Double X: Sexing Up Scientists

June 12, 2009

Latest Double X post:

Scientists are not famed for their looks or fashion sense. Personally, I love this about science. I work that “get out of performing femininity free!” card for all it’s worth, slouching about in science-themed t-shirts and ratty sneakers as often as I can. But if I want to get in on this next phase of science marketing, apparently I’m going to have to trade the “Evolution Kills” t-shirt for something more befitting a rock star. There’s a movement afoot to sex up science and scientists, and it’s got big advertising dollars behind it.

More here!

2 Comments | Double X | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Behold the mighty sky-squid

June 10, 2009

Is it coincidence that this upper-atmosphere lightening (called a “sprite“) resembles a mighty sky-squid? Or is fearsome Cthulhu sending us a sign? YOU DECIDE.

Thanks, Christi!

2 Comments | Doom, Geek, Silliness, Space Fish | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Double X: Fowl Play

June 10, 2009

Latest Double X post:

Last month, Pat Robertson fretted that hate-crime legislation would lead to the protection of people who “like to have sex with ducks.” His remark resulted in a delightful Robertson-mocking pro-duck-sex song released last week by musical group Garfunkel and Oates. Robertson doesn’t have to worry too much about human-on-duck sex – it’s clearly illegal since quacking doesn’t qualify as consent. But ducks are no innocent victims. Rather, their giant members and coercive sexual practices make them the perfect posterbird for heterosexual sex gone awry.

More hot duck action here.

2 Comments | Double X | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Happy World Oceans Day!

June 8, 2009

Carnival of the Blue

It’s the very first World Oceans Day! Celebrate with the 25th edition of Carnival of the Blue, hosted by the fish-loving Mark Powell. Then sing to to the tune of “Fish Heads”: Fish blogs, fish blogs, smart & fun fish blogs, fish blogs, fish blogs, READ THEM NOW! YUM!

Leave a Comment » | Carnivals | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Sunday Links: Zombie Jello Edition

June 7, 2009
  • Name a new species of jellyfish! The Bonaire Box Jellyfish’s genus name is Tamoya, but it doesn’t have a species name yet. Dust off your Latin, check out the contest guidelines in Year of Science 2009, and submit your entry by June 14.
  • Science Magazine is offering a prize for the best online education resource. The prize will “recognize outstanding projects from all regions of the world that bring freely available online resources to bear on science education.”  Nominate your favorite project by June 30.

Leave a Comment » | Sunday Links | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Friday Sci-Fi: Lostronaut

June 5, 2009

Since marine science and space seem pretty tight these days, check out Jonathan Lethem’s lovely and very bleak short story “Lostronaut.” It’s written as letters home from an astronaut stranded on a disintegrating space station with failing plant-based life support, and shouldn’t be read if you’ve got a space-faring loved one.

If reading the story makes you feel sciencey, Eric explored the science behind using plants for life support on the Science Not Fiction blog. But if reading the story makes you want to kick back and feel mournful, listen to Amanda Palmer’s amazing song “Astronaut.” I’m obsessed.*

*Yes, this entire post was an excuse to post this song.

Leave a Comment » | Geek, In the future we'll have..., Sciencey entertainment, Star Trekkin' | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Double X: They Eat Wilderness Scouts, Don’t They?

June 4, 2009

Latest Double X post on the science of Pixar’s new movie Up:

Seeking scientific accuracy in Hollywood is a fool’s game. I’ve frothed at the terrible biology of Bee Movie and gnashed at the poor oceanography of Transformers and muttered at the unfortunate physics of Star Wars. So I wasn’t expecting much from Pixar’s latest offering, Up, what with the house floating along on helium balloons. But I was pleasantly surprised. The biology of Up is reasonably accurate—though Kevin the bird might harbor a dark secret.

Read the rest here.

4 Comments | Double X | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Double X: Subtracting the Math Gender Gap

June 3, 2009

The latest Double X post:

Poor women. While normal intelligence can co-exist with ovaries, our delicate lady-brains can’t contain genius-level intelligence. Men and women might have the same average intelligence, but men have more variation, and thus more idiots AND genuises. At least that’s what former Harvard President and current Obama advisor Larry Summers implied in 2005 when he said that biological differences might explain the lack of female mathematics professors.

If Summers was right and biological differences are to blame, there should be fewer math-genius girls the whole world over. However, a new study that looked at worldwide data found…

Read the rest.

Leave a Comment » | Double X | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

Round of virtual applause

June 3, 2009

I’m back, and can continue to neglect the Oyster’s Garter in person! Unfortunately the forecast is for “Overwhelmed, with a chance of running off gibbering into the night,” so things around here will continue to be slow. But you can always check me out twice a week at Double X. (Why am I not an equal-opportunity-neglecter? Cause the money from Double X pays for critical science supplies.)

A round of virtual applause and beer for Kristen’s sweet blog stylings. Many, many thanks to her for guest blogging, and I’m hoping that we’ll see more from her in the future. I think Electric Coral Porn is either the name of her New Wave band or her future blog.

2 Comments | Self-Referential | Permalink
Posted by Miriam Goldstein

If I blog one more post…

June 3, 2009

…I’m-a end up stuck in school. (That’s not what I wanna do, Jeremy.)

Good news, dear readers: your fearless blog-star Miriam has been spotted on the surfside Scripps campus. I imagine she’s currently drafting her “never again on my watch” speech to assure the traumatized in the audience that I’ll not be allowed to make dumb music, football, and psychology references under the auspices of TOG ever again. (Total disappointment was my original goal, but I could certainly be more parsimoniously disappointing and save everyone the hassle.)

Oh, this explains everything!

Figure 1. OMG, that explains everything!

If you’re still bummed about dead coral babies and me getting electrocuted, well, thank you, and I’m sorry, and I have good news for you. The sun came back out today, so I can blog you goodbye on a positive note. True, my explanatory variable—one day of sunshine—sounds kind of trivial, but it’s all about shifting baselines. We’re so serotonin-addicted here in San Diego that when a cloud rolls in, instantaneous Seasonal Affective Disorder has us all muttering miserably like Milton in Office Space. Imagine what a whole month of May Gray does to our sunny disposition. You can refer to Figure 1 (originally from here) to see how treacherous it really gets this time of year. (This would easily be the funniest graph I’ve seen all year if it weren’t for this fad.) Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by kristenmarhaver

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