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Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online

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Recent Posts

5 things I learned helping to reassess the global conservation status of every species of tuna and billfish
September 15, 2026
Key takeaways from my Convention on Migratory Species report on fish aggregating devices in the Mediterranean Sea
September 3, 2026
Jabberwocks and Snallygasters: teaching environmental education with monsters, mayhem, and dice.
August 31, 2026
The conservation impacts of recreational fishing
August 25, 2026
How to help protect the deep sea in the Marianas and American Samoa today
August 20, 2026
Trump Administration Advances Mariana Trench Offshore Mineral Leasing Process
August 19, 2026

Southern Fried Science: Origins

Posted on November 24, 2011December 9, 2011 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

On a cold Thanksgiving morning, three years ago, I sat down at my old computer, a desktop long disused which had served me throughout high school, logged on to wordpress.com, and launched Southern Fried Science. This little blog has changed so much since those early posts, but the heart of the blog, that science is wonderful, conservation is essential, and we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously all the time, remains. In honor of our three year anniversary, here is the very first post, excepting the generic “hello world” introduction, published on this blog.


In order to start with something interesting, I thought I’d dig up and old article I wrote on a visit to the Kentucky Creation Museum in 2007, enjoy.

Two giant crosses and a giant adult film warehouse
Two giant crosses and a three-building adult film warehouse

Down a long country road outside Petersburg, Kentucky, past giant roadside crosses and even larger adult entertainment centers, stands a new monument to the old time religion of William Jennings Bryant. The Creation Museum was built by Answers in Genesis, an evangelical non-profit, as a state-of-the-art natural history museum promoting young earth creationism. The museum is not new – it’s been here for more than 20 years – but now it’s stylish and sleek, sexy and inviting.

Read More “Southern Fried Science: Origins” »

So Shiffman is a bit of a Blue Devils fan…

Posted on November 24, 2011December 9, 2011 By Andrew Thaler 1 Comment on So Shiffman is a bit of a Blue Devils fan…
Uncategorized

…by which I mean he bleeds Duke Blue. He’s also still maintaining a healthy lead in the 2011 Blogging Scholarship. Vote for him so it stays that way.

Check out Shark Attack Experiment Live, Friday on National Geographic Wild

Posted on November 23, 2011December 9, 2011 By David Shiffman
Popular Culture, Science

This Friday, tune in to National Geographic Wild for a day of sharks! Starting at noon, they will air a series of shark documentaries culminating at 9 p.m. with “Shark Attack Experiment: Live“. This show, aired live from the shark hotspot of South Africa, aims to test some common myths about shark attacks and to “to … Read More “Check out Shark Attack Experiment Live, Friday on National Geographic Wild” »

America’s lust for gigantic breasts leads to impotence: the population genetics of captive-reared turkeys

Posted on November 23, 2011November 27, 2013 By Andrew Thaler 2 Comments on America’s lust for gigantic breasts leads to impotence: the population genetics of captive-reared turkeys
Conservation, Science

Gobble? image from http://www.public-domain-image.com
Gobble? image from http://www.public-domain-image.com

The noble turkey, a centerpiece of the American Thanksgiving supper. It looms large from its prominent position on the dining room table. The master of ceremonies – or, in my case, the guy who keeps slicing himself open with various sharp objects yet is inexplicably the one people call on when there’s knife-work needs doing – draws a set of fine, honed knives, set aside for this particular task, and carves, delicately yet firmly, into the hefty white meat of the turkey’s breast. Sure, some favor the dark, rich meat around the legs, but this white meat, soaked in gravy and topped with cranberry sauce or stuffing, that is what we crave.

“We give thanks,” the benediction may begin, “to Charles Darwin, for determining the underlying mechanism by which a theropod may, over the course of 65 million years, through a process of gradual change by means of the retention of beneficial traits through successive generations, evolve into this delicious, delicious bird.” And then, perhaps, that surly teenager, the one determined to point out the social inequalities inherent in the holiday and the colonialist attitudes which led to the wholesale extermination of America’s native peoples – every family has at least one – will chime in to quip “you know, evolution didn’t shape the turkey. The modern Thanksgiving turkey is the product of an extensive selective breeding program that began in the 1940’s. Commercial turkeys can’t even reproduce naturally, they have to be artificially inseminated.” At which point the older members of your family may blush and/or faint at such an unseemly turn of phrase.

Read More “America’s lust for gigantic breasts leads to impotence: the population genetics of captive-reared turkeys” »

Rise of the Shark Whisperer

Posted on November 23, 2011December 9, 2011 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Another day dawns and David Shiffman remains in first place, though his lead is rapidly shrinking! Go vote for David Shiffman! Go vote for sharks! Go vote for more hilariously embarrassing pictures of the man many would call Shark Whisperer!

European Union officials propose stronger finning ban, sign UN migratory shark initiative

Posted on November 22, 2011December 9, 2011 By David Shiffman
Science

Two pieces of good news for European sharks were announced yesterday.  The European Union signed the UN Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding for sharks. This MOU was established last year to support the conservation of seven shark species which regularly migrate between national boundaries, a list which includes great whites and whale sharks. … Read More “European Union officials propose stronger finning ban, sign UN migratory shark initiative” »

Because you love the way we science for science…

Posted on November 22, 2011December 9, 2011 By Andrew Thaler 5 Comments on Because you love the way we science for science…
Uncategorized

…David has regained the first place position, with a small but comfortable lead over second place (who, by the way, also writes a fantastic immunology blog). As an added incentive to keep it that way, here’s a wholly inexplicable picture of David: Remember to vote here every 24 hours.

#SciFund Ocean Update

Posted on November 21, 2011December 9, 2011 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

In case you were worried that in the wake of David’s quest for a blogging scholarship has distracted us from other philanthropic adventures, fear not, #SciFund is alive and well (and halfway done). For those just tuning in #SciFund is a month-and-a-half long initiative to raise funds for a variety of scientific research projects. Project leaders post a project … Read More “#SciFund Ocean Update” »

Guest Post: A review of the Field Guide for Sharks of the Genus Carcharhinus

Posted on November 21, 2011December 9, 2011 By Guest Writer
Science

Dr. David Ebert is the Director of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. He is one of the world’s leading experts on shark taxonomy, and has described new species of sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras. Dr. Ebert has written over 100 publications, five books, and dozens of IUCN Red List assessments. He generously agreed to review a new taxonomy guide, Field Guide for Sharks of the Genus Carcharhinus, for Southern Fried Science. He has provided a thorough list of citations backing up his points, but all opinions are his own. 

The shark genus Carcharhinus is one of the largest and perhaps most important genera of sharks, with many common and wide-ranging species. These sharks are mostly marine occurring from close inshore to the outer continental shelf and upper slope, but a few species inhabit estuaries and freshwater rivers and lakes. This group is by far one of the most important shark genera for fisheries globally, with various species being taken in commercial and sport fisheries, and in artisanal fisheries. Given the high profile and importance of this genus and the associated problems in identifying them to individual species in the field, an identification guide to the group would be most welcomed.

The book, “Field Guide for Sharks of the Genus Carcharhinus” by Matthias Voigt and Dietmar Weber, could have been that guide, with an exceptionally nice layout, beautiful illustrations, and tooth plates, but unfortunately the text does not stand up to the same high quality of the illustrations. The book cover is quite attractive and eye-catching, and upon initially thumbing through the illustrations and layout of the individual species accounts, I thought wow this looks to be an interesting and possibly useful guide to this shark group, even though I was unfamiliar with the authors, whom to be candid I had never heard of before.

Read More “Guest Post: A review of the Field Guide for Sharks of the Genus Carcharhinus” »

David Shiffman is not in the lead…

Posted on November 21, 2011December 9, 2011 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

…and that needs to change. If you haven’t voted for David yet today, go vote now. You know you want to see hilariously embarrassing pictures of him. Until then, enjoy this semi-fictional mini-biopic of David’s love affair with the shark: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92yHyxeju1U

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