Last summer, I read the book How to Tame a Fox, by Lee Alan Dugatkin and Lyudmila Trut. I found the scientific story of fox genetics and domestication in the Soviet Union/Russia to be a compelling mix of biography, science, and politics. In June 2017, I wrote a blog post about the book and other … Continue reading More tales of domesticity and aggression
Month: March 2018
An animated view of life
It can be very difficult to visualize the inner structures of living things since we can't see them directly. Our own bodies hide mysteries that usually are revealed only to surgeons or with imaging techniques such as X-rays. But the tiniest components of life: the structures of cells, viruses, and molecules—such as DNA and proteins—can … Continue reading An animated view of life
Scientists in our neighborhoods
As a young child, my first lessons in "community" came from errands and outings with my family, interactions with neighbors, school and extra-curricular activities I participated in...and public television. I grew up with now-classic episodes of "Sesame Street" and "Mister Roger's Neighborhood," which taught me about the basics of positive communities and the people who … Continue reading Scientists in our neighborhoods
Mulled Science 