Hodgepodge 316/365 - Science Writing and Podcasts

I thought I might talk about earthquakes—P waves and S waves (pressure and shear), and how they figure into early warning systems, which Japan and Mexico have, but the United States does not, to our shame. But it's all more complicated, or technical, than I wanted to tackle. And anyway, it's done much better elsewhere. Consider, for example, this list, by an earthquake blogger, of the top ten earthquake blogs. Including this entry: "Here's What Earthquake Early Warning Looks Like." Seriously. I have nothing to contribute: it's all out there.

But while looking (briefly) for information, I stumbled on a few wonderful science blogs, columns, and podcasts. And so, I thought I'd proffer another list—because, lists! And science! I'm researching as I go, and may well be missing not just a few. If any of you scientific people in my life have any special favorites, please let me know.

▶︎ Trilobytes: "Unearthing fascinating morsels of science" on the New York Times
   Latest entries: how Neanderthals made glue and why bats crash into buildings
▶︎ 13.7 Cosmos & Culture: Commentary on Science and Society at NPR
   Latest: Hurricanes: A Science Primer
▶︎ How Stuff Works: Science (including environmental science, physical science, innovation, life science, engineering, science vs. myth, and transportation) 
   Right now: What if everyone in the world recycled?
▶︎ It's Okay to Be Smart: A Blog about Science . . . and Other Interestingness (no longer active, but never mind: there's always stuff to learn)
▶︎ Ask a Mathematician/Ask a Physicist: Your math and physics questions answered
   Recently: How can something be "proven" in science or math?
▶︎ IFL Science editor's blog
▶︎ Popular Science blog
▶︎ The Last Word on Nothing: "Science says the first word on everything, and the last word on nothing" —Victor Hugo  
  
Okay, on to podcasts:

▶︎ StarTalk Radio, with Neil deGrasse Tyson
    Latest episode: "Cosmic Jazz, with Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock"
▶︎ The Infinite Monkey Cage, from BBC Radio 4
▶︎ Science Friday, with Ira Flatow
   Most recent: Jill Tarter, SETI (Search for ExtraTerres-trial Intelligence) co-founder
▶︎ Talk Nerdy, with Cara Santamaria
   Last week: a conversation with Agustín Fuentes, author of The Creative Spark: How Imagination Made Humans Exceptional 
▶︎ Quirks and Quarks, from Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
   Latest: Cassini's grand finale & will you have to become a cyborg for your job?
▶︎ Nature podcast
   Last week's show: Protecting red haired people from cancer, machine learning and gravitational distortions, and peeking inside predatory journals
▶︎ The Story Collider
   "Whether we wear a lab coat or haven't seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all of our lives. And that means we all have science stories to tell."

There. That's a start. There's oodles of science out there. If only the U.S. government cared . . .