I put together a second 'bonus' version of my first post (below), after someone let me know I’d written about popularizing science education close to a recent related ‘holiday’ without mentioning someone relevant.

When I first mentioned writing for the Douglas Blogs, a few friends of mine asked me why, so I thought I’d explain in my first post. I’ve always believed the popularization of science for the benefit of the general public is one of the highest obligations of anyone who works in a scientific field. Although making complex concepts digestible by the public isn’t always easy, it’s absolutely essential to fully realizing the benefits of these discoveries. Here are seven reasons why I believe that...

I like to think of myself as a manly sort of man. Beyond belching and scratching myself in public, this also means that I can put up drywall, fix plumbing and lay tile (for example). To me, using tools and fixing stuff is part of being a man. So is carrying a Leatherman. The Leatherman [...]

So I’m sitting here doing maternal observations thinking it’s been a long time since I updated my blog. It’s been a tumultuous couple of months for me between experiments, moving apartments, and numerous other things. However, I should be back in full force for the time being. Last time I talked about some of the [...]

Julius Caesar, and the Roman Empire Couldn’t conquer the blue sky… Everywhere you go, you always take the weather with you Neil & Tim Finn (Crowded House) Not sure how it’s been in your corner of the world, but I can state with absolute certainty that the weather over the past four months has been [...]

When I dabble with paint, my mind’s eye envisages an accurate reproduction of the Mona Lisa. When I pick up my guitar, I imagine myself being able to caress it the way that Leo Kottke can (if you have never heard of Leo Kottke, get yourself one of his CDs, and relish in his authority [...]

My mother, like I imagine most mothers do, has pictures of me and my brother on her desk at work. When interested parties (inevitably other mothers) ask what we do for our livings, she tells them she has one son that’s a “computer geek,” and another that’s “Dr. Frankenstein.” Clearly I’m the one who has [...]

My favorite t-shirt right now is black and says “98% chimp.” Someone asked me once if I really believed that was true. I said it wasn’t a question of belief, it’s a fact. And it is, if you look at it the right way. If you sequenced my DNA and compared it to a chimp’s, [...]

I talk to myself, and not just a little. Drives my girlfriend crazy sometimes, not to mention my co-workers. I also talk to my environment – the television (especially during Habs games), my computer, lab equipment, particularly annoying nails, the refrigerator, whatever. Like I said, I talk to myself a lot. I’m told that I [...]

How did it happen that their lips came together? How does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill? A kiss, and all was said. - Victor Hugo - I was browsing through the [...]