Poaching, Genetics and Green Dudes

Hey there, and welcome to my 300th post on the John Platt Article Library. This blog started out as a way to archive some of my previously published articles and other writing, but it quickly evolved. Now the Library is mostly a weekly check-in to look back at my publications from the previous seven days.

Speaking of which, here are eight new goodies from the past seven days.

I'll start this week with three articles for TakePart. In addition to my weekly wildlife articles there I am now also their poaching correspondent.

Mourning Mountain Bull: Poachers Slay Fabled Elephant in Kenya

Elephant Poachers Have a New Problem: U.S. Marines

Meet the Rare, Poisonous Plant That Has Australian Sheep Behaving Like Heroin Addicts


Next up, my latest "Extinction Countdown" article for Scientific American. I only did one article this week because of the pending Memorial Day holiday, but I have some great pieces in the pipeline for this coming week.

Flower Power: Collaboration Keeps Rare Plant off the Endangered Species List


Now we come to some science news articles for Mother Nature Network, where my editors always give me the coolest topics to cover:

With termite genome decoded, researchers aim for less toxic pest control

Evolutionary wrench: Comb jelly discovery may add new branch to tree of life

Longitude Prize reborn to solve top issues of modern world


And finally this week, here's something new: my first appearance on the "Green Dudes" segment of the Green Divas Radio Show, along with a corresponding blog post. I'll be appearing on the show every four-to-six weeks, and it should be a lot of fun. I got my start in radio and it's a blast to be back.

Well, that's it for #300. Join me next week for more!

Dancing frogs and tiny kangaroos -- plus, how to become a consultant

"Hello my baby, hello my darling..."

Hey, it's Monday again. That means it's time for my weekly linkfest of the previous week's articles that came out of my keyboard.

Starting off, here are two new "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American, where I got to write about some pretty amazing species:

14 New Species of Endangered "Dancing" Frogs Discovered in India

Climate Change Could Wipe Out the World’s Smallest Kangaroo


Next up, my latest high-tech careers article for Today's Engineer. I've been freelancing full-time for nearly 8 years and I still learned a lot researching this article.

How to Get Started as a Consultant


Now we come to my latest for TakePart:

Flame Retardants’ Latest Victims: Frogs?


And finally, here are three new articles for Mother Nature Network:

5 incredible places where the ocean glows

From whoops to wow: IBM accidentally creates the first new polymer in 30 years

Colony collapse disorder's link to pesticides strengthened by new study


I have lots more in the works and already pending for this coming week. Make sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest headlines as they happen!

Long-hidden secrets are revealed in this week's articles...

Why a photo of a turtle? The secret will be revealed below...

This week's articles contain REVELATIONS about the universe...or, at least, a few small parts of it.

First up, two new "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American, both of which cover revelations about previously little-understood species:

Solar-Powered Transmitters Reveal Secrets of Endangered “Little Devil” Seabirds

First Major Genetic Study of Elusive South African Dolphin Reveals a Species in Peril


Next, my latest careers article for IEEE's The Institute, which revealed so much to me that I rewrote my own resume:

Getting Your Résumé to the Top of the Pile


That brings us to this week's article for TakePart, which reveals yet another dangerous invasive species:

Unwanted Visitors: California Kingsnakes Are Overwhelming This Spanish Island


And finally these week, here are three articles for the expanding family of Mother Nature Network sites. These aren't all that revelatory, but this does mark the third week in a row that I wrote about sea turtles, which is kind of a revelation in and of itself:

How to enjoy sea turtles without harming them

Lungs from genetically modified pigs could soon be used to save human lives

International bird-watching competition converges on southern Israel


That's it! Who knows what secrets and amazing things will be revealed next week. (Well, I kinda do, since my assignment list is sitting right in front of me, but its contents are a secret to you, so expect revelations next week!)

New articles + new book + an interview with me

A lot of weeks my writing appears to have rather obvious themes. This is definitely not one of them. But there's a lot of fun in this week's link list. Plus I finally had a chance to write about giant river otters.

I'll start with the latest "Extinction Countdown" articles for Scientific American:

Giant Otters Damned by Giant Hydroelectric Dams

Sea Turtle Hatchlings Saved by LED Lights Funded by Deepwater Horizon Fines


Next up, two science-news articles for Mother Nature Network:

Half of Americans are living with dangerous levels of air pollution

We finally know why the 1918 influenza pandemic killed 50 million people


And then there's this article for TakePart:

You'll Never Believe How Many Animals This University Used in Lab Tests Last Year


That's everything from the "written by me" category, but here's an article about writing that features an interview with me and a lot of other talented science writers:

Nailing the nut graf


Finally this week, here's the latest LORE anthology on which I served as an associate editor. There are great SF, Horror and Fantasy stories within these pages, so I hope you'll check it out.

That's it for this past week. This coming week could see a couple of new features by me, unless they turn up next week, in which case ignore that last statement. Follow me on Twitter for links to headlines and other goodies as they go live!