Tag Archives: science

April 2017 Audiobook Giveaway of The Sting of the Wild

From the Bookshelf, giveaway, , , , ,

“Schmidt’s tales will prove infectiously engaging even to entomophobes.”
—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

In The Sting of the Wild, entomologist Justin O. Schmidt takes us on a journey inside the lives of stinging insects, seeing the world through their eyes as well as his own. Read the full description.
 

 

 

“Not only does he explain his Schmidt Sting Pain Index, wherein he rates the pain of numerous stings on a scale of one to four, but he also relates the fascinating natural histories of these animals.” —National Geographic

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How to Win This MP3-CD Audiobook

  1. Send an email to contests@tantor.com
  2. Put the word “Ouch” in the subject line.

Entries must be received by April 30, 2017. Open to US only.

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Congratulations to Ray Sutton, winner of last month’s giveaway of The Cyanide Canary! Thank you to all that entered.

When Punk Rock and Science Collide

From the Bookshelf, , , ,

By Dan Totten

Punk rock is a nihilistic representation of individuality and self-reliance at its most extreme, and a fun takedown of society’s conventions at the other end of the spectrum.  Science is the quest for knowledge and understanding through experimentation and observation. The two are often thought of in completely separate spheres, which is funny because science was punk from the moment the first person asked, “What are those sparkly things in the sky?”

Author Greg Graffin
Greg Graffin is the lead singer and a songwriter in Bad Religion.

Punk is not just about being angry and rebellious.  It’s about being skeptical and questioning the status quo.  It’s about not taking things at face value without proof. That’s exactly what science is. Nowhere is this connection embodied better than in the lead singer of Bad Religion, Greg Graffin, who also holds a PhD in Zoology from Cornell University.

Graffin, at the age of 15, was a founding member of the band, and has been at it since 1979 aside from a short break in 1985-86.  During this time he was also getting an undergraduate degree in anthropology and geology from UCLA, a master’s degree in geology also from UCLA, and ultimately his PhD.  He has taught classes at both UCLA and Cornell. Continue reading When Punk Rock and Science Collide →