About REBECCA PRIESTLEY
I’m a science historian and writer. I write about all sorts of things, but I’m mostly interested in New Zealand’s science history, about which I’ve curated two exhibitions, The Art of Science and Butterflies, Boffins & Black Smokers. I write a regular science column for The Listener, which you can read here, and I’ve completed four books, which you can read more about here. I’m now working on an anthology of Antarctic science, which should be finished ... soon and trying to decide between two new book projects: a worthy history of science biography and a fun contemporary science story. Perhaps I'll do both. I mostly blog when I'm adventuring - most of these posts are from recent trips to Antarctica and the Kermadec Islands.-
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Monthly Archives: November 2011
I don’t want to go to Antarctica tomorrow
I started today feeling very grumpy about having to go to Antarctica tomorrow. I missed my family as soon as I left for Christchurch, the strawberries in my garden were about to ripen, and I had a headache. And it … Continue reading
Posted in Antarctic, Personal, Travel
Tagged Antarctica, antarctica new zealand, Rebecca Priestley, Scott Base, travel
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Learning to pee standing up
Among all the firsts I expect to experience over the next week – my first step on the continent of Antarctica! My first ride in a C-17 Globemaster! My first night in a tent in subzero temperatures! – I get … Continue reading
Posted in Antarctic, Personal, Travel
Tagged Antarctica, antarctica new zealand, field scientists, Rebecca Priestley, women
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My Antarctica playlist
Over the last week, I asked people for recommendations on what I should listen to when I’m in Antarctica. Among the suggestions were “anything by Seal or Penguin Café Orchestra” (thanks Kim!) and “The Happy Feet soundtrack” (um, thanks Andrew!). … Continue reading
Posted in Antarctic, Personal, Travel
Tagged Antarctica, music, Rebecca Priestley, travel
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Shackleton’s Antarctic whisky
Speaking of Antarctica, one of my recent Listener stories was about Ernest Shackleton’s whisky. I went to a whisky tasting in Wellington, mostly for fun, but then I realised there was actually a pretty good science story there. I didn’t … Continue reading
A feeling for snow
I remember the first time my eyelashes froze together. After a moment of panic – I can’t see! – I rubbed my gloved hands over my eyes and my vision cleared. It happened again, almost instantly, and kept happening until … Continue reading
Posted in Antarctic, Personal
Tagged Greenland, narsarsuaq, Rebecca Priestley, travel
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Charles Fleming and his singing cicadas
This story originally appeared on my Pundit blog here. I’ve never quite understood why, but it’s the most-viewed thing I’ve ever written. Cicadas are as much a mainstay of a New Zealand summer as the sound of surf and a game of … Continue reading
