By My Fave Science News Sites
A lifelong curiosity about science
Over the years I’ve read thousands of science magazines, journals, newspapers, newsletters, ezines, leaflets, books and more. Can’t remember any of them. And those that I do remember were ones I remember because they’ve just been superseded by new research.
I also used to own quite a lot of ‘science for kids’ books that gave complex information in easy to understand sentences, comparisons to soccer balls and olympic-size swimming pools, notwithstanding.
These days I get regular science news via email, and mobile apps. I still geek out a little at some awesome discovery, and when I see something new and fascinating, I either instantly think of a possible story around it, or save the link to refer to for a future scene in a novel.
I have no idea what links I have in my bookmarks now. Thousands I probably won’t revisit anytime soon. But I’m sure when I need them I’ll find them.
But, I never became a scientist
The idea of spending years researching the answer to just one thing doesn’t appeal. Numbers don’t appeal so much to me either. I disliked numbers so much I was one of the early adopters of bank cards, throwing away those old account passbooks as fast as possible, just so that I didn’t need to work out change in my head.
Of course, there are specific areas of science that don’t require numbers. No, I lied. There aren’t. Even studying the mating of the patagonian toothfish requires you to count how many fish there are in the school. So, writing has that unique feature of not requiring numbers that often (besides checking your word count, page numbers, chapter numbers, correct sizing for cover conversion, and… okay but it isn’t that often!)
But, the other reason that I never became a scientist was because there is just so much science to choose from. If I chose astrobiology, I wouldn’t be able to also do archaeology. If I wanted to work on biochemical materials for aeronautical purposes, I’d have to give up astronomy. And so, rather than focus on one and specialise, I dabble in them all and generalise!
I guess you could call me a pantomath, as I don’t have the memory of a polymath, though having the word ‘math’ in it does worry me somewhat. Even so, I love the idea of drawing on many fields and disciplines to solve a writing problem. It’s possible all science fiction writers are pantomaths. If its epic, and you can spot at least ten different disciplines underlying the science in the work, the writer can probably claim the pantomath title.
My current list of science links with free daily news
Quick with the science news, but also ready to comment on something remotely sciency, the articles read like someone’s having a conversation with you, and are great for grabbing the gist of something while waiting for a train. Of the 100 or so emails I get every day, it’s usually the first one I read.
Out of Melbourne, running since late 2004, the magazine and online website are great for revealing some easily missed science stories. While many science press releases get recycled by thousands of news outlets, Cosmos brings out some original stuff that doesn’t make it into mainstream. Once I’ve checked the trendy science news, I jump to Cosmos to find other news or a different perspective.
and
These are best read on a PC. They’ve got a great set up with recent news down the side columns, and easy navigation. Reading them on your smart phone is okay, though I like to read a single line to decide if I want to continue, not scroll through several lines and an image. Still, these are my go to sites for deep and meaningful news with stats, equations, quotes, and a lot more detail. They also cover unpopular news stories. You could spend hours here (and I have!)
Special mention for the app Science News Daily. It’s an aggregate app so you could end up with just about any science news from anywhere. Great for surprises! Lots of ads though, and some articles require a subscription.
I also check NASA, JAXA,the European Space Agency, and other space related pages every now and then, as well as subscribe to some random astrobiology newsletters.
I also read general news, which sometimes has some science news in it.
And Some Apps
My fave general news apps are, in no particular order, (Google Play):
So, with all this reading, when do I have time to write?
Good point. I better get back to it!