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I Support the Public Library of Science

Redefining Authorship?

I’m known for being stingy with my authorship lists. I don’t believe collecting samples, doing a couple PCRs, or otherwise being present, or even bouncing ideas off of, justifies you name as a author on scientific paper. I am skeptical of long author lists in top-tiered journals. I do like to promote my hard-working undergraduate [...]

What Happened to PLoS Systematics?

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 [...]

And I’m Off…

.. to Brazil! I wrote up the details at Deep Sea News this week. Duke News and Communications just put up a press release about the project!

“In an inspiring mix of 19th and 21st Century technologies, a Duke Marine Lab researcher will play the role of Charles Darwin on an upcoming oceanographic cruise off the [...]

Following in Darwin’s Footsteps

(This is reposted from Deep Sea News)

In less than a month The HMS Beagle Project will conduct a feasibility study for doing modern oceanographic research aboard a sailing ship. The Brazilian tall ship Tocorimé will serve as the analogue HMS Beagle. I am honored to say that I will serve as the modern day counterpart [...]

Patenting Systematics Revisited

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 [...]

Patenting Systematics

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. [...]