5 Interesting Links for 03-28-2014

Clovis (Anthropology)

DNA mapping of a Clovis child confirms most Native Americans are descended from the Anzick lineage.
http://www.livescience.com/43329-prehistoric-boy-may-be-native-american-missing-link.html

Sculpture (Art)

Amazing sculptures of fantasy hybrid animals that look plausible.
http://io9.com/5983163/these-sculptures-of-impossible-creatures-look-ready-to-spring-to-life

Gender Bias (Education)

This is a long, but good, article that examines the issue of gender bias in the sciences. It’s worth reading to understand some of the barriers that people are quick to explain don’t exist anymore. As someone who didn’t discover (or rather rediscovered) her love for science until she was out in the working world, I can speak to the subtle and not so subtle discouragement. It was to the point that I believed (and still struggle with today) that if I could do it, everyone can. After all, doesn’t everyone’s mother’s teach them batch files?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/magazine/why-are-there-still-so-few-women-in-science.html

Seven Plots (Writing)

A modern version, with examples, of the seven basic plots that underlie pretty much every story (though a story can represent more than one).
http://lenwilson.us/seven-stories/

Hunting (Zoology)

This short video shows an amazing hunting technique that might involve more than just the accepted senses.
http://www.edisproduction.de/2013/11/19/fox-hunting-under-snow-in-an-incredible-way/

Curve of Her Claw

Fall into a world where beauty is a facade, and one elf is pushed beyond reason to rid herself of the smooth-skinned curse. ~ Now available as an eBook:
Curve of Her Claw

This entry was posted in Anthropology, Art, Music, Crafts, etc., Education, Interesting Links, Science, Writing. Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to 5 Interesting Links for 03-28-2014

  1. Linda says:

    Have things changed so much from way back in the late 60s when I grew up? Or was my experience unusual? No one ever told me or the other girls we couldn’t, or shouldn’t, do math and science. We just took the classes and did it. I wonder if I was just clueless and didn’t notice it or whether it’s the area where I grew up. But it is strange that my experience was so much the opposite, at least in high school and in early college, before I changed majors because of family issues, really.

    • Margaret McGaffey Fisk says:

      For me, it was very subtle, so much so I didn’t even recognize it until years later even though the nudging redirected my whole focus.

      In my experience, it depended a lot on the teachers you got as well, so in the same school some girls were discouraged, some weren’t encouraged, and some were treated like any other student.

  2. Linda says:

    Ummm..the family issues weren’t related to my choice of major, but rather that my dad had my life planned out for me and I was rebelling.

  3. Linda says:

    About the seven plots. I always find myself thinking, “So what?” whenever I read articles like this. I don’t see what use labeling plots is. But I guess that’s because I’m a character writer. I don’t really even think about plot. It’s story, which I think is different from plot. And for me, it’s completely about the characters. I can’t create a plot outline like X happens, then Y happens, then Z happens, and so on to the end. It’s more, John wants this and goes here and does that, but Chuck will lose everything if John gets his way so, blah, blah, blah. Without John and Chuck, there is no story or plot or anything to me. I can’t be that abstract. It’s interesting to me how differently people think about stories.

    • Margaret McGaffey Fisk says:

      I read the articles about plot because they form pathways my characters can play with. Ultimately, you need a medley of character, plot, and environment to have a viable work, whether the initial is driven by character or any of the others. I find by filling the coffers in my reading, though, I don’t have to be conscious of the plot development to have it work in the end.

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