tags: The Ant Whisperer, ants, hymenoptera, pheromones, EO Wilson, behavioral ecology, sociobiology, evolution, streaming video
If I owned a television, you can bet I'd be watching this Nova program on PBS tonight: The Lord of the Ants. This program describes some of EO Wilson's amazing discoveries about ant communication, behavioral ecology and evolution [3:40]
grrlscientist | June 8, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Pansy, Viola hybrid, giant yellow cultivar.
Photographed on Manhattan's Upper West Side
on West 83rd street, across from the post office.
Image: GrrlScientist, 27 May 2009 [larger view].
grrlscientist | June 8, 2009tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
Boreal or Tengmalm's Owl, Aegolius funereus.
Boreal Owls are circumpolar, occupying subalpine and northern, or boreal,
forests around the globe. These seasonally monogamous birds nest in small
cavities; woodpecker holes, other natural tree cavities, or man-made nest boxes.
These small owls occasionally irrupt from their northerly homes in search of food.
Image: orphaned [larger view].
This edition of Birds in the News is dedicated to Snowflake and Biosparite, and to Miriam, whose $upport was inspired by Birds in the…
grrlscientist | June 8, 2009tags: Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, photographed at Anahuac Refuge, Texas. Are they all the same species? [I will identify these birds for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 1 May 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200 ,Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/320s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | June 8, 2009tags: dancing bird, Wire-tailed manakin, Pipra filicauda, behavior, ornithology, birds, nature, streaming video
This streaming video records the dance of a male Wire-tailed manakin, Pipra filicauda, a lovely passerine species endemic to the lower areas near rivers in the rainforests of northeastern Peru, southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador and western Brazil [1:30]
grrlscientist | June 7, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Yellow Marigold, Tagetes patula, although this is likely a hybrid.
Photographed on Manhattan's Upper West Side
on West 83rd street, across from the post office.
Image: GrrlScientist, 27 May 2009 [larger view].
grrlscientist | June 7, 2009tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books
"How does one distinguish a truly civilized nation from an aggregation of
barbarians? That is easy. A civilized country produces much good bird
literature."
--Edgar Kincaid
The Birdbooker Report is a special weekly report of a wide variety of science, nature and behavior books that currently are, or soon will be available for purchase. This report is written by one of my Seattle birding pals and book collector, Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, and is edited by me and published here for your information and…
grrlscientist | June 7, 2009
Image: wemidji (Jacques Marcoux).
Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est (And thus knowledge itself is power)
-- Sir Francis Bacon.
Scientia Pro Publica (Science for the People) is a blog carnival that celebrates the best science, nature and medical writing targeted specifically to the public that has been published in the blogosphere within the past 60 days. To send your submissions to Scientia Pro Publica, either use this automated submission form or use the cute little widget on the right (sometimes that widget doesn't upload when the mother site is sick). Be sure to include the URL or "…
grrlscientist | June 7, 2009tags: Streaked-Back Oriole, Icterus pustulatus microstictus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Streaked-Back Oriole, Icterus pustulatus microstictus, photographed in Arizona. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Richard Ditch, 21 October 2007 [larger view].
Date Time Original: 2007:10:21 07:34:06
Exposure Time: 1/400
F-Number: 8.00
ISO: 800
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | June 7, 2009tags: disease, god, religion, creationism, humor, funny, satire, Edward Current, streaming video
In a live webcast, Edward Current explains how God created a perfect world and had nothing to do with creating disease. But letting just anyone write in and comment probably wasn't the best idea [3:51]