by Captain Skellett | Feb 23, 2011 | Recent Research
Across my twitter feed today we welcomed a new dinosaur. Brontomerus mcintoshi was named for it’s “thunder-thighs” and as honour to retired physicist and avocational paleontologist “Jack” McIntosh. I hope Jack has no hang-ups about his...
by Captain Skellett | Feb 1, 2011 | Recent Research, Science Communication
It was late afternoon, and Aethina could smell a hive in danger. Heavy with eggs she felt compelled to investigate. The scent wafted softly though the hot and hazy air, so faint it was barely discernible. Driven by survival, she flew as fast as she could. Weak as the...
by Captain Skellett | Jan 30, 2011 | Just for Fun, Recent Research, The Realm of Bizzare
Have you ever noticed a mysterious loss of teaspoons at your workplace? Maybe it’s not teaspoons, but some other cutlery item. At my old work it was forks, which dwindled even when I bought new replacement ones. At the Australian National University neither...
by Captain Skellett | Jan 15, 2011 | Recent Research
In which scientists get drunk and pour their beverages on compounds to create superconductors. It’s no secret that I cook better with wine. I’m not just talking about a dash of red in pasta sauce or half a bottle of cheap white in risotto. I mean, when...
by Captain Skellett | Jan 11, 2011 | Recent Research
Actually, it’s not QUITE as cool as it sounds. This new frog species, the Vampire Flying Frog, was discovered in Vietnam by scientists from the Australian Museum. Rhacophorus vampyrus was a latecomer to the International Year of Biodiversity, which yielded a...
by Captain Skellett | Dec 8, 2010 | Recent Research, Science Communication
At the Genographic Event at the RiAus I also interviewed Dr Wolfgang Haak, who spoke about Y-chromosome markers to determine paternal ancestry. He’s been involved in the Genographic Project for three and a half years. What are the benefits of understanding...