Spliced feed for The Science Network

Sex and Sin and Some Science [Sciencebase Science Blog]

Posted: 28 May 2008 07:00 AM CDT

Lingerie shopping Porn star names originally posted in August 2005, this was something of a joke post about how porn star names have become almost the post-modern equivalent of a person’s astrological star sign, and a whole lot more scientifically valid, if you ask me, with names like Lucky Cocker and Goldie Black common. That’s despite first appearing almost three years ago, this post has had almost 14,000 readers so far in 2008 alone and that figure does not include anyone who read the post on any of the hundreds of sites that syndicate (legit) or scrape (exploitative) Sciencebase content.

Seven deadly sins With this year’s pronouncements from a certain central office in Rome, was it, this post about the so-called seven deadly sins, originally posted in February 2007 has garnered renewed interest from more than 8000 readers in 2008, not counting those who read it purely in the fulltext RSS newsfeed rather than visiting the site. A follow-up post entitled Seven Deadly Sins for Scientists also did very well at the time with a burst of 2000+ readers.

Anandamide cannabinoid This post has had more than 7000 readers this year. I cannot imagine what they’re hoping to find, but given it’s a spoof Beavis and Butthead style script together with a great cartoon about dope, cannabis, weed, skunk, call it what you will, I guess that might have something to do with its popularity.

Viagra sildenafil citrate They do say that almost every pub conversation will eventually boil down to talk of sh*t or sex, well the same goes for blogs, I guess and this post is no exception grabbing the attention of almost 4000 of you so far this year.

Obesity gene A perennial discussion topic on any sci-tech-med-health blog is inevitably going to be the issue of overweight and obesity, especially if scientists have brought up the subject of a genetic excuse, and this post from April 2007, with its Barbie girl photo has caught the eye of about 3500 readers from jan to May 2008

A billion light years from home Finally, another blockbuster this one with 10,000 readers since its ascendance on New Year’s Day 2008 (no, I wasn’t blogging then, it was a post scheduled prior to the break) does rather suggest that Sciencebase readers are not only interested in sex, obesity, pornstar names, sins, and cannabis, but also quite like a bit of astronomy too.

A post from David Bradley Science Writer

Sex and Sin and Some Science

Skepticality #078 - What the Fossils Say, and Why it Matters - Interview: Dr. Donald R. Prothero [Skepticality - Science and Revolutionary Ideas]

Posted: 27 May 2008 10:01 PM CDT

Just this week, the discovery of the 300-million year old Gerobatrachus hottoni ("Hotton's elder frog") confirmed the previously contentious inference that modern frogs and salamanders evolved from one group of ancient primitive amphibians. The dispute arose because of a lack of transitional forms; but, like so many "missing links," this newly discovered fossil sealed the gap. Â The fossil record is one of the strongest lines of evidence for evolution, yet it continues to come under attack by present-day creationists and advocates of Intelligent Design.Â This week on Skepticality, Swoopy talks with eminentÂpaleontologistÂand professor of geology Donald R. Prothero about his bestselling Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why it Matters. This comprehensive book exploresÂnot only the rich mosaic of fossil discoveries and transitional forms, but also the very nature of scienceâand the "monkey business of creationism."

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Brian Greene wants focus on the drama of science [Earth & Sky Podcast]

Posted: 27 May 2008 04:05 AM CDT

Brian Greene, Columbia University physicist, and co-founder of the World Science Festival, wants people to know that science is dynamic. Hear Brian Greene talk about the excitement behind new discoveries.