Engaging science articles worth purchasing - January 2012
Monthly Highlights from the Science Blogger Bonanza!
Friends, it's that time of the month again! December's Writer's Wishlist is here. Newcomers, let me break it down:
Across the interweb, writers craft fascinating articles for free. I reckon we ought to fork over some coin for quality work. To lead by example, I handpick ten pieces each month that were penned for free, and I toss £3 the author's way. The criteria? Simply put, I find them exceptionally intriguing, enjoyable, and vital.
Now, I ain't the only one with pockets full of change. I urge y'all to chip in too, via two buttons on the sidebar. There are two ways to contribute: donations via "Support Science Writers" go straight to our chosen ten at the end of the month, while donations via "Support NERS" land in my kitty. I scrape up a third of the total and send it their way too.
Here are the picks, in no particular order:
- Samuel Arbesman, slaying it over at his Wired gig. Check out these pieces on the mathematics of cooking and of Lego for a taste.
- Dr Skyskull (Greg Gbur) spins a rip-roaring yarn about soldier-stabbing, bandit-negotiating Francois Arago, the world's most exhilarating physicist.
- Cassie Willyard exposes the problem with Patient Zero and the misleading narratives in public health.
- Greg Downey delves deep into the pitfalls of evolutionary psychology.
- Emily Willingham blowtorches an awful Atlantic piece on the so-called dangers of GM crops.
- David Dobbs pens a heart-rending tale about Scott's Antarctic mission and the anemic penguin eggs they scooped up.
- Kevin Zelnio shares a moving and truly one-of-a-kind story about how he dove headfirst into science—and inspired others to do the same.
- Maryn McKenna gives us the lowdown on the year's most chilling saga: the rise of completely drug-resistant TB in India.
- Sally Adee embarks on a thrilling journey through the neuroscience of night terrors.
- Petra Boynton tackles the emotive issue of grieving after stillbirth—and our disbelief at emotions we can't fathom.
Smart, fun, and straightforward
SPICE UP YOUR INTERNET BROWSING, MY FRIENDS!
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Insights:
Science Writing Boosters
Science writing initiatives like the one mentioned in the article strive to make quality scientific knowledge accessible to the public without financial obstacles. These projects typically rely on donations, crowdfunding, or grants to fund writers and share their work freely.
Central Elements:
- Crowdfunding: Platforms such as tip jars or crowdfunding websites enable readers to support science writers by contributing financially to create content.
- Grants and Funding: Organizations provide financial support to help writers produce high-caliber content that remains accessible to all.
- Open-Access Models: Some initiatives operate on open-access models, where content is freely available, often funded by institutional or governmental backing.
If the "Science Writer Tip-Jar initiative" is a definite program, it may employ similar strategies to help science writers create and distribute free science content. However, without specific details, it's tough to offer detailed insights into its functioning or impact.
- Supporting the mental health and wellness of science writers is important, given the stressful nature of their work.
- The Science Writer Tip-Jar initiative could potentially expand its scope to include mental health resources for its contributors, ensuring their long-term wellbeing and fostering a healthier community of science writers.
