Are there any American historical figures more endearing than Ben Franklin? Who else could pull off kite-flying in thunderstorms, pithy suggestions about pennies and early bedtimes, and “diplomacy” with the French (ladies), yet still appear affable and erudite? Even today, Franklin seems to be winking out of portraits, encouraging the viewer to tick off some … Continue reading
A few weeks ago, several of us here at UNdertheC were privileged with the opportunity to see Sylvia Earle and Nancy Knowlton speak. Both of them, especially Dr. Earle, were very big on the idea that the oceans are our lifeblood. They talked at length about the importance of showing people who do not live … Continue reading
This post might be aiming for a bit of a niche market out there, but I’m going for it. As a graduate student in the Department of Marine Sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill, we have to take four core marine science courses: Marine Geology, Biological Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, and Physical Oceanography (THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS). … Continue reading
In light of Valentine’s day, we here at UNdertheC blog decided to put a science-y spin on the holiday and compile the Top 10 corniest science puns. We called on you the readers, our friends, neighbors, and colleagues, and, of course, Chemistry Cat for divine inspiration and came up with a pretty eye-roll inducing list. … Continue reading
For those of us in the environmental sciences community, there are few frustrations that get to us more than the ongoing “debate” about the existence and cause of climate change. With an overwhelming majority of climate researchers agreeing that the recent trend in global warming is most likely caused by human activity, why is it … Continue reading
It’s almost that time of year again: Valentine’s Day. And in honor of the somewhat controversial holiday (I mean, it really is just an excuse to buy lots of chocolates and flowers – not that I’m complaining, mind you), we’ve decided to try something a little different here at UNder the C blog. We’re asking … Continue reading
My lab group looks at small stuff–for example, our organisms of choice are microscopic, single-celled plantlike creatures called diatoms. But because gosh darn it that just ain’t small enough, we like to look at the genetic machinery (DNA, RNA, all that jazz) inside those organisms. So a lot of our time is spent in the … Continue reading
Extinction is alive and well at the American Museum of Natural History. A stroll through the famous NYC institution passes fearsome skeletons that wouldn’t have let you walk by 300 million years ago, as well as more diminutive critters better resembling prehistoric pets. For the most part, these remains are ghostly embodiments of eras far … Continue reading
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