A couple of house-keeping things.
Firstly, if you cast your eyes a few pixels upwards, you’ll notice the snazzy new banner. All the Discover blogs now have them to give us a bit more of an individual feel. I love mine/them. The designer’s done a great job with reconciling the “rocket science” bit with the fact that I write almost entirely about biology. You can see the rest of the logos on the sidebar, and I’ll probably be doing a Cafepress store at some point.
Secondly, you might have noticed that there’s also a “Support Science Writers” box in the sidebar. I’ve added this in light of my new initiative to voluntarily pay for the best science writing that I read. In the comments, people suggested various ways that these micropayments could be done easily, but all the best suggestions involve adding some sort of code to one’s site.
While a simple solution may take some more work, I’ve implemented these Paypal buttons as a temporary fix. The top one goes to the writers I pick every month, distributed equally (any donations this month will go to February’s picks, and so on). The bottom one goes to me and I’ll match a third of the donations and send that to the chosen writers too.
Both go to my Paypal account but they’re tagged differently so I can sort through all the donations and distribute them easily. This isn’t ideal by any means, but like many things on the Internet, I thought I’d give it a go and see what happens. So if any of you would like to support NERS or any of the other great blogs that I link to, please feel free to contribute. There is, of course, no expectation to do this.
For reference, here are the people who I’ve donated to this month:
- Human (amphibious model): living in and on the water, by Greg Downey
- Circadian clock without DNA–History and the power of metaphor, by Bora Zivkovic
- Hidden Light: The Visual Language of an Autistic Photographer, by Steve Silberman
- Iron-deficiency is not something you get just for being a lady, by Kate Clancy
- Ancestor Worship, by Brian Switek
- Running out of antibiotics — and other drugs too, by Maryn McKenna
- How IBM’s Watson Computer Excels at Jeopardy!, by John Rennie
- Saving Ethiopia’s Church Forests, by Delene Beeland
- The Mere Existence of Whales, by Carl Zimmer
- Science education for all, by Alice Bell
- I Spy With My Little Eye… [Last Updated On: November 7th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 7th, 2009]
- A Crack Opens in the Ethiopian Landscape, Preparing the Way for a New Sea | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Politics of Addiction | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Finally! An iPhone App That Lets You Track Your Bathroom Habits | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Don’t Pack Your Bags Yet—New Planet-Finder Hobbled by Electronic Glitch | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- In Controversial Scent Lineups, a Dog’s Nose Picks Out the Perp | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Are You a Cognitive Miser? | Cosmic Variance [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Secret Lives and Loves of Great White Sharks | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Britain’s New Protected Minority: Tree-Huggers | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Inspired by Maple Seeds, a Robotic Whirligig Takes To The Skies | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- New Statesman on Accommodationism | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Laser-Powered Robot Climbs to Victory in the Space-Elevator Contest | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Checking Back In With SEAPLEX | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Podcast: An Embarrassment of Genomes | The Loom [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- A Baby Neutron Star, Swaddled in a Carbon Atmosphere | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Butterfliiiies… iiinnnn… SPPPAAAAACCCCEEEEE! | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- My Slate Dialogue with Michael Specter Begins | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Musical, Fahrvergnügen-Inspired Staircase Makes Commuters Less Lazy | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Laser-Etched Fruit Is an Answer in Search of a Problem | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Ares and the carnivals | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Toddler Gets a Telescoping, Prosthetic Arm Bone That Grows With Him | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Neutered HIV Virus Delivers Treatment to Fatally Ill Boys | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Specter’s First Reply: Denialism Kills People | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- LRO sees a Moonslide | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Al Gore’s New Book: A Focus on Solutions | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Universe Has Us in Its Crosshairs | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Makers of Universes | Cosmic Variance [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Can Your Pet Catch & Spread Swine Flu? Yes, If Your Pet’s a Ferret | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Droid 2.0 Vs iPhone | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Tangled Bank News: An Excerpt and More | The Loom [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- LHC Shut Down By Wayward Baguette, Dropped by Bird Saboteur | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Careidolia | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Slate Reply to Specter Up–We Need a National Dialogue on Synthetic Biology | The Intersection [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Pray this doesn’t get passed | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- You Can’t Make This Stuff Up | Cosmic Variance [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Mother Tongue, Indeed: Newborn’s Cries Mimic Mama’s Accent | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Ripped From the Journals: The Biggest Discoveries of the Week | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Alternative Landscapes | The Loom [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Can an iPhone App Decipher Your Baby’s Cries? | Discoblog [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Reminder: Carl Sagan Day | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Are There Pesticides in Your Soup? Dunk a Pollution Dipstick to Find Out. | 80beats [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Log in and Join the Conference [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Conference Ends [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Conference Archive Opens [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Galaxy Zoo [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- .Astronomy 2009 Dates [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- .Astronomy 2009: Programme and venue details [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- .Astronomy Gets Some IYA Love [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- 2009 Posters and Imagery [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- 2009 Sponsors [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- When in Holland… [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The WHAT Cloud? [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- The Jewel Box [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Happy Halloween! [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Ares 1-X Launch [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Confessions of an Alien Hunter [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- LRO Spies Apollo 17 Site [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Mercury in Color [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Hubble and M83 [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Cassini Flyby of Enceladus [Last Updated On: November 8th, 2009] [Originally Added On: November 8th, 2009]
- Preserving A Moth [Science Tattoo] | The Loom [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
- Another Russian rocket spiral lights up the sky | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
- A (Very Gentle) Riddle to Complete Your Saturday [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
- Darwin Gets Swine Flu: The YouTube Edition | The Loom [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
- Happy Slothy Holidays | The Loom [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
- Jetting to Copenhagen | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2009]
- Michael Gerson Attempts Thoughtfulness on “ClimateGate,” Then Gives it Up | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Incredible VISTA of the cosmos | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Bundle up Sunday Night to Watch the Geminid Meteor Shower | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- “ClimateGate” a PR Disaster That Will Be “Taught in University Communications Courses” | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Is Google the Guardian Angel of Rainforests? | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- La ciencia es importante. Una vez mas. | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Sensenbrenner Pulls an Inhofe, Asserts Global Warming is an “International Conspiracy” | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Let Kids Eat Dirt: Over-Cleanliness Linked to Heart Disease | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- What Are The Best Science Papers Of The Past Decade? | The Intersection [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Finally! Math Shows How to Cut Evenly Sized Pizza Slices | Discoblog [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Half-baked math | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Can “Biological Passports” Save Sports From Doping? | 80beats [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Aiiiieeee! Slow down! | Bad Astronomy [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]
- Weekly News Roundup: Bad Headlines, Martian moons, and Rotating Houses | Discoblog [Last Updated On: December 13th, 2009] [Originally Added On: December 13th, 2009]