Archive for the ‘Science’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Bonus Science Content: the Angolatitan adamastor


17 Mar

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Science | Comments Off

Have I mentioned that I was a history major in undergrad, and my brother was an archeology major? That might help in understanding the scientific discoveries I find most cool. Like the lost city of Atlantis earlier this week, and now, a new dinosaur- the Angolatitan adamastor.

I am extra excited by the fact that new dinosaur was discovered in country where they haven’t been able to do much digging before. Hopefully, this will interest and excite not only people in Angola, but also in the countries around them. As was said in the article, we all benefit from science.

Atlantis Discovered?


15 Mar

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in International Politics, Politics, Science, Technology, Travel, Weather | Comments Off

It was thought Troy was just a legend until Heinrich Schliemann paid for a dig in the late 1860s. While we don’t know if the Trojan War actually happened, we do know that Troy was real.

Now, researchers believe they have found the fabled lost city of Atlantis- in Spain. As with Troy, the only mention of the city was in ancient Greek writings, but it may be time to remove “fabled” from the description. Buried under centuries of mud in the marshlands north of Cadiz, there’s a city that was wiped out by a tsunami. Have we found Atlantis?

Why Geek Girl Con is Important


02 Mar

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Discrimination, School, Science | Comments Off

As a society have built up attitudes regarding what girls and boys are supposed to be good at. This article details a study that shows just how important it is for girls to have female role models in math and science. Girls are more actively engaged, try harder, and honestly believe they can do the math when they see other women do math. This is true even when the girls are better at math than the boys. If they only see men, it does not matter how skilled the girls actually are, they don’t believe they can do the math.

Geek Girl Con


27 Feb

Tags: ,
Posted in Advertising, Authors & Books, Games, Reading, Role Playing Games, Roller Derby, Science, Software, Technology, Television | 3 Comments »

Geek Girls Unite! Or at least come together for a great party. Boy geeks are invited, too.

I have sent in my volunteer application for the Geek Girl Con this October in Seattle. Besides being a geek girl myself (and no, I don’t care how old I am, I will never think of myself as a “woman”), I think it’s always nice to remind actual girls (you know, the young ones) that they are not alone, and that it is fun to be a geek.

If you’re looking for something to do in October, keep the Geek Girls in mind.

Violent Video Games do NOT Desensitize us to Violence


26 Feb

Tags: , ,
Posted in Games, Science, Technology | Comments Off

There is a study out that suggests violent video games don’t desensitize people to violence. However, the article I read about the study does its best to make sure that when you finish reading, you still believe video games are BAD for children, because of course, this is just one study, and well, we all KNOW violent games lead to violent kids.

I don’t mind the restraint, (Though I’m against the reasoning behind it.) I just wish reporters could show the same restraint over studies that appear to prove our assumptions as they do the ones that go against it.

Challenger: My First Memory of Tragedy


28 Jan

Tags:
Posted in Science, Technology, Television | Comments Off

I remember seeing the Challenger explode on TV at home, the whole family watching it on the Today show as we ate breakfast, like we watched all shuttle launches. I was 10.

It happened too late in the day for that memory to be fact. But I remember the important parts, the shock and the sadness, the disbelief, and gratefulness that our teacher hadn’t been chosen, the bad jokes that came perhaps too soon.

My father recorded the news coverage. He still has VHS tapes of the Challenger exploding. 25 years later, I don’t think I could watch without crying.

Calculus Tutor Needed


24 Jan

Tags: ,
Posted in Marriage, Relationships, School, Science | Comments Off

My husband is back in school and taking a combination calculus and physics course. I like math. I started undergrad as a secondary ed/math major. I took calculus in high school and calc II twice in college, getting a D in it the second time. At that point, I decided that math wasn’t the major for me.

And now, ten plus (and it’s not an insignificant plus) years later, I’m trying to remember it to help my husband with his homework. It’s frustrating because things look familiar, but I can’t remember how to get from point A to point B.

 

Pleistocene Park


20 Jan

Tags: ,
Posted in Science | 2 Comments »

I am fascinated by the effort to clone a mammoth, and yet I’m a little flummoxed about it, uncertain of the need. I know we’re humans, and we do many things because “we can”, but I’m not certain we can clone a mammoth.

We have yet to clone a dog. Cats, yes, dogs no. Is mammoth DNA that much simpler than a dog’s?

Plus, mammoths went extinct not due to humans but due to natural causes. Is it morally right to bring back something that can’t live in this world, just so that we can ooh and aah over it?

 

Astronomy Picture of the Day


11 Jan

Tags: , ,
Posted in Science, Weather | Comments Off

I love the Astronomy Picture of the Day website. It is my default for having beautiful, work safe, not personal, wallpaper on my office computer.

Not every picture they post is good for wallpaper, but many are. In fact, while I try to update my wallpaper at least once a week and sometimes more, my current wallpaper is from December 13.

It’s soothing to take a moment to look at the night sky in the midst of a hectic work day, especially in the PNW, when, during the winter, we can go forever without seeing the moon and stars ourselves.

Curing AIDS


17 Dec

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Healthcare, Politics, Science | 2 Comments »

In my lifetime, AIDS went from a guaranteed death sentence to a chronic illness. This is a good thing, but…

I can’t help but wonder if we could have cured AIDS/HIV by now if that’s what our pharmaceutical companies were looking to do. March of Dimes worked. We found a cure/vaccine for polio. We’ve done it for measles, mumps, rubella. The thing is, a shot you get once in your life, or once every 10 years, doesn’t make money for the drug companies.

Drugs you have to take every day for the rest of your life, though, that’s good business.

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

100 Words On

topics explored in exactly 100 words