Dealing with Disappointment

One of the least glamorous (and least well-known, I think) aspects of science is how many setbacks, difficulties, and tedious tasks we scientists are faced with. However, it comprises the daily grind for pretty much all scientists, and is one of the things that makes science difficult. I've been having a rough couple of research …

Why it’s awesome to be a nerd

This is just a link to a message from Wil Wheaton about what it means to be a nerd and why it's awesome. It's heartwarming and beautiful and describes why I am a nerd and why I love being who I am. http://nerdapproved.com/misc-weirdness/wil-wheatons-heartwarming-message-for-a-newborn-nerd-video/ Enjoy, nerds.

Why Doctor Who makes me a better scientist

Doctor Who is a British television phenomenon that I've recently become (a little) obsessed with. It's a fantastic show, and if you haven't seen it I recommend you check it out on Netflix. But in the course of watching it, I realize it's actually making me into a better scientist. Here's why: 1. The universe …

Gamer Girls and Misogyny

Recently there's been quite a bit of negativity directed towards female gamers, and Felicia Day has been one of the most prominently attacked people so far. First there were the comments on the music video for her jaunty tune, Gamer Girl, Country Boy. Then, Ryan Perez, who used to be a gaming blogger for Destructoid, went …

5 Lessons For Start-ups From ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ – Forbes

This article goes through 5 important lessons that can be learned from Buffy but that are often overlooked. The usual lessons Buffy teaches us are about friendship, good vs evil, women's empowerment, etc. However, Buffy can also teach us a great deal about how to be a good start up business. 5 Lessons For Start-ups From …

Ex-Pats are Decent Sci-Fi/Fantasy Authors?

Charlie Jane Anders at i09.com put together a comprehensive list of sci-fi/fantasy authors who also happened to live abroad. Included are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Kurt Vonnegut, Mary Shelley, George Orwell, Orson Scott Card, Douglas Adams, Madeleine L'Engle, H.G. Wells, and many more. It doesn't surprise me that so many of our most beloved classic …

Coolest On-Screen Spaceships

What on-screen spaceship is your favorite? Entertainment Weekly put together their top 23 spaceships, which include Prometheus, Serenity, and more. I think my all-time favorite is the Millenium Falcon, as it was one of the first cool spaceships I ever saw on-screen, and thus brings with it a certain amount of nostalgia. Not to mention …

Has the Higgs Boson Been Discovered?

I am no physicist, so I feel a little unqualified to even write this post. The Higgs Boson is a theoretical particle predicted by the standard model of physics (emphasis on theoretical, so far at least). PhD comics gives you an introduction to what the Higgs Boson is, if you need more information than my measly …

Rabies Virus is the Source of Zombie Legends?

Esther Inglis-Arkell at i09.com wrote a fairly convincing article about how the rabies virus is probably the source of all of the zombie legends. It turns out there are two types of rabies: dumb rabies and furious rabies. It's furious rabies that is your classic rabies disease. People infected with the rabies virus lose lucidity, …

Size Matters…if You’re a Spaceship

We all know that the Enterprise is pretty darn huge--it houses hundreds of people, plus it's got that awesome bridge and cavernous engine rooms. Plus a pretty sweet elevator. But have you ever wondered how close we come to matching the size of the Enterprise with our current spacecraft? You might think that the space …