Posts

May 20, 2013

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3:00 PM | Not your data: Nursing paper retracted for misuse of findings

We’re all for research on improving communication and collaboration among colleagues. But we trust that the experts know what they’re doing. You can see where this is going. The journal Nurse Education Today has retracted a 2012 article, “Interprofessional learning in acute care: Developing a theoretical framework,” by a UK scholar because, how shall we […]

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2:00 PM | NCSU Biochemistry graduates stellar students

In the May 2013 graduation ceremony, the department conferred BS Biochemistry degrees to 56 students and PhD Biochemistry to 5 students. Previous graduating classes were approximately 40:60 men:women; the current class is just about even at 52:48 [same as the … Continue reading →

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12:25 PM | Learning to read the tree of life

Evolution education is entering an exciting time: scientists are working on the Open Tree of Life – the first comprehensive tree charting the evolutionary relationships of all named species — and many U.S. classrooms are preparing for state adoption of … Continue reading »

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9:24 AM | How to Sling-Shot Mobile Computing Beyond Angry Birds

Many of us carry a computer in our pocket that’s as powerful as the supercomputers of the late 1980′s. Many of us also mostly use that revolutionary device to slingshot cartoon birds at evil pigs. Smartphones have undoubtedly improved and changed our lives in many different ways, yet the potential of these mobile computers to […]

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4:25 AM | thought-provoking video, pity about the title…

... for I fear the title (not to mention the image below!) of this video by Thunderf00t would put many off if they were not forewarned. A real pity, as the video contains some thought-provoking ideas, eg: the total value of...

May 19, 2013

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8:10 PM | Dreams of the World: Daniela Bringas (Cienfuegos)

My dream is … to become a great professional dancer. ¨When I dance,¨ she explains, ¨I can express my feelings. I like to breathe it all. When I see someone dancing, I experience butterflies in my stomach¨, says Daniela Daniela Bringas, 14, is the daughter of a doctor. She is currently attending the…

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6:04 PM | Weekend Diversion: Against Scientific Racism

“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” -Frederick Douglass I thought we were past this, I really did. Having grown up in New York, having lived in eight different states and traveled to 39…

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3:00 PM | The dance of the dung beetle - Marcus Byrne A dung beetle has a...

The dance of the dung beetle - Marcus Byrne A dung beetle has a brain the size of a grain of rice, and yet shows a tremendous amount of intelligence when it comes to rolling its food source — animal excrement — home. How? It all comes down to a dance. (Filmed at TEDxWitsUniversity.) via TED Education.

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2:44 PM | "The way we try to recruit girls into STEM fields is all wrong. We typically compare them to some..."

“The way we try to recruit girls into STEM fields is all wrong. We typically compare them to some great woman or someone that has gone before them. We are saying, “Hey, you can be like Madam Curie or Sally Ride.” It is recruiting by intimidation. We need to change that message. We need to recruit by appealing to WHY we need them in STEM. We NEED you to help make the world a better place We NEED you to help discover the cure for cancer. We NEED you because you have the ability to change […]

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2:45 AM | out of the mouths of students

We've been trialling some software for on-line paper/teaching appraisals & I got my results back the other day. The appraisal form included open-ended questions where students could give extended feedback on particular issues that concerned them, & I've been going...

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2:27 AM | Let’s talk about the dark night. Yes this post is about...

Let’s talk about the dark night. Yes this post is about Batman. Our common assumption is that the night sky is supposed to be dark with only few dots of light. But then, aren’t there supposed to billions upon billions of stars in the night sky emitting light. Yes, they are very far away, but, there is nothing stopping (like air or glass) the light from reaching us. So, shouldn’t all those stars make the night sky (very) bright and not dark ? This is actually called Olbers’ […]

May 18, 2013

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3:00 PM | A host of heroes - April Gudenrath What can some of...

A host of heroes - April Gudenrath What can some of literature’s most famous heroes teach us? From the epic hero (like Beowulf) to the tragic hero (like Oedipus), each has something distinctive to share. April Gudenrath describes the many faces of the fictional hero — and shows how they can inspire everyday people. View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-host-of-heroes-april-gudenrath via TED Education.

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8:17 AM | More Tyrrell Tyrannosaurs

As you might have already guessed, the Tyrrell is not short of tyrannosaurs and this blog is going to be heaving with them by the end. I mean, this is the second post and I’m still on all the life reconstructions! (and no, we’ve not got to the murals yet, let alone the actual mounts […]

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12:57 AM | Has a University science course crossed the Boundary?

This news came from the NCSE. Ball State agrees to investigate science course some say is pushing religion | Inside Higher Ed. Ball State University has agreed to investigate complaints that a course taught by a physics and astronomy professor has crossed a line from being about science to being about Christianity. Ball State did not issue a statement until Thursday night, after it received a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation charging that the course — “The […]

May 17, 2013

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2:19 PM | For the Inner Artist in All of Us: Illustrated Bacterium

This one is for you, Jac. Related articles New Image Page (mhrussel.wordpress.com) Image: E. coli on cellulosic biomass (mhrussel.wordpress.com) A proud day: I did it! Scene 1 from my bacteria animation (mhrussel.wordpress.com) Filed under: Bacteria, Education, Nature, STEM Tagged: Animation, Bacteria, bacteria as art, Biology, Microorganism, Nature, Science, STEM

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2:00 PM | Pool medical patents, save lives - Ellen ‘t Hoen Patenting...

Pool medical patents, save lives - Ellen ‘t Hoen Patenting a new drug helps finance its immense cost to develop — but that same patent can put advanced treatments out of reach for sick people in developing nations, at deadly cost. Ellen ‘t Hoen talks about an elegant, working solution to the problem: the Medicines Patent Pool. (Filmed at TEDxZurich.) View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/pool-medical-patents-save-lives-ellen-t-hoen via TED Education.

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12:10 PM | An Interview with Don McLeroy, Part IV

This is the fourth is a series of posts analyzing the claims of DonMcLeroy, former chairman of the Texas School Board of Education and young Earth creationist. I recently interviewed Don on the SGU about his successful insertion into the Texas science textbook standards language requiring books to address stasis and suddenness in the fossil record [...]

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11:30 AM | UK science is falling behind in the global race | Matthew Brown

With the government's spending review looming, the Royal Society of Chemistry is calling for an Olympic effort to persuade politicians to make a long-term commitment to creating growth and jobs through scienceWhen it comes to Olympic sport, the UK is a small nation making a big impact. Last year's games saw us finish third in the medals table, behind only the United States and China and ahead of Russia, despite our comparatively small population.The UK has a record of punching above its weight […]

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7:39 AM | How do you really feel about biomedical science?

The Wellcome Trust Monitor explores public attitudes about biomedical science. Now in its second incarnation, the survey shows surprising trends in public thinking around biomedical subjects. We asked the project’s manager, Hannah Baker, to tell us more. What is the Wellcome Monitor? It’s a tracking survey that measures adults’ and young people’s awareness, knowledge and […]

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12:25 AM | Do you identify with LGBTQ? Do you work or study in STEM? Take a...

Do you identify with LGBTQ? Do you work or study in STEM? Take a survey and help to make sure the issues of this community are not overlooked! My road through working and studying in science has been relatively easy (except for the usual academic challenges). But I’m a straight, white male, and I haven’t had to experience the explicit and systemic prejudices that so many people have to deal with every day, even in such a “progressive” field as this. But I’ve met many folks over the […]

May 16, 2013

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9:59 PM | One way to crack a coder shortage

Ever tried to get hold of a professional who can write computer code? Such is the shortage, that a recent would-be returning ex-pat Kiwi, who knew how to program, put out a general inquiry through WellRailed if anyone in Wellington … Continue reading →

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7:31 PM | Last week, someone announced that they had 3D printed a gun. Why...

Last week, someone announced that they had 3D printed a gun. Why don’t we remind ourselves how they can also inspire young inventors? The heartwarming story of an 11-year-old and his 3D printer, via On The Media.

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5:30 PM | State Drops Charges Against High School Student Arrested For Science Experiment

Crime Scene? Dreamstime Florida state attorneys have decided not to file felony charges against a 16-year-old whose science experiment was actually not boring. Good news coming out of Florida this week: 16-year-old Kiera Wilmot won't be charged with dual felonies for conducting a science experiment on school grounds at her public school in Bartow, Fla., the Florida State Attorneys office has announced. The announcement comes after 195,000 people from across the country signed an online petition […]

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5:07 PM | What is Evolution? Excellent video from Stated...

What is Evolution? Excellent video from Stated Clearly explaining just what evolution is … using great illustrations from Rosemary Mosco’s Bird and Moon comics. This is a great video to share with friends/enemies/confused relatives that might have trouble accepting evolution and how simple it can be to understand. I’d like to add one thing to this video. Single amoebas, pairs of parents and a few children are used in these evolution illustrations to simplify the concept of evolution, […]

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3:00 PM | Thinking Like a Pirate – or a Scientist

New understandings about how scientists think have inspired changes in school science standards.

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2:34 PM | World’s worst science quiz raised money for Christian school

It’s difficult to forget about the world’s most pathetic science quiz. We have an update. Christian school: ‘atheist controversy’ over creationist quiz may keep academy open. The school, Blue Ridge Christian Academy in Landrum, S.C., put out a press release saying that the publicity from the quiz caused an influx of donations that will help the school stay open. The controversy comes in the midst of major financial struggles that BRCA is experiencing. The academy is endeavoring […]

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11:48 AM | An Interview with Don McLeroy, Part III

This week I am posting a discussion with Don McLeroy, a young Earth creationist and former chairman of the Texas Board of Education during the recent controversy over the science textbook standards. This is a follow up to an interview I did with him on the SGU. Don has been traveling a bit this week, [...]

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11:00 AM | Can early reading and math skills predict future earning?

How well do early reading and math ability correlate with success later in life? Better than you might think, according to Stuart Ritchie and Timothy Bates from the University of Edinburgh. They found that reading and math achievement at age seven predicted socioeconomic status (SES) thirty-five years later. The study participants included over 18,000 children born the same week in 1958. In 1965, when the kids were seven years old, their parents filled out surveys to determine their […]

May 15, 2013

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7:35 PM | Gresham Middle Students Visit NIMBioS

Local middle school students took their learning beyond the bounds of their classroom on a visit to NIMBioS last week. Fifty students from Gresham Middle School‘s Beta Club, along with teachers and parent chaperones, visited the institute and participated in … Continue reading →

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3:24 PM | Learning to be Scientists

Why do people believe the things that they do? While only science can generate testable hypotheses, advocates of various paranormal claims tend to rely more on anecdotes, appeals to authority and “intuition” and the general public tends to be ambivalent...