“Tell me something interesting,” he says to me as we sit side by side on the bus. He looks so cold and calculated and I wonder if he feels anything towards me at all. He takes up room in his seat. I barely fit next to him. He is an overachiever, overeducated and impeccably self-reliant, with what most would call a bright future ahead of him. He is the science student. Is this what I want? Is this who I am? I feel torn within myself. He looks me over, bored, unsatisfied, and I feel an old familiar pain come…
The Science Creative Quarterly
The Science Creative Quarterly (SCQ) is not a quarterly, but instead publishes new material at a non-linear rate. Currently, it is sleeping and in a sort of stasis (turpor?) It used to seek science writing of any genre, and your contribution would have involved checking out our submissions guidelines.
The Science Creative Quarterly (SCQ) has a single print edition so far (half SCQ pieces, and half fake science journal – see here for more details). Also, badges?
Stay safe everyone!
THE LABORATORY CALLED LIFE
The study of cognition and theory of mind is an emerging field of science that receives its inputs from psychology, neuroscience and behavioural biology. Children are known to develop a theory of mind around the age of three to four years, and many experiments have been conducted to test this development in young children, and test the apparent absence of theory of mind in toddlers. If you know that I know something, you are said to have cognition, while if you know that I do not know something, you would have a theory of mind. Sounds fuzzy? An illustration might…
PRE-MED STUDENT ACCIDENTALLY CURES CANCER
Patrick McCarthy, a pre-medical student, who previously referred to his general chemistry lab requirement as “the dumbest thing [he’s] ever heard of,” has discovered the cure for cancer, Nature News reports. McCarthy, 22, discovered a special class of polyphenolics during last Monday’s extraction of the compounds from apples, says John Strova, a sixth-year graduate teaching assistant. “The students were required to complete an extraction of the antioxidants and complete a calibration curve to determine phenol activity,” Strova told the Associated Press. “Pat’s research results were mind-blowing. I didn’t even know this level of antioxidant activity was possible. But there’s an…
THE CHIMERA FILES: WHEN DOGGIE MET KITTY (PUN HEAVY VERSION)
“Woman Claims Puppies Were Born To Cat; Says Neighborhood Mutt Impregnated Feline“-Reuters Doggy: Before Ms. Pretty Kitty? I ran with a tough pack of stray dogs. I was always out chasing tail—usually my own. Kitty: In my strict Siamese family, we were discouraged from dating outside the breed—never mind outside the species! Doggy: When I first saw her, my heart went into heat—but she thought I was just in it for the chase. Kitty: I was like, “Down boy! You’re barking up the wrong family tree.” I don’t want to be anybody’s weird fetish-I am not into “kitty porn.” I…
PHRASES WHICH SOUND PLEASANT ENOUGH BUT ARE ACTUALLY KIND OF SCARY
Cruises in Iran Hummer coming through Intelligent design in the school Global Warming
EXCERPTS FROM A COLLECTION OF MICROBIAL RENGAS
My ideal microbe has sharp teeth, fury and green. It eats my homework. It likes math homework the best, but it will eat anything. My ideal microbe absolutely hates the sun, drinks ocean water. He smells like sour lemonade, but he doesn’t like lemons. Jonathan Chan and Carl Laurente David Lloyd George Elementary – – – My perfect microbe is a champion athlete: she has gold medals. She’s a male microbe magnet and is the envy of germs. My perfect microbe has never disobeyed me. She will come as I call. She is always by my side with elegance and…
The Terry Talks YouTube experiment.
For those of you at this year’s Terry talks, you’ll obviously be aware of our little YouTube experiment. In any event, I present to you the fruit of that labour below. If you weren’t at the conference, here is the gist: audience members were ask to participate by brainstorming, pitching, choosing, and then executing an activity amenable to recording via YouTube. This was done during the odd free 5 minutes here and there in the conference program. In total I think about 20 minutes in all was used to get the material for the video.
LITTLE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ANNIE
A Christmas Play Characters: Interim Chairman Hannigan: runs the department with an iron fist Assistant Professor Annie Assistant Professor Molly Assistant Professor Pepper Assistant Professor Derek Assistant Professor Oliver Twist Sandy, a graduate student Dean Grantbucks Dr. Farrell, Daddy Grantbucks’ Assistant Dean Note: Except when they are singing (in synchrony) or when they say “Yes, Chairman Hannigan” in synchrony, most of the lines for “Other Assistant Profs” or “All Assistant Profs” should be said like a crowd scene – i.e. not in synchrony, but overlapping and random, with different people speaking different lines all at once.) Production note: Karaoke versions…
WARM TIDINGS
Virginia, will you ask again this year Whether melting ice-caps scare his deer? Ice-water never was so warm As amid the mighty powers’ swarm. But children in Russia and Timbuktu Will get their Christmas presents, too; And sweet lead paint will not compete With family, good cheer, and meat; And submerged futures and frozen hearts Break free along with elfin workshop parts. You can also hear the piece being performed by Katelyn by clicking here