Why blog at all? Having opinions, or even just topics you'd like to talk about, doesn't do you a whole lot of good if you don't have a way to communicate with people. Or people to have a conversation with, for that matter. I blog because I want to talk to people, all kinds of people, especially those of you who have a different point of view about things. Also, because I like seeing my name show up in Google searches (but who doesn't?)
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Why have a science blog? I am not a scientist; I don't even play one on television. Still, nothing gets me going quite like talking about space, dinosaurs, animal behavior, climate, robots, the list goes on and on (and of course includes polar bears.) I love science. I've always loved science. I was the only six year old on my block perusing National Geographic back in the day, carrying salamanders in my pockets, and staring up at the stars for hours. I was also quite preoccupied with digging a hole to China in the backyard at that age, but that's another story. I like to learn, and I constantly find myself devouring science. There is something completely enchanting and exciting about the pursuit of knowledge, of understanding, of things that no one has thought of before. I may not be in a lab or in the field...ever, but that doesn't mean I can't share my passion for science with anyone willing to have a conversation. What I am good at (in my humble opinion) is communicating about science. Talking about it. Dissecting the way we talk about and cover science in the media. A blog devoted to science is one of the best ways to share that, and hopefully have some interesting conversations as a result.
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Why Science Decoded? I believe that science has an important impact on society, yet most people overlook science news because they feel that either they can't understand it or it doesn't apply to their own life. As a professional science writer, I work to change that by making science news and stories approachable. By pointing out good and bad science journalism, and breaking down important science stories myself, I hope that I'll be able to help people learn to appreciate science news for themselves. I chose the name Science Decoded because I wanted something that represented the need to pick apart scientific research, theories, and ideas to better understand them. I firmly believe that anyone can understand even the most complicated topics so long as they are presented in the right way. Science Decoded seems like a good fit.
