Columns

Well, we’re finally here. The final column for 2014. We hope you’ve had an excellent year, because we’ve had an awesome run and a great couple of years bringing science to Critic. We thought we’d take our final column as time to reflect on the science we’ve brought to the column, and all the fun we’ve had along the way.

Elsie Jacobson has brought sex-changing fish and cloned woolly mammoths to the table. Bryony Leeke has discussed the penises of the animal kingdom, and weird traits from evolution. Laura Illston has spent a lot of time talking about invisibility and the science of gaming, and I’ve talked a lot about food – chocolate, beer, bread, and caffeine. We’ve heard of weird and fascinating creatures like the naked mole rat, and mind-controlling parasites. We’ve even talked about levitating frogs and spider-silk fashion (or hagfish slime, if you’re particularly game). The IgNobels have always been a great place to look for weird and wonderful science, and Elsie brought to our attention just a few recipients. We’ve looked at some of the coolest cutting edge technologies. Maybe next time you’ll be reading our columns from information saved in DNA? We’ve shown you that science is more than just sterile labs and lots of machines. Remember the science art from nikonsmallworld.com? I hope you checked out Dance Your Thesis! And even our own photography competitions (look up the OSMS photo competitions).

We’ve gotten a little Scarfie, and brought you science hangover cures, hallucinations, and swearing as a form of pain relief. We’ve gone into power-naps and procrastination. Even the animal kingdom reflects some of the habits of hitting the town, and dancing the night away. And physics has more to do with heavy metal mosh pits than you’d think! Not to mention the cold winters, and the reality of seasonal affective disorder, or even just keeping some of the damp out of those Scarfie flats. We’ve tried sleeping to help our memory, though if only it were so simple as sleeping with your textbook. We’ve made it through chopping onions and bodies, without crying, all with the help of science.

We’ve also been a little more serious: highlighting the importance of vaccination and antibiotic resistance, as well as the idea of fact checking and looking at sources to avoid pseudoscience. We’ve discussed genetic engineering and about the bacteria in your gut. We’ve analysed the ever-popular gluten free diet and talked about keeping both your body and your mind in good health.

We love science, and we love to talk about science. It’s been a great ride, and we hope you’ve got as much out of reading the column as we have in writing it. It’s been a lot of fun. Though, if you know any science-loving types who are keen to communicate science to the world (or student body), send them our way and we could pass “Science, Bitches!” on to a new generation. If you ever feel bereft of science, there are a ridiculous number of excellent science blogs online, like I Fucking Love Science, or some of the many New Zealand-based blogs on sciblogs. co.nz. There’s so much cool science out there, and always more to come. Until next time, that’s all the science for now, bitches!