December 1, 2011

Editor s Selections: Public Restrooms, Black Death, Social Cooperation, And Resilient Ecosystems

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Part of my online life includes editorial duties at ResearchBlogging.org, where I serve as the Social Sciences Editor. Each Thursday, I pick notable posts on research in anthropology, philosophy, social science, and research to share on the ResearchBlogging.org News site. To help highlight this writing, I also share my selections here on AiP.

The range for selections for this week were extended to include a few notable items from Thanksgiving Break:

At Inkfish, Elizabeth Preston urges us not to urinate on the seat in public restrooms with a review of the bacteria researchers have found in this particular environment. It's an interesting read in terms of the overlap of ecosystems.
At Contagions, Michelle Ziegler explains why India and China may have narrowly avoided devastation from the Black Death and highlights the relationships between networks, space, and ways of knowing.
At The Primate Diaries, Eric Michael Johnson asks traces changes in the brain structure of social networkers to determine if the number of Facebook friends you have can make you smarter. Our inclination for social cooperation may prime some individuals to thrive in these socially-oriented environments.
And finally, at Per Square Mile, Tim DeChant explores how ecosystems can adapt when faced with human activity. It is a hopeful discussion that focuses on the positives of change.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

I'll be back next week with more from anthropology, philosophy, and research.

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American