#StevesLibrary: How to Clone a Mammoth
Back in 2013, I watched a number of TEDx talks uploaded to YouTube on the topic of de-extinction (you can find the playlist here). These introduced me to the idea of de-extinction and at the time, I was all for…
#SteveLibrary: The Butterfly Isles
One of my earliest memories of being immersed in nature (other than chasing lizards or frogs), is running round a field with a butterfly net trying to catch butterflies. It’s not nearly as easy as it looks, most of the…
#StevesLibrary: Shark
If I wasn’t spending my days studying amphibian and reptiles, I would have probably have chosen sharks instead. They too, like snakes and spiders, have an image problem – although once you understand them, they’re not all that scary. Sharks…
#StevesLibrary: Improbable Destinies
Knowing the author’s name from the world of herpetology, I was expecting there to be slightly more about his research on anoles from the get go. However this is restricted to a single chapter, which in itself is interesting enough….
#StevesLibrary: Junk DNA
As someone that has completed a formal education on a biology-related topic, I was well aware beforehand that ‘junk DNA’ isn’t just junk. After all, it makes up the majority of our genome (98% of it is junk DNA). That…
#StevesLibrary: Invasive Aliens
In the world of conservation, there are few groups of species that catch my attention and imagination more than invasive species. These are species that have been moved outside of their native range (usually by the agency of humankind) to…
#StevesLibrary: The Tyrannosaur Chronicles
Who would have guessed it? Tyrannosaurus rex is my favourite dinosaur. Yes I know how cliché that sounds but I am a big kid in a tall man’s body don’t forget. It was T. rex that made me fall in…
#StevesLibrary: Dr Tatiana’s Sex Advice to all Creation
Back when completing my Masters Degree, there was an optional afternoon in how to construct arguments for popular science writing. This was held by Olivia Judson (who I hadn’t heard of until that time) but I wish I had. She…
#StevesLibrary: A Buzz in the Meadow
Yes everyone, #StevesLibrary is back! Had a hectic few weeks to get my fieldwork sorted out and get back into the routine but now I’m back on track, I can dedicate more time to reading. I’ve just finished A Buzz…
#StevesLibrary: Crow Country
As many as you can probably understand, I am very much missing my fieldsite at the moment, sent on the border between the Norfolk Brecks and Broads – it is an oasis for wildlife. I’ve been wanting to know more…