Talk to any set of identical twins for the first time and at some point in the conversation you’ll undoubtedly ask whether they ever switched places in order to play a joke on their parents, teachers, girlfriends or boyfriends. While each set of twins may answer differently, they’ve usually drawn an ethical line somewhere in the sand as to how far they think it’s appropriate to take the undercover mission. In science, ask co-first authors whether they switch the author biline on their CV and the line in the sand might not be as clear.
Exactly How Flexible is the Co-First Author Asterisk?
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How to Address the Funky-Smelling Lunch Problem
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Dear Dora,
More than half of our lab is made up of international students and postdocs. This is a good thing- except at lunch. By the time the microwave is done warming up everyone’s food, the smell is soooo bad that sitting in the lunchroom is unbearable. Most of our lab eats together and were it not for the smell, it would be fun. Is there anything I can do to fix this without seriously offending someone or missing out on group lunch?
– Claire, grad student
Look Into My Wide, Vacant, Eyes
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When I was in my first year at college I went to a hypnotism “show”, or “exhibition”, or “demonstration”… I don’t know … anyway, a hypnotist came and hypnotized people. Being naturally curious, I volunteered. Also, either because of my natural skepticism or through the incompetence of the hypnotist I failed to become entranced. But a friend of mine was. She was told to imagine the boy next to her naked, and immediately burst out laughing. When the hypnotist asked her why she was so amused, she gave a telltale gesture with her pinky finger.
Easiest Mac or Godey’s Ladies Meet Lady Ga-Ga
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No, I’m not going to leap out of the internet wearing slices of cheese held together with spaghetti (I know you’re breathing a sigh of relief.) I’ve combined a vintage recipe with electronics and half quixotic tricks to make a hypnotic dish!
Sensational Science in the Popular Press: Can Anyone Get it Right?
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This month for “Sensational Science” I decided to resist my go-to sensational blogs and look around some popular press (OK, TV). How popular? I’m talking ABC, FOX, BBC, etc. It doesn’t get more popular than that. But before I get into some of the misleading headlines these giants dole out, I want to take a moment to reflect on the prominence of science news in the most popular of presses: the websites of these TV organizations. For lack of a better order, I’ll go alphabetical.
I’m Just Mad About Saffron….
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And saffron’s mad about cancer. That’s right, the mellow yellow spice famous for its golden yellow color and earthy flavor has been shown to halt liver cancer progression in mice.
The Impending Death of Scientific Journals
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If Copernicus had a website – assuming “www.earthrevolvesaroundthesun.com” was still available – it probably would have been much easier to spread the word about his novel theory. Instead, he depended on a publisher to reprint and distribute the work. For centuries, scientists have relied on publishers and scientific journals to make public their findings and until about fifteen years ago, it was hard to imagine that system might ever change. But we’re in the 21st century now – an era that promises interplanetary travel, holographic tv, personal jetpacks, and an end to Dancing with the Stars. In such a fast-paced, technologically-savvy society can traditional publishing mechanisms really survive or are we about to witness death of scientific journals?
Know Your Role: Enzymes and Their Unexpected Physiological Functions
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Did you ever see the episode “Mirror, Mirror” in the original Star Trek series? In a nutshell: Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and Uhura get sent- via one of many transporter accidents- to a parallel universe where people and places are the same, but their history and behaviour are strikingly different. Instead of the enlightened Federation, there’s the barbaric Terran Empire its subjugated alien species. Rather than earning promotions, crew members of the ISS Enterprise advance by assassinating their superiors. And in the boldest fashion statement of all, Spock is rocking a beard. The so-called mirror universe is explored again in several episodes of Deep Space Nine. In the first DS9 mirror-themed episode, Kira provides one of the simplest and most elegant explanations of the mirror universe: “the players are the same but everyone seems to be playing different parts.”
Open Notebook Advertising: Making Science Pay, Literally.
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Two of the most critical components of successful research are: 1) funding to support experiments, and 2) well-kept lab notebooks to document the results. Over the past decade, technology has facilitated the transition from paper- to web-based notebooks, providing the opportunity to expand access to the lab notebook from your labmates to anyone with an Internet connection. Unfortunately, the recent economic environment has not provided a similar increase in access to funding and many labs have suffered as a consequence. But what if the lab notebook itself could help fund research? On the Internet, a phrase like “expand access to anyone with an Internet connection” sure sounds like advertising opportunity…
Does a Fellowship Yield Scientific Independence or Does the Boss Rule?
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Dear Dora,
I’m graduating in the next year and will be applying for postdoc labs and fellowships as soon as possible. If I get a fellowship that pays for my salary and supplies, do I have any obligation to do the project my postdoctoral advisor wants me to do – or can I say no and do my own thing?
– Thom, Grad student
