We’re following in the tradition of open discussions among scientists that has resulted in important advances in both science and society.
by
Maybe it’s the summer heat getting to reporters’ heads. Or maybe not. Below I’ve outlined a couple of other recent examples of how the headlines that the popular press shares with the public don’t always match up with what the scientific press actually reports. Or, as in most cases, how the report is twisted in such a way to make for a good “story”.
by
I have a vivid memory of one of my more humiliating college experiences, and it involved a pigeon. I was walking home past the law library, not really paying attention as my brain had just be fried to a crisp by a six-hour biochem lab, when a dirty great pigeon flew at my face. I shrieked and ducked and generally made quite a scene. After the evil creature had flown away I took stock of my surroundings and realized I had a sizeable audience. These days I probably would’ve taken a bow, but instead I turned the color of a ripe plum, buried my face in my scarf, and fled.
by
Dear Dora,
My advisor assigned me and another grad student a big project. It was implied from the start that we would have equal contributions. I do all the literature reading, planning, designing, and problem solving while actually performing a larger portion of experiments. My lab partner did help me with doing experiments but nothing else. She only does what I tell her to, never takes any initiative and relies on me to solve problems. He’s basically just a lazy labmate. But when we present our work at groups meetings, it looks like we have the same contribution while we do not. What should I do?
– Fed up, Grad student
by
Actually the first nematode worm was blasted into space on April 16th, 1972, aboard Apollo 16. But the most recent celestial trip made by Caenorhabditis elegans was on a mission: To find out if RNA interference (RNAi) works in space.
by
At a regional Post-Doc Association meeting last week a speaker announced that this is an amazing time to be in science- a terrible time to try to get into academia- but an amazing time for science. So, this month for Sensational Science I’d like to do a little something different. Instead of pointing out the comical headlines (“Super-Small Transistor Created: Artificial Atom Powered by Single Electrons” – what, exactly, is an “artificial atom?”) I wanted to draw your attention to a handful of really interesting – if not sensational – true, accurate, science discoveries.
by
Dear Dora,
What was the most difficult part of *your* graduate school career and how did you overcome it?
– Sabine, graduate student
by
Many of the largest threats to human health are caused by microscopic viruses. Thousands of people die each year from these vicious and diverse entities. Some notable examples include HIV, influenza, Ebola, West Nile…the list goes on. But viruses can also inflict misery on human beings by attacking the animals we farm for food.
by
Dear Dora,
A labmate is attending a conference and I just found out that they’ve included one of my main figures in their poster, without my permission. There is a long history between us, which is why they didn’t ask and our PI is not doing anything to resolve the situation. Can I make them remove my figure from the poster?
-Anonymous, grad student
by
I’m going to break with tradition this week and talk about scientists rather than science. I know, change is hard, but it’ll be fun!
Earlier this month a band of intrepid rock-star scientists and comedians set out on a tour of the UK to talk about science to live audiences. Calling themselves the Uncaged Monkeys, Robin Ince, Brian Cox, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, and Helen Arney have been all over the place. They’ve packed theatres from London to Glasgow, Newcastle to Oxford. Not only have they educated, they have entertained, and it’s the entertainment part that’s so crucial to science communication these days. Lose someone’s attention and you’re likely to lose it forever into the dark abyss of the ubiquitous smartphone.
by
Dear Dora,
There’s one member of our lab that everyone has a major problem with, but our PI seems to think this person is a perfectly reasonable labmate. It’s beyond frustrating- how can we communicate to the PI the trouble this person is causing without looking like immature children telling on someone?
– AAH!, grad student
