Author Archives: JB

In Honor of the “Super Moon” – Identifying and siding the lunate

Posted on June 28, 2013 by JB

Last week marked the arrival of the “super moon”, the rare coincidence of a full moon phase with the point in its orbit at which the lunar body is closest to the Earth. In order, no doubt, to stimulate public … Continue reading →

Posted in Carpals, Hand, Osteology, Siding Tricks | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Feeling Shafted? Tips for identifying humeral shaft fragments

Posted on June 21, 2013 by JB

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately sitting cross-legged on the floor of my office, refitting long bone shafts. This pastime  generally involves me hunching over a tray like a cranky oracle, brows furrowed, staring suspiciously at the bones … Continue reading →

Posted in Long Bones, Osteology | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Want to impress your friends at parties?* A guide to quickly siding the patella.

Posted on June 15, 2013 by JB

While working with the ca. 5,000 year old Copper Age human remains that I’m studying as part of my dissertation research, I’ve noticed that the patella tends to preserve fairly well. The patella is up there on my list of … Continue reading →

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OsteoMenagerie 3: The petrous portion of the temporal bone

Posted on May 27, 2013 by JB

The petrous portion of the temporal bone provides passage for the facial (VII) and vestibulocochlear (VIII) nerves, houses some of the body’s most delicate organs of hearing (including the auditory ossicles) and is one of the densest bones in the … Continue reading →

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Taylorism and Teaching

Posted on May 16, 2013 by JB

Alternate Title: “Why you should never use an anthropologist as a participant in your research study“. I recently participated in a Kinesiology study that tested reaction times between two different sets of individuals. Despite my frequent lack of coordination, I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching | Tagged , | 1 Comment

How to “Rock” your Prelims*

Posted on May 11, 2013 by JB

I have a number of friends in grad school who are taking  prelim exams this month. Also called “comps” or “quals”, these comprehensive exams are a notorious crucible during students’ early years in the program. Depending on your department and … Continue reading →

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Cake or….Superior Articular Facets?

Posted on May 10, 2013 by JB

Excuse the Eddie Izzard reference. After learning this trick a few years back I’ve used it to teach students (or whoever is unfortunate enough to wander into the osteology lab when I’m in a didactic mood) how to identify vertebrae … Continue reading →

Posted in Osteology, Vertebrae | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

How I Feel about Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted on May 9, 2013 by JB

When prepping  animal bones, you need to submerge them in hydrogen peroxide. Through trial and error I have found that the compound seems to lose its potency over time, so you need refills for every batch of bones you soak. … Continue reading →

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OsteoMenagerie 2: The Scaphoid

Posted on May 7, 2013 by JB

For this week’s edition of OsteoMenagerie, we have the scaphoid, a bone of the wrist that clearly looks like a snail. Appropriately given last week’s OsteoMenagerie, another term for the scaphoid is the navicular, because it is similarly positioned to … Continue reading →

Posted in Carpals, Hand, OsteoMenagerie, Siding Tricks | Tagged , | 4 Comments

OsteoMenagerie I: The Navicular

Posted on May 2, 2013 by JB

I find that students react to the bewildering variety of bones in the human body with a greater amount of aplomb when you explain things using animal metaphors. I’ve always found some of these visual parallels impossible to unsee after … Continue reading →

Posted in Foot, OsteoMenagerie, Siding Tricks, Tarsals | Tagged , | 6 Comments