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Items tagged with: Science
Several of us overly online biologists spent years quietly doing an experiment on Twitter, trying to find out if tweeting about new studies from a set of mid-range journals caused an increase in later citations, compared to set of untweeted control articles.
Turns out we had no noticeable effect; the tweeted papers were cited at the same rate as the control set.
Our paper, headed by Trevor Branch, was published today in PLOS One:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0292201
Controlled experiment finds no detectable citation bump from Twitter promotion
Multiple studies across a variety of scientific disciplines have shown that the number of times that a paper is shared on Twitter (now called X) is correlated with the number of citations that paper receives.journals.plos.org
Upper Cretaceous. Approximately 100.5 million to 66 million years ago. When alive, this creature lived in warm, shallow seas and had a very short tail, which was fitted with a venomous stinger. Discovered in Haqil, Byblos, Lebanon. It just happens to look like an ancient space alien. #science #fossil #archeology #evolution #photo #nature #biology #wildlife
On Friday morning, I will defend my dissertation.
The research explores how congressional staffers make #science policy decisions at the national level. I used to work in the Senate, which inspired this journey into the social sciences.
(Friday is also the first day of my kids' Spring Break, so they'll be coming along which should be interesting).
For those curious about the topic, I share a bit about the research on my substack. More results will there soon https://sheril.substack.com/p/a-dissertation-on-democracy
A Dissertation on Democracy
Consider this the Cliffs NotesSheril Kirshenbaum (Unelected Representative)
I have an article out today in the new issue of the Journal of Science Policy & Governance.
“Barriers to Serving in Senior Congressional Staff Roles May Limit Representative #Science Policymaking” https://www.sciencepolicyjournal.org/article_1038126_jspg230203.html
Beatrice ‘Tilly’ Shilling was born in 1909 in Hampshire. She became an aeronautical engineer & daredevil motorcycle racer.
In 1936, Shilling joined The Royal Aircraft Establishment. 5 yrs later, she led a team that designed a device to prevent Merlin plane engines from stalling during flight, which helped the Allies win WWII.
Shilling was also the 2nd woman to earn a Brooklands Gold Star for lapping the track at >100mph. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrice_Shilling #science #history
Want to hang out next Thursday night (or Friday depending on where you live)?
I'm joining the one & only @bschillace for a live conversation about #science #politics & culture.
We may discuss why so many people believe things that aren't true. Or explore how we got into this predicament. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieOEPE92MBE
The Pecular Book Club is "a safe haven of nerdery for all peculiar people w bizarre interests." https://brandyschillace.com/peculiar/
Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/live/a3ev1p20acc?si=H8Q35vWytgmC9m9K
This should be fun!
14-MAR: SHERIL KIRSHENBAUM, UNSCIENTIFIC AMERICA
The earth is not flat. Vaccines work and they don’t make you magnetic. Global warming is real. Covid is airborne. But you will hear a great deal to the contr...YouTube
“Engravings, first in Arabic script, then in Hebrew, tell the story of how knowledge was created, shared & developed by Islamic & Jewish scholars living & working side by side.”
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/05/extraordinary-islamic-and-jewish-science-merge-in-11th-century-astrolabe #history #science
‘Extraordinary’: Islamic and Jewish science merge in 11th-century astrolabe
Instrument was adapted, translated and corrected by Muslim and Jewish users in Spain, north Africa and ItalySam Jones (The Guardian)
Latest cartoon on Alabama decision that IVF embryos are people
#theorcracy #reproduction #ivf #health #medicine #science
Wonderful! I love the runner-up, 'The Scholar's Dream', on browntail moths, to the music of Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFwRMZKODbc
Overview & other category winners here: https://www.science.org/content/article/kangaroo-research-wins-dance-phd-contest
#DanceYourPhD #moth #kangaroo #epigenetics #circadian #dance #zoology #science #SciComm #SocialScience #biology #chemistry #physics
The Scholar's Dream- Dance Your PhD 2024 [𝓡𝓾𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓻-𝓤𝓹]
[2/27/2024: I had a sudden jump in views- turns out my video was a runner-up for Science's Dance your PhD and "might have won the whole thing if not up again...YouTube
Every year, students around the world submit videos to a "Dance Your PhD" contest. The goal is to "explain your research through interpretive dance."
This year's fabulous winner, Weliton Menário Costa, explores kangaroo behavior & promotes diversity. It is, by far, the best I've ever seen.
Go watch! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoSYO3fApEc #science #dance #art #animals
WELI - Kangaroo Time (Club Edit) (From Dance Your PhD 2024 - OVERALL WINNER)
Subscribe. My EP "Yours Academically, Dr. WELI" out on March 1st.Official video for WELI “Kangaroo Time (Club Edit)” made for the 2024 'Dance Your PhD' Thesi...YouTube
There are massive differences in the GHG emissions of different foods & "local" isn't always best for the environment.
This chart continues to be a great reference I return to in my work. Source: https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local #science #climate #food
You want to reduce the carbon footprint of your food? Focus on what you eat, not whether your food is local
“Eat local” is a common recommendation to reduce the carbon footprint of your diet. How does the impact of what you eat compare to where it's come from?Our World in Data
Five dazzling new species of eyelash vipers discovered in Colombia and Ecuador
Scientists have discovered five dazzling new species of eyelash vipers in the jungles and cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador.ScienceDaily
Born in 1906, computer scientist Grace Hopper invented the first compiler for computer programming language & was among the first programmers of the Harvard Mk1 computer.
Hopper popularized the idea of machine-independent programming languages & paved the way to develop COBOL (an early high-level programming language). She originated the term "bug" to describe computer glitches & became a celebrated Rear Admiral in the US Navy. https://news.yale.edu/2017/02/10/grace-murray-hopper-1906-1992-legacy-innovation-and-service #science #history
Grace Murray Hopper (1906-1992): A legacy of innovation and service
On Feb. 11, President Peter Salovey announced that he and the Yale Corporation had voted to change the name of Calhoun College, one of the university's undergraduate residential colleges, to honor alumna Grace Murray Hopper.YaleNews
Sorry I missed this symposium at the #Denver #AAASmtg. If there’s interest, I can send the transcript of a similar event during the 2019 #Tennessee #STEAM Festival; “From Plato to #CRISPR : Communicating #Science through Story-telling.” #STEAMfest #SciComm
From Plato to CRISPR: Communicating Science through Storytelling — Andrei Codrescu
Third Annual Tennessee STEAM Festival @Middle Tennessee University Through his talk, From Plato to CRISPR , Andrei brings light and heat to the space between science and artAndrei Codrescu
Tis the season…
I spoke with The New York Times about my book, The #Science of Kissing https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/13/science/archaeology-sumeria-kissing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.VE0.Ku_7.vxJnkibLUVQB&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare #ValentinesDay #GiftArticle #books
If anyone is headed to #AAAS this week, I’m in 2 sessions so come say hello 👋
Friday at 10am - https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2024/meetingapp.cgi/Session/31685
How scientists can connect w legislators & staff, inform decisions & collaborate to address global challenges.
Sat at 2:30pm - https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2024/meetingapp.cgi/Session/31830
Sharing stories about #science & scientists can promote evidence-based thinking, counter misinformation, lead to a more diverse & inclusive workforce & create transdisciplinary opportunities to meet global challenges.
Counting citations hasn't been a reliable measure of scientific impact for a while, especially on platforms like Google Scholar that compile info from random documents. Hyper-authorship, predatory journals, etc have all contributed to the problem.
This preprint just drives home how important it is to measure scientific impact more carefully and without reliance on automated metrics
Google Scholar is manipulatable
https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.04607
#science #academia #publishing #citations
Google Scholar is manipulatable
Citations are widely considered in scientists' evaluation. As such, scientists may be incentivized to inflate their citation counts.arXiv.org
“Only in America do we accept weather predictions from a rodent but deny #ClimateChange evidence from scientists.”
I share this meme every year on February 2. #science
Spent the day with so many adorable young scientists!
PBS Kids Day was a treat. I love meeting curious kids & watching them marvel at #science. Children ask the best questions.
Ever wonder how pickling works? https://youtu.be/gw6YpN2oRog?si=Bv8DW9o6iqcBaW29
Four years ago our PBS team created this fun explainer on all different types of pickles! And it's still one of my favorite episodes. #food #science
How Does Pickling Work? | Serving Up Science
Pickling! It's that salty, briny process that makes foods taste so strangely good. The pickle garnishes our favorite foods, from burgers & hotdogs to turkey ...YouTube
This Saturday I’m excited to meet families at PBS Kids Day in Michigan!
I’m going to be talking to attendees about how oils are “hydrophobic” aka water-fearing with a fun demo where children can squirt colored water droplets into a glass of oil.
If you want to try our experiment with little ones (or adults!) wherever you are, here’s an easy at-home version: https://funlearningforkids.com/oil-water-science-exploration/ #science #art
Oil and Water Science Exploration
We're definitely adding this oil and water science exploration to our growing list of science experiments for preschoolers.danielledb (Fun Learning for Kids)
A virus that infected animals hundreds of millions of years ago has become essential for the development of the embryo
All animals have evolved thanks to the fact that certain viruses infected primitive organisms hundreds of millions of years ago. Viral genetic material was integrated into the genome of the first multi-cellular beings and is still in our DNA today.Science X (Phys.org)
Born in 1896, biochemist Gerty Theresa Cori became the 1st woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (and the 3rd to win a Nobel Prize).
Cori faced gender discrimination & was marginalized for years. But she never gave up.
With her husband Carl, she discovered how glycogen is broken down & eventually stored as an energy source (aka the “Cori cycle”). They also identified the Cori ester. http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/women/cori.htm #HistoryRemix #science #history
#NewSpecies!
New freshwater crab from #indonesia just pinched us:
Lepidothelphusa menneri
Treatment: http://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DE879E-FFF9-FFBE-1FBF-FE0DFCFB7405
Publication: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5397.2.3
#Zootaxa
#FAIRdata
#science #OA #openaccess #biology #taxonomy #ecology #biodiversity #nature #wildlife #conservation #animals #invertebrates #arthropods #crustacea #crabs
Lepidothelphusa menneri n. sp. (Crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae), first record of the genus from Kalimantan, Indonesia
The gecarcinucid freshwater crab genus, Lepidothelphusa Colosi, 1920, is known only from Sarawak in northern Borneo, with six recognised species i.e. Lepidothelphusa cognettii (Nobili, 1903); L. flavochela Grinang & Ng, 2015; L.doi.org
Born in 1919, Isabella Aiona Abbott became the first native Hawaiian woman to earn a PhD in #science.
A marine botanist, Abbott became the 1st woman & person of color to become a full professor in Stanford’s Biology dept.
She wrote 8 books, >150 articles & was awarded the Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal by the National Academy of Sciences.
In 2005, Abbott was named a “Living Treasure of Hawaii” by the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. https://woc.aises.org/content/isabella-aiona-abbott-becoming-“first-lady-limu” #history
Born in 1794, pioneering marine biologist Jeannette Villepreux-Power collected specimens from local fisherman in Sicily for study. She built a natural history collection & was especially interested in cephalopods like octopus & squid 🐙.
Villepreux-Power invented the modern aquarium was one of the first people to observe living cephalopods & their behaviors.
Unfortunately, much of her work & collections were lost in a shipwreck in 1843. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Villepreux-Power #HistoryRemix #science #history
I just finished putting together a Wikipedia article on plant biologist Mary Clutter, who was so instrumental in determining mechanisms for gene regulation and expression through her work with plant hormones.
She also was one of the foremost scientists involved in expanding opportunities for women scientists in the latter half of the 20th century, including getting them the recognition they deserved for their accomplishments.
SpaceX Starlink satellites photobombed my northern lights photos in Iceland!
#space #science #spacex #astrodon #womeninstem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hTnctQLCIk
SpaceX Starlink satellites photobombed my Northern Lights photos!
We've known for awhile that increasing numbers of satellites are a problem for astronomy and astrophotography. I had my own issues with SpaceX's Starlink sat...YouTube
Why some people don’t trust science – and how to change their minds
“The messenger is every bit as important as the message. Our work confirms many prior surveys showing that politicians, for example, aren’t trusted to communicate science, whereas university professors are. This should be kept in mind”
Remember this the next time right wing media/politicians target educators, universities, education, etc.
#Disinformation #Education #Science #Academia #Scicomm
https://theconversation.com/why-some-people-dont-trust-science-and-how-to-change-their-minds-219579
Why some people don't trust science – and how to change their minds
People who are suspicious of science often assume they are understand it well – and that others agree with them.The Conversation
A new hope for algae biofuel (microalgae, that is)
#algae #biofuels #biofuel #microalgae #fuels #energy #decarbonization #carboncapture #carbonemissions #aquaculture #agriculture #biobased #bioeconomy #bioenergy #renewableenergy #renewable #sdg7 #sustainableenergy #energytransition #science #research
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/12/19/algae-biofuel-haunts-fossil-fuel-stakeholders/
Algae Biofuel Rises From Grave To Haunt Fossil Fuel Stakeholders
After ExxonMobil walks away, algae biofuel gets another shot at success and the US Department of Energy is here for it.Tina Casey (CleanTechnica)