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3.30.2020

Why is everyone hoarding toilet paper? How can fungi help ecosystems recover after bushfires? Find out in ScienceSeeker's picks of the best posts for the week of Mar 23 - 29 2020 #SciSeekPicks #SciComm.

In this week's best and brightest from the world of science news, explore how scientists came to the conclusion that travel restrictions and social distancing could help slow the pandemic, and delve into the cleaning power of soap: possibly our best weapon in our struggle against disease. ScienceSeeker editors' favourite posts within their respective areas of interest and expertise also cover many other important and exciting topics. Why not have a read, inform yourself, and indulge your scientific curiosity?
In times of crisis, it's monkey see, monkey do. Media portrayals of toilet paper shortages cause people to stockpile.
Credit: Sabine Heyer via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
To indulge your curiosity even more, follow us on Facebook or Twitter for honourable mentions of great posts that didn't quite make our #SciSeekPicks list this week. Want #SciSeekPicks to help satisfy your scientific curiosity every week? Sign up here for regular notification emails.

Check back next week for more great picks!

3.23.2020

How does coronavirus testing work? How might hoofed herbivores help keep the permafrost from melting? Find out in ScienceSeeker's picks of the best posts for the week of Mar 16 - 22 2020 #SciSeekPicks #SciComm.

In this week's predictably coronavirus-heavy selection of the best science news coverage from around the world, explore the impact of the built environment on the spread of the disease, and find out about how you can track Venus across the night sky. A great activity for those of you in quarantine! Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by the virus, and our thanks go to all of those who are doing their part in fighting it. ScienceSeeker editors' favourite posts within their respective areas of interest and expertise also cover many other important and exciting topics. Why not have a read, inform yourself, and indulge your scientific curiosity?
Get the low-down on how the current testing for coronavirus works, its limitations and future improvements.
Credit: Andy Brunning via Compound Interest (CC-BY-ND)
To indulge your curiosity even more, follow us on Facebook or Twitter for honourable mentions of great posts that didn't quite make our #SciSeekPicks list this week. Want #SciSeekPicks to help satisfy your scientific curiosity every week? Sign up here for regular notification emails.

Check back next week for more great picks!

3.22.2020

Call for Editors! Become part of the most comprehensive source of science coverage.

Looking for a new challenge or opportunity in 2020?

When it comes to reporting science, the mainstream media can struggle, and often falls into sensationalism, undermining its message. ScienceSeeker is therefore an essential resource, enabling readers to access knowledge that helps make sense of the headlines. We aggregate the most comprehensive list of science blogs, written by a community including top scientists. Every week, our volunteer editors scour what’s been reported to distil it down to the most essential content. We’ve got a vibrant team - but we're still short in some areas.

Would you like to join us? E-mail sciseekers AT gmail DOT com if you're interested or have any questions. Read on for more details:

What is ScienceSeeker?

ScienceSeeker is a unique science blog aggregator that brings together over 2,400 blog sites (and growing!). It emerged as part of the ScienceOnline movement that has energized the science communication community in recent years. Although ScienceOnline is now defunct, ScienceSeeker continues on a sustainable basis thanks to the sterling effort of its volunteer supporters. For more details about what we do and who we are, see our 'About' page.

What does an editor do?

A ScienceSeeker editor commits to spending some of their valuable time reading science blogs or listening to science podcasts and selecting the newest developments in science every week. The commitment depends on circumstances. An especially busy person might be able to make selections from their general reading. An enthusiastic editor might dedicate three hours a week or more to select the most relevant content. Each editor usually focuses on a limited set of subject areas to restrict the time they have to invest, although there are opportunities to help build ScienceSeeker's platform. The goal of this recruitment exercise is to add to the team of editors so that the effort can be shared more broadly.

Who are we looking for?

We are currently interested in expanding the coverage on science discoveries in the areas of:
  • Computer science
  • Education
  • Psychology
  • Mathematics
  • Oceanography
  • Plant Science
  • Geosciences
We also welcome help with curating and/or creating content for our YouTube channel. If you are fond of reading and/or listening to science, it’s your chance to contribute to science outreach by highlighting those pieces you think the society needs to be aware of!

What’s in it for you?

At a general level, it’s rewarding to make an input into a community. In this case you’re helping create an authoritative voice on science that supplements and corrects conventional media coverage. You’re also boosting the reach of individual blogs that might not otherwise be read by many people.

At a personal level, being a ScienceSeeker editor is a relatively low-effort activity that looks good on your résumé. There are also great benefits that arise from the effort invested in reading ScienceSeeker blogs. For scientists and writers, ScienceSeeker blogs often showcase ideas, research and styles of communication that you might not otherwise have encountered that can prove useful in your paid work. And whoever you are, ScienceSeeker blogs are interesting and entertaining – reading them is not a bad way to spend time at all!

Is there a closing date?

No. The ScienceSeeker team is continually evolving, and as such we always welcome enquiries from prospective editors.

3.16.2020

Could we use trees to generate electricity? Have we really found an alien protein inside a meteorite? Find out in ScienceSeeker's picks of the best posts for the week of Mar 9 - 15 2020 #SciSeekPicks #SciComm.

In this week's coverage of the best from the world of science news, celebrate the earliest equinox since 1896 and inform yourself further about the coronavirus from scientific, reliable sources. ScienceSeeker editors' favourite posts within their respective areas of interest and expertise also cover many other important and exciting topics. Why not have a read, inform yourself, and indulge your scientific curiosity?
To indulge your curiosity even more, follow us on Facebook or Twitter for honourable mentions of great posts that didn't quite make our #SciSeekPicks list this week. Want #SciSeekPicks to help satisfy your scientific curiosity every week? Sign up here for regular notification emails.

Check back next week for more great picks!

3.09.2020

How is ocean plastic contributing to antibiotic resistance? Who is Katherine Johnson and how did she help the US get into space? Find out in ScienceSeeker's picks of the best posts for the week of Feb 24 - Mar 1 2020 #SciSeekPicks #SciComm.

In this week's best science news straight from science newsmakers, get a reasoned look at the coronavirus outbreak from a scientific standpoint, and find out how tropical forests may turn from carbon sinks into carbon sources. ScienceSeeker editors' favourite posts within their respective areas of interest and expertise also cover many other important and exciting topics. Why not have a read, inform yourself, and indulge your scientific curiosity?
To indulge your curiosity even more, follow us on Facebook or Twitter for honourable mentions of great posts that didn't quite make our #SciSeekPicks list this week. Want #SciSeekPicks to help satisfy your scientific curiosity every week? Sign up here for regular notification emails.

Check back next week for more great picks!

3.02.2020

Is the emergence of life inevitable? What are zoonotic diseases and why is destroying the rainforest making them more dangerous? Find out in ScienceSeeker's picks of the best posts for the week of Feb 24 - Mar 1 2020 #SciSeekPicks #SciComm.

In this week's cream-of-the-crop from the world of science news, find out what the world should do about the seemingly unstoppable coronavirus, and explore a use for essential oils which you might not have thought of - food preservation! ScienceSeeker editors' favourite posts within their respective areas of interest and expertise also cover many other important and exciting topics. Why not have a read, inform yourself, and indulge your scientific curiosity?
The inevitability of life is only true in a statistical, averaged sense. Evolution's directionality is an illusion.
Credit: Text taken from article by Caleb Scharf, Image: Hans Splinter via Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)
To indulge your curiosity even more, follow us on Facebook or Twitter for honourable mentions of great posts that didn't quite make our #SciSeekPicks list this week. Want #SciSeekPicks to help satisfy your scientific curiosity every week? Sign up here for regular notification emails.

Check back next week for more great picks!