Los Angeles freelance science writer and editor
It's still gray along the SoCal coast into the middle of August. I'm not complaining. Here's my second haiku, another homage to the marine layer which keeps things cool along the coast in summer. Am I right about the clouds from the marine layer in the afternoon? It also happens to be my favorite time... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro The idea of living overseas always captivated me. I imagined myself speaking a second language fluently and sharing my life with a man with an accent. I derived this cliché of a fantasy from some combination of movies, National Geographic, my Sicilian background, and Spanish class in 5th grade. I blew an... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro The history behind "predatory journals" The novel noun "predatory journal," created in German-like fashion in a blog that no longer exists, refers to a specialized internet scam phishing for scientists. Organizers masquerade as online journals, tempting scientists to submit articles for publication in an open access format by promising rigorous review and accelerated publication.... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro A plane is that modern vehicle of irony, speeding you through the air at times to areas of the Earth that might still be in the stone age. Or at least into another apparent universe where we don’t understand the language, we don’t look like anyone else, and we don't have the... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro What is the craziest excuse you have ever used for traveling somewhere? I am guessing it wasn’t to play in a rematch for eisstockschiessen. Yes, it was a rematch for eisstockschiessen (an ice game but not curling) that compelled me to travel to Germany in potentially the worst part of winter, for... Continue Reading →
Turkey or ham for dinner in the USA. Pinekjøtt or lutefisk in Norway. Gathering of families usually at the home of the grandmother and grandfather. Yes, we are stuck on tradition, truly stuck if you look forward to eating fruitcake or maybe lutefisk each year for Christmas. I remember a few traditions about Christmases growing... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro My colleagues and I just submitted a scientific paper we have been working on for seven years. Seven years. It’s hard for me to admit that. Maybe I shouldn’t admit it. A lot can happen in seven years. Babies have been born, and people spread around the western world like they were... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro It was my fifth airport in 4 days of travel. And I still hadn’t arrived at my destination. “Is this a vacation?” I asked myself. Living in LA, I can't cry that I have poor access to a major airport hub. I was on my way to another diving adventure. This time... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro Like a lot of beginning business writers, I waver between those moments of feeling like an imposter and feeling professional. The only way to gain confidence is to go out and do the job. “Say yes” people tell me. Saying yes is the easy part. “Saying yes, 50% deposit thank you very... Continue Reading →
by Janice Nigro A great irony in science is how generic we scientists often write about it. We use clichéd lines. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show X…” Or “However, X still remains unknown.” Or my favorite, “Such and such cancer is the most aggressive tumor type in... Continue Reading →
Janice Nigro 