Global warning

There’s this very interesting and acute remark in a correspondance in Nature this week, about global warming. Among the very first papers dealing with this fundamental and applied question by J. S. Sawyer (Nature 239, 23–26; 1972), was a prediction that now proved to be strikingly accurate about the expected increase in temperature (0.6°C) :

In fact [...]

Cat blogging

Because it’s so easy! I’ve been adopted by this strange cat something like four years ago. This one’s smart and communicative, but it’s also jealous, overzealous,  and strikingly, trying to help when somebody is ill at home, and also going depressive from time to time. It’s also a fine entomologist specialised in crickets.

Late courtship does not always pay off

Courtship behaviors are sometimes long and unsuccessful, notably in flying insects. This is what happened to this unfortunate butterfly (maybe the Hobomok Skipper, Poanes hobomok, but there are numerous similar species and the pix do not allow me to reach an absolute certainty about the ID). I took the pictures of the event late in June, [...]

Rain, sun, rain, sun, butterflies.

They’ve been late this season. This is only my second summer here, so I can hardly make general statements, but I am amazed by the difference in insect species composition between years. It seems like almost completely different. Now, butterflies are really back. In particular, those guys here under, which are visiting the mint. I don’t know [...]

Requests leading here…

Some time ago, Matt entertained us fellows with the perverse requests leading to his blog. Since then, I tried to incorporate more sexy jargon into my posts. Hey, it didn’t increase visits nor sickotype requests…
Here is what I got today:
 asian wasp bees, japanese beetle behaviour, asian wasp, french black wasps…
Hey! No, wait, here is something that [...]

France of the unlightened…

Just so you know, there’s something wrong with the country I come from. Definitely wrong. French people like to see their country as the place with a long history of struggling for human rights. But things change. And not always for the best. Our current president is known for a very curious approach of human [...]

David s’amuse avec un GPS

Ici. C’est ça, d’avoir des geeks pour amis…

Manifs de droite

L’air du temps étant à l’envolée politique, je vous propose de découvrir avec délectation les manifs de droite. Ben oui, je ne vois pas pourquoi la gauche aurait le privilège de la révolte et de la contestation. A l’origine nées du mouvement des intermittents (de droite), et l’idée est en train de reprendre vigueur avec [...]

The Republican war on science, a short review

A few weeks months ago, just before going on a terrific field season (which learned me blogging is really an aside), I read “The Republican war on science”, from Chris Mooney (blogging at The Intersection).
I have to admit I bought the book without prejudice but also without such a strong interest, out of mere curiosity. [...]

Dawkins TED talk

31 enjoyable minutes.
In 2005.