Now that the winter holidays have passed, I can finally reveal what I have been doing since the summer. What started as one project for my school turned into making things for fun for some friends. To preserve the surprise, only my family knew what was going on. It started… Read more“Secret Summer Craft Project, part 1”
Category: anthropology
Toast the New Year with Some Haterade
There is a feeling I have kept to myself for years, because I have never heard of a similar feeling in someone else. Also, the feeling is rooted in hate, which is generally regarded negatively. It is not pure hate, though, since the feeling has led to positive life changes… Read more“Toast the New Year with Some Haterade”
Fall Teaching Changes, part 2
James Lang’s Small Teaching (2016) approaches improving one’s classes not with sweeping changes, but by making tweaks to the existing program. The book is divided into three areas of improvement: knowledge, understanding, and inspiration. The section on understanding got my attention the most, and I made a few focused changes this… Read more“Fall Teaching Changes, part 2”
Fall Teaching Changes, part 1
Now that we are a few weeks into the semester, I have a little time to reflect on how my course has changed. I have tweaked the Introduction to Physical Anthropology course in a few ways to further make the experience for students more comprehensive and ultimately more memorable. Two… Read more“Fall Teaching Changes, part 1”
Why We Need Zoos
I have seen a distressing anti-zoo sentiment linger in social media so I wanted to make a few points about why zoos are absolutely necessary in modern society. To be clear, I am arguing against the stance that all zoos are unethical. I am not defending the for-profit freak show… Read more“Why We Need Zoos”
Putting Together eFossils’ Life-Size Skeleton Printouts
While the classroom has an extensive collection of replica fossils, there was nothing that conveyed a sense of the full stature of our ancestors. I found some cool life-sized printouts at the eFossils site for Lucy, Nariokotome Boy, modern human skeletons. While the layouts are fantastic, the graphics have been… Read more“Putting Together eFossils’ Life-Size Skeleton Printouts”
Pretend-Excavating Australopithecus afarensis, Part 2
A little while ago, I received a present that I secretly wanted: an excavation and model kit of Australopithecus afarensis. After a short break to rest the fingers, the next field season continued the amazing discoveries of the first. One surprise from last time was the existence of a hair in… Read more“Pretend-Excavating Australopithecus afarensis, Part 2”
Pretend-Excavating Australopithecus afarensis, Part 1
As December rolled around, I found myself on Amazon browsing for good gifts. I settled on a large Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton for my brother (which looks amazing) and was ready to shut the browser window, when Amazon dangled another model in front of my eyes: an Australopithecus afarensis (e.g. Lucy)… Read more“Pretend-Excavating Australopithecus afarensis, Part 1”
Anthropomotron 2.1.1 is Out!
My now-yearly update to Anthropomotron should be rolling out on iOS, Android, and this website today! I spent a few weeks here and there getting the app updated for iOS9. While I was staring at the code, I added two new sources of stature estimation formulae from adult limb bone… Read more“Anthropomotron 2.1.1 is Out!”
Skeletal Voltron: An Activity to Teach Introductory Human Osteology
Possibly, Skeletal Voltron was the highlight of my summer class. I had thought of it back when I first heard that I could be teaching physical anthropology back in January, though it did not come to pass until the summer session. Dreaming up a new class activity. Codename: Skeletal Voltron —… Read more“Skeletal Voltron: An Activity to Teach Introductory Human Osteology”