We strive, but unfortunately humans are not perfect. Some are further than others, the odd person gets quite close, on a good day, but ultimately we all have our flaws and foibles. For instance, we like to think we are good, rational beings, capable of judging the evidence presented to us and making the most … Continue reading The accepted order of things
Tag: science
Woah, bear!
Online bear-awareness courses are a bit of a laugh. See a bear? Try to ascertain the species, whether it has seen you or not, and it if is behaving aggressively or defensively. Presumably while praying that you did leave your family pack of Snickers back home. And not in your ruck-sack. Oh dear… At least … Continue reading Woah, bear!
The end, but also the beginning
If you follow me on Twitter you may be aware that I recently finished my PhD. Yippee!!! Three and a half years of work, and its safe to say the hand in is a bit anti-climatic. Thankfully a couple of friends, Sean and George, were there to buy me a pint, enjoyed in the sunshine at … Continue reading The end, but also the beginning
Becoming a better science performer
Yeah yeah I know, “science performer” sounds hilarious, but let me explain what I’m talking about. Doing science, or being a scientist, is not just about intelligence or raw brain power. As important is imagination to work out new approaches or see new links, tenacity to see your ideas and projects through to the end … Continue reading Becoming a better science performer
Where did they get that from?
The press, essential part of the science machine or irritating nuisance? Rather excitingly, I had something published the other day. It was about male-male competition in crickets, using social network analysis. You can read about it here. In short, we found that males can't use pre-copulatory competition to avoid sperm competition, that males who attack other males a … Continue reading Where did they get that from?
Creepy-crawly personality, pain and emotion
I delve into the research to find out in invertebrates have personalities, feel pain, and can show emotion
The cooperative ape
Its an easy thing to forget when the media is fanatical about telling us how people are always being nasty to each other, but humans are actually a very cooperative species. We work together to achieve things we could not alone, and have done for millions of years. In fact, much of this niceness is not … Continue reading The cooperative ape
Arbeit mach frei?
Does work set you free? The phrase has a chilling presence, as it was used on the gates of Nazi concentration camps. Whether it was a taunt or an indication of a mystic ideal I am not interested in going into. In fact, I don’t really want to talk about Nazi’s or prisoners at all … Continue reading Arbeit mach frei?
Tracking the elusive Gryllus
Lots of people track animals. Some do it to catch them for food, to detect when they might be near livestock, or more common among other biologists, to study them. Where an animal moves informs us about its foraging behaviour, if it has a territory and whether it overlaps with others, how active it is … Continue reading Tracking the elusive Gryllus
Hemingway and the essence of science
“The great thing is to last and get your work done and see and hear and learn and understand; and write when there is something that you know; and not before; and not too damned much after. Let those who want to save the world if you can to see it clear and as a … Continue reading Hemingway and the essence of science
Evolutionary Ethology Lab 