science

science

Separating Sense from Nonsense: McGill University’s Office for Science in Society

Separating Sense from Nonsense: McGill University’s Office for Science in Society

, , , Research, Website
“Science looks like magic, until you know how it works.”  That was one of the first things Dr. Joe Schwarcz said when IU East Coordinator of Library Instruction, KT Lowe, met him last month.  Dr. Schwarcz is the director of the McGill University Office for Science and Society, one of the best fake news fighting organizations in North America.  The OSS focuses primarily on the science of the everyday, busting myths about food, sunscreen, homeopathy and other quotidian things. The room where it happens. The OSS was formally established in 1999 and receives no corporate funding.  It is a formalization of Dr. Schwarcz’s work since the 1980’s, when he would speak with the media on all things science.  He and his … Continued
One People One Sky

One People One Sky

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
April is Global Astronomy Month, sponsored by Astronomers Without Borders, a group dedicated to strengthening the bonds between nations by looking outward together. Their motto is “One People, One Sky”, and they focus on practical astronomy that you can participate with in your back yard over more esoteric theories. Astronomy is one of the most viscerally compelling of the sciences, because any child can understand its scope and grandeur just by looking up at the night sky; of getting excited at being able to identify a constellation like the Big Dipper. Perhaps you were inspired by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Maria Mitchell, or Stephen Hawking. Perhaps you took an astronomy class thinking it would be an easy grade, and were unexpectedly … Continued
Wilier Than a Coyote

Wilier Than a Coyote

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
Wile E. Coyote gave many of us inadvertent lessons in science in his endless quest to dine on delicious roadrunner. The hazards of poorly understood physics (what goes up must come down), where you should stand during an experiment, and humorous cautions on not using proper safety precautions were all hallmarks of his schemes. Professors even occasionally use his misadventures in class, to illustrate their points. But when it comes to your research, you probably want something a little more… rigorous (and less prone to catastrophic failure and personal injury). Fortunately, the worst you risk in the library is an occasional paper cut. We have lots of high-quality databases for science (listed here) that can supply you with the current … Continued
Science Questions

Science Questions

, , , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
This summer, we’ve been looking at how to do insightful, quality research at IU East.  And while there are great general sources and techniques available that benefit any researcher, each discipline has its own special sources and quirks.  This week, we’ll look at the natural sciences.  If you’ve been following these columns, you’ll notice that there is some overlap with mathematics, since math is in many ways the ‘language’ of science.  People who are good at science often first studied math. Science is an incredibly broad topic, and which scientific discipline you are interested will affect your searching.  For example, finding current material (books and articles published in the last few years) is vitally important in most topics of biology … Continued
Endings and Beginnings

Endings and Beginnings

, Library Resources, Mandi Moning 0 Comments
The month of July saw some ups and downs in the scientific community: on July 4, we heard about the discovery of the Higgs boson particle which the New York Times described as “one of the longest, most expensive searches in the history of science.”1  Then, on July 23, we heard of the sad death of astronaut Sally Ride. Perhaps you’ve studied Physics or Astronomy here at IU East and have a firm understanding of the implications of these events. In that case, you may just want to catch up on the news surrounding such events using our Newspaper Source database. You might also search Biography in Context or American Women’s History Online for information on Sally’s life and the … Continued