Monthly Archives: July 2010
DotW: Webster’s New World Dictionary
This week’s Dictionary of the Week – ok, this season’s Dictionary of the Week, since the last one I did was in April – is a classic. It’s red, it’s got Webster in the title, and it sits on a … Continue reading
crochet coral reef
People who like to mess with yarn fall into two camps: knitters and crocheters. In knitting, you use two sticks and it’s a disaster if you drop a stitch. In crochet, you use one hook and I don’t know if … Continue reading
I know everybody: crochet coral reef
At the crochet coral reef workshop, I hung around with the beginners – I did, technically, already know how to crochet, but I really only knew how to crochet continuously in one direction. So, if I wanted to make spirals, … Continue reading
knitted stegosaurus
I do a heck of a lot of knitting, most of it not really suited for a work blog. But I feel this is legitimate science and paleontology and…oh, cmon, look how cute this little guy is: The pattern is … Continue reading
I know everybody: baseball
I’ve often said that I run into people at every event I go to – except baseball games. Well, that was a lie, it turns out. Saturday night I went to see the Bethesda Big Train, a team in a … Continue reading
sled dogs are sled dogs
A new genetic study finds that Alaskan sled dogs, the mutts that pull sleds, are actually their own breed. Despite coming in all sizes, coat lengths, and ear shapes. The people who breed Alaskan sled dogs feel free to mix … Continue reading
lucky clover
Some scientists at the University of Georgia are working on what sounds like a kind of goofy project: making ornamental clovers. They swear they’re very pretty plants – lush green, with red and white markings. And they fix nitrogen, so … Continue reading
museum tourist? month at the museum
In the last 24 hours, two friends have sent me a link to the same gig. And I have to say, they’re right. It’s made for me. You know how I love museums? Particularly sciencey ones? So much that I … Continue reading
museum tourist: denver museum of nature and science
I took the occasion of a visit to Colorado last week to drop in on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The building opened in 1908, which is positively ancient for Colorado. And like any self-respecting natural history museum, … Continue reading
awwwww, meerkats
Today for ScienceNOW I wrote about meerkats – you know, the adorable critters – oh, did you need a picture? Here: It’s from a long-term study site in the Kalahari desert. Most of the research there has to do with … Continue reading