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Stay in touch with the scientific world!

Stop eating your pet's food

Apparently people are eating their pet's food, and they're getting salmonella poisoning in return...

A scientific reference manual for US judges

Science and our legal system intersect frequently and everywhere - climate, health care, intellectual...

Rainbow connection

On the way to work this morning, I noticed people pointing out the train window and smiling. From...

Neutrinos on espresso

Maybe they stopped by Starbucks for a little faster-than-the-speed-of-light pick me up....

Becky Jungbauer

A scientist and journalist by training, I enjoy all things science, especially science-related humor. My column title is a throwback to Jane Austen's famous first line in Pride and Prejudice

European environment becoming "more permissive" for type 1 diabetes

May 29 2009 | comment(s)

A study published in the Lancet suggests that the number of children under 15 years of age with type 1 diabetes will rise to 160,000 in Europe by 2020, a relative increase of 70 percent from 2005.

It's A Jungle Out There! (And By 'There' I Mean Your Skin)

May 29 2009 | comment(s)

On the drive home yesterday afternoon I heard a fascinating story on NPR about an ecosystem near and dear to all humans - our skin. Even if bacteria aren't your thing, the story and the findings are really interesting (and actually could be applicable to a wide host of conditions and diseases).

The Not-So-Secret Advantage Of Being Short

May 20 2009 | comment(s)

Is there an advantage to being short? I think so, but I'm biased, being what the French call quite "petite." Good things come in small packages, I say.

But now at least one person with a presumably solid foundation in science backs me up. So when I hear yet another short joke (and I think I've heard 'em all), I can smile smugly to myself and know that all you leviathan, Brobdingnagian skyscrapers over 5' (or for the non-abnormal-American-measurementally inclined, 1.5 m) are actually at a disadvantage.

Later In Life

SNPs and public health and RCTs, oh my!

May 18 2009 | comment(s)

The recent Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco just held its annual meeting in Ireland; some fascinating research is happening all over the world.

Researchers are looking at SNPs for therapeutic targets, to predict whether patients would succeed in abstinence programs, and more. Other studies are examining the difference in response to nicotine, pleasure response, cessation and more between genders and among ethnic groups. What about using YouTube for cessation programs? There's a study for that. The impacts of banning smoking in public places, smoking and mental health, smoking and cancer? Read all about it. There's even a psycholinguistic study for Patrick! (#PA10-4, dear Mr. Lockerby.)

Most awesome of awesome light displays

May 16 2009 | comment(s)

Stephanie wrote about Tetris teaching us about self-assembly and solubility in this article. For a less academic but no less awesome Tetris-related enjoyment, check out the video below (or click this link). It comes with the following caption: