Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online
Last year, I wrote about an easy way to help save the rainforest. Tropicana had partnered with Cool Earth, and every time someone purchased a container of Tropicana Orange Juice, Tropicana would protect an acre of rainforest. As an avid orange juice drinker, I switched brands for a few months to help out this worthy … Read More “An update on saving the rainforest” »
Charlie is the Mardi Gras beads
Courtesy of Christie from Observations of a Nerd. Still 4 days to get your Ocean Story Slam in! ~Southern Fried Scientist
More than a year ago, my office-mate Kevin introduced me to the world of Science Blogging. Behind the bit-thin veneer of a Google search lay a sprawling and vibrant community of scientists, educators, and communicators. A community I had been completely unaware. After a year on the inside, I’ve come to understand just how powerful these communities can be.
Many of you have heard about the Concordia, the sailing vessel that capsized last week with a classroom-at-sea aboard. While exploring the reports and blogs about the incident, I realized that another, equally awesome network of bloggers exists out there. A network that marine biologists should be engaged in just as much as Science Blogs. These are the Maritime Blogs.
Charlie and Bluegrass at Mardi Gras
I am, in general, a supporter of animal rights. Animal abuse sickens me, and I really believe Ghandi’s famous quote that “you can judge a society by how it treats its weakest members”. That said, while it’s disturbing to see a rabbit which has gone blind from exposure to a potential new shampoo, I’d rather have a rabbit go blind than a human child. More importantly, while it is troubling to infect a chimpanzee with a disease in order to study how to cure that disease, such research unquestionably saves human lives. That’s why I was surprised to learn about the Great Ape Protection Act.
Read More “Ethical Debate: Animal rights, human health, and government understanding of science” »
Charlie and the Southern Fried Scientist celebrate Mardi Gras.
Imagine this scenario: A murder case that went cold 20 years ago is reopened thanks to newly available DNA-based forensics. The state, lets say Arizona, has a large database of DNA. This isn’t the DNA deposited from newborns that David discussed a few weeks ago, but DNA from convicted criminals and really anyone who’s been brought up on charges in the last few years, whether or not they were eventually found innocent. DNA from a piece of evidence in that 20-tear-old case matches DNA in the database, the suspect is brought in a questioned. He has no alibi for what he was doing on day X 20 years ago. Charges are filed, a jury is called, and the suspect is convicted on the strength of a DNA match. Justice is served, right? Maybe, but maybe not.
So here’s the funny bit. The problem with this scenario has nothing to do with genetics, forensic science, or data storage and access. It’s really not even about crime and justice. It’s about your birthday.
You were warned. I promised that if no one submitted an Ocean Story Slam in a given week, you would be faced with the horrific visage of a hog lagoon. Well, it’s been 7 days since our last submission. It’s hog poo time. See the previous Ocean Story Slams: Bluegrass Blue Crab Southern Fried Scientist … Read More “Hog Lagoon Humpday” »
I recently attended a public hearing for a proclamation in the state of North Carolina that proposed to ban large-mesh gill nets in two areas of the state’s estuaries where sea turtle encounters have recently increased. There’s a large back story to both sides of the case and a lot of emotional motivation on both sides, leaving science flattened in the wake of charismatic leaders promoting their personal values. In fact, science became a bit of a flattened tool, left on the ground until useful to pick up and brandish, like a much-forgotten sword cast aside until it’s in a handy spot mid-battle. The meeting started as a classic jobs versus the environment case, but a few hours into the public comment period, I began to realize why this particular meeting had attracted the attendance of well over 300 people. I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, but at the crossroads of some of the largest debates in commercial fishing.
