misc.ience

The danger of science denial

Aimee Whitcroft • May 30, 2013

• anti-science,
• culture,
• denial,
• Medically-related,
• Michael Specter,
• TED

This, ladies and gentlemen. THIS. Journalist Michael Specter gives an impassioned TED Talk on the danger of science denial. A brilliant talk, and something to be shared as widely as possible. _Especially_ with the anti-science people you know! Vaccine-autism claims,… Read more › … Read More

Best cover ever – Space Oddity from the ISS

Aimee Whitcroft • May 13, 2013

• Chris Hadfield,
• culture,
• David Bowie,
• ISS,
• music,
• space,
• Space Oddity

Legend-of-a-human-being* Commander Chris Hadfield, who (in my view) has been responsible for some of the coolest, most inspiring science communication ever**, has just won everything. Ever. As his goodbye to his time aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Chris recorded… Read more › … Read More

On the subject of patents

Aimee Whitcroft • May 09, 2013

• innovation,
• patents,
• Patents Bill,
• Scott Berkun,
• software

Something encouraging actually happened today in politics for a change. Commerce Minister Craig Foss, who  gets the ‘aimee whitcroft award for most awesome aptronym of the day’, has been listening to NZ’s IT sector on its huge resistance to software… Read more › … Read More

How did feathers evolve?

Aimee Whitcroft • May 03, 2013

• birds,
• Carl Zimmer,
• design,
• evolution,
• feathers,
• Siouxsie Wiles,
• Ted Ed

No doubt you all know by now that fellow Sciblogger and all-around awesomesauce person Siouxsie Wiles has started making some wonderful science videos. If you’ve not already seen and loved them, you can catch them on her YouTube channel –… Read more › … Read More

Who are we without the internet?

Aimee Whitcroft • May 02, 2013

• internet,
• Paul Miller,
• The Verge

‘I’m Paul Miller and I just spent a year without the internet. Can you tell?’ Paul Miller – tech writer for The Verge, amongst other things – has just completed a full year ‘without the internet’. On April 30th 2012,… Read more › … Read More

A boy and his atom feature in world’s smallest movie

Aimee Whitcroft • May 02, 2013

• atom,
• IBM,
• TEM,
• tunneling electron microscope

And now for something a little different! IBM, who make Very Clever Machines, have just released “A Boy and His Atom”, the world’s smallest movie. How small? Well, atomic scale. IBM using a tunneling electron microscope (which won IBM a… Read more › … Read More

Citizen science class: Using the “bigfoot genome” for 21st century biology

Aimee Whitcroft • Mar 26, 2013

• Analysis,
• bigfoot,
• chalkle,
• citizen science,
• DNA,
• education,
• genetics,
• genome,
• sequencing

Those of you who read this blog regularly (or not) will likely have picked up that I have something of a passion for things involving citizen science and education-type stuff. So, with that in mind, I present to you ‘science:… Read more › … Read More

Why aren’t more Kiwis involved in the International Space Apps Challenge?

Aimee Whitcroft • Mar 25, 2013

• app,
• citizen science,
• hackfest,
• International Space Apps Challenge,
• software,
• space,
• space exploration

This post is a clarion call, if you will. If you are involved, go out and rope in everyone you know. If you aren’t read on… On April 20-21 of this year, people all over the world will be taking… Read more › … Read More

What’s it like to be a solid rocket booster?

Aimee Whitcroft • Mar 25, 2013

• Orbit,
• science communication,
• solid rocket booster,
• sound,
• space,
• space exploration,
• space programme

A question, no doubt, which has kept many of awake over those long, long nights. And now, we have people to the rescue! From the upcoming Special Edition Ascent: Commemorating Space Shuttle DVD/BluRay by NASA/Glenn a movie from the point… Read more › … Read More

Open course: Science from Superheroes to Global Warming

Aimee Whitcroft • Mar 14, 2013

• college,
• creative commons,
• culture,
• education,
• free,
• MOOC,
• open,
• scientific method,
• UCI,
• university

It’s been a while, dear readers. And how I’ve missed you*. I’ve bought a house, been terrifying myself learning to ride offroad motorcycles on ‘the monster’ (my new bike), got involved in some veeery interesting new projects, and there’s still… Read more › … Read More