I’ve got a very busy week ahead so today’s post will be brief, and mostly made by other people. Check out this awesome “Band Aid” style video extolling the virtues of PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a method used to ... Read More  

I’m at Chapters in Dartmouth today, signing copies of Forensic Science, Fuzzy Forensics, and Fox Talk. If you’re in the vicinity, come on down between 12:00 and 2:00 pm and say hello! If you’re not, have a great weekend, and ... Read More  

Writing is one of the few professions that’s as much about dreams as business, and because our emotions and identity are inextricably tied to our work, writers are particularly vulnerable to predators – people who use our dreams to take advantage ... Read More  

Although many days I wish I didn’t, I remember quite clearly what it was like to be in junior high: looking fine when I checked the mirror in the morning, only to discover at lunch that a zit the size ... Read More  

Come hang with me and my author friends on Facebook today! Fun science, book talk, and a chance to win great prizes. The event is public, so no “friending” is necessary. See you there! Read More  

If you’ve been on the internet anytime in the last two weeks, you know exactly which dress “that dress” refers to, because people on Facebook, Twitter, and every other corner of the web have been arguing non-stop over whether ... Read More  

Local author and scientist Dr. Lindsey Carmichael will help your kids “Spring Break Into Science” this March, with two forensics-themed events planned for HRM. The events are in celebration of her 13th children’s science book, Forensic Science: In Pursuit ... Read More  

Yes, technically it’s now March, but since I’ll be celebrating Forensic Science and Fuzzy Forensics this Saturday at the Spring Break Into Science Facebook party, I figured one more crime science post was in order. Today I want to ... Read More  

It’s been a really rough week here, physically and mentally. Slipping on the ice was the tip of the ‘berg, unfortunately, and I am done. So I have declared a couch day. It will be me and books and Netflix ... Read More  

Monday I slipped while trying to put change in a parking meter and landed hard on the ice. I’ve got a sprained ankle, a very crabby knee, and a collection of rainbow-coloured bruises over various bits of my anatomy. But it ... Read More  

Have you ever watched Border Security? I’ve seen the Canadian and Australian editions and there may be more. They’re reality TV shows that take you inside customs and border checkpoints at airports and post offices, and if you can ... Read More  

I did an author visit at a local elementary school a couple of weeks ago, and when I returned to deliver the signed books kids had ordered, the secretary handed me a form for their current fundraiser – five ... Read More  

I’ve posted before about how gendered toys make me crazy, and LEGO has been a repeat offender in this category.* Which is why it was so great when LEGO released the set featuring women scientists – we can’t just TELL ... Read More  

The audio isn’t the greatest in this clip, but it’s fascinating all the same – it captures the moment when British forensic pathologists discovered the wound that killed Richard III. As anyone with even a vague interest in pop ... Read More  

I’m drowning in the week that never ends over here, so I’m throwing this out as a topic for general discussion. I started watching SHIELD because I love anything connected to Joss Whedon, no matter how tangentially. Season 1 ... Read More  

The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century was responsible for more than just technological breakthroughs and the novels of Charles Dickens. It also caused a major spike in crime rates, as people moved from the countryside into the cities looking ... Read More  

I grew up in Alberta and spent several formative years in Yellowknife, NWT. In Alberta, cities don’t bother plowing residential streets until the ruts are so deep you risk high-centering in the compacted snow, ice, and gravel* between them. In Yellowknife, you ... Read More  

We don’t have cable (just DVDs) and we rarely go to the theatre, so I tend to be a bit out of the loop when it comes to new movies. Which might be why I’ve only recently heard about ... Read More