Science nerd Dad who engages his kids with science through music, drawing and writing by making it fun. Sharing my content too help others share their own journeys of discovery. https://linktr.ee/chrismacalister
Today's featured post sucks, literally. matildaslab.wordpress.com/2022/11/24/b... #scicomm #bramstoker #dracula
Bram Stoker & Draculoides bramstokeriMatilda’s Lab ©2022matildaslab.wordpress.comIt's that time of the month. My July single has been released! Mercury, is the first in a series of song that will eventually cover all the planets of the solar system. Things I learnt whilst writing it. Mercury's orbit is 88 days and it is home to a "spider" called Apollodorus.
Chris MacAlister - MercuryListen to Mercury by Chris MacAlister.artists.landr.comAfter many years of writing the history of science series, I've finally arrived at, what many would describe as, the start of history. #scicomm #historyofscience
WritingA guide the the first appearance of written writing and how it could have developed.matildaslab.wordpress.comWho doesn't love a penguin? matildaslab.wordpress.com/2022/11/03/a... #scicomm #penguins
Alexander Von Humboldt & Spheniscus homboldtiMatilda’s Lab ©2022matildaslab.wordpress.comAI is so tricky. On one hand there is generative slop 'art', on the other, it literally saves lives. Then there are chat bots; algorithms who act at sentience. Whilst cold and unfeeling, they can be of comfort to those in need. They can just as easily lead to the pits of dispair. #sciencenews
AI companionship poses risks for teen developmentAI-powered conversational tools are becoming a common source of emotional support for teenagers. But without safeguards and careful design, reliance on these systems may bypass opportunities for ...www.eurekalert.orgIt's newsletter time! This week, there is a boat. We have a brand-new monkey, plus monkeys in the uncanny valley, a worm with bio-metals, how elephants talk over great distances and Coldplay.
Matilda's Lab Newsletter #114This week, there is a boat. We have a brand-new monkey, plus monkeys in the uncanny valley, a worm with bio-metals, how elephants talk over great distances and Coldplay.open.substack.comTun State turns 2 today! Happy birthday to song about yearning, loss, and microscopic animals that can adopt a condition that makes them practically indestructible. #scicomm #sciencesong
Chris MacAlister - Tun State (feat. Matilda's Lab) - SingleListen to Tun State (feat. Matilda's Lab) - Single by Chris MacAlister.artists.landr.comHow social media steals our attention. It's like junk food for the mind. It gives a quick reward, but provides little sustenance, and too much of it will make you ill. #sciencenews
The real effect of digital media on thinking and learningRather than asking whether smartphones and social media simply damage our cognitive abilities, this new paper argues that they may instead recalibrate how we value and allocate mental effort...www.eurekalert.orgThis was the lesson that sparked one of the early Matilda's Lab songs "immortality". It's just one of the vampiric attributes featured in this post. #scicomm #vampires
Could vampires really exist?Vampires form the basis of some of the most prominent monster stories that we have. Whilst the modern concept of vampires is quite clearly fictional, such ancient concepts frequently have their roo…matildaslab.wordpress.comNature hack: Learning is not always easy. Some knowledge is harder to lock down in memory. If you really want to learn something, you need to include the element of surprise. #sciencenews
Researchers discover how our brains react to surpriseAustralian researchers have uncovered what happens behind the scenes in our brain when we’re faced with a predictable situation versus a surprise, giving vital clues in a long-standing mystery i...www.eurekalert.orgToday is the next addition to the map of life. New-in is the bizarre ancient shark ancestor Plesioselachus. The full map can be seen here: matildaslab.wordpress.com/map-of-life/ #scicomm #sciart #infographic
Laughing with the other side of your brain. Genuine laughter and that put on for effect come from completely different neural pathways. #scicomm
Spontaneous and voluntary laughter come from two different brain regionsLaughter is a universal social signal that connects us with others, but the brain regions underlying laughter are not well understood, in part because it’s hard to elicit genuine ...www.eurekalert.orgThe female touch in negotiations. It's just as effective as a male touch, but it leaves people feeling more positive afterwards. Not all business results are economic. #sciencenews
Women negotiate as effectively as men – but leave people happierMen and women achieve similar economic outcomes in negotiations, but female negotiators foster stronger interpersonal relationships, which lead in turn to greater satisfaction...www.eurekalert.orgIt's newsletter time again: This week had Father's Day. We see why social media is so addictive, why it's not natural make others feel better, how stress affects our bugs, circadian cooperation and a colour changing snail.
Matilda's Lab Newsletter #113This week had Father's Day. We see why social media is so addictive, why it's not natural make others feel better, how stress affects our bugs, circadian cooperation and a colour changing snail.open.substack.comHere's something you don't hear every day. Yesterday marked the first anniversary of my single '7 days' being released. A musical guide to the 7 times table set to story of someone caught up in a shady affair. #scicomm
Chris MacAlister - 7 DaysListen to 7 Days by Chris MacAlister.artists.landr.comToday we feature a post about Yoda, the parasite. #scicomm #yoda
Yoda & Albunione yodaMatilda’s Lab ©2022matildaslab.wordpress.comA bit part of another of nature's long standing mysteries has been found. How fly traps move so quickly. #sciencenews
Exceeding nature’s biological speed limitsRapid cell wall relaxation initiates the snap of the Venus flytrapwww.science.orgWe have a rather timely featured post today. This lesson on the Sumerians references the invention of writing, which is the lesson that I am currently writing. #scicomm #history
The SumeriansThis instalment in the History of Science series is not about a specific development. Instead we are setting the scene for a series of developments. Everything that we have covered up until now has…matildaslab.wordpress.comSpeaking well does not immediately make you engaging #sciencenews
Study yields new insights on what makes conversation engagingWhat makes a speaker engaging? Both what is said and how it is said matter, but in different, complementary ways, a new study conducted at the McGill School of Communication Sciences and Disorders has...www.eurekalert.orgLet's kick the week off with another addition to the map of life. 2 new orders are dropping into the squaliform sharks. Remember that you can see the full maps here: matildaslab.wordpress.com/map-of-life/