Author Archives: Tara

#GirlsWithToys: Using social media to deal with casual sexism

Equity in STEM has been a long time in coming. While we’ve made progress, casual comments like the one made by Prof. Shrinivas Kulkarni from CalTech continue. During an interview with NPR, Prof. Kulkarni, a professor of astronomy and planetary science, said that, “Many scientists, I think, secretly are what I call ‘boys with toys.”Continue reading “#GirlsWithToys: Using social media to deal with casual sexism”

Science art: Peter Hennessey

After spending some time in development, it’s exciting to be able to talk about the Peter Hennessey art exhibition Making it real, which is currently being shown at the UQ Art Museum. Peter Hennessey is an artist whose passion lies in creating artwork out of abstract concepts. The exhibition reflects on the past decade of Peter’s work withContinue reading “Science art: Peter Hennessey”

Highlighting the need for conservation: the power of Douglas Adams

In early March, the 13th Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture was presented by the New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman, who spoke on the enduring and timeless nature of Adams’ work. In his opening address, Gaiman said, “I would classify Douglas as a genius because he saw things differently and he was capable of communicating the wayContinue reading “Highlighting the need for conservation: the power of Douglas Adams”

On ‘scienceyness’ and public trust

At the beginning of February, Scott Adams posted on his blog Dilbert about “Science’s Biggest Fail“. The issue, said Adams, is that science has lost its credibility in the public because uncertainty over when science is ‘done’. Scott Adams, “Science isn’t about being right every time, or even most of the time. It is aboutContinue reading “On ‘scienceyness’ and public trust”

Science art: The Wellcome Image Awards

Did you know that the Wellcome Trust, a London-based charity dedicated to supporting the “brightest minds” in science, the humanities and social sciences, runs an annual competition called the Wellcome Image Awards? No? That’s alright, neither did I. The Wellcome Image Awards showcases the best in science imaging and techniques. With the winners due toContinue reading “Science art: The Wellcome Image Awards”

Science, fantasy and everything in between – A Terry Pratchett world

As timing would have it, I had just finished the Science of Discworld II when I heard that Terry Pratchett had passed away. Pratchett gave us the fantasy series Discworld, a science fantasy world based on quantum theory in Long Earth and Good Omens, a memorable novel written in collaboration with Neil Gaiman. If thatContinue reading “Science, fantasy and everything in between – A Terry Pratchett world”

Leapin’ Lesbian Lizards are here to stay

Ever hear about lesbian lizards from Mexico? Well, they may not actually be lesbians, but there’s a reason for the name. The New Mexican whiptail is a species of lizard with an unusual way of reproducing. Parthenogenesis is a mode of reproduction in which the embryos do not require fertlisation. This process has been studiedContinue reading “Leapin’ Lesbian Lizards are here to stay”

IFLScience – a case of (positive) hype around science

If you haven’t heard of I Fucking Love Science (or IFLS for any sensitive readers out there) then let me give you a quick run down. Established sometime in March 2012 by Elise Andrew, IFLS has accumulated over 18 million Facebook followers and over 120 000 followers on Twitter, which is pretty incredible given the readershipContinue reading “IFLScience – a case of (positive) hype around science”

Selling through science (aka commercial hype)

So, we’ve looked at hype from a variety of sources (including scientists, journals and media), but what about those huge proponents of big promises – the commercial sector? The nutritional supplement industry in the USA, which made $11.5 billion in sales in 2012, is a easy example to make. In May 2014, the American FederalContinue reading “Selling through science (aka commercial hype)”