In August I spoke at the Chautauqua Institution as part of their celebration of Darwin and Linnaeus. I posted the written version of my talk back then, but I’ve just received the audio recording and thought some folks might prefer listening to it instead. I actually prefer it too, because whenever I give talks, I look at what I’ve written and revise it as I talk. You can listen to the talk right here on the handy Odeo player I’ve embedded at the bottom of the post. Or you can download it to listen offline.

Originally published December 22, 2008. Copyright 2008 Carl Zimmer.

Nicole write: “I got it 6 years ago when I was a freshman in college, starting a double major in physics and astronomy. I was drawn to the colorful and artistic interpretation of a binary star. Maybe one day I’ll find the film picture of when it was first taken. Today I’m a grad student in astronomy, contemplating a second tattoo!”

Click here to go to the full Science Tattoo Emporium. 

Originally published December 22, 2008. Copyright 2008 Carl Zimmer.

The National Academy of Sciences has a survey they’d like people to fill out to help them figure out what kinds of educational materials about science, engineering, and medicine they should publish in print and on the web.

I just took it, and can assure you it’s quick and painless. And along the way they pointed me to some pdf’s that look helpful.

Update: In case my linking above wasn’t clear, here’s the survey. 

Originally published December 19, 2008. Copyright 2008 Carl Zimmer.

Attention, lovers of science: clear your 2009 calendar.

The Coalition On The Public Understanding of Science (COPUS), a grassroots network, is putting together a massive celebration of science stretching across all 12 months of the year. Museums, scientific societies, and other groups will be presenting lectures, science cafes, special blogs, exhibits, and the occasional Banana Slug String Band concert. Every month will have a theme, from evolution (February, the month of Darwin’s birthday) to astronomy (July, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the summer Galileo first trained his telescope to the sky). And if you want to join the happening, COPUS wants to hear from you.

Continue reading “Kicking off the Year of Science” →

Jimmy writes, “This is a picture of my recent ink in commemoration of getting my Ph.D in Molecular Pharmacology. Occam’s Razor in its original Latin text —Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate–roughly translated, plurality should never be posited without necessity. I’ve always subscribed to this fundamental tenet behind the scientific method not only in my passion for science, but also in my beliefs in philosophy and religion.”

Click here to go to the full Science Tattoo Emporium. 

Originally published December 19, 2008. Copyright 2008 Carl Zimmer.