science literacy - Talk Science To Me

What Gender Is a Coconut?

Alyssa Gonzalez — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:13:21 +0000

Sometimes seemingly nonsense questions have interesting answers. Few plants are as emblematic of the tropics as the coconut palm, Cocos nucifera. This tree can be found on just about every postcard depicting a tropical beach, anywhere in the world, and for good reason. Coconuts are improbably suited to human cultivation in places where few other… Read More »What Gender Is a Coconut?

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The Candiru: A Six-Inch SciCom Failure

Alyssa Gonzalez — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 17:37:58 +0000

This is one story that should never have been. Science communication is a careful interplay of priorities. Words and approaches must match the knowledge base of the audience, always bringing them to a better-informed place than where they were before, and align with the writer’s goals. Scientific knowledge is our collective best estimate of the… Read More »The Candiru: A Six-Inch SciCom Failure

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So, Your Social Media Presence Is Being Overrun With Covid Denialism

Jetta Robertson — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 18:53:00 +0000

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: over the last 15 months, your social media presence has become overrun with “COVID denialists,” anti-vaxxers, and other outspoken skeptics of accepted science. They co-opt your comment threads to spread conspiracy theories and harass people who support vaccines, wear masks, and believe SARS-CoV-2 exists. Maybe you don’t even… Read More »So, Your Social Media Presence Is Being Overrun With Covid Denialism

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2017 Cool Science Gift Guide

Roma — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 20:31:00 +0000

If it nerds, gift it! At last! Our seasonal round up of online gifting opportunities that will tickle the corners of your nearest and dearest science nerd’s heart. Although there’s a plethora of tacky science stuff out there—hanging a caffeine molecule on a pendant chain is so last year, and not at all scientific IMHO—I’ve… Read More »2017 Cool Science Gift Guide

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Einstein, or it’s okay to say “what?”

Amanda — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:06:14 +0000

June 30 marks the anniversary of publication for physicist Albert Einstein’s first paper on special relativity. On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies (1905) sets out Einstein’s theory on the relationship between space and time, establishing relativity for time and distance, and the absolute nature of the speed of light. As one of his four annus… Read More »Einstein, or it’s okay to say “what?”

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Halley’s comet, impending doom and communicating science

Amanda — Tue, 17 May 2016 20:15:22 +0000

On May 18, 1910, Halley’s comet made its closest recorded contact (0.15 astronomical units,* or approximately 23 million kilometres) with our planet, and the Earth passed through its tail. The event was full of scientific excitement and wonder, since photographic plates and spectroscopy were newly available to researchers. With these new tools, astronomers and the public… Read More »Halley’s comet, impending doom and communicating science

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Around town, a.k.a. back to school

Amanda — Fri, 13 May 2016 17:00:24 +0000

One of the reasons for highlighting upcoming science conferences in Vancouver in my Around Town series is that it gives me a push to find out more on a subject I may have little exposure to. It’s also a great inspiration for a regular series of blog posts! Last month, press releases ahead of one of… Read More »Around town, a.k.a. back to school

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Muses: David Ng

Jakob — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:31:42 +0000

Dr. David Ng is definitely our kind of person. In addition to being smart as a scientist, he’s an excellent and inventive communicator with a great instinct for creating hooks. He’s also very skilled at devising relatable premises that are truly capable of carrying a scientific discussion. I wrote a lot about this in my… Read More »Muses: David Ng

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Do you accept the quest? – Reading and understanding a science paper

Amanda — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 17:00:41 +0000

Science papers—the everyday tales of slaying research dragons and finding buried treasures. Not just for stereotyped nerds in white coats, or wild-haired Einstein lookalikes. You can read them too. With the rise in open access publishing, more are available to lay readers outside academia’s ivory towers. But what are they all about? And why would… Read More »Do you accept the quest? – Reading and understanding a science paper

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