This blog is now rarely updated, but remains as an archive of bits and pieces I've collected from around the internet. To see what's caught my eye more recently, find me on twitter.

Tuesday, 5 April 2011

#104; How To Be Boring

Some very helpful advice on how to write boring scientific literature... 

  • Avoid focus
  • Avoid originality and personality
  • Write l o n g contributions
  • Remove most implications and every speculation
  • Leave out illustrations, particularly good ones
  • Omit necessary steps of reasoning
  • Use many abbreviations and technical terms
  • Suppress humor and flowery language
  • Degrade species and biology to statistical elements
  • Quote numerous papers for self-evident statements

I love this - directly addressing so many science journals' refusal to embrace engaging writing, opting to instead favour bland and depressingly functional literature. There's no need for cutting edge science, which should be the most exciting and engaging thing around, to be dull. (via Lone Gunman)

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You know those incredible Hubble images you see all the time? Well, here's how they're actually made:


Turns out it's not quite as simple as just a camera with a super long zoom.

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A very nice video about the value of biodiversity:



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I've updated my website with a little bit of new work: 

Like this illustration for an article about Pixar:



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And to finish, here's some stuff to warm your heart:

First, Jack Draws Anything, and raises over £10,000. Awwwesome.

And a nicely filmed, fantastic story about a football team from a floating village:

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