I heart D&A | Photo by Melissa Moore/LAist LAist’s freshly minted Ph.D., Melissa, is stepping out of the lab to bring you Scient-IST. Our resident expert will give you the inside scoop on health, science and breaking research. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our kick-off columns will focus on the latest in breast cancer studies, activism and more. Who says scientists can’t be celebrities? They’ve got cool gear (PET scanners), adoring fans......

Let's look back at a week in which no site in the -ist network adopted anyone from Africa... -Austinist reveled in the dumb antics of some U.T. law students and posted some great audio from former New Orleans natives who've decided to stay in Austin. But the best news for Austinist? They were voted Best Local Entertainment Web Site by the local Austin alt-weekly. Congrats, Austinist. -DCist gloried in being told their musical tastes made......

Our college guest speakers were never this cool. (Except maybe for the group of Hare Krishnas in sociology sophomore year, but that's another post.) Rock star and cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge surprised about 300 UCLA cancer biology students today for a guest lecture as part of filming for MTV's college network, mtvU's "Stand In" series. She talked about her personal struggle and her music -- and that bald-headed Grammy appearance where she left young......