In it’s simplest form, gene therapy involves replacing disease-causing variants of genes with healthy ones, in order to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of the condition. “Simple” in this context is extremely deceptive, however, as the process is extremely complex and ... Read More  

Look closely at the bottom shelf – that’s Fox Talk, face out and beautiful. Thanks to Mermaid Tales in Tofino, which hosted me for a signing last year, for all of your support. And thank to Westerly News Editor ... Read More  

Before I wrote Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, everything I knew about cars came from watching episodes of Top Gear. From there “who thought this was a good idea in the first place” files, I give you the Reliant Robin, ... Read More  

  Isn’t it pretty? I love the details of the sketches on the background. Although I do admit to being slightly perplexed at the choice of cover image, because that’s not the bridge that’s actually in the book, this one ... Read More  

Alberta-born author and scientist Dr. Lindsey Carmichael is about to release her 11th children’s science book. Fuzzy Forensics: DNA Fingerprinting Gets Wild is based in part on forensic cases Carmichael investigated while pursuing her PhD at the University of Alberta. ... Read More  

I am thrilled to announce that Fox Talk has won silver in the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards! *takes a victory lap around the office* The award ceremony was in New York, so I unfortunately couldn’t attend, but the lovely ... Read More  

And it is awesome. I take no credit for this – Mary Dunford at Ashby-BP Publishing is the responsible party. http://youtu.be/lTb-VM5tw4o Check it out and if you’re so inspired, spread it around! Read More  

Fox Talk has been shortlisted for the Benjamin Franklin Awards! *does a lap around the office, shrieking at top of lungs* When my publisher called to tell me, I was literally rendered speechless, something I don’t recall ever happening ... Read More  

One of the most interesting pieces of research I came across while writing Living With Obesity was the Marshmallow Test. Originally conducted by Walter Mischel’s team in the 1960s, the test involved young children and a simple choice: eat ... Read More  

And it’s so pretty! This is the work of Michael Penman, who also designed Fox Talk. I can’t recommend him highly enough – he’s not only talented, but a pleasure to work with. My contribution was locating just the ... Read More  

Many dog lovers are aware of the problems with purebreds. “Pure breeding” involves mating animals with desirable characteristics within the same breed of dog, be they chihuahuas or golden retrievers. These closed gene pools lead to inbreeding, which increases ... Read More  

Three people shared this video with me on Facebook this week, and since I am sick right now, and most of my coherent thoughts are drowning in the sloshiness inside my sinuses, I’m passing it on. This fox is ... Read More  

Here’s a fun fact. When automobiles were first introduced, they were hailed as a solution to pollution – the pollution left by horses all over the streets. Here’s another one. Three types of propulsion were used for early automobiles, ... Read More  

  Some seriously cool stuff has been happening in the world of science lately, so instead of listening to me blather, check out some of these stories: Gene therapy restores sight in people with eye disease Found: A lost ... Read More  

There’s a popular saying that people fear public speaking more than death. This claim is supported neither by statistics nor evolution (we’re hardwired to fear spiders and snakes and other critters that can kill us), but it feels true for ... Read More  

….can anyone NOT guess exactly which word this penguin is using? http://youtu.be/rZjM97kj8Rc Today’s the launch of the Fox Talk blog tour! Visit Mother Daughter Book Reviews for the launch post, and Books Direct for my first author interview. I ... Read More  

First – apologies for the weirdness over the previous week. Hackers hit the site December 29, but since the back end was working, I didn’t realize there was a problem until I tried to post Thursday. Fortunately, I had ... Read More  

We bought our Christmas tree last weekend, and it’s been standing around in its altogether ever since, as Tech Support was out of town. But Alfie’s about to get dressed up in his best, and so we’re blasting this ... Read More