#scicom

[bobnichollsart]

The biggest beard and sideburns in Earth's history (speculative).

[botanybyyen]

Prepping bryophytes to teach uni students how COOL they are.

I've got 3 species of moss, 1 thallose liverwort and 8 leafy liverworts because I've got a problem and CANNOT be stopped.

[hit-with-rock]

Fun Volunteer Opportunity for STEM Professionals [Closed]

Letters to a Pre-Scientist is a non-profit where people working in any STEM field exchange penpal letters with a current middle/high school student. The goal is that through personal discussion with a scientist, students gain more awareness of what STEM professionals look like and do at work and inspire students to explore a future in STEM. Even though the 2024-2025 school year has started, they need about 500 more scientists to be penpals. Students are from US schools, but volunteers can be from the US or abroad. It's open to anyone working in STEM, also including undergraduate and graduate students.

This is my second year participating and it is a fun way for STEM outreach. It's about a ten-hour time commitment over the year as you write 4 themed letters in response to your student penpal. The only cost for participation is the cost of mailing your letters.

If this interests you at all check out their website: For STEM Professionals - Letters to a Pre-Scientist (prescientist.org) and consider registering!

Edit 10/16: Registration is now closed - but if this still interests you, bookmark the site or follow their socials for when next year’s registration opens this summer!

[kamounlab]

I just published: 2025 the year in review

It’s that time of year when we recap our team’s publications and other highlights.

Check the article here.

[knuppitalism-with-ue]

Three days ago our paper about the history and impact of paleo topics in comics come out! In this richly illustrated publication we try to show how this specific art form can be utilized in #scicom

Dinosaurs have a long history in comics and like paleoart was influenced by paleontology so were comincs by paleoart. Resulting in many cases of - what we would now call - plagiarism but also a popularization of paleontological subjects...

A big plus for comics is their ability to weave scientific content into a narrative. Without being specifically educational they can introduce people to new concept and looks of deep time...

We can only scratch the surface here but as people who listened to Iacovos Le Du's #paleostreamcon talk will know: narratives and emotions are important and we sense an untapped potential here that thankfully is slowly being explored. We show several old and also very new examples!

In the second part of our paper we look at how comics can do this, using our very own product, the Europasaurus graphic novel. We show what work influenced us, how we structured the book and how we balanced story and scientific content.

We also go into compositions and how we tell stories with relatively few panels, to guide the eye and inform the reader about what's going on

This also gives you a good look at our actual process that involved weekly Skype calls and lots of doodling but I think the composition of our team was also important. ;)

We end with thoughts and ideas on outreach, providing examples like our animated book chapters and exhibitions we organized or took part in.

Our paper is open access and can be found on Geoscience communications

Paleontology-themed comics and graphic novels, their potential for scientific outreach, and the bilingual graphic novel EUROPASAURUS – Life

Abstract. The first part of this article gives an overview of influential comics and graphic novels on paleontological themes from the last

[eurydike-on-media]

Studying into the evening means leaving campus after sundown when the world has transformed into a different spirit.

The course structure has many small deadlines and exams throughout the months of the season. So far I’ve graded above the curve but I can’t help but wish to be sitting at a higher percentile.

There are moments when I feel a bewitching desire to delve deeper, do better, experience more, and I’ll sit studiously over my textbooks. Then I stumble onto a poorly phrased line or the author skips over a step that would’ve been clarifying on how he came to his conclusion. As someone with an interest in science communication, taking introductory level science courses is as much to observe how the science is introduced as much as to learn it for myself.

Thank you for being here, enjoy your day. I intend to.

[252mya]

Evolve unisex t-shirt

A motivational Tiktaalik here to inspire us to overcome adversity and evolve.

252mya.com/evo

Art by David Orr

[rebeccathenaturalist]

How to Identify Cross Orbweaver Spiders

Originally posted on my website at https://rebeccalexa.com/how-to-identify-cross-orbweaver-spiders/. Click here to learn more about the How to Identify article series.

Name: Cross orbweaver spider (Araneus diadematus), also known as cross spider, European garden spider, et. al.

Range and typical habitat(s): Native to much of Europe, sporadically found in temperate areas of Asia, introduced to North America, particularly the west coast and northeast United States.

Distinguishing physical characteristics (size, colors, overall shapes, detail shapes) and behaviors: Fall is just around the corner, and if you’re looking for more eco-friendly seasonal decorations, the cross orbweaver is the perfect fit! While these spiders have spent all summer chowing down on insects, by September they’ve gotten big enough to be quite visible on their large orb webs.

A mature female cross orbweaver spider.

Both sexes are a variable combination of orange, yellow, brown, and/or gray, and they all have white cross-shaped markings on the dorsal (upper) side of their rather large, oval-shaped abdomens. The legs are tan to orange with darker brown or gray stripes. Like many other web-weaving spiders, cross orbweavers tend to rest in the center of their web with their head facing down and their legs flexed rather than straight, though the fourth pair in the back may sometimes be extended somewhat. Their legs are covered in fine hairs with a fuzzy appearance. They are also known to perch on nearby leaves and twigs.

Like other members of the family Araneidae, the orb-weavers, these spiders have four pairs of eyes. Females are larger than males, reaching up to 1″ long in exceptional individuals, while males usually top out at 1/2″ or less. A close examination shows that males can also be distinguished by large pedipalps with swollen ends. These are little appendages nestled between the chelicerae (jaws) and the first pair of legs. Males use the pedipalps in mating displays, and to also pass sperm to the female. A courting male needs to be careful, as females will engage in cannibalism.

A male cross orbweaver (right) carefully approaches a female (left) with the intent to mate.

The eggs laid by females the previous fall hatch in spring, releasing several dozen (or more!) tiny yellow spiderlings into the world. While they make webs as soon as they find a good location, these young spiders often end up as prey for other animals themselves. Cross orbweavers generally live no more than a year, though females die shortly after laying their eggs, and males are often eaten by their mates.

The web is made of a series of overlapping threads of silk like the spokes in a wheel, with a spiraling orb starting at the center and working its way outward. A cross orbweaver’s web may be quite large, and the central orb may at times exceed two feet in diameter. They are not picky about where they set up shop, and are often found near homes and other buildings, where they are quite adept at catching flying insects that blunder into the web. If threatened, these spiders shake their web vigorously, and are not prone to bite unless handled roughly. They may dry bite in self-defense, choosing not to use venom. Their venom is not considered dangerous to humans.

Other organisms it could be confused with and how to tell the difference: There are several other Araneus species that look quite similar to the cross orbweaver. Of these, the most similar is the four-spot orbweaver (Araneus quadratus) has less variegated orange, green, or brown abdomen with four small white spots on it rather than a cross, though they have similarly striped legs. It is found only in Europe.

Araneus quadratus

The cat-faced spider (Araneus gemmoides), also known as the jewel orbweaver, is of similar size and color variation to the cross orbweaver. However, its abdomen has two pronounced points on top that look rather like a cat’s ears. Araneus gemma (not pictured) is also sometimes called the cat-faced spider or the gem-shaped spider, and it has a similarly shaped abdomen but tends to be paler in color. Both of these species are primarily found in the western half of temperate North America.

Araneus gemmoides. By Trucmuche04, CCA-SA-3.0

Anything else worth mentioning? Because the cross orbweaver is not native to North America, it competes with native spiders for food. This is especially concerning as insect populations have plummeted in recent decades due to pesticide use and habitat loss. It is often found in urban areas and other places with lots of human habitation, and is considered an invasive species in the Bay Area. They are considered harmless to humans.

Further Reading:

Cross Orbweaver Spider

Cross Orbweaver

Cross Orbweaver (Araneus diadematus)

Spiderspotter: Cross Orbweaver

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!