There is no right way to invent something. Some people take a slow, methodical route testing theory after theory before ever working with their hands. Some go straight for the supplies and start tinkering. Still, others, and a great majority of inventors, use a combination of the two. There really isn’t a magic ratio for …
On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Dave Grossman My rating: 2 of 5 stars This is one of those books you have to take with a grain of salt. While reading it, it was very clear that the author grew up in the anti-Vietnam era, and much …
Where the Wild Things Were: Life, Death, and Ecological Wreckage in a Land of Vanishing Predators by William Stolzenburg My rating: 4 of 5 stars Summary When we look at the extinction of a species, there is an innate curiosity of our human minds to ask why. This book is a compilation of research and …
If you are familiar with my personal blog, you’ll recall that this past summer I took a stab at growing luffas for the first time ever. This picks up where that posts left off at: the harvest and how to process luffa. There are lots of places and advice you can go to on the …
The Way of the Eagle by Daniel P. Mannix My rating: 2 of 5 stars This story came as part of an ancient Reader’s Digest I found laying around a garage sale. It piqued my interest because I am a bit of a naturalist myself, and I thought it’d be an interesting read. Doubly so …
A Broad Problem Brain injuries are one of the most misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and underfunded neurological conditions that can effect a person. This condition is often triggered by an event, such as a blow to a head or a puncture that injures the brain. However, long after the brain is considered healed, the effects are a …
I am reading a pop-sci book called Pandora’s Seed, which looks at how our genetics tie into our cultural inheritance. In the preface Spencer Wells starts discussing the why behind his book. The why, is of course, rooted in the question âwhat impact does this research have?â This is a good question for all of …
Accidental Inventions: The Chance Discoveries That Changed Our Lives by Birgit Krols My rating: 2 of 5 stars I thought this book was pretty… and pretty useless. It takes several (maybe 50?) inventions that we use every day, gives you a vintage looking picture, sometimes a modern one worthy of Etsy, and a short paragraph …
If you’ve ever wondered about how to explain something, anything, then you’re in good company. Andrés Flórez undertook the momentous task of trying to explain his Ph.D. research with dance for the annual Dance Your Ph.D. competition held by the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS). I sat down with Andrés to get an …
I’m sure you’ve seen the insane cuteness of the amigurumi plushies (also known as crocheted softies) hanging around the Insanitek store. Come one, I know you’ve at least seen Keiran the Beaver: