| Notes from Chicago I am Lily, a new postdoc at Argonne National Lab. I'm the one who thinks she can find the Higgs boson by listening to it. Thanks Jon for letting me play on your blogIt's a walk in the parkI moved here just over a week ago to work on Atlas physics analysis (Atlas is one of the detectors at the LHC). So far the closest I have got to doing any physics here is talking about ways to limit the shock a colleague gets from the carpet-humidity-doorknob setup in his office here. But that's a start.Argonne have excellent childcare facilitiesI'm loving it here so far. It was a tricky one deciding whether to move 4000 miles from London with an 11-year-old child and no driving license. I'm glad we did.Argonne is full of smart people doing interesting physics. My PhD was on the search for the Higgs boson, which is one of the few areas the people at Argonne aren't actively involved in. I'm giving a seminar about my research in the next couple of weeks which will either draw them in or put them off for life, or most likely a mixture of the two.I have done no physics whatsoever in the last week, so here is an edited summary of our experiences so far, to be filed under "non-physics".DeadBookMy laptop died the night we arrived here. We fell asleep watching the Simpsons, and when I woke up the next morning the old girl had given up the ghost. I got the whrrr but no ping, and a black screen. I wrote at the time "This kind of shit is almost enough to start me believing in god (one of the angry, vengeful ones that smites non-believers)." I'm over it now though, madly in love with a younger, faster model. And a bit poorer, but having a working laptop in my situation is priceless.The day after we arrived, around 50 soldiers checked in to our hotel, fresh from Afghanistan. Left to my own devices I would almost certainly have befriended them, but I was a bit scared. Blamed it on the jet lag. I didn't want them to laugh at my pyjamas. Which are definitely not Dr Who.The following day I finally decided that the intense pressure in my face and head was possibly not psychosomatic, so I went to Target, a massive supermarket. I had to sign an affidavit in order to purchase Sudafed. Apparently Sudafed is what crystal meth is made from. Felt fantastic all day. guardian.co.uk |
Green column: A Threat to California’s Climate Change Progress California’s ambitious climate change agenda could evaporate in a November vote that pits renewable energy advocates and allies against oil companies and manufacturers. feeds.nytimes.com |
China faces growing climate challenge China will host its first UN climate change conference this week, as it faces its own challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as its economy grows. bbc.co.uk |
Birdbooker Report 140 Compiled by an ardent bibliophile, this is a weekly report about nature, science and history books that have been newly published in North America and the UK.Books to the ceiling, Books to the sky,My pile of books is a mile high.How I love them! How I need them!I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. ~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books. Compiled by Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, the Birdbooker Report is a long-running weekly report listing the wide variety of nature, natural history, ecology, animal behaviour, science and history books that have been newly released or republished in North America and in the UK. The books listed here were received by Ian during the previous week, courtesy of these various publishing houses. New and Recent Titles: Capainolo, Peter and Carol A. Butler. How Fast Can a Falcon Dive? Fascinating Answers to Questions about Birds of Prey. 2010. Rutgers University Press. Paperback: 220 pages. Price: $21.95 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US]. SUMMARY: How Fast Can a Falcon Dive? explores the world of raptors in a way that will appeal to bird lovers and biology enthusiasts alike. This colorful volume is complete with more than fifty-five color and black and white images from photographers and artists around the world. In a reader friendly question and answer format, ornithologist Peter Capainolo and science writer Carol A. Butler define and classify raptors, explore the physical attributes of birds of prey, view how their bodies work, and explain the social and physical behaviors of these species -- how they communicate, hunt, reproduce, and more. Capainolo, who received one of the first falconry licenses issued in New York state at age eighteen, relates his personal experience in falconry to describe raptor training and husbandry where the human-bird interactions are complex. From stories of red-tailed hawks making their homes on the ledges of Manhattan skyscrapers to their role in protecting California's vineyards from flocks of grape-loving starlings, How Fast Can a Falcon Dive? explores how these predators of the sky have adapted to the human world. IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A good general introduction on the subject. Conniff, Richard. The Species Seekers: Heroes, Fools, and the Mad Pursuit of Life on Earth. 2010. W.W. Norton. Hardbound: 464 pages. Price: $26.95 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US]. SUMMARY: The story of bold adventurers who risked death to discover strange life forms in the farthest corners of planet Earth. Beginning with Linnaeus, a colorful band of explorers made it their mission to travel to the most perilous corners of the planet and bring back astonishing new life forms. They attracted followers ranging from Thomas Jefferson, who laid out mastodon bones on the White House floor, to twentieth-century doctors who used their knowledge of new species to conquer epidemic diseases. Acclaimed science writer Richard Conniff brings these daredevil "species seekers" to vivid life. Alongside their globe-spanning tales of adventure, he recounts some of the most dramatic shifts in the history of human thought. At the start, everyone accepted that the Earth had been created for our benefit. We weren't sure where vegetable ended and animal began, we couldn't classify species, and we didn't understand the causes of disease. But all that changed as the species seekers introduced us to the pantheon of life on Earth -- and our place within it.IAN'S RECOMMENDATION:For those with an interest in the history of natural history exploration and collecting. Henderson, Carrol L. Mammals, Amphibians, and Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Field Guide. 2010. University of Texas Press. Paperback: 198 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US]. SUMMARY: To help visitors, as well as local residents, identify and enjoy the wildlife of Costa Rica, Carrol L. Henderson published Field Guide to the Wildlife of Costa Rica in 2002, and it instantly became the indispensable guide. Now Henderson has created a field guide dedicated to the monkeys, sloths, treefrogs, lizards, crocodiles, and other animals that travelers are most likely to see while exploring the wild lands of Costa Rica. He includes fascinating information on their natural history, ecology, identification, and behavior gleaned from his forty years of travels, studies, and wildlife viewing in Costa Rica, as well as details on where to see these remarkable and beautiful creatures. The mammals, amphibians, and reptiles are illustrated by stunning and colorful photographs -- most of which were taken in the wild by Henderson. A detailed and invaluable appendix that identifies many of Costa Rica's best wildlife-watching destinations, lodges, and contact information for trip-planning purposes completes the volume.IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A good introduction on the subject. Sanchez-Villagra, Marcelo R. et al. (editors). Urumaco and Venezuelan Paleontology. 2010. Indiana University Press. Hardbound: 286 pages. Price: $49.95 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US]. SUMMARY: Urumaco and Venezuelan Paleontology offers a synthesis of the paleontological record of Venezuela, including new discoveries on stratigraphy, paleobotany, fossil invertebrates, and vertebrates. Besides providing a critical summary of the record of decapods, fishes, crocodiles, turtles, rodents, armadillos, and ungulates, several chapters introduce new information on the distribution and paleobiology of groups not previously studied in this part of the world. Given its position in the northern neotropics, close to the Panamanian land bridge, Venezuela is a key location for understanding faunal exchanges between the Americas in the recent geological past. The book reviews the recent paleobotanical and vertebrate fossil record of the region, provides an understanding of Pleistocene climatic change and biogeography for the last few thousand years, and integrates new information with summaries of Spanish language works on Venezuelan geology and paleontology.IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: For those with a technical interest in South American paleontology. Sedaris, David. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary. 2010. Little, Brown. Hardbound:163 pages. Price: $21.99 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US]. SUMMARY: Featuring David Sedaris's unique blend of hilarity and heart, this new collection of keen-eyed animal-themed tales is an utter delight. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of everyday life. In "The Toad, the Turtle, and the Duck," three strangers commiserate about animal bureaucracy while waiting in a complaint line. In "Hello Kitty," a cynical feline struggles to sit through his prison-mandated AA meetings. In "The Squirrel and the Chipmunk," a pair of star-crossed lovers is separated by prejudiced family members. With original illustrations by Ian Falconer, author of the bestselling Olivia series of children's books, these stories are David Sedaris at his most observant, poignant, and surprising.IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: Fans of David Sedaris's work might like this book. You can read the early Birdbooker Reports in the archives on my former ScienceBlogs site, and Ian now has his own website, The Birdbooker Report, where you can read his synopses about newly published science, nature and animal books.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
China panda baby boom aids against extinction By 2010-10-26T10:15:52ZBEIJING (AP) -- China's panda population is booming this year thanks to a record number of births in captivity, a rare accomplishment for the endangered species known for being poor breeders.... hosted.ap.org |