There's Abbie, the graduate student that's studying the molecular and biochemical evolution of HIV and epigenetic control of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Then there's Abbie, the animal rescuer and pet owner who owns a dog named after a famous bodybuilder actor and who's family is known for rescuing stray pups.  

We got the chance to talk to Abbie about her work with animals and the viruses that could harm them, her devotion to rescuing dogs, her love for her dog Arnie, and of course, the blog that wraps all of that up in one pretty package.  

Why do you choose to study the evolution of viruses and how it impacts our health?

Honestly?  When I was little I wanted to be an astronaut.  I wanted to seek out new life and new civilizations like they did on Star Trek.  But real life doesnt really work that way, ha!  So I decided to study aliens right here on Planet Earth--Viruses.  Theyre weird little buggars, but theyve played a massive role in the evolution of life on this planet, including humans.  And viruses are absolutely everywhere.  They make up the largest biomass on this planet.  If aliens visited Earth, viruses would be the first thing they would notice.

Mo is a UCL Neuroscience graduate and a Neurophilosophy blogger who comments on "molecules, minds and everything in between." So where do animals fit into the picture?

This neuroblogger and neuro expert frequently comments on animal intelligence research, animal behavior, cognitive skills, and occasionally, animal rights groups.  

How smart are animals? Read Mo's commentary and find out.  Then head on over to Neurophilosophy for more of his super smart, but totally relatable commentary on everything else.

Janet D. Stemwedel (or Dr. Free-Ride as her blog psuedonym goes) is a study in contrasts.  She's a philosopher now but but earned her Ph.D in physical chemistry. She muses on scientific research, but prides herself on promoting ethical conduct.  

Janet uses her blog, Adventures in Ethics and Science, as a means to muse on responsible conduct of scientific research with ethical means, but points out on the site that she usually ends up focusing on irresponsible conduct with an unethical means.  

Thus, I thought it would be appropriate to ask her her thoughts on the ethical or unethical nature of animal research for scientific purposes.  And she responded with some amazing insight from a philosophical and scientific standpoint.

Here's what Dr. Free-Ride had to say: 

Who knew dinosaurs were in his future? Brian Switek certainly didn't, though he grew up gawking at their skeletal architecture, figures, and fossils. Despite having a deep love for these reptile ancestors, the New Jersey resident took it upon himself to study other topics, until he found himself back where he started--seeking out the paleontology he grew up enjoying immensely.

Perhaps the study of dinosaurs was meant for this paleontology buff and he took it upon himself to get all he could from his paleontology prospects.

Along the way, he picked up some blogging prospects, too, creating Laelaps for the Scienceblogs.com crew and Dinosaur Tracking for a blog with Smithsonian magazine.  

Most of us would probably sit down with a comrade or a co-worker to talk topics like science, history, relationships, culture, etc. 

Chad Orzel is not one of them. Instead, he finds man's best friend the best--er--person? to share ideas with. 

His dog Emmy, a mixed-breed canine, is perhaps Chad's best listener as he rolls off ideas to her and explains the unexplainable--quantum physics!  

It's become so normal for her to sit down with her and--er--HEAR her thoughts that he's taken to including her in his blog, Uncertain Principles, and writing a book about their conversations.

We're lucky to have both Chad and Emmy here to shoot the breeze, relay their story, share pet care tips, and of course, tote the perks of quantum physics (which begs the question, are there any?)