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5 Steps to Separate Science from Hype, No PhD Required

5 Steps to Separate Science from Hype, No PhD Required

By Gabrielle Rabinowitz and Emily Jane Dennis   “Does flossing decrease my risk of heart disease?” No, but is it good for you? Yes. “Does aluminum cause Alzheimers?” Nope. “Should I start following the Paleo Diet?” Probably not & paleolithic people probably didn’t either. As scientists, we’re […]

Bees Are Cool

Bees Are Cool

By Emily Dennis, @emilyjanedennis  Bees are cool. In the early 1900s, researchers like the tremendous Karl von Frisch noticed that when a group of bees gets too big, the queen will lay eggs and then leave the hive, bringing with her 10,000 of the worker […]

A 3 Billion Dollar Mistake: Why the American government should think twice about a Brain Activity Map (BAM)

A 3 Billion Dollar Mistake: Why the American government should think twice about a Brain Activity Map (BAM)

Update: The United States government has released more information about the specifics of their brain mapping project, now called the BRAIN Initiative. I break down the details and discuss the pros and cons here.   By Gabrielle Rabinowitz, @GabrielleRab In the 2013 State of the […]

PhD, check. Now what? Six Tips for Finding Your Dream Job

PhD, check. Now what? Six Tips for Finding Your Dream Job

By Nidhi Ruy Graduate students and postdocs in biological and life sciences face a daunting career landscape. The path from earning a PhD to securing a career in science is far from straightforward. Currently, less than 15% of postdocs with PhDs in biological sciences find […]

Sensationalism in Science, Part II

Sensationalism in Science, Part II

By Gabrielle Rabinowitz, @GabrielleRab In Part I of this post I explained the harm that can result from over-hyped science reporting. But what if scientists’ own enthusiasm for their work is what sparks the hype? As Rob O’ Sullivan of Dar-winning pointed out in a […]

Pigeons: Darwin’s Unappreciated Avian Assistant

Pigeons: Darwin’s Unappreciated Avian Assistant

By Michael Wheelock, @MSWheelock The Fallacy of Finches If I contribute as much to science as the pigeon has, I’ll consider my career an overwhelming success. Why? Because pigeons were instrumental in helping Darwin argue for evolution by natural selection. “Wait a second Mike,” you […]