December 22, 2011

Pirates of the Open Lab!

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

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.

Avast, ye landlubbers! I have some exciting news: there will be pirates in the next edition of the Open Lab! AiP's own examination of the Jolly Roger as a "pirate brand" made the cut!

This anthology collects 50 of the best examples of science writing online, and the line-up this year is amazing. Many thanks to supreme-editor-in-chief Jennifer Ouellette of Cocktail Party Physics for her hard work. (Full disclosure: I also served as an editor, but we were not permitted to review our own pieces.) You can view the finalists here. And you can also view some of the other stellar posts that didn't quite make the cut for one reason or another. My personal favorites from the latter list are "The Case of the Jaundiced Terrier" and "The Importance of Failure in Graduate Student Training."

I can't wait to see the final product. Congrats to all with whom I'll share a binding in 2012.

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