The superhero craze shows no sign of abating in Hollywood, but a research lab remains as likely a place as any to find unusual talents (after all, how many Marvel characters were created as a result of experiments?). Here, in the first of a two-part series, is TIR’s guide to the superheroes of the lab – science’s own Suicide Squad? Continue reading
There’s a passage in “Lark Rise to Candleford”, Flora Thompson’s eloquent eulogy to pre-industrial Britain, where she recounts staying near Northampton with an aunt. Her aunt’s husband is a shoemaker, one of the many independent artisans of the time plying his trade in laces and leather. Continue reading
A quick tip of the hat this week from TIR to Nature Communications. In an editorial published on September 12, they have announced that from now on they will list (on an opt-in basis) all preprints undergoing review for publication in the journal. The move is an important step in the ongoing change to the way that priority of discovery is determined in research. Continue reading
What do good scientific research and hardcore pornography have in common? Continue reading
With the reproducibility crisis in science showing no signs of abating, it’s never been more important to clearly communicate how rigorously your data were obtained. Here’s TIR’s short guide to technical replicates, biological replicates, independent experiments, and what they do and don’t tell you. Continue reading
Total Internal Reflection 