Category Archives: writing

Making Memories

Exploring how we invent stories—and then stick to them—confounds journalists and scientists alike: how can we separate fictions from fact? I am keenly interested in how we make decisions—especially decisions built on information we gather from media that affect how … Continue reading

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I’m Not a Monkey

There’s a delicate balance between teaching and learning; between giving instruction and taking over the task. And it takes a nimble soul to figure out when to let someone falter or fail. A student sent an email recently to make … Continue reading

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Defining Race

The conversation turned to race. My talk Wednesday at the Newberry focussed on Native and scientific perspectives, particularly over Kennewick Man–the 9300-year-old skeleton discovered in the Columbia River. During the question and answer session one guest asked if Kennewick Man … Continue reading

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Fire in the Brain

One life-changing moment arrived when my poor grades in science resulted in a letter home to my parents. As I confessed in a post penned weeks ago, my parents waved away my argument that girls don’t need science or math. … Continue reading

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Science of Thought

My days are full of epiphanies and ah-hah moments, often because I learn something new and I’m piqued. Sometimes the epiphany arrives like the UPS delivery chap who knocks on the wrong door. Like the package I can’t keep, the … Continue reading

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Science Censored

Imagine you could cure a disease but the government refused to allow you to study the data. That’s what happened at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) according to the latest issue of Scientific American. The CDC … Continue reading

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Bullet in the Chamber

Some poor sod is having a bad PR day. Turns out Nike’s advertising campaign featuring Oscar Pistorius likens the athlete to a bullet in the chamber. Problem is Pistorius has been accused of releasing four real bullets from the chamber … Continue reading

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My Life as a Talk-Show Host

Truth is I live much of my life as a pretend talk-show host. I admit to being a smidge off-center. Like the Seinfeld episode when Kramer’s living room transforms into the Merv Griffin set, I imagine my couch welcomes guests … Continue reading

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Girls Don’t Need Science

Guilty. The provocative headline is intended to draw you into my blog because, yes, girls do need science. I’m guilty of a fib.

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Nit-picking Scientific American

Excited to crack open my first issue of Scientific American. My colleagues in the science writing and science information fields have recommended the magazine to me. So, after receiving a bonus from the web-based superstore Amazon, I traded points for … Continue reading

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