Cools+stories,+etc.

Weird story about starfish in Puget Sound seemingly melting... http://www.king5.com/news/environment/Biologists-search-for-cause-of-sea-star-deaths-229408861.html

I am a huge fan of the radio show, RadioLab, out of WNYC. They have a lot of interesting takes on scientific topics and just plain tell a good story. I have also run across other interesting pieces from elsewhere that I will include. Feel free to add your own (but please give a description). -JLB

Wildness, conservation, and shifting baselines
This is a really compelling, fun 20 minute piece (with some musical interludes) with some interesting takes on important issues. It's had me thinking about it over and over again since I first listened. http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/wild-ones-live/

Disease
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/health/28rinderpest.html
 * The eradication of Rinderpest (and some cool history)**

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/22/238693328/first-polio-cases-since-1999-suspected-in-syria
 * Polio resurgeing**

//In this episode of RadioLab, they tell stories about parasites infecting humans and taking over the minds of roaches. It's a pretty cool twist to see how much parasites can affect an organism to the point where they're displaying zombie-like qualities. Here's a quick overview from the podcast's website: "// Could parasites be the shadowy hands that pull the strings of life? We explore nature's moochers, with tales of lethargic farmers, zombie cockroaches, and even mind-controlled humans (kinda, maybe). And we examine claims that some parasites may actually be good for you."
 * //Parasites--RadioLab//** http://www.radiolab.org/2009/sep/07/

Climate Change
The NYTimes has a nice series on the central arguments of climate change research: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/series/temperaturerising/ As well as an ongoing blog with news about climate change: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html Climate change and moose declines (featuring parasites!) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/science/earth/something-is-killing-off-the-moose.html

Graduate school
http://www.quora.com/Graduate-School/Should-you-get-a-PhD-only-if-youre-very-passionate-about-your-field-of-study http://www.quora.com/Graduate-School/Is-it-ever-a-good-idea-to-get-a-PhD-if-youre-not-sure-you-want-a-PhD A colleague's list of resources for grad students: http://www.indiana.edu/~halllab/grad_resources.html The Illustrated Guide to a PhD: http://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/ One interesting researcher's advice for applying to grad school: http://matt.might.net/articles/how-to-apply-and-get-in-to-graduate-school-in-science-mathematics-engineering-or-computer-science/
 * Passion and graduate school**.
 * Advice for grad students:**

Ticks and tick-borne disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130819182855.htm http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blogland/2012/aug/21/questing-tick/ http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/18/predators-prey-and-lyme-disease/
 * Lyme Disease cases may be way, way more common than thought:**
 * The Questing Tick:**
 * Predators, Prey, and Lyme Disease**

Nutrient Cycling & Ecosystems
http://www.radiolab.org/2012/jan/09/how-do-you-solve-problem-fritz-haber/
 * How do you solve a problem like Fritz Haber?** (The guy that invented a way to synthesize Ammonia for air)

http://what-if.xkcd.com/17/
 * Photosynthetic cows?** How much less food would they need? (Herbivory, photosynthesis, & energy flow)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121106092725.htm
 * Earth on acid: Present and future**

Community Dynamics
Two videos from the Nature website about the wolves of Yellowstone and how they have impacted the ecosystem of the park since being reintroduced. In the Valley of the Wolves http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/in-the-valley-of-the-wolves/introduction/212/ and Clash: Encounters of Bears and Wolves http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/clash-encounters-of-bears-and-wolves/introduction/5430/

" Life and death are a very long loop of their own, as producer [|Lynn Levy] discovered in talking with oceanographer Craig Smith. His career began with a simple question: what happens to a whale when it dies and sinks to the sea floor? Turns out nobody was quite sure. Craig describes the curious interplay between death and life at the bottom of the ocean. " Someone made a really cool animation of it, too! http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blogland/2011/oct/06/world-undersea-cutouts/
 * Whale fall** (**Succession & Decomposition** in the ocean). It is the third part of the loops episode: http://www.radiolab.org/2011/oct/04/everythingnothing/

Life History
//half way in is the story of Don Currey, who accidentally cut down the oldest tree in the world.//
 * Oops** (accidents in science): http://www.radiolab.org/2010/jun/28/

Climate change
//A recent study showing that avian malaria is found in Alaska, as well as predictions (take with a grain of salt) about its potential distribution in the future//
 * First Evidence and Predictions of Plasmodium Transmission in Alaskan Bird Populations**

An Arbor Embolism? Why Trees Die In Drought
http://www.npr.org/2012/11/23/165667600/an-arbor-embolism-why-trees-die-in-drought Scientists who study forests say they've discovered something disturbing about the way prolonged drought affects trees.

Shellfish and Acidic Oceans
http://www.npr.org/2012/11/23/165749924/can-shellfish-adapt-to-more-acidic-water Scientists say oceans are becoming more acidic as they absorb the carbon dioxide added to the air through the burning of fossil fuels. That can be bad news for oysters, mussels and others animals that are key to the seafood industry and to the marine food web. Scientists are using the unique ocean conditions off the California coast to monitor developments.

Food Waste: Environmental Effects
http://www.npr.org/2012/11/23/165774988/npr-the-ugly-truth-about-food-waste-in-america Each year, Americans waste 33 million tons of food. Dana Gunders, a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, and author Jonathan Bloom discuss the economic and environmental impacts of food waste, and what can be done to fight the growing problem.

Biodiversity
Conservation of Biodiversity, Nature Education: http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/conservation-of-biodiversity-13235087 //This is a nice, short piece with an interesting list of reasons for conserving biodiversity.// [|Massive bug hunt reveals 25,000 arthropod species in a Manhattan-sized forest]

Extinction and declines
//A great graphic showing fishing takes in 1900 and 2000. Very striking.//
 * Too many cooks, not enough fish** (overfishing & the new normal): http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/05/15/152752465/too-many-cooks-not-enough-fish-whats-the-solution

Dispersal
//We are talking about dispersal in relationship to biogeography. Well, it turns out that Charles Darwin was very interested in this question, too. David Quamman tells us a really great story of Darwin doing simple experiments seeing how long seeds might stay viable after being submerged in salt water (in his bathtub!). (It's the first story of the three, which are also good.)// //Bugs in the air! Just how many and how high is the question here.//
 * Darwingavanza** (seed dispersal): http://www.radiolab.org/blogs/radiolab-blog/2009/feb/24/darwinvaganza/
 * Strange things happen to guys wearing pants** (seed dispersal): http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/05/12/136211607/strange-things-happen-to-guys-who-wear-pants
 * The Billion Bug Highway You Can't See** (insect dispersal): http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/06/01/128389587/look-up-the-billion-bug-highway-you-cant-see

Scaling laws in biology
//If you were interested in the scaling "laws" of metabolism and body mass, then you might be interested in hearing how this same approach has been applied to the ecology of cities. Geoffrey West is a mathematician who has been at the heart of all of these efforts. It is interesting, if nothing else, to think about the questions.// //Similarly, Robert Krullwich, one of the hosts of RadioLab, has an earlier piece about the scaling relationship between body size and the number of heartbeats an animal has.//
 * Cities** (Geoffrey West on scaling laws): http://www.radiolab.org/2010/oct/08/
 * Size Matters: The Hidden Mathematics of Life** (Geoffrey West again): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12877984