Advent Calendar of Science Stories 2: Begin at the Beginning

Exterior of Blombos Cave in South Africa, photo by Magnus Haaland, from Wikimedia.

She kneels on the dirt and watches the elder study the rocks she brought. Five fist-sized chunks of red stone, laboriously hacked from an outcrop. Half a day walking there and back, and half a day pounding rocks against rocks to yield this offering. The elder’s hands are stained the same red as the stone,… Continue reading Advent Calendar of Science Stories 2: Begin at the Beginning

PNAS: Grant Goodyear, Oil Industry Nuclear Physicist

Grant Goodyear, theoretical chemist turned nuclear oil explorer.

I’ve decided to do a new round of profiles in the Project for Non-Academic Science (acronym deliberately chosen to coincide with a journal), as a way of getting a little more information out there to students studying in STEM fields who will likely end up with jobs off the “standard” academic science track. Eighth in… Continue reading PNAS: Grant Goodyear, Oil Industry Nuclear Physicist

Advent Calendar of Science Stories 1: Famous Exclamation

“…and unless the King comes here himself, I’m not to be disturbed.” “Yes, of course.” The servant bowed out, leaving him alone with the bath. He stepped in, gingerly at first, the water almost too hot to stand. Slowly, he lowered himself down to a sitting position, feeling the heat soak into his tired legs.… Continue reading Advent Calendar of Science Stories 1: Famous Exclamation

Eureka: Collecting the Origin

Screenshot from the video, talking about Rutherford's famous division of science between physics and stamp collecting.

Almost everybody, regardless of what side they favor in the culture wars, knows that Charles Darwin was the first scientist to come up with the theory of evolution. At least, they think they do. In fact, lots of people had the general idea long before Darwin, including his own grandfather. We remember Darwin not because… Continue reading Eureka: Collecting the Origin

PNAS: Dr. Richard Meidell, Neonatologist

Dr. Richard Meidell driving with his dog, Riley.

I’ve decided to do a new round of profiles in the Project for Non-Academic Science (acronym deliberately chosen to coincide with a journal), as a way of getting a little more information out there to students studying in STEM fields who will likely end up with jobs off the “standard” academic science track. Seventh in… Continue reading PNAS: Dr. Richard Meidell, Neonatologist

Me Dot Com

Look, Ma, I'm a dot-com...

You may not know this, but I have a book coming out in about a week. I know, I’ve been pretty quiet about it… Anyway, this being the modern era, I thought there probably ought to be some sort of central web presence for the book, but unfortunately, it shares a name with a vacuum… Continue reading Me Dot Com

Thanksgiving 2014

SteelyKid's Thanksgiving card.

SteelyKid’s first-grade class has been doing a bunch of Thanksgiving stuff. A lot of this is the lies-to-children version of the first Thanksgiving, and some of that is a little dubious (they had a dress-up “feast” on Tuesday, where SteelyKid was an Indian with a construction-paper vest and feathered headband, and oh, the parental eye-rolling…).… Continue reading Thanksgiving 2014

PNAS: Asad Aboobaker, Thermal Engineer

I’ve decided to do a new round of profiles in the Project for Non-Academic Science (acronym deliberately chosen to coincide with a journal), as a way of getting a little more information out there to students studying in STEM fields who will likely end up with jobs off the “standard” academic science track. Sixth in… Continue reading PNAS: Asad Aboobaker, Thermal Engineer

How to Build a Rocketship

SteelyKid and The Pip illustrate the process of science.

The Pip’s current phrase of choice is “How do you build…?” We get asked this several times a day. “Daddy, how do you build a glass?” “Well, you get the right kind of sand, and you get it really hot, so hot it melts. Then you make it into the shape of a glass, and… Continue reading How to Build a Rocketship