Month: April 2015

Seminars

Sailing the Seas of Alien Worlds: The fate of oceans on rocky planets

Presented by Laura Schaefer Searching for life in our galaxy means first finding liquid water. Water is found throughout our Solar System in many different forms, but the Earth, because of its balmy temperatures and unique geology, is the only known planet with sailable seas. Astronomers are searching far and wide for other planets that might host liquid water. In their search, they have found … Continue reading Sailing the Seas of Alien Worlds: The fate of oceans on rocky planets

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Dragon Age Returns: Recent research suggests that current conditions are optimal for the resurgence of dragons

Steven Brust’s advice on dragons – “always speak politely to an enraged dragon” – may find it’s way out of fantasy novels and into the real world if a group of Australian and British researchers is to be believed. The group recently published a paper in Nature arguing that global warming coupled with the unearthing of ancient hoards of buried treasure and the re-introduction of … Continue reading Dragon Age Returns: Recent research suggests that current conditions are optimal for the resurgence of dragons

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The misnomer of Ebola mutations rates

Reports this week have touted headlines such as “Ebola is not mutating as fast as scientists feared” and “Ebola virus in latest outbreak does not show unusual mutations.” These headlines are based on a report published in the journal Science last week that is at odds with a previous article published in the same journal. However, these headlines are missing the mark based on a … Continue reading The misnomer of Ebola mutations rates

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As good as it gets? Peer review and its discontents

In February, the journal Nature and its sister publications announced a new policy for their peer review process (the evaluation of submitted articles by experts in the field). The journal normally operates on the basis of single-blind peer review–anonymous reviewers see the authors’ names and affiliations. The new policy will allow authors the option to remain anonymous to the experts reviewing their work. Will this … Continue reading As good as it gets? Peer review and its discontents

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To bee or not to bee: social dynamics impact productivity and stress response in honey bees

Watch out, honey fans – populations of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, may be in decline, and we don’t really know why. Honey bees play a vital role in natural ecosystems as pollinators; it is estimated that a single bee can visit 2000 flowers in a day [1]. Agriculturally, bees are important for much more than honey, being required for the pollination of many other … Continue reading To bee or not to bee: social dynamics impact productivity and stress response in honey bees

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