Hello kids! Did most of you make it through the storm? I hope you are all safe and okay. I had to turn my full attention to this week’s ladyblogs in an effort to distract myself from every Randy, Jimmy, and Jill who had to Twitter blast their opinion about Irene and how it ruined their brunch. Who knew weather could make one so rageworthy?
Rage aside, I wanted to concentrate on some excellent blogs this week, concentrating on none other then SCIENCE! Yes, science. In a field often known for its lack of ladies, these blogs promise some of the best writing by those working to blow your mind.
Dr. Petra Boynton: Sex educator, Agony Aunt, Academic. Petra is a lecturer in International Health Services Research at a London university and has covered topics within sexual health like the effects of pornography, prostitution, policy and practice in sex education. She also evaluates advice giving in the media, and works for the modernizing of sexual health services. When she isn’t doing those things, she’s blogging up a storm on the related topics, as well as shedding her thoughts on every little thing. Check out her recent post on The Medicalization Of Sex and how big Pharma is making decisions for you.
SciCurious. Run by the mysterious “SciCurious,” the blog concentrates on neuroscience outreach and physiology, particularly brain awareness. Why? “In the olden days, people like Freud called psychiatric diseases ‘neuroses.’ Now, however, we have discovered that all ‘neuroses’ and psychiatric disorders have a physiological basis. Neuroscientists can now bring physiology to neuroses in an attempt to understand how the brain works and what happens when things go wrong. That’s some neurotic physiology,” says our mysterious author. Her sense of humor only serves to lighten the mood on what can be some heavy duty stuff, and her posts run the gamut of many topics. My favorite post? Check out The Opposite Side of Dopamine: The D2 Receptor, a look at the often generalized assumptions of dopamine and its affects on our brain. D2 receptors necessary.
Culture of Science. Run by the author of The Science of Kissing and Unscientific America, Sheril Kisenbaum is bound to get your wheels turning. a research associate at UT Austin’s Center for International Energy & Environmental Policy, Kisenbaum’s blog is dedicated to interdisciplinary nature of understanding our world. “If we aspire to protect biodiversity, we must address social issues. Boosting fisheries requires economics. Tackling our tremendous energy problem involves a great deal of policy. That’s what this blog is all about: people, science, decision-making, and more.” Indeed. Check out her most recent article on A Not So Splended Segment at NPR’s Splendid Table for her breakdown on the ongoing GMO debate and its misconceptions. It’s bound to get you thinking.
Wandering Gaia. Part science, part environmental conservation, then throw in a dash of great photography, Gaia Vince is dedicated to documenting the impacts of biodiversity loss, erratic weather patterns, glacial melt and forced migrations. Want to see some amazing things? Check out her photos from the Dzibnup cenote, round sinkholes made from collapsed limestone in the Yucatán. Simply stunning.
Virgina Hughes. A freelance scientist whose blog is a gateway to her brain, Hughes is dropping knowledge on everything from questioning when sadness become mental illness to brain scans in murder trials. She leaves no topic uncovered, from art to genetics to politics and her writing is a pleasure to read. Check out her most recent post, Correcting Hollywood Science: Rise of the Planet of the Apes Edition.
Have a topic you think Ladyblogs should be covering? Know a blog that needs some attention? E-mail Ladyblogs at cocoepapy@gmail.com
