Geek of the Week: Neil Shubin

Here we honor Muggle geeks who embody Ravenclaw spirit...
when they succeed, they soar, and when they fail, they fail spectacularly!

Neil Shubin (b. 1960)
“The world is filled with puzzles, all kinds of interesting questions and it's our challenge to figure them out. It's not just like this static file cabinet of things that human beings know. It's ever expanding.”

Paleontologist in the Hogwarts house!  Shubin famously discovered tiktaalik roseae, a 375 million years old fossil fish... it's a no-longer-missing link, you guys.  The author of "Your Inner Fish" and "The Universe Within" is a former Provost of the fantastically awesome Field Museum, because that's where evolutionary biologists hang out for fun.

Right now Shubin's cooling his heels at UChicago in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy.  He goes hiking and fly-fishing on occasion, but he's so geeky, finding info on hobbies took a lot of digging!  #explorationpun

Find out more about Neil Shubin on Wikipedia.

Flight of the First Showcase - July

Current July Detention standings: Gryffindor - 38, Hufflepuff - 10, Ravenclaw - 17, and Slytherin - 7. As always, we have until the end of July to turn in a project for Detention. :) Now, let's take a peak and what Claws have submitted thus far.

Akasha111182 finished a pair of fun socks.

Cyprienne arm knits. So fast and pretty!

MeeMejMoi made an adorable monster.

DJackson knit a Turtle-Bat that was a Transfiguration "fail".

Mrswingnut, a NQFY, joins in with our madness.

Common Room Recap June 30-July 6

* A discussion on yogurt-type foods.
* Light saber fights at weddings.
* Taco pizza and a giant cream puff. Way to make us jealous.
* Hypercycloid's mini-me learns how to shop for yarn.
* The kountingsheep family are in our thoughts.
* BBC miniseries on yarn! (Right now only available in the UK.)
* It's agreed. The Tower is the place to ask advice.
* 1NK crocheting at a baseball game.
* DonaQuiote's letter to summer 2013.
* Chemistry puns.
* Postcard swap reminder.
* Senkatnovo's pretty kitty.
* The suggestion of a Doviejay-Along. (two links)
* Rambunctiousky's engaged!
* Tri-Family runs a 5K.