In 2007, besides finally getting my PhD (several years behind the above schedule) and being suddenly thrust into the real world, I was under contract with a science publication to bring this comparison to a broader audience. But that project got cut earlier this year for various reasons. With permission, I am finally updating this listing for the 2007-8 year. See America’s Best Graduate School Stipends – new, improved, and to you from Dr. Wendy.

Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham

In other news, I just returned from what may be my final tour to Coney Island’s Astroland. I was honored to be accompanied by Rebecca Watson (a.k.a. The Skepchick) and some amiable Skepdudes. As per CNN’s request, I have uploaded a video to iReport! See the video >> here.

Buddy is now getting ready to enter the pupal stage, and is hanging on the side of a mesh cage by a silk thread.

It’s really fun to watch the caterpillar eat dill – they eat all day long, and poop out these perfectly spherical little poops that smell like dill. I was hoping to catch Buddy eating on video, because it’s quite mesmerizing (see this photoI took years ago, before the wonders of YouTube). But alas, when I came home today, Buddy had already started to metamorphose. As seen here, he has decided to pupate on the side of his cage:

In this blown-out close-up image, you can really see the silk he has laid out to attach himself firmly to the wire mesh:

It’s incredible to watch a caterpillar transform into a butterfly – undoubtedly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Hopefully I will be able to capture more of the action on film.

Astonishingly, Buddy grew approximately 33% in 24 hours. I barely recognized him, but luckily I only have one caterpillar and he was sitting on the same sprig of dill (which appears to be shrinking).