December 5, 2007
An intelligent new way to support the teaching of evolution
New journal Evolution: Education and Outreach debuts on 28 November
The world-renowned evolutionary scientist Niles Eldredge and his son Greg Eldredge, a high school science teacher, believe it's time to help science educators fight back…
December 5, 2007
[hat tip, Pharyngula]
December 5, 2007
I just have to send my banking details.
Hey, this is from Japan. We trust these guys, right? I can do this, don't you think?
Greeting from Japan.
Having tried your phone and fax number as found in my country's
chamber/business directory but failed.
I am contacting you regarding a proposal to…
December 4, 2007
The suicide of a young man and the murder he committed before he killed himself are being blamed on a cult led by his mother.
Also disturbing, former members who spoke to CNN say they witnessed Ricky Rodriguez having sex with his mother, Karen Zerby, the leader of the sect now known as "The Family…
December 4, 2007
PZ Myers has posted his third grade class photo on his blog and asks the question, "can you find me?"
Here's the picture:
View Larger Image
I keep looking and looking, but I can't find him. He's harder to find than Waldo.
December 4, 2007
After 27 years as a science teacher and 9 years as the Texas Education Agency's director of science, Christine Castillo Comer said she did not think she had to remain "neutral" about teaching the theory of evolution.
"It's not just a good idea; it's the law," said Ms. Comer, citing the state's…
December 4, 2007
According to this press release from Manchester..
Palaeontologist Dr Phil Manning, working with National Geographic Channel has uncovered the Holy Grail of palaeontology in the United States: a partially intact dino mummy.
Named Dakota, this 67-million-year-old dinosaur is one of the most important…
December 4, 2007
Microsoft Softens Response to Piracy from PhysOrg.com
(AP) -- Microsoft Corp. is pulling back from a system that disables programs on users' computers if it suspects the software is pirated, opting instead for a gentler approach based on nagging alerts.
[...]
Whenever Microsoft Softens you know…
December 4, 2007
Go to any bar and you'll see a lot of males standing and sitting around not mating. I'll bet you would have guessed that the reason they are not mating is that no females will mate with them for one reason or another. But there is the distinct possibility that they are very inconspicuously…
December 4, 2007
... as in the internet address, not the concept of an IT company...
Some web site with an impossible name posts the list, the first few of which are here:
SYMBOLICS.COM in March 1985
BBN.COM
THINK.COM
MCC.COM
DEC.COM
NORTHROP.COM
XEROX.COM
SRI.COM
HP.COM
BELLCORE.COM
IBM.COM
SUN.COM
INTEL.COM
TI.…
December 4, 2007
The allegations against the Rev. Ted Haggard and Sen. Larry Craig have a common thread: A 50-year-old former prostitute from Denver named Mike Jones claims he had sex with both. *
What are the odds of that happening?
[hat tip: CMF]
December 4, 2007
Researchers have discovered a form of DNA modification not previously known to occur in nature. Lab scientists often use the addition of sulfer to the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone to make the DNA resistant to nucleases (DNA-cutting enzymes) in order to use the DNA for other (i.e. theraputic)…
December 4, 2007
The Kirtland's Warbler is now breeding in Canada after a 60 year hiatus.
Conservationists "thrilled" as Kirtland's Warbler returns to Canada
30-11-2007
Bird Studies Canada (BirdLife's Canadian co-Partner) has expressed delight at news that a pair of Kirtland's Warbler Dendroica kirtlandii have bred…
December 4, 2007
This topic is being discussed elsewhere, so I thought I'd post something on it:
Back to the future: Prairie grasses emerge as rich energy sourceMixtures of grasses make best source of biofuel
By Deane Morrison
Dec. 8, 2006
With shrinking glaciers and other signs of global warming upon us, the…
December 4, 2007
NEW YORK - Girls swept a prestigious high school science competition for the first time Monday, winning top prizes of $100,000 scholarships for their work on potential tuberculosis cures and bone growth in zebrafish.
It was the first time girls had ever won the grand prizes in both the team and…
December 4, 2007
Thanks to Greg Buchholz!
December 4, 2007
The small fragments of bone are spread out on a workbench in tiny pieces that could fit into a matchbox, betraying the size of their owner: a fearsome sea predator considered the Tyrannosaurus Rex of the oceans.
... a pliosaur, a reptile that swam the oceans 150 million years ago and was so big it…
December 4, 2007
While smoking toad venom might sound extreme, an even more disturbing method to get high possibly includes sniffing fermented human waste. Vicky Ward, manager of prevention services at Tri-County Mental Health Services in Kansas City, said she has read e-mail warnings about a drug called jenkem.…
December 4, 2007
People in Kansas City, MO are smoking toads. This, apparently, is better than licking toads. Either way, you apparently get high.
Look out toads.
"Toad smoking," which is a substitute for "toad licking," is done by extracting venom from the Sonoran Desert toad of the Colorado River. The toad's…
December 4, 2007
The yahoos at Yahoo report:
Donnie Register has a new reason to be thankful he's married ... his wedding band deflected a bullet and probably saved his life.
Police Sgt. Jeffrey Scott says two men walked into Register's shop at The Antique Market on Saturday and asked to see a coin collection.
When…
December 4, 2007
All I have is the press release, but it's fun:
Cosmopolitan microbes -- hitchhikers on Darwin's dust
Scientists have analysed aerial dust samples collected by Charles Darwin and confirmed that microbes can travel across continents without the need for planes or trains - rather bacteria and fungi…
December 4, 2007
A recent paper in PLoS Biology examines the role of the so called "language gene" in neural development related to vocalization. It was previously found that FOXP2 gene is up-regulated in a certain area of the brain that is important for neural plasticity related to vocalization. The present…
December 4, 2007
For you. Just for the halibut...
December 3, 2007
Well, not worth it to you, but possibly to the Gordian Worm growing out of your head!
December 3, 2007
Where the White-Tail Roam
There certainly are plenty of deer. Wildlife experts estimate 32 million white-tails -- by far the country's dominant species of deer -- roam America's woods, fields and backyards. Last year, hunters killed 6.6 million of them.
My friend Kathy has this story: She was…
