(Press-News.org) Although biologists think that "new media" such as blogs and online social networks have an important influence on public opinion and political decisions, they aren't much inclined to use them themselves to stay informed about developments in science. Rather, they prefer traditional outlets such as newspapers and television. That seems, at least, to be the implication of a study published in the April issue of BioScience.
The study, by Joachim Allgaier of the Jülich Research Center in Germany and four coauthors, examined the opinions of 257 neuroscientists working in Germany and the United States who completed an online survey. Although German scientists had a slightly lower opinion of the influence of new media than US scientists, most researchers in both countries thought new media were important even though they made "lackluster" personal use of them. Scientists under 40 made slightly more use of them than older scientists.
The findings could be misleading if those who replied are not typical of neuroscientists, and it is possible that neuroscientists' attitudes are different from those of other biologists. Still, the study is a significant addition to what is known about scientists' communication habits. It suggests, the authors write, that scientists "continue to value the vetting process to which information is subject in media channels."
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BioScience, published monthly, is the journal of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS; http://www.aibs.org). BioScience is a forum for integrating the life sciences that publishes commentary and peer-reviewed articles. The journal has been published since 1964. AIBS is a meta-level organization for professional scientific societies and organizations that are involved with biology. It represents nearly 160 member societies and organizations. The article by Allgaier and colleagues can be accessed ahead of print as an uncorrected proof at http://www.aibs.org/bioscience-press-releases/ until early April.
The complete list of peer-reviewed articles in the April, 2013 issue of BioScience is as follows. These are now published ahead of print.
Responsible Aquaculture in 2050: Valuing local Conditions and Human Innovations will Be Key to Success. James S. Diana, Hillary S. Egna, Thierry Chopin, Mark S. Peterson, Ling Cao, Robert Pomeroy, Marc Verdegem, William T. Slack, Melba G. Bondad-Reantaso, and Felipe Cabello
Energy use and Greenhouse Gas emissions from Crop Production Using the Farm Energy Analysis Tool. Gustavo G. T. Camargo, Matthew R. Ryan, and Tom L. Richard
Sensory Adaptations of Fishes to Subterranean Environments. Daphne Soares and Matthew L. Niemiller
Journalism and Social media as means of observing the Contexts of Science. Joachim Allgaier, Sharon Dunwoody, Dominique Brossard, Yin-Yueh Lo, and Hans Peter Peters
Learning to Reason about Ecosystems Dynamics over Time: The Challenges of an Event-Based Causal Focus. Tina A. Grotzer, Amy M. Kamarainen, M. Shane Tutwiler, Shari Metcalf, and Chris Dede
Progress and Perspectives on Question-Driven Coral Reef monitoring. Peter Houk and Robert van Woesik
END
HOUSTON – (March 8, 2013) – A more rapid laboratory test for pregnant women to detect potentially deadly Group B strep (GBS) has been successful at identifying GBS colonization in six and a half hours, according to the results of a study from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
The more rapid test could be helpful for the 13 percent of patients who experience pre-term labor before they are screened for GBS, which usually occurs between 35 and 37 weeks of gestation. The current standard test takes 48 hours. Antibiotics can be administered ...
Cyclone 19P in the Southern Pacific Ocean was renamed Sandra today, March 8, as NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on the storm that indicated it would continue to strengthen. Residents of New Caledonia should prepare for impacts from Sandra early next week.
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an infrared image of Cyclone Sandra's cloud top temperatures on March 8 at 1717 UTC (12:17 p.m. EST). Strong thunderstorms around Sandra's center and in a band east of the center appeared as cold as -63 Fahrenheit ...
For more than 20 years, researchers have been using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to measure and characterize materials at the nanometer scale. However AFM-based measurements of chemistry and chemical properties of materials were generally not possible, until now.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report that they have measured the chemical properties of polymer nanostructures as small as 15 nm, using a novel technique called atomic force microscope infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR). The article, "Atomic force microscope infrared spectroscopy ...
New technologies that exploit quantum behavior for computing and other applications are closer than ever to being realized due to recent advances, according to a review article published this week in the journal Science.
A silicon chip levitates individual atoms used in quantum information processing. Photo: Curt Suplee and Emily Edwards, Joint Quantum Institute and University of Maryland. Credit: Science.
These advances could enable the creation of immensely powerful computers as well as other applications, such as highly sensitive ...
Custody and visitation rights for grandparents in Pennsylvania
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The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is important and special. In most cases, the survival of this relationship depends on the consent of the children's parents.
Sometimes -- perhaps because of estrangement, illness or divorce -- parents may limit grandparents' ability to spend time with their children. When this happens, grandparents may be able to go to court and seek protection of their grandparents' rights, ...
Changes to taxes for small businesses in 2013
Article provided by Eno, Martin & Donahue, L.L.P.
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As tax day approaches, individuals and businesses need to be sure that they are familiar with all of the changes that have been made to tax laws. Each year, the tax code undergoes multiple changes, and this year is no exception. No one wants to go through an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audit or collection action. Failing to keep up with these changes could subject individuals and businesses to potential tax penalties if ...
Divorce rate rising for US Baby Boomers
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As the average life expectancy in the United States has risen and the characteristics of a successful and happy marriage have changed, the number of people who choose to divorce later in life has also increased. Interestingly, while the number of older Americans getting divorce has risen, the number of younger couples divorcing in the US has remained relatively the same over the past two decades.
According to a study conducted by ...
Splitting up without a fight? It's possible in collaborative divorce
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For most people, the end of a marriage is a traumatic event. Even if both spouses know that getting a divorce is the right thing to do, the upset that comes from leaving behind your old life and facing a new one full of uncertainty can be a lot to handle. In too many cases, this stress is made even worse by the conflict and competition that comes with divorce litigation.
It doesn't have to be this way. ...
5 tips for staying close to your kids after divorce
Article provided by King, Koligian & Associates, LLC
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One of the hardest parts of a divorce is figuring out the best way to handle child custody. Every parent loves their children dearly, and given the choice, nearly all of them would choose to have their kids stay with them full-time.
Of course, after a divorce, this is rarely possible. The dissolution of a marriage usually means shared custody with the children dividing their time between two households. In these ...
As that burning question continues to be asked, Save The Radio! An Irish-influenced modern rock duo from Tampa Bay, Florida throws down the gauntlet for all to see and hear.
THIS WEEK (3/5/13) marks the Digital and Physical Release of their first full-length album entitled: PARALLEL DIVIDES
The album features a SIDE FM (The Rock Side) and SIDE AM (The Acoustic Based Side). PARALLEL DIVIDES title as Singer/Guitarist Shawn Scheller suggests is "Two ways of showing the bands versatility side by side"
SAVE THE RADIO! 's PARALLEL DIVIDES is an AAA/AOR Program ...
