The Online Laboratory of Kevin Zelnio » Systematics http://www.zelnio.org Deep Sea Biology | Systematics & Taxonomy | Science Writing | Music Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:37:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 How to Retard Scientific Progress http://www.zelnio.org/2010/07/12/how-to-retard-scientific-progress/ http://www.zelnio.org/2010/07/12/how-to-retard-scientific-progress/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 03:42:52 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=494 I found a great quote and analogy from an essay published in Current Biology by Peter Lawrence titled The mismeasurement of science. This essay takes a look at how science is measured and examines the use of impact factors and other metrics that measure scientific progress for individual scientists, academic departments and [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2010/07/12/how-to-retard-scientific-progress/feed/ 2 Repost: Is the World of Taxonomy Ready for PLoS Systematics? http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/04/repost-is-the-world-of-taxonomy-ready-for-plos-systematics/ http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/04/repost-is-the-world-of-taxonomy-ready-for-plos-systematics/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:27:05 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=383 This article was originally published February 20, 2008 at The Other 95%, where a good comment thread is also archived. I am reposting because I plan on discussing open access and electronic publishing in taxonomy more and feel this article sets the mood for my future thoughts. I recently posted an update on state of systematics [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/04/repost-is-the-world-of-taxonomy-ready-for-plos-systematics/feed/ 2 What Happened to PLoS Systematics? http://www.zelnio.org/2009/11/02/what-ever-happened-to-plos-systematics/ http://www.zelnio.org/2009/11/02/what-ever-happened-to-plos-systematics/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:27:32 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=284 Taxonomists move 2.718 times faster than ICZN, neither move fast enough.

In May of 2008 I enthusiastically lauded PLoS ONE for publishing their first open access paper that described some new species of ants. It has been a year and half since then, have there been other taxonomists taking to this new concept of a completely [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2009/11/02/what-ever-happened-to-plos-systematics/feed/ 3 Patenting Systematics Revisited http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/14/patenting-systematics-revisited/ http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/14/patenting-systematics-revisited/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:13:44 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=116 Alex, an entomologist at the fabulous Myrmecos blog, was also infuriated by the news piece by Pennisi (subscription required) in the latest issue of Science. His take was slightly different than my take on it a couple days ago. Alex is most upset about the pending Microsoft patent claim on, according to the language of the [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/14/patenting-systematics-revisited/feed/ 0 Patenting Systematics http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/08/patenting-systematics/ http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/08/patenting-systematics/#comments Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:39:23 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=96 An interesting news piece came out today in the most recent issue of Science. Elizabeth Pennisi reports that systematists are up in arms over pending patents on methods that have been in place for dozens of years. Such as a novel

“… way to use biological data that has been organized according to evolutionary relatedness. It [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/08/patenting-systematics/feed/ 2