Aetiology (blog)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aetiology is a web log, or blog that is written by Tara C. Smith, PhD, a faculty member with an expertise in epidemiology working in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa. Its stated goal is to discuss "causes, origins, evolution and implications of disease and other phenomena."[1]

It is hosted by the Seed magazine's "Scienceblogs" organization, which also hosts the weblog "Pharyngula", the top rated science-based blog in a 2006 evaluation conducted by Nature magazine[2]and science category winner in the 2006 Weblogs Awards.[3][4] Nature ranks Aetiology as 7th among science blogs.[5][6]

Aetiology was chosen to be one of the inaugural blogs for Scienceblogs, which is selective about which blogs it features. Scienceblogs states that:

"We have selected our 60+ bloggers based on their originality, insight, talent, and dedication and how we think they would contribute to the discussion at ScienceBlogs."[7]

and also pays all costs and provides technical support.[8] This venture by Seed Magazine demonstrates that science blogs are being recognized as gaining traction in the standard scientific literature. For example, science blogs have been mentioned as sources in both Science magazine [9] and Nature magazine.[10]

Smith has been a regular contributor to the Panda's Thumb, another highly rated science weblog with many other notable contributors. Her first post to Aetiology was on September 23rd, 2005.

Professor John Gay, a veterinarian from Washington State University, lists Aetiology as one of his suggested sources of information on avian influenza for students and other veterinarians.[11] Posts from Aetiology were selected by Bora Zikovic for his book on the 50 best science blog postings of 2006.[12] This book was positively reviewed by Nature Magazine.[13]

Aetiology was nominated for a "Koufax Award" for "Best New Blog" in 2006.[14] It was featured in the Canadian student-produced science magazine Hypothesis,[15] Cell,[16] MedScape Today,[17] The Epidemiology Monitor Newsletter,[18] and even the New England Skeptical Society's "The Skeptics Guide"[19] and Daily Kos.[20] Aetiology was described in WebMD's Medscape Today in 2006 as, "a star attraction on Seed Magazine's ScienceBlogs."[21]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Aetiology homepage
  2. ^ Top Five Science Blogs, Nature magazine official website, July 3, 2006.
  3. ^ 2006 Weblogs Awards Best Science Blog official webpage
  4. ^ Biochemists in the Blogosphere, Clare Sansom, Biochemist Regulars, The Biochemical Society, February 2007
  5. ^ 50 Popular Science Blogs (written by scientists), news@nature, Nature Magazine, July 3, 2006.
  6. ^ This is more impressive than it might appear at first, considering that there were roughly 46 million blogs being ranked in the study.
  7. ^ about scienceblogs.com
  8. ^ original Aetiology site, discussion of reasons to move to scienceblogs, January 11, 2006.
  9. ^ WEB LOGS: THE DARWIN BRIGADE, Netwatch, Science Magazine, volume 310, number 5752, November 2005.
  10. ^ Nature article, Nature magazine, volume 438, 2005
  11. ^ Foreign Animal Disease - Avian Influenza: Links & Resources, John Gay, Ver. 2.0 Initial 4/8/05 Updated 07/10/07
  12. ^ The Open Laboratory: The Best Writing on Science Blogs 2006, edited by Bora Zivkovic, Lulu Press, 2007.
  13. ^ The Best Writing on Science Blogs 2006, Paul Stevenson, Nature 447, 779 (2007).
  14. ^ The Koufax Awards, official webpage
  15. ^ Who Benefits From Science Blogging?, Eva Amsen, Hypothesis, volume 4, number 2, October, 2006.
  16. ^ Analysis: Scientists Enter the Blogosphere, Laura Bonetta, Cell, Vol 129, 443-445, 04 May 2007.
  17. ^ Defending Science in the Face of Controversy, Nicholas Genes, Pre-Rounds, MedScape Med Students, WebMD, July 10, 2007.
  18. ^ University of Iowa Assistant Professor of Epidemiology Now A Part Of The Blogger Community, The Epidemiology Monitor Newsletter, June 2006.
  19. ^ Interview with Tara Smith, The Skeptics Guide, Number 28, February 1, 2006.
  20. ^ Science Friday: Guns, Germs, & the GOP, "DarkSyde", Daily Kos, Fri Feb 03, 2006.
  21. ^ Aetiology: A Blog in Search of Intelligent Science, Nicholas Genes, Pre-Rounds, Med Students, Medscape Today, WebMD, May 3, 2006.

[edit] External links