Happy Birthday, Ladies!

Two of my favorite science blogs, Oh For The Love Of Science and Observations Of A Nerd, tuned one-year-old this week. Allie and Christie both maintain consistently high-quality content on their blogs as well as in their microblogging on Facebook and Twitter. If you are not reading them, then you should start immediately.

I have a couple favorites I'd like to feature from their past year's science writing efforts. And as you might expect, I have an inordinate fondness for their conservation and ocean writing. First of all, in Hey Bungalow Bill, What Did You Kill?, Allie wrote a powerful analysis of the startling fact that African elephants are being poached for their tusks at a greater rate today than they were before the international ivory ban was established by CITES in 1989.

My fave post from Christie was part of her rogues gallery of parasitic horrors, this time coming from the ocean depths. Her Sci-Fi Worthy Parasite this time was Isistius brasiliensis, the Cookie Cutter shark. I've had my own nightmares thinking about one of these beasties taking a chunk out of my ass while night diving in Hawaii, and Christie's post didn't add much comfort. Holy crap on a cracker indeed!

Happy B-Day, Ladies! And looking forward to many more great posts from you both!