Tom Haines went from a childhood spent in an orphanage during the 1930s and '40s to the head of the biochemistry department at City College, where he'd leave a lasting mark. All it took was a fly, a piano, and a little protozoan algae.
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Our Audience Is (Not) Science
At our second-year anniversary show last Tuesday we wanted to hear stories from the audience. The evening was about twisted and unorthodox paths to careers in science, so we handed out slips that asked, "If you're a scientist, how did you get into it? If you're not, why not?" We got an amazing response, and couldn't possibly read all the answers from the stage. So, as promised at the event, here are all the answers we received.
Read MoreLove & Quantum Mechanics
Story Collider Founder and Producer Brian Wecht explains how he ended up becoming a physicist instead of a composer. Here's a hint: It all started with a girl.
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What Science Owes the Rodeo
The ratio of scientists to cattle in Runge, Texas, is one to thousands, Shelley DuBois writes. That one scientist is her father. In this remarkable tribute, Shelley tells the story of how her father went from wrangling cattle in the South Texas desert to researching cancer and traveling the world.
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Owning My Narrative
As a black woman who grew up in urban L.A., LaTisha Hammond struggles to accept the fact that her background is different from that of her fellow marine biology students—and her inspiration for her work doesn't feel as worthy as their Jacques Cousteau dreams.
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Innocence
When David Dickerson returns to grad school at the age of thirty-one, he has high hopes for his love life because "science is on his side." His pursuit of romance leads him to a dark ocean at 3 a.m. for a moment he'll never forget. Presented in stunning illustrated form by artist Joe Wierenga.
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