Now on ScienceBlogs: Sibley and Ahlquist's 'Tapestry'
David Dobbs on science, nature, and culture.
I write on science, medicine, nature, culture and other matters for the New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Slate, National Geographic, Scientific American Mind, and other publications. (Find clips here.) Right now I'm writing my fourth book, The Orchid and the Dandelion, which explores the hypothesis that the genetic roots some of our worst problems and traits — depresison, hyperaggression, violence, antisocial behavior — can also give rise to resilience, cooperation, empathy, and contentment. The book expands on my December 2009 Atlantic article exploring these ideas.
I've also written three books, including Reef Madness: Charles Darwin, Alexander Agassiz, and the Meaning of Coral, which traces the strangest but most forgotten controversy in Darwin's career — an elemental dispute running some 75 years.
If you'd like, you can subscribe to Neuron Culture by email. You might also want to see more of my work at my main website or check out my Tumblr log.
Category: Brains and minds
PTSD, pharma, adjuvants, bad movies -- these are a few of my favorite things, and readers' too. How'd Neil get in here? I love him.
Posted by David Dobbs at 5:23 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and minds
The week's best -- with new features!
Posted by David Dobbs at 2:14 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and minds
Gary Kasparov ponders the limitations of technology as a means of playing chess truly well. His critique could be applied equally well to pharma.
Posted by David Dobbs at 10:45 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art
The month's goodies included orchids and dandelions; more of those; Shakespeare; toddlers in many permutations; and, naturally, a bit of stress.
Posted by David Dobbs at 11:45 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art
I respectfully differ from Mr. Lehrer: In Avatar, Cameron has not deftly realized the potential of his medium; he has deftly exploited its crudest powers of visual seduction while leaving its full potential untapped.
Posted by David Dobbs at 10:48 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Culture of science
This Wired story from Jonah Lehrer examines something that too often goes unexamined: The monumental messiness of science. This merely puts science on a par with many other serious endeavors that people try to pursue with rigor and ambition -- like, say, writing.
Posted by David Dobbs at 4:38 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and minds
I'll be on New Hampshire Public Radio's Word Of Mouth" noon-hour show tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec 22, talking with host Virginia Prescott about "Orchid Children," my recent Atlantic article about the genetic underpinnings of steady and mercurial ltemperaments. My segment will run about 10 minutes beginning at or just after noon.
Posted by David Dobbs at 1:26 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and minds
That people in earlier times experienced a lot of stress shouldn't be a surprise. Yet, like Ford, I am surprised at how many people assume that stress is mainly a modern phenomenon, and an exception rather than the rule.
Posted by David Dobbs at 7:03 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and minds
Brian Cox teaches the soliloquy to a toddler. If you need a neurohook, think language acquisition, attention, mirror neurons, make your pick. No need. This one wins on entertainment value alone.
Posted by David Dobbs at 6:12 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and minds
Last Friday I was on "To the Best of Our Knowledge," the excellent talk show put out by Wisconsin Public Radio, talking with Anne Strainchamps about my Atlantic article. Strainchamps is a good interviewer and we got some interesting calls. Those who missed it can listen to the hour-long segment here.
Posted by David Dobbs at 4:59 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
