Although it is logistically unlikely that a giant strand of DNA would be able to use a computer, this image does represent the fusion of science and blogging.
Dr. John Ohab is a new technology strategist at the Department of Defense Public Web Program.
In January 2010, Defense Media Activity launched the Armed with Science blog to share the stories of the amazing men and women involved in cutting-edge research and development at the Department of Defense (DOD).
Our approach was to empower scientists, engineers, and other subject matter experts to directly interface with the public through first-person narratives, Q&A sessions, live scientific lectures, and more. As we look back on 2010, most of our 300 posts during were indeed produced by subject matter experts, both at DOD and collaborating agencies like the Transportation Security Agency and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as well as academic institutions and business partners.
We also tried to connect our audience with similar opportunities on other websites. The Office of Naval Research’s “Tech Talk” series on Facebook, the Challenge.gov initiative, and DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable interviews are just a few examples.
Which 2010 blog posts were your favorite? Below, I’ve listed the 10 most popular blog posts according to the number of visitors. Leave a comment, and let me know what you think!
Of course, I would be remiss not to mention that this is just a small portion of the science and technology-related awesomeness at DOD. If you’re not into Armed with Science, check out our handy guide to Department of Defense science and technology blogs.
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In December 2010, Defense Acquisition University (DAU) announced the launch of the first ever DOD casual games site. The DAU games site launches with 13 mini games designed specifically to enhance Acquisition workforce education. DAU’s Global Learning Technologies Center intends to release a new game each month in order to keep players coming back and to keep the content on the site fresh. |
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Produced for the National Naval Medical Center in 1973, The Return of Count Spirochete is a delightful animated cartoon dramatizing the medical facts about venereal disease. Be prepared to go on a whirlwind journey through the historical facts, symptoms, course of infection, and the impact of venereal disease on the human body as it was understood in the early 1970s. Also, check out the related commentary on Wired.com and Bioephemera, who helped drive 50K views in less than a week. |
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Think interactive video games are a waste of time or more suited for children? Think again. Research by the Office of Naval Research indicates that video games can help adults process information much faster and improve their abilities to reason and solve problems. This blog post covered one of our most popular podcasts of the year. |
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Velan Mudaliar, one of U.S. Army Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center’s skilled engineers, shares his experiences working toward advancements in Lethal Unmanned Aerial Systems. The successful testing of a new prototype featured a programmable fuze and warhead. The project won a 2009 U.S. Army Research and Development Achievement Award. |
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The Dispatches from Antarctica series provided an inside look at OPERATION: DEEP FREEZE, the military’s support of National Science Foundation (NSF) research in Antarctica. The series featured daily blog posts from US Air Force Lt. Col. Ed Vaughan, commander of the McMurdo Station Detachment of Joint Task Force – Support Forces Antarctica, covering the people, places, and things he encountered during his 50 days supporting NSF’s science mission. |
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The motion of the ocean. It moves sea ice around like the pieces of an uncompleted puzzle. Dr. Kevin Arrigo, Chief Scientist for NASA’s ICESCAPE mission, describes how researchers interpret patterns in water movement. His blog post was written while onboard US Coast Guard Cutter HEALY in the Arctic Ocean. Pretty “cool,” huh? |
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First studied nearly 50 years ago, the Deinococcus radiodurans bacterium can survive massive exposures to gamma-radiation, ultraviolet radiation, desiccation, and other agents which kill cells by generating reactive oxygen species. Dr. Michael J. Daly, professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Department of Pathology, heads a study that has uncovered new information about Conan the Bacterium. |
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Did you know there is a secret message in the U.S. Cyber Command logo? After a Washington Post headline asked, “Can you crack the Cyber Command code?,” and Wired.com offered a free t-shirt to the first one to accurately crack the code, we put Petty Officer 2nd Class Elliott Fabrizio to the test. Did he solve the mystery, win the t-shirt and achieve international celebrity status? You’ll have to read the blog post to find out! |
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Dr. William Tyler, professor at Arizona State University and a member of the 2010 DARPA Young Faculty Award class, and his laboratory have engineered a novel technology that uses ultrasound to stimulate brain circuits without requiring surgery. How can this technology be used to provide our nation’s Warfighters with strategic advantages? Dr. Tyler is now starting his next phase of research to answer this very question. |
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Would you approve this person’s friend request on Facebook or LinkedIn? Petty Officer 2nd Class Elliott Fabrizio takes an inside look at a recent experiment in which a cyber security company created fake social media profiles and attempted to establish connections with government and industry professionals around the world. Our most trafficked blog post of the year was visited by more than 73,000 people. |
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