Shark reporting fail in my hometown newspaper

Posted on By David Shiffman 7 Comments on Shark reporting fail in my hometown newspaper
Popular Culture, Science

I was excited to see that today’s Charleston Post and Courier has a shark on the front page. The content of the article, entitled “Sharks Swarming“, inspired entirely different emotions. Much of the information it contains is either exaggerated to make the situation appear scarier than it is or is simply wrong.  Here are some examples:

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Shark Week video contest

Posted on By David Shiffman 3 Comments on Shark Week video contest
Conservation, Popular Culture, Science

The Discovery Channel needs your help! They are hosting an online contest to help promote Shark Week. Film yourself singing about sharks to the tune of their wildly successful “Boom de ya deh” ads , and you could find yourself on the air during Shark Week! Let’s get some conservation-friendly humiliating singing on there! I’ll … Read More “Shark Week video contest” »

Beyond the Ivory Tower: Experts in the Masses

Posted on By Bluegrass Blue Crab
Conservation
Cornell Gothics Tower

This is a reposting from our old website.  I encourage you to take a look at the comments here before writing your own new ones.

Living among a community comprised largely of scientists and fishermen has recently made me wonder where the dividing line between scientist and citizen falls.  A recent discussion at Science Online 2010 also raised the question of what is the role of the Ivory Tower in research?  Should we consider the scientific community more broadly or is there really something to be said for the role of the ‘expert’ as certified by degrees and a corner office at an academic institution?

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