Scientific publishing (2/2): A better way forward

The current system is broken, as argued in an earlier post. Given the arguments exposed there, is there a better way forward? I believe there is, and some ideas on how to go about it are presented below. Much of what is being proposed here represents the complete opposite of many of the fundamental principles of the current system: forums instead of journals, acceptance instead of rejection, commentary instead of review, disclosure instead of anonymity, community engagement instead of expert wisdom, live papers instead of dead papers.

Like it or not, we live in an on-line society; certainly most part of research communication and dissemination take place on-line. The word “journal”, in all its physicality, feels very much obsolete. For an on-line world, and for other reasons that will become clearer later, the word “forum” seems much more appropriate. “Neuroscience Forum” instead of “Journal of Neuroscience”. “Cancer Research Forum” instead of “Journal of Cancer Research”. How’s a Forum different from a Journal? Read more...

What’s in a label?

We have a small vineyard in Mendoza. Vineyards make wine and wine has to be bottled and bottles bear labels. So, what’s in a label? As we begun thinking about this, there were some elements that had to be there. The Andes mountains. A pleasing and elegant off-white background. Our names in a modern font. And the place, Valle de Uco (aka Uco Valley). What else? Tradition has it that family wines carry the emblems of the family. And so the Marketing team at The Vines Of Mendoza took inspiration from those emblems and prepared three designs for the three wines we are producing with the 2023 vintage, Malbec Reserva, Malbec Grand Reserva (barrel fermented) and a Blend. Read more...

Scientific publishing (1/2): The current system is broken

I have been honored to serve as Chief-Editor of the section in Cell and Molecular Neuroscience of a prestigious journal, until I resigned this month. It was time  for me to leave space to someone with a stronger belief in the peer-review system. In my case, this has been slowly eroding during the past years, as I witness a steady decline in scholarship, transparency and basic respect across the publishing enterprise and its actors. Failed scientists become editors of powerful journals but their shallow competence limits them as over-qualified secretaries. Researchers with little time to spare accept to review papers, but end up providing senseless and superficial evaluations of dismal scholarship. Read more...

Science is a lifestyle

When I was about in the middle of my undergraduate studies, I decided that I needed some laboratory practice. So I joined a lab that was studying Drosophila genetics. The Prof. there, his name was Enzo Muñoz, was an old-school geneticist, with rather conservative views. We spoke often. He was talking about science. I remember one thing he said once: “There are no boring topics in science, only bored scientists.” I thought at that time that he was defending himself a little bit.

Later I understood that he was actually talking about something more profound. Nothing in science is boring. There are  scientists that may get bored about something, but that does not make that topic a boring one, it only says that those scientists have been unable to find a way to crack that problem or make progress in that topic. Or they simply did not understand its depth. Read more...

The Casimi C5S baritone is here!

The Casimi C5S baritone guitar is finally here. Ordered in Mach 2021, and finally finished now, in mid September 2023. Matthew Rice and Matthias Roux are Casimi Guitars, based in Muizenberg, outside Cape Town. They are in high demand and only make a handful of instruments per year, hence the long waiting list. This is a multiscale instrument, also called “fan-fret”, with the 6th string at 28” and the 1st at 27”. To be noted is the tilted bridge, and the perpendicular fret at the fifth position. It features a sound port on the top side as well as subtle arm and chest bevels.

As for woods, the top is made of Moonspruce, a master grade  spruce that is harvested at a particular moon phase. The back and sides are African Blackwood, a hard tone wood similar to Brazilian Rosewood. Bindings are made of beautiful koa. The neck is mahogany and fretboard is ebony with golden Evo frets like our Buendia 12-string. The nut and saddle are Black Tusq. Read more...

From wine lover to wine maker…

During a visit last year at Francis Mallmann’s restaurant “Siete Fuegos” in Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, we were introduced to the private vineyards at The Vines, a 600 hectares estate were wine lovers have the possibility to own 1-10 acres of a professionally managed vineyard to make wine under the guidance expert, top rated Argentine winemakers, such as Mariana Onofri and consulting winemaker Santiago Achaval.

And so it was that earlier this year we purchased one acre of Malbec planted in 2007 at this wonderful place and began the long journey from wine lovers to wine makers. Our Wine Making Plan for 2023 includes three types of Super Premium Malbec: one barrel fermented and two fermented in steel tanks, one half matured in first use French oak barrels and the other in third use barrels. The first harvest took place this March and the blending session will be in November later this year. We look forward to taste our (still very young) wines and experiment (we’re scientists, right?) with different combinations among them and together with other varietals, such as Cabernet Franc. We wanted to make this a very personal voyage and so our label simply carries our names, IBAÑEZ – MOLINER, and the design team is helping us coming up with a label that embodies our personal esthetics and inspiration. The Wine Making Plan for 2024 is already on the way and the focus will be to widen our portfolio with one harvested rosé based on Cabernet Franc and a young and fruit-forward Malbec from our own grapes. We hope for a great harvest in March next year. More soon… Read more...

New guitar build commission: the Casimi C5C Baritone

I had been intrigued about baritone guitars  for many years. Like most of us guitarists, I greatly admired the beautiful record that Pat Metheny had done on solo baritone acoustic guitar “One Quiet Night”, where he employed only one instrument, made to him by Linda Manzer. I got exposed to more baritones through the Chords of Orion YouTube channel and recordings, as well as Dream Guitars. DG’s owner and guitar guru Paul Heumiller is a great fan of baritones and also a strong supporter of the multiscale or fanned-fret approach to baritone guitars. Sometime in March 2021, I watched Paul Heumiller presenting a new baritone instrument built by Matthew Rice and Matthias Roux from Casimi Guitars, located right outside Cape Town,  Western Cape, South Africa. This was their C5C model with African Blackwood back and sides and a moonspruce top. The guitar shape, the many unique design features and the gorgeous woods were simply stunning. I began doing some enquiries. It turned out that Heumiller had decided to keep that instrument for himself. Read more...

Nobel in Africa Initiative – Things you did not know…

The five videos below were recorded during my 2022 residence at STIAS  (Stellenbosch Institute For Advance Study) during the build up to the launch of the first Nobel in Africa Symposium on Physics. I was asked to share some history and fun facts about Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Prize.

Nobel in Africa is a STIAS Initiative in partnership with Stellenbosch University, under the auspices of the Nobel Foundation and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences with funding from the Knut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

Alfred Nobel died in December 10, 1896, as one of the richest men in Europe. With no descendants, he left the vast majority of his wealth to the creation of awards in Chemistry, Physics, Medicine or Physiology, Literature and Peace. He provided only one instruction for the Prizes. They should be awarded for achievements that have afforded the greatest benefit to mankind made by individuals of any nationality, creed or race. It was the first ever truly international prize of its kind lacking any boundaries. Nobel’s vision was one of a united humanity striving for knowledge, beauty and peace. Perhaps now, more than ever before, is this vision more prescient, more profound, more urgent. Nobel in Africa represents the first ever series of Nobel conferences held outside Alfred Nobel’s native land under the auspices of the Nobel Foundation. The fact that they are taking place in Africa and in STIAS is of momentous significance. There could hardly be a better way to honor Alfred Nobel’s vision and legacy. Read more...

Science, Jazz, Photography