3QD Science Prize Semifinalists 2011

Hello,

The voting round of our science prize (details here) is over. A total of 2,018 votes were cast for the 87 nominees (click here for full list of nominees). Thanks to the nominators and the voters for participating.

Carla Goller has designed a "trophy" logo that our top twenty vote-getters may choose to display on their own blogs. So here they are, in descending order from the most voted-for:

1. Southern Fried Science: Back from the Brink: Victories in Conservation
2. Georneys: Word of the Week: O is for Ophiolite
3. Cosmology Science Blog: International Astronomical Union has no definition for Big Bang
4. Neutrino Blog: Four Neutrinos? But You Said There Were Just Three!
5. (((1/f))): A Sunday Afternoon Watching Symmetry Break
6. Convergence: Ocean Acidifi-WHAT?!
7. Laelaps: The Pelican's Beak - Success and Evolutionary Stasis
8. Communicate Science: Is Féidir Linn: Obama was right
9. Oh, For the Love of Science: Prehistoric Clues Provide Insight into Climate's Future Impact on Oceans
10. Dr. Carin Bondar: Sacrifice on the Serengeti
11. Surprising Science: Rare Earth Elements Not Rare, Just Playing Hard to Get
12. Empirical Zeal: Blind Fish in Dark Caves Shed Light on the Evolution of Sleep
13. Bering in Mind: One Reason Why Humans Are Special and Unique: We Masturbate. A Lot
14. Anthropology in Practice: Power, Confidence, and High-Heels
15. ERV: Barnyard Week: White Chickens Are ERV Mutants
16. Highly Allochthonous: Levees and the Illusion of Flood Control
17. Doctor Stu's Blog: The Future of Nuclear Power after Fukushima: Thorium Reactors?
18. Observations of a Nerd: How Do You ID a Dead Osama Anyway?
19. Observations of a Nerd: Why do women cry? Obviously it's so they don't get laid
20. Scientific American Guest Blog: Seratonin and Sexual Preference: Is It Really That Simple?

The editors of 3 Quarks Daily will now pick the top six entries from these, and after possibly adding up to three "wildcard" entries, will send that list of finalists to Professor Lisa Randall for final judging. We will post the shortlist of finalists here on June 13, 2011.

Good luck!

Abbas