275 posts · 155,098 views
I am a freelance writer, former editor, and co-founder of ResearchBlogging.org. I'm the author of three different books for college writing students: 80 Readings (HarperCollins, 1992), The Pocket Reader (Longman, 2000), and Researching Online (Longman, 1999-2001). I hold a B.A. (1989) from the University of Chicago, a Master's in Science Education (1994) from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Master's in English (2004) from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.
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- July 29, 2010
- 12:52 PM
- 51 views
ResearchBlogCast #11: Using the genome to identify species
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
How do you define a species? Most people would probably say species are similar organisms that can reproduce sexually to produce viable offspring. But what about organisms that don’t reproduce sexually? Surely they have species too.
Today we’re discussing new research suggesting a different way to define species, using their genomes. It’s an intriguing study that [...]... Read more »
Birky, C., Adams, J., Gemmel, M., & Perry, J. (2010) Using Population Genetic Theory and DNA Sequences for Species Detection and Identification in Asexual Organisms. PLoS ONE, 5(5). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010609
- July 6, 2010
- 12:28 PM
- 122 views
ResearchBlogCast #10: Does being a little crazy make you more creative?
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
Throughout history we’ve seen examples of artists and others who, while possessing amazing talent, also don’t seem “normal.” Whether it be tormented artists like Vincent van Gogh, or the stereotype of the “mad scientist,” it often seems like a little schizophrenia might underlie amazing genius.
In fact, some psychological studies have found that schizophrenics do tend [...]... Read more »
de Manzano, �., Cervenka, S., Karabanov, A., Farde, L., & Ullén, F. (2010) Thinking Outside a Less Intact Box: Thalamic Dopamine D2 Receptor Densities Are Negatively Related to Psychometric Creativity in Healthy Individuals. PLoS ONE, 5(5). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010670
- June 21, 2010
- 04:07 PM
- 114 views
ResearchBlogCast #9: Genetics, fertility, and disease
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
Why would a deadly genetically-transmitted disease persist? Doesn’t “survival of the fittest” mean that any genetic mutation that causes premature death should quickly be extinguished? In the case of Cystic Fibrosis, the problem is even more dramatic, because CF causes infertility in men. How could this gene possibly survive? Yet it not only survives, it [...]... Read more »
Kosova, G., Pickrell, J., Kelley, J., McArdle, P., Shuldiner, A., Abney, M., & Ober, C. (2010) The CFTR Met 470 Allele Is Associated with Lower Birth Rates in Fertile Men from a Population Isolate. PLoS Genetics, 6(6). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000974
- June 8, 2010
- 04:18 PM
- 299 views
ResearchBlogCast #8: Protecting the Environment While Reducing Poverty
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
Some of the most bio-diverse areas of the world are also some of the most impoverished, which is why it can seem cruel to create national parks and other protected areas to preserve these ecosystems. Aren’t the human lives in those regions more important than plants or other animals? Some research has supported the idea [...]... Read more »
Andam, K., Ferraro, P., Sims, K., Healy, A., & Holland, M. (2010) Protected areas reduced poverty in Costa Rica and Thailand. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(22), 9996-10001. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0914177107
- May 25, 2010
- 08:32 AM
- 148 views
ResearchBlogCast #7: Why would we ever cooperate?
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
Cooperation is seen not only in humans, but in societies formed by organisms from ants to baboons. But in many cases, it’s difficult to figure out why any individual would want to cooperate. Wouldn’t it be easier just to take what you want without doing any work? While cooperation is good for the group, why [...]... Read more »
Boyd, R., Gintis, H., & Bowles, S. (2010) Coordinated Punishment of Defectors Sustains Cooperation and Can Proliferate When Rare. Science, 328(5978), 617-620. DOI: 10.1126/science.1183665
- May 17, 2010
- 03:01 PM
- 198 views
ResearchBlogCast #6: Emotional Intelligence and Bullying, In Person and Online
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
Cyber-bullying is a growing problem, but it’s so new that there’s not much research about it. So Krystal D’Costa begins her work studying cyber-bullying by considering what goes into real-world bullying.
Each week, Kevin Zelnio, Razib Khan, and I choose one or more journal articles to discuss in podcast form. This week, while Kevin is on [...]... Read more »
Mayer, J., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. (2004) TARGET ARTICLES: "Emotional Intelligence: Theory, Findings, and Implications". Psychological Inquiry, 15(3), 197-215. DOI: 10.1207/s15327965pli1503_02
Snyder, J., Brooker, M., Patrick, M., Snyder, A., Schrepferman, L., & Stoolmiller, M. (2003) Observed Peer Victimization During Early Elementary School: Continuity, Growth, and Relation to Risk for Child Antisocial and Depressive Behavior. Child Development, 74(6), 1881-1898. DOI: 10.1046/j.1467-8624.2003.00644.x
- May 14, 2010
- 12:14 PM
- 183 views
The hollow mask gets a nose ring!
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
The hollow face mask illusion is a great three-dimensional effect that’s remarkable because it not only works in movies, it also works in real life. Check this out:
This is a computer-generated image (from the Max-Planck-Institut für biologische Kybernetik in Tübingen), but it can just as easily be perceived with a real hollow mask. Here’s [...]... Read more »
Papathomas, T. (2007) Art pieces that 'move' in our minds — an explanation of illusory motion based on depth reversal. Spatial Vision, 21(1), 79-95. DOI: 10.1163/156856807782753958
- May 7, 2010
- 12:53 PM
- 208 views
Spinning ellipses perplex the visual system
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
Take a look at this video (Click on the image to play, QuickTime required):
Which ellipse is rotating faster?
While at first it seems quite obvious that the ellipse on the right is rotating faster, if you download the movie and play in loop mode, by counting rotations you should be able to convince yourself that they [...]... Read more »
Caplovitz, G., Hsieh, P., & Tse, P. (2006) Mechanisms underlying the perceived angular velocity of a rigidly rotating object. Vision Research, 46(18), 2877-2893. DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2006.02.026
- May 5, 2010
- 05:33 PM
- 154 views
Watch colors disappear and merge right before your eyes
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
One of the most amazing visual illusions is also one of the simplest. It’s called the Troxler effect for Ignaz Troxler, the scientist who discovered it in 1804. To experience it, just stare at the central dot in this figure for 30 seconds or so, with your head about 12 inches from your computer monitor. [...]... Read more »
HSIEH, P., & TSE, P. (2006) Illusory color mixing upon perceptual fading and filling-in does not result in ‘forbidden colors’. Vision Research, 46(14), 2251-2258. DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2005.11.030
- May 4, 2010
- 03:39 PM
- 178 views
May will be a month of illusions
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
For the next month, I’m going to be blogging about illusions and the people who create them. So let’s get started. Take a look at the following short movie, following the on-screen instructions. Just watch it once!
This one is based on an illusion by Stuart Anstis, who in turn based it on a very popular [...]... Read more »
Thompson, P., Anstis, S., Rhodes, G., Jeffery, L., & Valentine, T. (2009) Thompson’s 1980 paper. Perception, 38(6), 921-932. DOI: 10.1068/pmktho
- May 3, 2010
- 04:33 PM
- 152 views
ResearchBlogCast #5: A mathematical model for ecological impact
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
There’s no denying that global warming will impose massive changes on the environment. But a recent paper suggests that the models ecologists typically use to assess the effects of environmental changes may be neglecting a key factor: The ability of organisms to adapt to the environment. What are the implications of incorporating the capacity for [...]... Read more »
Chevin, L., Lande, R., & Mace, G. (2010) Adaptation, Plasticity, and Extinction in a Changing Environment: Towards a Predictive Theory. PLoS Biology, 8(4). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000357
- April 28, 2010
- 05:13 PM
- 177 views
Battle of the diets: Mediterranean versus DASH
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
It seems like every few months we hear about some new diet that is supposed to help us melt away the pounds and add years to our lives. But how different are these diets, really? I’ve already discussed studies suggesting that the DASH diet does indeed appear to decrease risk of heart disease and reduce [...]... Read more »
Trichopoulou, A. (2003) Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and Survival in a Greek Population. New England Journal of Medicine, 348(26), 2599-2608. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa025039
Sofi, F., Cesari, F., Abbate, R., Gensini, G., & Casini, A. (2008) Adherence to Mediterranean diet and health status: meta-analysis. BMJ, 337(sep11 2). DOI: 10.1136/bmj.a1344
- April 26, 2010
- 05:04 PM
- 217 views
ResearchBlogCast #4: Fewer big fish in the sea
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
As more and more commercial fishers compete for fewer and fewer fish, ecologists are beginning to explore the impact. What happens when all or most of the big fish are caught? Does the rest of the ecosystem somehow compensate?
As we do each week, Kevin Zelnio, Razib Khan, and I have chosen a journal article to [...]... Read more »
Shackell, N., Frank, K., Fisher, J., Petrie, B., & Leggett, W. (2009) Decline in top predator body size and changing climate alter trophic structure in an oceanic ecosystem. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277(1686), 1353-1360. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.1020
- April 22, 2010
- 12:27 PM
- 180 views
Helping kids eat better by changing school lunches (Part 2)
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
Yesterday I discussed two studies on school lunches in California — one showing that students bring lunches from home tended to eat healthier foods, and one showing that kids will keep buying food at school even when the only option is healthy foods.
But both of these studies had flaws. The first study was conducted before [...]... Read more »
Cullen, K., Watson, K., & Zakeri, I. (2007) Improvements in Middle School Student Dietary Intake After Implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy. American Journal of Public Health, 98(1), 111-117. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.111765
Schwartz MB. (2007) The influence of a verbal prompt on school lunch fruit consumption: a pilot study. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 6. PMID: 17338812
- April 21, 2010
- 05:16 PM
- 154 views
Helping kids eat better by changing school lunches (Part 1)
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
Last year a study was released suggesting that kids who bought lunch at school tended to eat less healthy foods than kids who brought their own lunch from home. Since the National School Lunch Program in the US is supposed to encourage children to eat better, this was quite a blow. If kids don’t eat [...]... Read more »
Hastert TA, & Babey SH. (2009) School lunch source and adolescent dietary behavior. Preventing chronic disease, 6(4). PMID: 19754993
Wojcicki, J., & Heyman, M. (2006) Healthier Choices and Increased Participation in a Middle School Lunch Program: Effects of Nutrition Policy Changes in San Francisco. American Journal of Public Health, 96(9), 1542-1547. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.070946
- April 19, 2010
- 02:14 PM
- 214 views
ResearchBlogCast: Can changing diet improve real-world health?
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
Each week, Research Bloggers Kevin Zelnio, Razib Khan, and I will choose a journal article to discuss in podcast form. We’ll make sure it’s an article that we or someone else has covered on their blog, so ideally, you’ll read the blog post first to get a general understanding of the research, then listen to [...]... Read more »
Fung, T., Chiuve, S., McCullough, M., Rexrode, K., Logroscino, G., & Hu, F. (2008) Adherence to a DASH-Style Diet and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke in Women. Archives of Internal Medicine, 168(7), 713-720. DOI: 10.1001/archinte.168.7.713
- April 14, 2010
- 04:57 PM
- 209 views
Can diet be used to control high blood pressure long-term?
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
Do a search for “high blood pressure” or “hypertension” and you’ll find that nearly every health website recommends the DASH diet to control blood pressure. It makes some sense: If sodium and saturated fat cause high blood pressure, then removing them from your diet should make it come back down.
But changing your eating habits is [...]... Read more »
Fung, T., Chiuve, S., McCullough, M., Rexrode, K., Logroscino, G., & Hu, F. (2008) Adherence to a DASH-Style Diet and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke in Women. Archives of Internal Medicine, 168(7), 713-720. DOI: 10.1001/archinte.168.7.713
- April 13, 2010
- 01:20 PM
- 138 views
ResearchBlogCast: Milk tolerance among ancient “swedes”
by Dave Munger in ResearchBlogging.org News
Each week, Research Bloggers Kevin Zelnio, Razib Khan, and I will choose a journal article to discuss in podcast form. We’ll make sure it’s an article that we or someone else has covered on their blog, so ideally, you’ll read the blog post first to get a general understanding of the research, then listen to [...]... Read more »
Malmstrom, H., Linderholm, A., Liden, K., Stora, J., Molnar, P., Holmlund, G., Jakobsson, M., & Gotherstrom, A. (2010) High frequency of lactose intolerance in a prehistoric hunter-gatherer population in northern Europe. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 10(1), 89. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-89
- April 9, 2010
- 01:55 PM
- 248 views
Glycemic what?
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
Yesterday I posted an analysis of my food intake for the first week of April. I did so because I wanted to get a sense of what I’m eating and how that compares to the “ideal” diet, if there is such a thing. I want to know if I should try to lose weight, maintain [...]... Read more »
Radulian, G., Rusu, E., Dragomir, A., & Posea, M. (2009) Metabolic effects of low glycaemic index diets. Nutrition Journal, 8(1), 5. DOI: 10.1186/1475-2891-8-5
- April 8, 2010
- 03:21 PM
- 200 views
My nutrition and fitness update: Week 1
by Dave in The Daily Monthly
When I started this month of posts on fitness and nutrition, I promised that I’d be using myself as a bit of a guinea pig, recording all my food and beverage intake, as well as my exercise. You can see my record here, but the MyFitnessPal site doesn’t do a very good job of summing [...]... Read more »
Hsieh, S., Yoshinaga, H., & Muto, T. (2003) Waist-to-height ratio, a simple and practical index for assessing central fat distribution and metabolic risk in Japanese men and women. International Journal of Obesity, 27(5), 610-616. DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802259
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