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: Medicine
Neuroskeptic takes a sharp look at how our expanding definition of depression paralleled our expanding use of antidepressants -- and perhaps led to antidepressant's poor performance in the less severely depressed. T
Posted by David Dobbs at 8:11 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Culture of science
So a company, angry at being accused of trying to suppress information, responds by ... sueing the guy who released the information.
Posted by David Dobbs at 3:13 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Books
PTSD, orchid children, military suicides, coral isles, and adjuvants. That was a SLOW month at Neuron Culture.
Posted by David Dobbs at 3:20 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Swine flu
A bit early yet, but as I'm traveling the rest of the month, here's my top 5 over the last month. Swine flu everywhere you look.
Posted by David Dobbs at 2:03 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Healthcare policy
I like industrial secrets as much as the next person. But it would seem that when tens of millions of doses of vaccine are weeks late, we might get something more specific than that one company was overoptimistic and another had trouble filling syringes.
Posted by David Dobbs at 8:43 AM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Medicine
W.C. Fields (above) famously called death the “fellow in the brite nightgown.” A few years ago Donald Fagan turned this into a catchy song. To those unconcerned about H1N1 feel free to hum it on your way out the door, when said fellow gives you the victory hug.
Posted by David Dobbs at 8:59 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Healthcare policy
The steps we've taken, while half-measures to be sure, reflect the state's essential decency and civility. Yet Vermont's distinction is not in curing the healthcare problem. We're just stanching the bleeding a bit better than other states.
Posted by David Dobbs at 9:37 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Culture of science
He walked away from it cold, and went on to live a rich, fulfilling life. He and Moyers talk about something else for a bit. And then Moyers returns to the climb, "I know you did so much else, but I want want to return to that K2 climb again...," says Moyer. And Houston says, "The best thing I ever did."
Posted by David Dobbs at 7:20 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
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