research

Furthering Scientific Research

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Ever wonder what your professors are doing when they’re not teaching you about Environmental Science? They’re enthusiastically pursuing their second occupation as scientific researchers.  

Just announced this week, Dr. Steven and Brian Lower have been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue their research on “Magnet-Making” Bacteria. These little microbes are unique, peculiar, and may contain the key to furthering medical and nano technologies.  Learn more about The Lowers’ research by visiting their website or by reading either Ohio State’s or SENR’s announcement of their grant.

Particularly interested in learning more about these very cool microorganisms? Start by reading one of the original review articles on the subject written by the man who is credited with their discovery.

–>  R.P. Blakemore’s 1982 Journal Article on Magnetotactic Bacteria

Magnetic Bacteria from the Olentangey River - Zachery W. Oestreicher, PhD

Magnetic Bacteria from the Olentangey River – Zachery W. Oestreicher, PhD

Anthropology, meet Climatology.

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Arctic Ocean

There are more ways to study Earth’s past climate than analyzing the tiny air bubbles in glacial ice cores.

For instance, anthropology. By studying written records left by humans, social scientists can anecdotally model the climate of the past. This information is then used to further strengthen the analytic results of climatologists.  However, pairing qualitative and quantitative data to model climate can only work so long as there exists a human record. Without a human record, prehistoric analysis of Earth’s climate can only be done quantitatively, such as investigating the oxygen isotope rations within ice cores.

Listen to the story below to learn about how social and natural scientists are working together to study Earth’s climate.  (Or visit the NPR story Old Ship Logs Reveal Adventure, Tragedy And Hints About Climate at its source.)

 

Why study something in two or more ways?

Scientists use multiple methods in their research because it strengthens the integrity of the results while providing a more complete view of complex phenomena. Want to learn more about multiple methodology? Start here by reading “Benefits and challenges of conducting multiple methods research in marketing“.

Want to learn more about Paleoclimatology? Check out the Byrd Polar Research Center at OSU.