Badass Biology: Toxoplasma gondii
Look, we humans are awesome. We own this planet. If we really wanted to, we could spill every barrel of oil we have into the ocean, light it all into one gigantic fiery blaze, get on fire-proof boats in robot…
Tag biology
The Ballad of Gringo Perdido
Herpetology and getting lost. These are the two driving themes of my life. They have shaped my career and enabled me to discover species new to science, but they have also cost me relationships, frustrated everyone close to me, and…
Who doo? You do.
**Disclaimer: This post is about poop. A few days ago I stumbled upon this webpage and couldn’t stop laughing. I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard in my entire life. I was crying, a stitch in my side. Any…
A Scientist’s Perspective on Why Pie is Yummy and Delicious and Deserving of Your Respect and Admiration
It is an indisputable fact that I am deeply, irreversibly, head-over-heels in love with pie. Apple. Pumpkin. Blueberry. Banana Cream. You name it, I’ll eat it. As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself longing for a slice of warm apple pie…
The Paleo Phenomenon
It seems like every other day, a friend of mine declares a newfound dedication to the Paleo Diet. Nicknamed the “Caveman Diet,” Paleo is this season’s slimmer, fitter (but just as raw) Atkins diet. I first learned about the elusive…
Biology bucket list: algal blooms
Greetings biophiles! What do algal blooms, great white sharks, and okapis all have in common? They’re all absolutely fascinating and they’re all on my list of events and animals I would jump at the chance to observe. This ever growing…
Mistaken concepts: the taste buds
OK, kids, we need to talk. No, you’re not in trouble. The people in trouble are health, anatomy, and psychology teachers who try to teach a specific concept that is WRONG. Any guesses about what connects those teachers? No? Well,…
The Horny Human’s Siberian Adventure: An Evolutionary Tale of Anthropological Proportions
Let me set the mood for you: you’re an anatomically modern human living in mountains of Siberia. The year is circa 80,000 BC. Siberia is cold this time of year (okay, let’s get real, it’s always cold in Siberia). You’re…