Hi folks – just a quick note to alert you to a few new pieces of content on LabLit.com.

First, we’ve had an interesting essay from Wilson Wall about how he thinks scientists need to stop collecting too much data and instead think more. I have some sympathy with this argument; it does sometimes seem there are times in the lab when I have done so many experiments in a row that I have not properly synthesized what it all means and how it fits into discoveries that I and others have made in the past. Sometimes I make breakthroughs only when I stop to read an old paper on something or another, and an idea clicks into place. So it’s great to see the arguments out there in black and white.

Second, we’ve published a really super article describing the science of pain. The piece, by Samiha Shaikh, was the overall winner of this year’s British Society of Cell Biology annual writing prize, which I judged. I like it because I learned something new, but was entertained at the same time. It’s great to see young scientists making an attempt to describe very complex research results to the general public.

And finally, we’re really excited to present ‘Into the pit‘, the first of a two-part story by Matthew Perryman, a Creative Writing MA from Oxford. It’s just wriggling and seething with snake biologists, and I was really shocked to discover that Matthew is not actually a snake scientist himself, so well are the biologist characters drawn. I particularly like the realistic banter – and I can’t wait to find out how it ends.

On the horizon, there have been a number of great new lab lit novels published, and a few older discoveries as well, so a major List update is in the pipeline!