Should Science Bloggers Have a Session?

I think it would be really cool if loads of science bloggers talked about the same thing on the same day. Beer bloggers have a monthly "session"

"The Session, a.k.a. Beer Blogging Friday, is an opportunity once a month for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from their own unique perspective on a single topic". The beer blogging community really get around the session and seem to delight in sharing stories around one topic. Something similar for science bloggers would be cool, it might already exist but I cannot find it.

If some neglected interesting topic was blogged about once a month that could be really fun. To see the many angles bloggers can take on a subject.

Here is a suggestion World Leprosy day is January 30th.

How about we all write a blog about leprosy for that day?

Off the top of my head here are some possible angles

1. Epidemiology
How is leprosy spread
Where is it common
Can it be eradicated? An irish leprosy charity The Leprosy Mission is here

2. Microbiology
Why can't leprosy be diagnosed until you have symptoms
Why is the Leprosy bacteria so hard to culture
Why do some people take decades to develop symptoms
Why are most people genetically immune from the disease
The reviled drug Thalidamide has a role in modern leprosy treatment why

3. History
Why is leprosy one of the oldest known infectious diseases. How can you tell a mummy has leprosy
How has treatment changed through the ages
How has leprosy effected history? From the king in Braveheart to the Gospels leprosy has been important in history.
Leopardstown I have heard was a 'leper colony'. Was it and what did it look like?

4. Sociology
Why is there such a taboo against leprosy? What can we do to ease this?

5. Medicine
What are the symptoms of Leprosy and why do they occur?

6. Zoology
Armadillos can spread leprosy to humans. Other animals have also been implicated. What does it mean for the animal to carry this disease? How can infection from these animals be minimised?


Thats just a few ideas. None of which I know enough about to be able to write up. But you or someone you know might. It is a neglected disease. I have heard it small pox described as the disease that is gone but not forgotten and leprosy as the disease that is not gone but is forgotten. How about a session for science bloggers on leprosy on January 30th? If you have any ideas or comments or will commit to writing a post please comment below.