Geobulletin alpha

这是一个语言的科学吗 

Since the end of WW II, English has been the dominant language of science.  This was not always the case.  The late 19th century industrial and scientific explosion in Germany made German a potential contender before geopolitical events depopulated Germany of its scientists.  And earlier in the 19th century French, and originally Latin, were the languages of the day. The reasons for this

Geo-Quiz of the Week: Caves 

I spent a fair amount of my late teens visiting wild caves. Then I moved to a place with no caves, moved again, and many years later I'm not sure I could repeat anything I used to do underground. But I still enjoy a tour of a good show cave, especially when they lay on the science instead of the "this formation looks like Snoopy" stuff. And I can still put up a mean quiz on caves. Don't let the questions drive you

What do you do with reviewer comments? 

A few months ago I submitted a grant proposal requesting money to perform some tests on a small aspect of one chapter of my PhD research. My grant proposal was rejected. I wasn't surprised, this was the first grant I had ever written, so surely it was far from perfect. I could have expanded the importance of my research, gone into more detail on the analysis to be performed, worked harder on the accompanying figure, ect. When a grant proposal is returned (either accepted or rejected) to the [...]

Distinguished Lecture: Merge art and science in an exclusive Giant Screen showing of Chasing Ice 

The Extreme Ice Survey merges art and science to give a “visual voice” to Earth’s changing ecosystems. Extreme Ice Survey imagery preserves a visual legacy, providing a unique baseline — useful in years, decades and even centuries to come — … Continue reading

At the Day Job: LBNL's NERSC Releases 10 Year Plan 

In its recently released strategic plan, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) outlines its goals for the next 10 years. The high-end scientific production computing facility for DOE’s Office of Science, NERSC supports 4,500 users working on more than 700 research projects and contributes to an average 1,500 publications annually. Go here to download the

DoSER: Exoplanets and Life Beyond Earth 

Exoplanets and Life Beyond Earth The Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) Program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science invites you to join us: as we explore new findings in the search for planets and life … Continue reading

On the Summit of Mount Everest 

It was 60 years ago today when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the top of the world's highest mountain, the first ever to do so. They did it because it was there, but Hillary also collected rocks along the way. So today, 60 years ago, a piece of Earth's highest point entered the database of science. John McPhee wrote in Basin and Range about that moment and that rock, "When the climbers in 1953 planted their flags on the highest mountain, they set them in snow over the skeletons of [...]

Science Is About Truth and Not Politics 

Hat tip to Quark Soup for this. Both letters published on the THE OREGONIAN are about science instead of superstition: (Maybe I am touchy about this because I have a cracked tooth into a nerve and am living on tylenol and prescription pain meds until I get it pulled!  Nah…) The rejection in last Tuesday’s election of the City Council’s resolution to fluoridate Portland’s water supply is discouraging in the way it

Holtz's "A Dinosaur Lover's Bookshelf" Article 

As you may remember, I said that "Good, semi-good, and bad dino sources" was inspired by Holtz's "A Dinosaur Lover's Bookshelf" article ( http://blogevolved.blogspot.com/2013/03/good-semi-good-and-bad-dino-sources.html ). However, I've since realized that not everyone may have access to it, hence this journal entry. Here's hoping you get as much out of it as I did. It's been very influential to my collecting ( http://blogevolved.blogspot.com/2013/03/introducing-hadiazmy-1st-listmania-list.html [...]

Introducing PubPeer.com 

Guest post from PubPeer.com The process of reviewing published science is constantly occurring and is now commonly being called post-publication peer review. It occurs in many places including on blogs such as this one, review articles, at conferences around the world, and has even been encouraged on the websites of some journals. However, the process

7 ‘P’s to a successful interview 

Following their talk at EGU 2013, Helen Goulding and Sarah Blackford have put together their top tips for finding a job, whether you’re looking to stay in science or use your skills elsewhere. Sarah shares her secrets in the second post in this short series… “Congratulations! You have been invited for interview.” These are the

Who Takes a Hit When Natural Gas Prices Rise? 

When natural gas prices rise heating a home with gas becomes more expensive. Many other activities become more expensive. One concern about exporting natural gas is that lots of people (and industries) will see their expenses go up. An article on the Christian Science Monitor website explores who will see higher

It's Like a Disaster Movie...sort of. Put Aside May 21st! 

You all know how the plot of a disaster movie plays out...amidst the destruction of the city, the world, the solar system, a small plucky group of survivors goes about surviving, the concerns of the few outweighing the needs of the many, so to speak. That is how I felt this week as I come up for air (briefly) to explain my absence from any kind of blogging for the last week. We moved our

Setting the stage for Expedition 341S 

There is no question that the scientific ocean drilling program, throughout its history, has had a fundamental impact on our understanding of earth’s history. The science that has been accomplished has expanded our knowledge of plate tectonics, climate change, extinction, evolution, and more. read

Making every word count: How to write a good job application 

Finding a job can be a daunting task, whether you’re looking to stay in science or use your skills elsewhere. Helen Goulding and Sarah Blackford have put together a short series on how to make a great application and excel in an interview, sharing top tips from their talk at EGU 2013. Here are Helen’s

When the language distracts from the science: Reviewing, NES, and NoNES 

Training in academia is often trial-by-fire, and learning how to review manuscripts is no exception. Because you’re technically not allowed to share manuscripts you’re reviewing with others, it can be especially tricky to learn how to do them (I do know some PI’s who share manuscripts with their grad students as a formal training exercise). … Continue reading

Science on Screen: Jurassic Park at the State Theatre! Sunday, May 12 

The final film in our State Theatre "Science on Screen" series is happening this Sunday, May 12 at 2:00 PM. I'm looking forward to this one especially because I will be serving as the speaker before the film. We will have some bone specimens in the lobby, and will be raffling off a few samples of bone to lucky kids (or their parents...). If you live in the Modesto area, I

Timelapse volcanoes in Google’s Earth Engine 

With the marvels of technology and the generosity of Google and NASA, we can now sit back and watch the back catalogue of volcanic eruptions using the magnificent Google Earth Timelapse of Landsat images. Here are just a few that I have picked out.. Enjoy, and do send more suggestions! Anatahan, Marianas, erupted in 2005.

Who should set the research agenda in Universities? 

Universities are complex, organic institutions. Their heart is the academic hub of scholarship and research, sustained  by the ever-changing life-blood of students who come through to learn, to challenge, to grow, and ultimately to leave,  having left their mark on those who have taught them. The excitement of working in a University environment is the

Sustainability Management Students Present Innovative Solutions to Clients’ Challenges 

On Tuesday, April 30, students in the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program presented their final Capstone Workshop presentations for fellow students, program faculty, and colleagues at Rennert Hall at Columbia University. This spring’s workshop projects allowed MSSM students to gain experience tackling tough sustainability problems by working with real-world clients, including the New Jersey Audubon and the Chilean Federation of Tourism Enterprises,