Many blog and Twitter readers may be acquainted with Jonathan Eisen, a biologist at UC Davis. In my latest Meet the Scientist podcast, I spend an hour chatting with Eisen about what you can learn by looking at the genomes of particularly weird microbes–from radiation-resistant critters to bugs that live in the guts of insects or on the bellies of deep-sea worms. Check it out.
Archive for the ‘Talks’ Category
Podcast: An Embarrassment of Genomes
Where I’ll Be Talking (Now That I’m Conscious)
After weeks of manically scrubbing my hands with soap, Purel, and eye of newt, I ended up getting swine flu anyway. It’s not terribly surprising, since my entire town seems to have become a Petri dish for the viruses this week. I find a stunning clarity to the flu–you don’t feel a little sleep-deprived, or a little raspy. You are just a slave, heeding your body’s call to go to bed. I’m grateful that I am now on the mend, but I’m worried that with so many of us conking out, even a small percentage of serious cases will wreak havoc on hospitals. Someone please remind me why we still make our flu vaccines in chicken eggs?
It just so happens that swine flu was going to be one of the things I plan to talk about over the next few weeks as I head out for a series of talks to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Origin of Species. I’d rather have to speak about the evolution of swine flu second-hand, but I guess I’ll talk as a former host.
Here are my movements…hope to meet some Loom readers along the way (but only if you’re healthy!)
Sunday November 1. Pasadena, CA: Caltech.
Thursday November 12. New Haven, CT: Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
Saturday November 14. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University [details to come]
Thursday November 19. Vancouver, British Columbia: Beaty Biodiversity Museum
Thursday, December 3. Denver: Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Friday, December 11. Amherst: University of Massachusetts [details to come]
Saturday, January 16. Research Triangle Park, NC: Science Online 2010. (This is the only talk that’s not a public lecture. I’ll be on a panel discussing science journalism online. You have to register for the entire workshop. But this is definitely one workshop I’d recommend you sign up for.)
New Podcast: Microbes As Computers
My second podcast is now live. I talk to Dennis Bray of the University of Cambridge about cells as microscopic computers. I first came across Bray’s work while working on my book, Microcosm. I was looking for new work on how E. coli manages to figure out where to go when it doesn’t have a brain or even a single neuron. Before long, I came across Bray’s remarkable work on the sophisticated information-processing that goes on inside the bug.
In this week’s podcast I sound like I’m broadcasting out of a tin can (I’m getting that hammered out), but don’t let my distractions get in the way of listening to Bray. And if you’re interested in more details, check out his new book, Wetware: A Computer in Every Living Cell.
The Digital Persona–Now On Video
The video of my conversation with Lee Hotz of the Wall Street Journal at New York University on digital personae is now online. Blogging, podcasting, etc., etc. etc. etc. And etc. Check it out. (Warning–sound’s a little muddy. Ear phones will help.)
The Digital Persona
I’m going to be in New York on Thursday evening for a talk at NYU, in my capacity as visiting scholar.
All welcome!
[Update: Here's the video]
Inside-Out: Carl Zimmer on Books, Blogs and Building a Digital Persona
Described by the New York Times Book Review as “as fine a science essayist as we have,” the prolific and acclaimed author and journalist Carl Zimmer (currently a visiting scholar at the Institute) has embraced web platforms with a gusto matched by few reporters with his establishment credentials. Come find out how, and why.
Sponsored by the Institute’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program, which organizes the Inside-Out speaker series moderated by Lee Hotz, distinguished writer in residence at the Institute and science columnist at The Wall Street Journal.
WHAT: Inside Out: Carl Zimmer on Books, Blogs and Building a Digital Persona
WHEN: September 24th, 2009, 6pm-8pm
WHERE: 20 Cooper Square, 7th Floor
To Cap Off A Multimedia Week, How About A Podcast?
Uff da–quite a week!
Monday brought Radio Lab’s great take on parasites, which I was thrilled to be a part of.
Tuesday was newspaper day, with a story in the New York Times on the evolution of flowers.
Thursday it was the sexual brain, the subject of my latest column in Discover complete with a safe-for-work video.
Friday brought the new issue of Time to the newsstands, with an article of mine on the minds of dogs.
Now at the close of the week, let me lure you into a different dimension of the media: podcasting.
The American Society of Microbiology has asked me to take over a biweekly podcast of theirs called “Meet the Scientist.” In each episode I’ll be talking with one of the many scientists who explore biology’s vast invisible world. For my first podcast, I spoke to Michael Cunliffe, one of the scientists I wrote about recently who studies the ocean’s skin of jelly.
I’m still getting my bearings in the podcast universe, so feel free to dispense free advice. I’m looking forward to talking to many more scientists who study infectious diseases, synthetic biology, microbial evolution, and much more.
And now, off to New York for an old-fashioned talk. With Powerpoint.
This Saturday: Skeptics in New York
I’ve spent part of my day working on my slides for my keynote address this Saturday at the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism. I’ll be talking about science and the news, and the weird new interactions they have these days. Darwinius and other stunning episodes will feature prominently. The whole day looks great. Hope to see some Loom readers there!
Parasites+Radiolab!
Radiolab and parasites. A match made in parasitic heaven. If you haven’t discovered this excellent radio program, check out the first episode of their sixth season. During the first 20 minutes of the show, I persuade the hosts of the show, Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, that parasites are not degenerate or evil, but rather sophisticated creatures that have a huge influence on humanity and the entire natural world (the basic message in my book, Parasite Rex). The rest of the show delves into some particularly cool parasite tales. Check it out.
End of the Week: Radio news and web site restored
It has been a week of crazy writing–four pieces ranging from short to way too long. Hence little blogging. I apologize. I will reform. I will honor the blogger’s code. Monday.
In the meantime, two bits of news.
1. Radio: I will be on Coast to Coast AM at 10 pm Saturday PST/ 1 am EST to talk about bedbugs. We are in the midst of a bedbug Renaissance, and I intend to be its Dante. Details to come here.
In more radio news, I was just on New Hampshire Public Radio talking about global-warming-driven evolution. Listen here. (Oh–and for a kick, watch this hot-button two-fer drive a global-warming-denialist creationist craaaazy.)
2. Finally–carlzimmer.com is back in business. If you’re in New York, LA, Vancouver, New Haven, Denver, or Ithaca NY, be sure to check out the talk page. I’ll be adding more stuff very soon. (And please get in touch if you organize talks and want to chat about my giving one!)
A good weekend to all, free of bedbugs except the bedbugs of the mind…
From fishapod to FAIL
The Zimmer family takes over Bloggingheads. My brother Ben takes me on a journey through Word World. Check it out.
Far Away, But Not Out of Radio’s Reach
We arrived on Appledore Island this afternoon, which is drenched in sunshine and heat. The gulls are screaming and the students are busy reading up on tidal pools (or, as I was informed at dinner, the intertidal) in advance of our journey tomorrow. But despite the fact that New Hampshire is just a strip on the horizon, the email and the cell phones work here, and this evening I was asked to talk on the radio tomorrow about my recent article on global warming and evolution. I’ll be on the Leonard Lopate show on WNYC in New York some time between 12:30 and 1 pm EST on Tuesday. You can listen live here, or wait for the archived podcast.
Listen right here!
Fall talks and other new stuff on carlzimmer.com
A while back my web site was hacked and my archive of stories vanished. After switching servers, I left the site frozen in time while I dealt with more pressing matters. I’ve finally gotten a little stretch of free time to refresh my memory of Dreamweaver, and now the site is back up to date. Along with the archive, you can also find an updated list of past and future talks. I’m starting to make plans for talks about The Tangled Bank and the 15oth anniversary of The Origin of Species this fall, and appearances are now just starting to fall into place. I expect more talks to pop up in the weeks to come, and I will be much more diligent in getting the information online quickly.
