Category: Uncategorized

High-Speed Evolution: Cars Driving Change In Cliff Swallows

Cliff swallows in their nest

I imagine that adjusting to life around humans, with all our buildings and fast-moving transport mechanisms, is tough for a bird. It’s estimated that some 80 million birds are killed in motor vehicle collisions every year, and with an ever-growing population of people driving around and paving roads in more remote areas, things must be getting harder and harder for the animals we share our world with. But, the American Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) isn’t one to let people ruin the neighborhood. More and more, their huge nesting populations can be found in man-made structures like bridges and overpasses, and have even become cultural fixtures in areas like California. Their new nesting sites allow them to survive even as their former habitat disappears, but it comes at a cost: by living near roadways, the birds are more at risk than ever of being on the wrong end of an oncoming vehicle.

Continue reading “High-Speed Evolution: Cars Driving Change In Cliff Swallows”

‘Mystery meat’ takes on a whole new meaning

100% beef… if horses count as beef.

In case you didn’t hear, the big news in the food industry this week is the fact that — *gasp* — horsemeat has been detected in Burger King burgers and Ikea’s Swedish meatballs. Noses worldwide are turning up in disgust at the use of such crude ingredients in ground beef products.*

There’s no doubt that a good part of the fuss is that, for some of the Western world, horsemeat is taboo. Many people have an immediate, visceral reaction to the notion of eating horse, just like Americans generally react strongly to the idea of eating dogs. While our preferences are culturally rooted, the recent labeling exposures don’t just offend our palates. As consumers, we rely on retailers and restaurants to give us accurate information about which foods we are buying — whether it be to avoid allergies, follow religious preferences, choose more sustainable options, or count calories. Now, DNA barcoding is exposing just how often we are duped. Continue reading “‘Mystery meat’ takes on a whole new meaning”

‘Gold Rush In The Jungle’ is a conservation gem

There was simply no way I could have predicted that a groggy conversation over a cup of over-sugared coffee would be directly responsible for making me cry on a crowded plane as I headed back home to Hawaii.

Unlike just about every press person at this year’s AAAS meeting, I wasn’t looking for something to write about. My interest and presence at this conference of the largest general scientific society in the world was somewhat philanthropic. Way back in May of last year, I was asked by Linda Cendes to be on a AAAS panel organized by Cornelia Dean to talk about the importance of social media in science. At their suggestion, I pitched a workshop as well, both of which made it into the program. I was at AAAS as a resource, to help convince scientists of the importance of social media and help answer their questions about emerging media technologies. At a conference boasting over 8,000 people and over 1,000 press registrants, it was pretty much dumb luck that Dan Droulette Jr. and I ended up in conversation in the press coffee room.

Continue reading “‘Gold Rush In The Jungle’ is a conservation gem”

Thoughts after #Scio13 and #AAASmtg

I was somewhere over a whitewashed South Dakota when I popped open my laptop and stared blankly at the screen, trying desperately to distill my experience from the past three weeks into a post.

I left Hawaii on January 29th and headed to North Carolina for ScienceOnline 2013, a conference and unconference that feels more like a family reunion. I have been attending ScienceOnline for four years now, yet every year I approach the conference with a certain amount of apprehension. ScienceOnline isn’t like any other conference I go to; it’s a tight community of innovators, idea generators, influencers and instigators. In short, it can be kind of intimidating, even for seasoned veterans like me. This might sound ironic considering this year I gave a session on Impostor Syndrome, but there’s a certain doubt that creeps into the back of my mind when I’m surrounded by these brilliant people — like I’m a C student that has snuck into a Mensa meeting to steal the free food. Given how many people get turned away from attending, I feel like I need to earn my place at the conference. Walking into a room full of people like Maryn Mckenna, David Dobbs, Carl Zimmer, Karyn Traphagen, and Liz Neeley is a surreal and slightly terrifying experience. I imagine it’s the same feeling a hopeful musician would have if they walked into a bar and found Jimi Hendrix, Beethoven, and Elvis Presley chatting over beers while Michael Jackson is blasting from the juke box. Part of me questions whether I belong in such esteemed company — but mostly, mostly, I feel this deep, burning drive to make sure I do. Continue reading “Thoughts after #Scio13 and #AAASmtg”

Hello!

Aloha everyone!

For those who are familiar with this blog from Scientific American, well hello again! Good to see you! I might be on a new site, but rest assured, I’ll still be serving up the same raw science you’ve come to expect from me.

If you’re a n00b: Welcome!

My name is Christie, and I am a bit of an amalgam. I am one part marine biologist, pursuing my PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Hawaii, where I study the protein toxins in the world’s most venomous fish. I’m one part social media specialist, encouraging my scientific colleagues to get themselves out there and teaching them how to do so. But here, at Science Sushi, I am a giddy schoolgirl, uncontrollably blurting out all of the neat things that make me squeal with excitement. Continue reading “Hello!”

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”

A year and a half ago, the decision to pack up shop at ScienceBlogs and begin blogging at Scientific American was an easy one. The inimitable Bora Zivkovic had assembled a blogging dream team, a group of people I respected and admired and couldn’t wait to call networkmates. Under Bora’s nurturing oversight, we all have flourished, and the SciAm blog network has become the most diverse and prolific science blogging network around. It is a supportive, successful, and safe place, full of people I am proud to call colleagues and friends, though they feel more like family. Here, I have had the freedom to write about everything from GMOs to robot babies to fake poop. I’ve played with tone and style, screaming at the top of my lungs one moment and gushing like a fangirl the next. Through it all, I have grown as a writer and person, and truly found my voice.

Like most sailors, though, I am not content to stay in port. I itch for the adventure of uncharted waters. I couldn’t have asked for a better safe harbor than SciAm, and I will always be indebted to everyone here, especially Bora for taking a chance on this young, spirited blogger. But, the time has come for me to cast off. It is with a mix of sadness, excitement, and just the right amount of fear that I wave a fond farewell to SciAm and announce that, as of today, Science Sushi is setting sail for Discover.

I am simply bubbling with excitement that I will be blogging alongside the likes of Razib Khan, Corey S. Powell, Keith Kloor, and the rest of the extraordinary crew over there. I’ve always been in awe of the high-caliber writers Discover has hosted over the years, and can hardly believe that I am becoming one of them.

The new blog URL is http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi
The new feed is http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/rss

So, if you would like, update bookmarks and feeds accordingly. I know that some of you may not make the journey, but I sincerely hope you will join me over at Discover. If you like what I’ve done here, I’d really appreciate your help in spreading the word about this move. Whether it’s a tweet, a blog post, +1, a facebook like or a stumble—whatever you are comfortable with—every bit helps! Comments will be closed here at Scientific American, but all of my old posts are coming with me, so you can continue the conversation over at Discover when the blog launches (soon, I promise!).

All aboard, and anchors aweigh!

Title quote has been attributed to Grace Hopper and William Shedd, so I don’t know who really said it. Image taken by me of the R/V Hi’ialakai at port at Midway Atoll

This Week’s Scishimi: I like symmetrical butts and I cannot lie.

Play soccer, for your butt’s sake. Another wonderful Friday post by the even more wonderful Scicurious.

August 2nd was Chemistry Day here at Scientific American Blogs – go check out the great posts.

Did you know dieting starves your brain? Its solution is to eat itself. Yeah. Maybe chew more instead?

Can’t an ugly, slimy bottom feeder get some love? Yes, yes it can.

Paleo-nerd Brian Switek begs Spielberg to really do Jurassic Park 4 – and to get it right.

Trying to get chicks makes bustards age faster.

This blows my mind. Bees. Pregnancy test. Art. Wow.

Are smarter people getting smarter?

This Week’s Scishimi: Lions and dolphins and semen, oh my!

Bon appetit!

Apparently, dolphins have multiple super-senses – Ed Yong tells us all about them.

Don’t think there’s science in the city? Think again. Carl Zimmer tell us about the incredible science being done in the big apple.

An important article for any DrunkSci: Greg Laden takes us back to the beginnings of merlot.

Allergic to semen? Apparently some women are, as Kevin Bonham explains. He also explains how one woman was allergic to her husband – I’m just dying to know how they didn’t figure that out BEFORE they got hitched!

Marie-Claire Shanahan seems to think I’m pretty convincing.

The most boring study of the year, according to NCBI ROFL.

Also, apparently lions attack more after the full moon. Good to know.

In other news, the human population is about to hit 7 billion, and Apple is about to become the most valuable company in the world.

That’s it for now – don’t forget, you can tweet links at me, and I’ll consider them for next week’s Scishimi!