Monthly Archives: September 2013

From Omaha to Umea: Adventures and misadventures

Posted on 12 September 2013 by Steve Caplan

Some time ago I was contacted and asked whether I would be willing to fly to Umea, Sweden, and deliver a seminar. Rhetorical question for someone who loves to travel to new places, and had not yet had the opportunity … Continue reading →

Posted in Copenhagen, humor, Nobel, omaha, Research, Scandinavia, science, seminar, Sweden, travel, Umea | Comments Off on From Omaha to Umea: Adventures and misadventures

In which we make a move

Posted on 10 September 2013 by Jennifer Rohn

There’s a lot of change going on in my life right now, all at once. In addition to giving birth sometime in the next fortnight and needing to finish up a major piece of work-related writing before that, my lab … Continue reading →

Posted in Nostalgia, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which we make a move

Parliamentary committee slams UK policy on open access

Posted on 10 September 2013 by Stephen

The UK House of Commons has its dander up. Having bloodied the prime minister over Syria in the past fortnight, the select committee of MPs that oversees the work of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has issued … Continue reading →

Posted in Finch Report, Open Access, RCUK | Comments Off on Parliamentary committee slams UK policy on open access

Yes, chess. Look away now.

Posted on 8 September 2013 by Austin

In which I revisit my youth as a chess-playing dweeb. Sort of. Contrary to an earlier threat, I haven’t posted much here about my chess-playing activities over the last year and a bit. Partly this is because these days chess … Continue reading →

Posted in chess, Getting old, Nerdishness, Procrastination | Comments Off on Yes, chess. Look away now.

Don’t Say Too Much (or Too Little)

Posted on 8 September 2013 by Athene Donald

This week NESTA‘s Executive Director of Research Stian Westlake wrote a piece for the Guardian science policy blogs about those who offer scientific advice. If you want to find out why wonks should avoid being either a ‘berk’ or a … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, Communicating Science, framing, PhD thesis, Science Culture | Comments Off on Don’t Say Too Much (or Too Little)

Jumpin’ Ginger Therapy!

Posted on 6 September 2013 by Steve Caplan

Ever had a day where you almost wished you hadn’t got up in the morning? Where your computer crashes, your email doesn’t work, you get dumped with 100 different irrelevant bureaucratic busy-tasks, and you wonder why you didn’t become a … Continue reading →

Posted in athlete, dogs, dumps, humor, jump, lab, therapy, vizsla | Comments Off on Jumpin’ Ginger Therapy!

Dogsplaining #19

Posted on 6 September 2013 by Henry Gee

Using only her eyebrows, Heidi the Dog expounds possible solutions to the conflict in Syria. She agrees with me (and probably also rpg) that one solution would be to carpet-bomb Damascus with cute fluffy kittens. UPDATE: Crox Minima, who has … Continue reading →

Posted in dogspianing, heidi the dog, kittens, Silliness, syria | Comments Off on Dogsplaining #19

Psoriasis

Posted on 6 September 2013 by Henry Gee

Time was when I thought psoriasis was an obscure pharaoh, possibly one of the late and degenerate Ptolemies. Or possibly a small town in Kansas (pop. 207). Until I got it myself.

Posted in China, Cromercrox In China, diet, expresso, gluten, latte, pharaoh, psoriasis, Science Is Vital, The Singing Detective | Comments Off on Psoriasis

Simple models can lead to generality in ecology

Posted on 6 September 2013 by Bob O'H

It’s always nice to read a paper that is obviously wrong, but where you have to think about why it is wrong. Because it makes you, well, think. And sometimes learn something new. So when I see a paper in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Research Blogging | Comments Off on Simple models can lead to generality in ecology

Snapped and Snatched

Posted on 5 September 2013 by Richard Wintle

Recently, I lost my camera. A photographer and somebody else’s Nikon. Fortunately, I got it back, but not after the young photographer pictured above was done with it.

Posted in cottage, daughter, family, Film, Hobbies, photographer, Photography | Comments Off on Snapped and Snatched