Author: Andrew Thaler

Marine science and conservation. Deep-sea ecology. Population genetics. Underwater robots. Open-source instrumentation. The deep sea is Earth's last great wilderness.

The Conservation Context in Population Genetics, Part 1

Posted on By Andrew Thaler 3 Comments on The Conservation Context in Population Genetics, Part 1
Conservation, Science

This is the first entry in Crowdsourcing ConGen. This entry is meant to be half of an Introduction which lays out the framework for what conservation genetics is, its philosophical basis in population genetics, and why it’s a meaningful method of inquiry for conservation. This first section is meant to outline foundational concepts in population genetics. It is not meant to be a detailed summery of population genetics, but needs to be accurate and clear.

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Crowdsourcing ConGen

Posted on By Andrew Thaler 8 Comments on Crowdsourcing ConGen
Uncategorized

Conservation genetics provides essential information for the management and protection of species and ecosystems. Despite it wide applicability and concrete, quantifiable output, very few people in management and policy making positions, as well as in the general public, understand what conservation genetics is and how it can be used. Concepts like F-statistics, effective harmonic population size, the coalescent, along with a host of complex and convoluted equations tend to make the literature impenetrable. Add to that an ever changing host of molecular markers – allozymes, AFLPs,RFLPs, SNPs, microsatellites, mtDNA, 28s, and others – each with their own methods, assumptions, and caveats, and the field becomes almost unapproachable, even to other geneticists.

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365 days of Darwin: February 10, 2010

Posted on By Andrew Thaler 1 Comment on 365 days of Darwin: February 10, 2010
Uncategorized

Today marks a very special 365 days of Darwin. William Saleu and Charlie outside the Sigma Xi center at the end of Science Online 2010. This is the final picture from our adventures at Science Online. But, as one adventure ends, another must begin, and today we are proud to announce that Bomai Cruz has … Read More “365 days of Darwin: February 10, 2010” »

How to brew beer in a coffee maker, using only materials commonly found on a modestly sized oceanographic research vessel.

Posted on By Andrew Thaler 36 Comments on How to brew beer in a coffee maker, using only materials commonly found on a modestly sized oceanographic research vessel.
Science

The Flip - One research vessel you may a drink on
The Flip - one research vessel that mandates a drink

Originally published on April 26, 2009 How to brew beer in a coffee maker, using only materials commonly found on a modestly sized oceanographic research vessel has been one of our most popular posts. Over the past year, through experimentation and advice from fellow scientists and brewers, I’ve modified the recipe. The biggest criticism was that in order to make good beer, you needed to smuggle hops aboard. “Well, if you can bring hops aboard” they ask, “what’s to stop you from bringing any other brew supplies aboard?” The answer is nothing. So we went back to the brew pot, experimented with new reagents, and bring you now the definitive guide to brewing beer in a coffee maker, using only materials commonly found on a modestly sized oceanographic research vessel.

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The New Header Images

Posted on By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

We’ve replaced the old “walkway through swamp” header with a series of rotating headers highlighting different aspects of our lives and sciences. Since, we’re throwing out the old site and bringing you a bigger, stronger, faster, smarter Southern Fried Science, I’d thought I’d take this opportunity to show off the new headers and give y’all a little insight into our reasons for using these images:

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