What does it mean to be a scientist? When children are young, we teach them about the types of people they will encounter in the big world and their own options for their future adult roles. We tell them that scientists are people who ask questions about how the world works and try to find … Continue reading Science from the sidelines: Lessons from jellyfish
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Discovering Dr. Sacks in his final essays
I'm late to discovering the writing of Dr. Oliver Sacks, a British neurologist who practiced medicine in New York City until his death in 2015. In fact, I became aware of his career only shortly before his death, when an autobiographical essay about his own cancer and mortality was published in The New York Times. … Continue reading Discovering Dr. Sacks in his final essays
Earth, Mars, and working in the space in between
As a child, one of my favorite picture books at my Grandma's house to read and reread was about astronauts. I was born after the moon launch, but the lure of "the space age" continued to populate children's literature, and I marveled at the curiosities of space travel, the preparations and lives of astronauts, and … Continue reading Earth, Mars, and working in the space in between
“The Radium Girls” and the lasting legacy of Marie Curie
I have a healthy respect for radiation. As a fledgling student in genetics in the 1990s, I learned how to use radioactive phosphorus (32P) safely to tag fragments of DNA molecules. When you expose materials containing radioactive DNA to X-ray film, the emitted particles from the phosphorus atoms create dark splotches on the film that … Continue reading “The Radium Girls” and the lasting legacy of Marie Curie
Sharing science: teaching and learning about communication
Many years ago, I became a college professor. My job was to help introductory students learn about the basic principles of biology--the stuff you need to know to build on in higher-level classes, or apply toward asking and answering new scientific questions. To be honest, I had to relearn some basic biology myself. It had … Continue reading Sharing science: teaching and learning about communication
Humans of Earth: Jill Tarter (Summer reading, the final chapter)
On social media a few years ago, I learned about the engaging project by photographer Brandon Stanton called "Humans of New York." What started as an effort to photograph and interview everyday New Yorkers has expanded into a worldwide project to catalog the human condition in the faces and stories of individual people around the … Continue reading Humans of Earth: Jill Tarter (Summer reading, the final chapter)
Raising healthy kids…and their bacteria? (Summer reading, part V)
I'm a biologist, an educator, and a parent. I intentionally consume a lot of new information about science in the course of my work and more casually through social media and the news. I stay informed about many different topics to benefit my students, my family, and my own curiosity. To kick off my summer … Continue reading Raising healthy kids…and their bacteria? (Summer reading, part V)
Connecting with trees (Summer reading, part IV)
I live in a quiet residential neighborhood on the outskirts of a city in Indiana. In similar neighborhoods, often carved out of reclaimed farmland, each lot might feature a couple of trees that were planted relatively recently. Somewhat unusually, my yard contains more than a dozen trees in the backyard, plus a small woodlot behind … Continue reading Connecting with trees (Summer reading, part IV)
Domestic days: Dogs, cats…and foxes? Oh my! (Summer reading, part III)
In June, I usually take advantage of the break afforded by my academic work calendar and the summer weather to catch up on all the domestic tasks that piled up during the spring: house cleaning, yard work, and the like. I am joined at least part of the time by the rest of the family, … Continue reading Domestic days: Dogs, cats…and foxes? Oh my! (Summer reading, part III)
Summer reading part II: “Lab Girl”
Well-meaning people in my life often suggest books they think I would like, or books they feel everyone should read. Perhaps somewhat stubbornly, I rarely take up these suggestions. My reading selections have typically been driven more by whimsy, or by some sense of free will when standing in front of a bookshelf of interesting … Continue reading Summer reading part II: “Lab Girl”
Mulled Science 