Category: Newsletter

Friday’s Elk, April 22, 2016

Posted on by Matt Kristoffersen

Greetings–

It’s a short email today. Also, a head’s up that I won’t be sending out a Friday’s Elk next week. I’ll be back in touch in May. Happy Spring!
 

California’s Mysterious Foxes

About nine thousand years ago, gray foxes arrived on California’s Channel Islands. They’ve since evolved into a new species–a tiny animal that’s smaller than a house cat. In my column this week in The New York Times, I write about a new study that peers into their genomes–and finds next to no genetic variation. How they’ve survived with that kind of DNA is a mystery. Continue reading “Friday’s Elk, April 22, 2016” →

Friday’s Elk, April 15, 2016

Posted on by Matt Kristoffersen

Greetings–
 

Science Fairs and Privilege

This week at Stat I wrote about my experience as the father of a girl in a science fair. She had a great time, but I came away reminded of how problematic the science fair phenomenon has become. The piece triggered a lot of discussion on Twitter and Facebook, which Stat followed up with some thoughtful opinion pieces from science fair participants, sharing their own experiences. Also, physicist Chad Orzel chimed in about how parents can help kids think scientifically at home. Continue reading “Friday’s Elk, April 15, 2016” →

Friday’s Elk, April 8, 2016

Posted on by Matt Kristoffersen

Greetings–

A Times double-header this week!
 

“Just” A Theory

This week, the New York Times ran a series of articles about misconceptions. I rounded out the series with a piece on one of the biggest misconceptions about science: What’s a theory? Hint: it doesn’t involve someone’s ideas about how cats fit in boxes.
 

Continue reading “Friday’s Elk, April 8, 2016” →

Friday’s Elk, April 1, 2016

Posted on by Matt Kristoffersen

Greetings–

Guaranteed: Nothing on this list is an April Fool’s joke.
 

Save the Tapeworms!

Endangered animals get a lot of medical attention in captivity–but are they getting too much attention for their own good? For my column this week in the New York Times, I write about some scientists who think that parasites are important to the long-term survival of species. Continue reading “Friday’s Elk, April 1, 2016” →

Friday’s Elk, March 26, 2016

Posted on by Matt Kristoffersen

Greetings–

No stomach flu, no head cold. Just a case of playing hooky on a pleasant Friday. Without further ado, here’s Friday’s Late Elk:
 

Cavefish That Walk Up Waterfalls

I’ve been rather obsessed with how life came on land for my whole career. In my first book, At the Water’s Edge, I delved into the remarkable history of research into this question. I’ve tried to keep up with new studies on this great transition in the years since the book came out. Continue reading “Friday’s Elk, March 26, 2016” →