Writers must read, and science fiction writers must read science, engineering, technology especially if not actively engaged in doing STEM stuff. But we still have only 24 hours a day. How to make time? How to find cool stuff? Journals help, but skimming several journals a week still doesn’t fill the well. Twitter, used carefully, can. Herewith some science related links found just today (early part of the day) on my Twitter list.
pic.twitter.com/tXsa3KUrsz Penguins have big grooves in their skulls above the eyes–holding glands that remove salt from their bodies. Something to think about for alien species. What anatomical specifics might they have?
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/photos/imagedetails/index.cfm?imageId=5303 Images from space exploration spark imagination and suggest more realistic worldbuilding. I follow several space-related accounts.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/02/29/the-stem-cell-scandal What can go wrong in high-level scientific research institutes: the human side of the fallout, as well as what’s in the few seconds given science news on most media. This link came by way of Ed Yong (his Twitter handle mentioned below.)
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v530/n7590/full/530284a.html?WT.mc_id=TWT_newsandviews Quantum physics: coupling of photons by mechanical vibration. More “hmmm…” that might lead to a story.
Very helpful Twitter accounts (not only ones I follow, or that are good, but a few to start with): @edyong209 (science journalist, RTs other sci-related tweets and outside links to good stuff) @AnneHilborn (cheetah researcher, lots of good pics of African wildlife) and RTs and links to other wildlife biologists) @NASAEarth @AliceBell (science journalist, finds interesting stuff) @NatureNV (hot science news. Sometimes links to behind paywall, but not always.)
So there’s a start to some interesting science on Monday. What are your favorite science-related Twitter accounts? Do you follow mostly science journalists, or scientists, or a mix? Do you ever use Twitter for active searching (for scientists, for data)? Do you also read journals, and if so, which?
And some of us just follow your retweets because you curate the stream wonderfully. Plus Hakai, the journal, and @ceamer who writes the stuff and shares.
@ceamer is definitely another science based account to follow. There are lots; I’ll post more another time.
I have never gotten into twitter. What I have gotten into is several youtube channels. One is by a rocket engineer by the name of Destin who looks into interesting phenomena, explores what is happening and then tries to explain what is happening. The channel is Smarter Everyday and is just great to watch. Brady Haran has a bunch of great channels covering math, chemistry, computers and astronomy. There is a bunch of other great channels I check out, but I am subscribed to the above.
Just some suggestions.
Thanks, Ed. I find it takes me longer to get through You Tube channels than to skim a bunch of tweets, but to each his/her own way of staying connected. I will (at the cost of more time eaten by the internet) take a look at Smarter Everyday. There are, indeed, wonderful sources on the internet if you’re selective about them.