ScienceBlogs
Encyclopedia
ScienceBlogs is an invitation-only blog
network and virtual community
. It was created by Seed Media Group
in 2006 to enhance the public understanding of science
. , ScienceBlogs hosted 75 blogs dedicated to various fields of research. Each blog has its own theme, specialty, and author(s) and is not subject to editorial control. Authors include active scientist
s working in industry, universities and medical schools as well as college professors, physicians, professional writers, graduate students, and post-docs.
According to Technorati
, as of 2007-07-07, ScienceBlogs had an "authority" of 9,581 and its number of inbound links ranks it 37th among blogs worldwide. Pharyngula
, as of 2010-05-21, is the highest-ranked blog on the network, with an "authority" of 747. As of 2008-03-14, Quantcast
charts it as having over 1.1 million monthly unique visitors, 65% of whom are from the United States
.
As a result of the free rein given to bloggers and the incentive to increase traffic, bloggers on the network often discuss hot topics such as politics
and religion
in addition to science. These topics frequently incite heated arguments in the comment threads and bloggers on the network sometimes get into arguments with each other over a series of posts.
ScienceBlogs and Seed received some notable awards at the end of their first year of activity, including the 2006 UTNE Independent Press Award for Best Science/Technology Coverage being granted to Seed, in large part due to the success of ScienceBlogs. Additionally, two blogs on the network received Weblog awards: Pharyngula
for Best Science Blog and Respectful Insolence for Best Medical/Health Issues Blog.
The creators of ScienceBlogs have expanded their collection of hosted blogs in three major waves, supplemented by individual additions along the way. Some of the most trafficked blogs include Pharyngula, Respectful Insolence, Good Math Bad Math, Deltoid, Cognitive Daily, Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) and On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess.
ScienceBlogs launched a German language
edition of the site, ScienceBlogs.de, in 2008 in partnership with Hubert Burda Media
. As of 7 December 2010, the site hosted 35 blogs. ScienceBlogs Brazil debuted in March 2009 with 23 Portuguese language blogs.
and was to be written by their employees. This led to backlash by many of the bloggers on ScienceBlogs who considered this to be an unethical mix of advertising and journalism, and the PepsiCo blog was withdrawn from ScienceBlogs. This affair was informally named "PepsiGate", and many bloggers left, including Rebecca Skloot
. Subsequently other bloggers, such as Bora Zivkovic, also left although they did not all attribute their leaving directly to the inclusion of the PepsiCo blog. By the middle of July approximately a quarter of the bloggers had left ScienceBlogs. Subsequently, some bloggers such as PZ Myers of Pharyngula
announced they were going on strike as part of a general feeling that the people running Seed had failed to respond to concerns surrounding the incident Seed Media responded by killing off Food Frontiers, the Pepsico sponsored blog, but that didn't stop the defections. According to PZ Myers, "The ship is sinking". A writer at the New York Times Magazine reviewed the incident and commented,"ScienceBlogs has become Fox News for the religion-baiting, peak-oil crowd." Some other science blogging networks were launched, including scientopia.org, scienceseeker.org and one hosted by The Guardian
.
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
network and virtual community
Virtual community
A virtual community is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals...
. It was created by Seed Media Group
Seed (magazine)
Seed is an online science magazine published by Seed Media Group. The magazine looks at big ideas in science, important issues at the intersection of science and society, and the people driving global science culture...
in 2006 to enhance the public understanding of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
. , ScienceBlogs hosted 75 blogs dedicated to various fields of research. Each blog has its own theme, specialty, and author(s) and is not subject to editorial control. Authors include active scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s working in industry, universities and medical schools as well as college professors, physicians, professional writers, graduate students, and post-docs.
According to Technorati
Technorati
Technorati is an Internet search engine for searching blogs. By June 2008, Technorati was indexing 112.8 million blogs and over 250 million pieces of tagged social media...
, as of 2007-07-07, ScienceBlogs had an "authority" of 9,581 and its number of inbound links ranks it 37th among blogs worldwide. Pharyngula
Pharyngula (blog)
Pharyngula is a blog on FreeThoughtBlogs and ScienceBlogs run by PZ Myers. In 2006, the science journal Nature listed it as the top-ranked blog written by a scientist. Pharyngula also won the 2005 Koufax Award for Best Expert Blog. The blog topics are eclectic, delving into the non-scientific as...
, as of 2010-05-21, is the highest-ranked blog on the network, with an "authority" of 747. As of 2008-03-14, Quantcast
Quantcast
Quantcast is a California based company that provides publishers and marketers with the ability to understand, deliver and reach their best audiences at a massive scale...
charts it as having over 1.1 million monthly unique visitors, 65% of whom are from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
ScienceBlogs was launched in January 2006 with 15 blogs on the network. For the launch blogs, Seed invited some of the best-known independent science bloggers and allowed them to blog about whichever subjects they wished. Revenue was generated through advertisements sold to companies who wished to attract "bright, curious consumers who buy products like automobiles, books, cellphones, computers, liquor, music and watches."As a result of the free rein given to bloggers and the incentive to increase traffic, bloggers on the network often discuss hot topics such as politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
in addition to science. These topics frequently incite heated arguments in the comment threads and bloggers on the network sometimes get into arguments with each other over a series of posts.
ScienceBlogs and Seed received some notable awards at the end of their first year of activity, including the 2006 UTNE Independent Press Award for Best Science/Technology Coverage being granted to Seed, in large part due to the success of ScienceBlogs. Additionally, two blogs on the network received Weblog awards: Pharyngula
Pharyngula (blog)
Pharyngula is a blog on FreeThoughtBlogs and ScienceBlogs run by PZ Myers. In 2006, the science journal Nature listed it as the top-ranked blog written by a scientist. Pharyngula also won the 2005 Koufax Award for Best Expert Blog. The blog topics are eclectic, delving into the non-scientific as...
for Best Science Blog and Respectful Insolence for Best Medical/Health Issues Blog.
The creators of ScienceBlogs have expanded their collection of hosted blogs in three major waves, supplemented by individual additions along the way. Some of the most trafficked blogs include Pharyngula, Respectful Insolence, Good Math Bad Math, Deltoid, Cognitive Daily, Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) and On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess.
ScienceBlogs launched a German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
edition of the site, ScienceBlogs.de, in 2008 in partnership with Hubert Burda Media
Hubert Burda Media
Hubert Burda Media is a German privately held, family-owned global media company with its origins in printing and magazine publishing. The company is headquartered in Offenburg and Munich, has additional main offices in Berlin and Hamburg and has more than 7400 employees...
. As of 7 December 2010, the site hosted 35 blogs. ScienceBlogs Brazil debuted in March 2009 with 23 Portuguese language blogs.
"PepsiGate"
In June 2010, ScienceBlogs started a blog which was sponsored by PepsiCoPepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
and was to be written by their employees. This led to backlash by many of the bloggers on ScienceBlogs who considered this to be an unethical mix of advertising and journalism, and the PepsiCo blog was withdrawn from ScienceBlogs. This affair was informally named "PepsiGate", and many bloggers left, including Rebecca Skloot
Rebecca Skloot
Rebecca L. Skloot is a freelance science writer who specializes in science and medicine. Her first book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks , was one of the best-selling new books of the year, staying on the New York Times Bestseller List for over 32 weeks and optioned to be made into a movie by...
. Subsequently other bloggers, such as Bora Zivkovic, also left although they did not all attribute their leaving directly to the inclusion of the PepsiCo blog. By the middle of July approximately a quarter of the bloggers had left ScienceBlogs. Subsequently, some bloggers such as PZ Myers of Pharyngula
Pharyngula (blog)
Pharyngula is a blog on FreeThoughtBlogs and ScienceBlogs run by PZ Myers. In 2006, the science journal Nature listed it as the top-ranked blog written by a scientist. Pharyngula also won the 2005 Koufax Award for Best Expert Blog. The blog topics are eclectic, delving into the non-scientific as...
announced they were going on strike as part of a general feeling that the people running Seed had failed to respond to concerns surrounding the incident Seed Media responded by killing off Food Frontiers, the Pepsico sponsored blog, but that didn't stop the defections. According to PZ Myers, "The ship is sinking". A writer at the New York Times Magazine reviewed the incident and commented,"ScienceBlogs has become Fox News for the religion-baiting, peak-oil crowd." Some other science blogging networks were launched, including scientopia.org, scienceseeker.org and one hosted by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
DDoS attacks
Since March 2011, ScienceBlogs have been affected by something that might be a DDoS attack. This has led to unavailability of the site for various IP ranges.Content
ScienceBlogs consists of ten channels, or categories, of blog entries. Each blog author decides what channel his or her individual post belongs in, and each post is indexed accordingly on the main page. The categories are:- Life Science
- Environment
- Brain & Behavior
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Medicine & Health
- Education and Careers
- Physical Science
- Planet Earth
- Politics
- Technology
External links
- ScienceBlogs website
- ScienceBlogs German website
- ScienceBlogs Brazil website
- scienceblogging.org, an aggregator site for science blogging networks