Science Online 2012: A Post-Mortem

For those of you unaware, last Wednesday I travelled to the mystical land of Raleigh, North Carolina and attended a really unique conference entitled Science Online 2012. It is what is known as an “unconference,” where there are no lectures or presentations, but sessions that encourage and are built on discussion.

I could talk about all the fun that was had over there, the people I met for the first time in person (but have been talking to for years online) or the exciting times that were had. But, people have already written marvelous posts on that already (such as Ed Yong, Sarah Chow and more). Therefore, I will focus on a few things at the conference that really surprised me.

On the first day of the conference, after meeting countless people I’ve been talking to on Twitter for years, I decided to attend a variety of sessions. Most surprisingly, practically right out of the gate, one immediately blew me away.

The session, entitled “Sex, gender and controversy: writing to educate, writing to titillate” was moderated by the amazing @KateClancy and the incredible @scicurious about a blogger’s identity, comment moderation and the difficulty of being outspoken and passionate about science.

Prior to the conference, both Kate and Sci had posted blogs that received a lot of flack. And not constructive criticism, mind you, but a variety of hateful and mean-spirited comments that insulted their intelligence, status and even gender.

Now, I’ve been lucky, the readers of my blog have been quite kind. And some have criticized me about mistakes or called me out on a few things, but it was always done with tact. But never like those two ladies described, and while others recounted their experiences with similar situations, I was struck by the courage writers have.

Yes, we get criticized a lot, that is just a fact of nature.

It is one thing to get in a discussion about a fact or opinion, but another to discredit a the thoroughly researched and hard-worked piece simply because of gender. That is not right, that is not appropriate and that is not the age I thought we lived in.

But then Kate said something.

“You just need to keep going. Wipe yourself off, make your next one better and show them you are better than they are.”

Now that takes balls for anyone for anyone to do.

Even after attending numerous different sessions throughout the conference that one sticks in my mind as a clear standout.

Another surprising element from the conference was that notable bloggers/writers were happy to talk to everyone. While some people knew who I was (and that was fantastic), I was really surprised just how nice everyone was, whether they were “famous” or not.

But the greatest thing about the conference was how easily the friendships cultivated online, through Twitter, Facebook or whatever other social media platforms, seamlessly moved into meeting in person.

There are a few shout outs I must make, to those who made my time at the conference just that much more memorable. I have already thanked some of them via Twitter, but it is still an incomplete list. However, I am pasting those I have done here for all to see.

Favourite #scio12 moments:

My session with @DrRubidium, where we made people laugh (and think) using Mel Brooks movie clips
Talking at great length with @sciencecomedian and actually making him laugh more than once!

Holding court with the almost too amazing for words @jeannegarb in the #DSN suite (and later during the endnote)

Helping out @DrBondar and @sciencegoddess with the film festival (technical glitches and all)

Spending time with the fascinating @astvintagespace and bonding over space, university and telling stories

Getting my armpits swabbed for microbes by @DrHolly ... FOR SCIENCE

Meeting @experrinment and watching her draw & sketch fabulous works of art

@arikia and @hannahjwaters using very different "methods" to open my locked from the inside hotel room door

@scicurious #NuffSaid

There are more wonderful people who I met that I’ve forgotten and others who aren’t on the list but deserve to be.

See you all next year!

Childhood joy

When I was a child, I started reading later than most kids (or so my parents tell me).

From what they say, it wasn’t that I found it difficult, just that I did not feel like I needed to. They tried to engage me with a variety of books, and I’d do it for a while, but quickly get bored.

Then, they found some books that interested me: dinosaurs.

I took to reading about dinosaurs like nothing else. I read everything I could get my hands on, from children’s books with more pictures than words, to big anthologies with printing I had to squint to read.

I was so ravenous for information, that my twin brother and I would beg our parents to take us to our local museum (the Royal Ontario Museum or ROM) to see the dinosaur skeletons. But, there was a catch – to see the dinosaurs, you had to go through an area known as “the bat cave” … which had nothing to do with Batman.

The cave was a S-shaped dark tunnel that featured real and fake bats on display, and I was terrified, because what young child is not afraid of the dark? I would cover my eyes and ears and walk through as fast as I could to reach the terrible lizards.

Seeing the Tyrannosaurus Rex was always a highlight of the trip, as it was considered the “bad boy” of the dinosaur world. Who would mess with something that had teeth the size of steak knives?

But, as much as meat eaters were fun to look at and imagine having as a pet, I was always drawn to the herbivores more. I am not quite sure why, but maybe it was because that in the evolutionary arms race, they had to protect, as opposed to destroy.

Everyone has his or her list of favourite dinosaurs, and I was no exception. I would tell everyone I knew about Stegosaurus with the golf ball–sized brain, the intimidating-looking Ankylosaurus and Dimetrodon, with its trademark sail.

I was so obsessed with dinosaurs that my brother and I would check books out from our school library over and over again, as we just couldn’t get enough of the information and pictures! We checked them out so much, that when our librarian retired, she donated those two most checked-out books to us.

The obsession went even beyond that.

During our countless trips to the ROM, my brother and I would correct the tour guides on pronunciation of nomenclature, locations where the bones were found, the time frame and more. I almost feel bad for the tour guides, but they should have known that stuff, right?

Not surprisingly, my first “dream” job was to be a paleontologist and travel all over the world discovering new dinosaur species.
Honestly, how good would a dinosaur that was named “Manly” be?

Over the years, though, as I got older, that dream slowly faded. But the enthusiasm and passion still remains.

And yet, whenever I visit a museum, I always make a point to visit the dinosaurs and just marvel at them. I enjoy watching the kids staring at them in wonder, listening to the tour guides explain who is who, but most of all, I love remembering a long-forgotten fact and sharing it with a child. Because you know the first thing they will do is go back to their parent/guardian and ask if they knew that … and if they didn’t, that’s a great joy for a child to experience.

I still love learning about dinosaurs and staring at them with wonder and a huge smile on my face. I still get excited if I see a Stegosaur, Dimetrodon or T. Rex.

I still love them to this day, as that kind of fervent passion never dies – it always stays with you.

So, don’t be ashamed of a passion you still carry with you from when you were younger. Whether it is comic books, video games, magic tricks or a love of prehistoric animals, they are amazing and help make up the beautiful mosaic that is you.

Separating work from play and Open Lab 2011

It's amazing.

Last month, when I blogged about all the things in my life that have been keeping me away from blogging consistently, I was determined for that to end. I was steadfast in my attempts to continue to blog, even in the presence of other distractions such as work and friends.

However, that did not work out as well as I had hoped, and for that I deeply apologize.

I found it surprisingly difficult to work up the type of mental stamina and drive needed to blog after a whole day of writing and editing. By working in the editorial field all day, it becomes difficult to disassociate the writing process from feeling like "work."

So, instead I'd cook, go shopping, go for walks, catch up on television, come home for the weekend to see friends and family and even clean my new apartment.

Therefore, I have decided to make writing for this blog one of two New Year's resolutions that I plan to maintain.
Most people, myself included, do not have a good track record committing to resolutions. But, I managed to stick with all of the ones I made last year, and I plan to do so again.

If I do not continue to update this blog, and I have some great ideas that I'm working on for you, you all have permission to POLITELY remind me via whatever means you deem necessary (within reason).

Lastly, while most people who know me well have been told in person, those who I do not speak to regularly may not be aware of one particularly delightful piece of news.

A guest blog that I wrote for scientific American earlier in 2011 has been awarded a place in a collection of the best scientific writing published online of the year, entitled "Open Lab 2011," to be published in fall 2012 by Scientific American. The post, entitled Mirror images: Twins and identity focuses on what it is like to grow up as an identical twin and how important it is to carve out your own individual identity. Practically every single person I meet for the first time, when they learn I am a twin, will ask one of two questions: "Who's older?" or "What's it like having a twin?"

Writing that piece was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences of my career thus far, as not only was it an exploration of something that people find immensely fascinating, but it was also a highly personal experience to try to get people to understand what it is like having someone who is closer than a sibling or a significant other around all the time.

I am honoured, privileged and beyond thankful for the editors and judges who selected my piece of writing to be included in this collection. Thank you very, very much.

If you'd like to see the selection of the other articles/posts being included in the collection Open Lab 2011, please see the post here. They are all amazing writers and I feel extremely fortunate to be included among them.

A new job, a conference and Mel Brooks (or, why I have been absent recently)

It's been a long time, hasn't it my friends?

I know I've been saying that a lot lately, but it seems as if the fates decided to throw everything at me in these past few months. Why they waited so long, I cannot say. But, these events have been keeping me so busy, that I haven't had time for much.

That said, it is time to fill you all in!

So, where to begin:

The biggest news of the day is that I have a new job working for a publishing company, where I will be working with a number of magazines in an editorial position. One of the best things about this new job, is that it is related to my field of study (biology, zoology and ecology), but distinctly different. I have been working with the company for about three weeks, and have already learned a lot.

With this new job comes having to move from Toronto to a small town about two hours away.
The logistics of the move, finding a place, etc ... has been a taxing endeavor, but I now have an apartment and will be moving in a few weeks!

The job also consists of quite a bit of travel across Canada, the US and even abroad, which I am always on board for. I am currently writing this in Northern Canada, where I will be participating in a conference for the next few days.

Also, there has been an intriguing development pop up for the new year.
I have been asked to speak at the Science Online 2012 conference this January, which I could not be more excited about doing.

I learned about this conference about a year ago, and was extremely sad that I could not attend in 2011 (it fills up fast). The conference is devoted to collaboration between scientists, writers, journalists and science enthusiasts to discuss the ever-changing world of science communication.
This year, I will not only be attending, but moderating a session with a friend from Twitter (@DrRubidium).

The topic we will be discussing, which is all thanks to you my loyal readers, is about blogging. Specifically, the talk will focus on how to integrate humour, your passions and your knowledge into one big entertaining, yet informative, mass.
The talk is entitled, "It's good to be the king! Blogging the Mel Brooks way."

What better way is there to talk about passions than to integrate my love of movies, science and social media into one presentation?
And here's an example of the sheer brilliance of Mel Brooks:

Gone, but not forgotten

Welcome to my last September Series post, which coincidentally, is also my 150th on this blog! I hope you have all enjoyed this little experiment of mine, and from the feedback I've gotten, it seems like many of you do. 
Therefore, if you'd like me to continue writing about different things every week (or have an idea for a theme month), please  leave a comment below and let me know what you'd like to see.

For this final September Series post, I decided to delve into microbiology, a great passion of mine. I decided to look at it from a prevention, control and bureaucratic angle of a very resilient killer. I hope you like it.

As children, we are taught certain life lessons, such as not taking candy from strangers, looking both ways before crossing the street and not getting too close to wild animals, for fear of being injured and contracting a potentially dangerous disease. The most well known, and one of the most dangerous to humans, is rabies.

A strictly mammalian disease, the rabies virus will usually pass through a bite from an infected animal. The disease attacks the central nervous system, causing paranoia, hallucinations and the trademark agitation up to two years after initial exposure. However, once symptoms begin, it quickly becomes effectively untreatable and over 99 percent fatal.

The rabies virus, if left untreated, is over 99 percent fatal. Therefore, if there is even a risk of getting the virus from an animal bite, get the vaccine.

Since any warm-blooded animal can carry rabies and potentially transmit the disease to humans all over the world, prevention and protection are paramount.

In 2008, the government of Ontario proclaimed in a press release that one of the more dangerous strains, known as raccoon rabies, was “eliminated in Ontario.” This was stated because there were no reported cases in Ontario were seen since 2005, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), once two years have passed with no reported cases, the virus can be claimed as “eliminated.”

However, according to documents obtained through the Access to Information Act, there were two reported raccoon rabies cases identified in 2005. The number of cases decreased to one in 2006, and to zero in 2007 through to 2010.

While the standing of the government via the WHO guidelines is valid, the time-line is not.
Meanwhile, there are two other rabies variants still prevalent in Ontario, known as “Ontario fox” and “bat,” which still appear north of the Greater Toronto Area.

In 2009, there were a total of 18 cases of fox rabies identified in wide array of affected species, such as cows, sheep, red foxes and striped skunks. But, in 2010, the only cases of the fox strain identified were 10 skunks.

Dr. Rick Rosatte, the senior research biologist for the Ministry of Natural Resources, has been working on rabies since the first case appeared in Canada in the late 1990s.

“Rabies is not eliminated,” he said. “It is a naturally occurring disease. I would never use the term eliminated, that’s for the politicians. I would say it is under control for the time being.”

Rosatte said that the ministry is always on the lookout for rabies, and has many control measures in place if something ever were to occur. And despite the claim that raccoon rabies is ”eliminated” from Ontario, he said that the threat is still ever-present, and closer than you might think.

“There are still cases of raccoon rabies in New York and Quebec, which are a little too close for comfort. We have measures put in place to try to limit the spread from those infected areas.”

Mark Gibson, a rabies and wildlife technician with the government of Ontario said there are three methods used to control rabies once a case is reported and confirmed.

The first is Point Infection Control, where animals are trapped and euthanized within a set distance of five kilometres from the rabies site. In the second stage, the animals are trapped, vaccinated and released within 10 kilometres of the initial case. The final method is aerial baiting, where baits containing vaccines are dropped from a plane within 50 kilometres of the reported site.

The aerial baiting method, according to Gibson, is by far the most effective preventative measure they have. “The baiting is probably the reason why Ontario has been rabies free the past few years.”

The baits are no bigger than a matchbook, but contain a blister pack containing a small dosage of rabies vaccine surrounded by beef fat and flavouring. “Imagine the blister pack is like the jam packets you see at restaurants,” said Gibson. “If you squeeze it a little bit, and then puncture it with a fork, what happens? It squirts! And hopefully, most of the vaccine will be swallowed by the animal.”

Gibson said that the vaccines provide young animals protection for about a year, while in adults, it can last up to three depending on how much vaccine the animal eats.

However, while raccoon rabies is being kept at bay, there are still two other strains of rabies that are keeping the control program very busy. The arctic fox strain is limited to southwestern Ontario, but the real problem is the bat strain.

According to Rosatte, the bats are almost impossible to trace because they migrate and their food, insects, cannot be vaccinated.

“Despite the surge in infected bats, there has not been a death from rabies in Ontario since 1967. However, just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean it won’t,” said Rosatte.

“Rabies is not gone, despite what the McGuinty government says. It is still lurking in the background.”

The musical mosaic of science

Two weeks ago during my first post in my September Series, I wrote about how television, especially educational programs, made a significant impact in my life. I got a lot of positive reaction to that post, as well as other people chiming in about their favourite programs watched as a kid.

While I only discussed two animated programs, Loony Toons and Animaniacs, there are countless others that I used to love watching that would entertain and educate. And, I believe that is part of the reason why I love talking about science and the natural world as much as I do. There is a way to educate someone about complex subjects such as science and math that can be entertaining as well as informative. A perfect example happened to me just a few days earlier.

On September 16^th, a discussion began with people regarding Albert Szent-Györgyi, who would have turned 118 that day. The conversation began thanks to Google choosing to celebrate his accomplishments with a Google Doodle.

Szent-Györgyi is well known from a variety of accomplishments, most notably discovering Vitamin C, as well as the components and reactions that occur during the infamous citric acid cycle.

The CAC

The Citric Acid Cycle (Or Kreb’s Cycle) is a very complex set of reactions that occur in your body at all times to turn digested food into energy. Simply put, the cycle breaks carbohydrates, fats and proteins into carbon dioxide, water and usable energy (known as ATP).

As demonstrated in the figure below, the process is extremely complex to understand. But, it is even more difficult to learn properly.

Looks complicated, doesn't it? Believe me ... it IS

In grade 11, during the cellular energy unit of the curriculum, the entire class was presented with the CAC. My teacher, Mr. Thomson, knew what a daunting task it was, so he broke it up into steps and explained only what we needed to know to understand precisely what was going on (namely, tracking the amount of Carbon). I remember the teacher going over the process again and again in order to drill it into our heads. We did assignments where we had to draw the whole process of big pieces of paper and calculations tracking the amount of energy gained – all done to help us memorize the complex cycle for the test.

And, boy did I study for that.

I was up in my room for hours memorizing it, having my parents quiz me over and over until I had it down cold for the test. The result?
Ninety percent.

But, is there an easier way to learn such a complex topic?

According to Robert Krulwich from NPR, yes and no.

In fact, there are many ways in the technological age we live in today where you can find new and interesting ways to learn something. Just type a subject into Google and you’ll find a plethora of options showcasing everything from books to videos to interactive websites.

In the case of the Citric Acid Cycle, you can take a look at some videos on YouTube like this and this (which is by far my favorite). But, you don’t get the full understanding and details that can be provided by teachers, like Mr. Thomson, who genuinely care about getting you to understand the material.

Some students learn better in a classroom or with a textbook, while others excel using a more audio-visual technique. There is no wrong way to learn; just find the way learn the best and stick to that.

Expanding your mind

Looking up a video or reading a book when you have a specific problem in a field or subject is pretty easy, but what is you want to learn about something bigger? What if you want to learn a little bit about such complicated topics as astrophysics, cosmology or quantum mechanics?

Such topics are extremely complicated to understand, much less teach. I only know a tiny bit about quantum mechanics and the universe, just enough to understand a televised documentary on the Discovery Channel, PBS and the like.

But then, Joanne Manaster over Twitter introduced me to something of an experiment entitled, The Symphony of Science.

Created by John Boswell, the Symphony of Science are a series of music videos used to, according to his website, “scientific knowledge and philosophy to the public, in a novel way, through the medium of music.”

Not only are the music videos entertaining, but they also serve as a great way to introduce individuals to complex areas of science and the researchers that explore them. Boswell uses a vast array of methods to bring complex topics to life using archival footage, new documentaries and interviews with notable scientists like Richard Feynman, Brian Cox, Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking and more.

What exactly is science?




Where did we come from?




Or what exactly quantum mechanics is?



There are a total of 11 videos, each of which focuses on a different aspect of science and research. The first few videos are a little rough, but entertaining all the same. Each one has a message that is worthwhile and of note.

But the most amazing thing is that each and everyone will teach you something (and the songs are pretty catch too)!

To watch all eleven, as well as free downloads of them all, be sure to visit the website!

Contagion Review - An infectiously intelligent worst-case scenario

This is the second post in my September Series, where I am experimenting with different forms of journalism and writing. Last week, I wrote an article entitled Not Just An Idiot Box, which took a look at educational television, using examples from my own childhood to argue the point. This week, I decided to try a movie review. Beware of some spoilers and enjoy!

Is there anything scarier than an enemy you cannot see?

Horror movies have been taking advantage of this for decades, as it allows your mind to run wild with scary and horrifying possibilities. However, instead of some crazy murderer following you around your house or a spirit seeking vengeance upon you, something all together scarier and deadlier is all around you. All you have to do is pick up a microscope and look at the onslaught of bacteria and viruses that we are exposed to every day.

Sometimes, all it can take is one touch, one cough or one innocent gesture to expose someone to a potentially lethal virus. And that is what the Warner Brothers movie Contagion is all about, tracing the path of a virus from initial exposure and its eventual outbreak, all the way to pandemic and finally treatment.

Director Steven Soderbergh expertly decides to start the movie, not from day one like the 1995 thriller Outbreak, but from day two, the day after Gwyneth Paltrow’s Beth Emhoff is exposed to the virus. She returns home to her loving husband Mitch, played by Matt Damon, but quickly succumbs to the illness, followed quickly by their young son.

But, the bulk of the plot doesn’t follow the widowed Mitch being a hero of the story and saving the day. Instead, Soderbergh divides his story amongst many different characters, all affected by the virus somehow and doing their best to manage, fight back and most importantly, to survive.

"We don't have to weaponize the bird flu. The birds are already doing that" 

As the virus begins to infect an increasing number of people, either from direct contact or secondary contact (infected person touches rail followed by a healthy person, who then picks up the virus), the movie widens its scope and focuses on characters from all over the world, from Atlanta to Hong Kong.

The acting is stellar across the board, but the cast is far too large to name everyone. However, the standouts include: Laurence Fishburne as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) division chief who is portrayed with just the right amount of humanity, Jude Law as a blogger who is one of the first to report the illness but has ulterior motives, Kate Winslet plays CDC employee Dr. Mears who is literally scrambling to contain the outbreak, and Marion Cotillard plays an epidemiologist from the World Health Organization sent to China to track the origin of the epidemic.

Every storyline adds weight, and allows the viewer to experience another facet of the destruction and pain a viral outbreak can accomplish.

Matt Damon’s story is by far the most emotional of them all. His storyline showcases the human side of the disease, and what can happen when normal people become so scared for their own lives that they begin to do whatever they can to survive.

And that is where the film becomes elevated beyond a mere biological thriller, as it manages to resonate beyond the confines of one genre. The film is also an insight into our most basic human conditions, and what happens when even the simple act of touching something can be deadly.

As the tagline of the film rightly states, “nothing spreads like fear.”

A different view of a never-ending battle

Soderbergh spends a lot of time focusing the camera for just a fraction longer than usual on everyday objects, such as a glass, a doorknob or a handrail on a bus. It is like seeing a shadow moving across the screen in a horror movie, showcasing just how susceptible the people in the movie (as well as ourselves) really are. And that’s the take-home message.

Contagion is a movie with brains that keeps you thinking after you leave the theatre, which is the kind of movie I always enjoy. As well, it managed to highlight some pretty decent science that made me want to look through some of my old microbiology notes. I won’t say that the movie is a substitute for learning about viruses in an academic setting or using better hygiene, but its heart is in the right place and the intelligence and thought that was put into this movie really shows just how possible such an event is.

Now that’s the real scare.

For those of you looking for an in-depth look at the science behind the movie, I will not be going into it in this post, as movie reviews traditionally don't utilize a lot of science. However, for those still interested, be sure to read this great article where noted journalist and author, Maryn McKenna, spoke to the science advisor of the film, Dr. W. Ian Lipkin (who has also written a piece on the real threat presented by viruses for the New York Times, which can be read here).