ScienceBlogs
Where the world discusses science. 76 blogs, 119,527 posts, and 1,852,216 comments.
What We're Talking About Sunday, November 22, 2009
Linking Fact and Fiction
Context By Seed
Good science takes time, but good science fiction hinges on impatience. Why wait for the invention of real technological marvels when you can imagine them yourself or see them on TV? On The Quantum Pontiff, Dave Bacon ponders the formative links between fantasy and reality, spurred by an Intel talk on the possibilities of “fictional prototyping.” He writes, “the creative act of telling a story shares many similarities with the creative act of developing a new research idea or inventing a new technology.” On Built on Facts, Matt Springer compares phasers with lasers, writing "it's a nice job perk that I can see old science fiction tropes come to life pretty much every day." On Aardvarchaelogy, Martin Rundkvist says there are two ways of writing SF: either you use current scientific knowledge to write an explanation that “sort of makes sense,” or you use “technobabble” to dazzle your readers with made-up vocabulary. Do neither and, like author Dan Simmons, you will be ridiculed. Finally, travel back in time for an article by Chad Orzel on Uncertain Principles, where he considers the long-running role of mysticism in SF, and notes that the genre “has broadened considerably over the last few decades."
The Conversation
Science Fiction Prototyping
The Quantum PontiffNovember 18, 2009
Last Friday I went to a talk by Brian David Johnson from Intel, a "consumer experience architect" in the Digital Home - User Experience Group. Okay that is a bit odd for a typical seminar speaker, but still lies in the "reasonable" range. And then you find out the title of his talks is "Brain Machines: Robots, Free Will and Fictional Prototyping as a Tool for AI Design" and you say, whah?
Seeing Laser Beams
Built on FactsNovember 19, 2009
To see light, it has to reach your eyes. This is clearly not possible when all the light is actually traveling down the beam path. You can see this in action with laser pointers - only the spot where the light hits and diffusely reflects is visible. The path is not.
Dan Simmons's Scientific Let-Down
AardvarchaeologyNovember 16, 2009
The ecology of Sol Draconi Septem is also magical. It consists only of two species of carnivore that hunt each other: ice wraiths and humans. No plants and no herbivores. Simmons does mention that the human population is shrinking, which suggests that he understands that a system without energy input will dwindle and eventually stop running.
Mysticism and SF
Uncertain PrinciplesSeptember 30, 2009
Science fiction has really taken a fall from the good old days, when science was everything. Why, the next thing you know, there'll be a whole slew of stories promoting daft notions regarding psi powers and kooky made-up religions... Oh, wait...
Video
See circling and shooting stars in a time-lapse video called Milky Way Rising on Greg Laden's Blog.
Community
ScienceBlogger Jason Rosenhouse of EvolutionBlog published his book The Monty Hall Problem: The Remarkable Story of Math's Most Contentious Brain Teaser earlier this year, to enthusiastic reviews. Now, Amazon.com has selected The Monty Hall Problem as one of the top 10 science books of 2009.
Congratulations to Jason—check out his book on Amazon today!
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In Conversation
“Prevention oriented accident specialists are fond of saying that "accidents are no accidents," by which they mean that many accidental deaths are in some sense avoidable. So wear your seat belts and don't go golfing in lightning storms. And while you're at it, have health insurance, since there is now new evidence that not having it makes it more likely you'll die if you do have an "accident."”The uninsured and surviving an accident
November 20, 2009
Channel Surfing
Life Science
The Amazing Bouncing Pebble Toad (video)
Seen on DeLene's Facebook wall.......
Viruses and invasive species: I get sick, but you get sicker, sucker
Viruses explain everything.
Spirited Debate with Ray and Kirk
From Atheist Cartoons.com...
The Life Science Channel RSS FeedPhysical Science
Make Your Own "Liquid Nitrogen" at Home
Do not do this at home. This is for certified scientists only. Do not put your finger in...
Global Warming Alarmist Conspiracy Emails Hacked!!!11!!
The Anthropocentric Global Warming Denialist Community is collectively creaming in its collective jeans over the release of zillions...
Believe it or not: A Black Hole Question!
Black holes have come up a couple of times this week, and I've always wondered something. When you...
The Physical Science Channel RSS FeedEnvironment
Using Reputation to Save the Oceans
Why focusing on consumers to save our oceans is not enough.
Floods not linked to climate change shocker
In shocking news just in, record heavy rain in the Lakes and extensive flooding has not been linked...
When mammoths roamed
Pleistocene Megafaunal Collapse, Novel Plant Communities, and Enhanced Fire Regimes in North America: Although the North American megafaunal...
The Environment Channel RSS FeedEducation
On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess
Ask Dr. Isis - How Do I Avoid Being a Committee Patsy?
Last week I received this letter from a lovely reader...a letter I have been carefully, carefully pondering: Dear...
Rhodes Secretary: Wall Street Megabonuses Draining Our Young Talent
In the op-ed pages of The Washington Post today, Elliot Gerson--the American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust--takes a bold stand.
O.K. For what it's worth - I'm finally on twitter. Send on some suggestions for science scout badges...
... because I have tuesday afternoon cleared for updating the science scout site a bit. Plus, although I'm...
The Education Channel RSS FeedPolitics
Why Should Democratic Voters Be Party Strategists...
...because that's your job.
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
Conservative Originalism and Interracial Marriage
An interesting conversation has begun on American Creation, where my friend Jon Rowe blogs along with several others...
Dispatches from the Culture Wars
The Kirk Cameron Action Kit
FunnyOrDie has an amusing video in response to Kirk Cameron's crusade to hand out 50,000 copies of The...
The Politics Channel RSS FeedMedicine & Health
Swine flu in China: no problem
Less than a hundred swine flu deaths in China? Don't make me laugh.
Clifton Leaf: "a legal frenzy that's diverting scientists from doing science"
Revisiting an old article on the Bayh-Dole Act leads us to wonder whether US university ownership of discoveries from federally-funded research has hindered medical progress.
Freethinker Sunday Sermonette: Ricky Gervais on The Book of Genesis
Making the Bible come alive.
The Medicine & Health Channel RSS FeedBrain & Behavior
Reverse-Engineering
Last week, a team of computer scientists led by Dharmendra S. Modha announced what sounded like an impressive...
Casual Fridays: What makes a good writer, and what motivates them?
We received an astonishing number of responses to last week's Casual Fridays study, which claimed to be able...
Artificial Intelligence on Collective Imagination ...
There is nothing in the term "Artificial Intelligence" that implies that "intelligence" be human, but the implication is clear that such a thing as "intelligence" exists and that we have some clue as to what it is. But it might not, and we don't.
The Brain & Behavior Channel RSS FeedTechnology
Michio Kaku on Artificial Intelligence
Topics : Artificial Intelligence Physics Universe Space Moore's Law Quantum Computers ... and More...
Bacteria trained to detect mines
Not all intelligence is brainy. Land mines are still one of most dangerous hazards affecting many countries, especially...
Toaster Sunshine channels Jack White for science and technology outreach
There's a lot to be said for building shit just to see if it works.
The Technology Channel RSS FeedInformation Science
National Day of Listening (and blogging about it)
The second annual National Day of Listening - celebrated on Friday, November 27, 2009 - is just...
The Primate Diaries on Facebook Now At 400!
You just crossed the 400 mark at The Primate Diaries facebook fan page. If you're on facebook and...
The #retweetFAIL
The smart bet is that this complete and utter screwup is driven entirely by some scheme to monetize rather than by what they think users actually want.
The Information Science Channel RSS FeedJobs
Rhodes Secretary: Wall Street Megabonuses Draining Our Young Talent
In the op-ed pages of The Washington Post today, Elliot Gerson--the American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust--takes a bold stand.
ScienceOnline2010 - introducing the participants
As you know you can see everyone who's registered for the conference, but I highlight 4-6 participants...
Fourty two* and still in need of mentoring?
... the NIH should not give young investigators a break ... because they are full of crap?!?!!!
The Jobs Channel RSS Feed
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ScienceBlogs Super Photos
Top Lists
- 1Let the War on Christmas Begin. Atheist style. : Greg Laden's Blog
- 2The Science in the Movie 2012 : Greg Laden's Blog
- 3Memories can be strengthened while we sleep by providing the right triggers : Not Exactly Rocket Science
- 4Tips from the top: Mentoring is really, super important to help people succeed. : Sciencewomen
- 5What Is the Heritability of Being an A--hole? : Mike the Mad Biologist
- 1On those stolen CRU emails
Tim Lambert 11.22.2009
- 2Escape from the planet of the cursed undead heart of the vengeful bride of the son of the thread that will not die!
PZ Myers 11.14.2009
- 3You shoulda been here
PZ Myers 11.22.2009
- 4Let the War on Christmas Begin. Atheist style.
Greg Laden 11.22.2009
- 5Missouri Republicans Call For Violent Revolution
Ed Brayton 11.22.2009
From Futurity.org
Research news | More at Futurity.org
From NYTimes.com
Latest science stories | More at nytimes.com
SB Basics
Hurricanes
As the 2009 hurricane season picks up speed after a remarkably mild beginning, we look to the ScienceBlogs archives for the science behind the storms.
The Island of DoubtJuly 25, 2006
The real story of the hurricanes
Neuron Culture September 11, 2008
Hurricanes & Climate Change: A Round-Up Says Maybe More, Definitely Hotter
Corpus Callosum September 12, 2008
Humanities & Soc. Sciences
Pharyngula
Women Of Worth
Every year, L'Oreal selects women who have made significant contributions to community service and awards their organization a...
Uncertain Principles
How to Teach Physics to Your Dog is a Real Book!
Look! How to Teach Physics to Your Dog is a real book: Emmy says, very seriously, "You will...
Greg Laden's Blog
Let the War on Christmas Begin. Atheist style.
This week is Thanksgiving in the United States. This means that over the coming weekend many Americans will...
The Social Sciences Channel RSS Feed