bill nye

Did the Patriots Deflate Their Balls Or Not?

gregladen — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:59:35 +0000

Did the Patriots Deflate Their Balls Or Not?

The Great DeflateGate Controversy

This year's Super Bowl will be, as of this writing, tomorrow, late afternoon, between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams have a 14-4 record for the season, so it should be a good game. Also, the game will be held in a stadium located in an arid and warm region of the country, in a stadium with a covered roof. So, there is no chance of a cloudy with a chance of deflated-balls scenario.

You have probably heard that an accusation has been made against the New England Patriots regarding their balls. It has been claimed that they intentionally deflated their balls during certain, perhaps many, games, in order that players be able to hold on to said balls during play. There is some evidence that this is true. In particular, the New England Patriots seem to have an exceptionally good record playing with balls that are wet and/or chilly -- exceeding betting spreads which are, essentially, complex and generally accurate models -- 80% of the time.

But now, a New England based scientist who has disclosed, as is proper, his fanship of the New England Patriots, has released a study suggesting that the Patriot's balls may have deflated naturally, after they were moved from a warm environment to the colder environment of the playing field.

Thomas Healy, former college punter and founder of HeadSmart Labs, a sports safety think tank, has carried out experiments to test this hypothesis. Here is the scientist, Healy, pointing to the relevant calculations:

And here is Healy explaining his research on the behavior of foot balls:

No Emerging Consensus on Deflate Gate

The thing I found most interesting about ball-gate, which is discussed in a New York Times piece on Healy's research, is that several physicists had goofed up their application of the famous "Inert Gas Law" in making public assertions that the New England Patriots must have ensmallened their balls during the game in question. According to the New York Times, "Other evidence is also turning the Patriots’ way. In a usually obscure profession that has received extraordinary attention during the controversy, some academic and research physicists now concede that they made a crucial error in their initial calculations, using an equation called the ideal gas law. When that error is corrected, the amount of deflation predicted in moving from room temperature to a 50-degree field is roughly doubled."

Timothy Gay, who wrote "The Physics of Football," which included a forward by Patriot's Coach Bill Belichick, also chimed in. He notes that deflated balls would certainly provide an advantage, but he agrees with Healy's results, and has confirmed them with his own calculations.

Bill Nye has also entered the fray, but he disagrees with Healy. Nye is backed up by a major web site known as "Funny or Die." From a piece in Salon,

“Funny or Die” and Nye actually demonstrate[s] what would happen if balls went from 80 degrees Fahrenheit to 51 degrees Fahrenheit for such a short amount of time. Most importantly, Nye reminds us that man-made climate change is real. And unlike “deflate-gate” it is, as Nye says, “something about which you should give a fuck.”

Here is Nye's video:

Bill Nye The Science Guy Tackles DeflateGate from Funny Or Die

Who will win the Deflate Gate Debate?

So, who are you going to go with? An industry funded scientist and Patriots fan with a fancy thermometer, or an independent science communicator with a better video who is a Seahawks fan? Are you going to accept the experimental evidence (and remember, we have two experiments, one formal and one informal, showing opposite results) or the paleo-data (the New England Patriot's record playing with damp and chilly balls)?

I'm thinking the jury is still out. But Bill Nye is certainly right about one thing. Climate change is real, and something to truly give a fuck about.

When is the Super Bowl on?

Sunday, February 1st, at 5:30 Central Time. It should be a good game, but don't get your hopes up. You wouldn't want to be deflated.

gregladen Sat, 01/31/2015 - 12:59

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Another factor: from 2000-2006, the Pats are league-average in lost fumbles. In 2007 (the year that road teams began providing their own footballs) they suddenly jumped to leading the league by a ridiculous margin (far enough that iirc the 2nd best team is closer to the last place team than to the Pats). Not explicable by seeking out players with good hands (Pats players didn't have these great hands on earlier teams) or training techniques (players who left for other teams didn't carry this quality with them).

Simple solution to this going forward - NFL supplies the balls under the supervision of the game officials, teams not allowed access to them except in play on the field

Kamron, interesting.

Doug: Also, both teams should be sprayed down with WD-40 before each game.

Healy didn't report the humidity of the 50 deg room nor the actual final temperature of the wet footballs. Presumably, if it is raining then the wetbulb depression would not be a factor (humidity ~100 percent). I'll bet that the demo room was relatively bone dry thus the balls would be cooler (10 deg?) and go a little flatter.

It is neat that he notes the expansion of wet hide and I'll just go ahead and *assume* that the inner bladder is able to expand a little -- Otherwise, they would only change shape and not increase their volume.

If I needed to cheat that way and were under the watchful eye of an 'impartial' observer then I'd probably have a battery inside the pump plunger housing actuating a fast-acting kanthal wire heating coil such as with the electronic 'e-cig' vaporizers so that the initial T is much higher for a given guage pressure.

Anecdotally, New York Giants running back Barber was fumble-prone until he worked with Head Coach Coughlin. He became very productive for the team. According to the two, there are ways to control what they can control and minimize the risks of fumbling: something like one-armed cradling higher up in the torso near the shoulder.

Head Coach Belichick employs two different methods: make the footballs difficult to control during practice so that strategies to control the footballs are drilled into the carriers, and bench the fumbling carrier until he demonstrates during difficult practices he is able to not fumble. Belichick was able to do the latter by carrying more running backs on his teams.

Citing an outlier statistic to support an argument can be misleading.

With NE losing two draft picks for deflate gate does this mean that two kids won't get drafted - one in first round 2016 and one in the fourth round 2017?

William, I'm not sure how that works. But I think I agree with what you are implying. Assume for the moment that the team did deflate the balls. I'm not sure if the NFL response is really appropriate. EG the QB is taking a big hit; if they did deflate the balls, a) he did not do this himself and b) likely lots of others know about it.

I assume/guess that the NFL's intention here is to make sure the Patriots are out of the running for the Super Bowl. In this way they are being punished for taking a SB win that they did not deserve. I would think a better way to do that would be to handicap them some other way. Have them sit out three games and call them all losses, for example, so they could not be in the playoffs, or something along those lines.

I think football has real trouble with concussions and long term brain injuries, and can't afford any hint of cheating, too. I think Belichick set the tone for stretching the rules, but Brady was a lot closer to the balls.

Well, he used the balls but he would not have been the person inflating them.

No, but he had a text trail to the person *deflating* them.

"b) likely lots of others know about it."

They have video of a staffer taking a bag of balls from the locker room to the field, and making a 90+ second stop in a bathroom along the way. That bag is the one that had the deflated balls.
Speculation is that person will be fired - if it has not already happened. Since he is unlikely to have done the dirty work on his own: not good.

Does anyone consider Bill Nye to be remotely scientific in his video? How can he be given any credibility after that?

The wind was peaking around gametime.

Hour 19:
Dew-Point: 44.1 F (6.7 C)
Wind: from the Southeast at 19.6 gusting to 29.9 MPH (17 gusting to 26 KT)

I don't know the actual time of 'halftime' but if it was between hours 21 and 22 the wind had subsided.

Hour 22:
Dew-Point: 46.0 F (7.8 C)
Wind: South at 11.5 MPH (10 KT)

http://www.friendlyforecast.com/usa/archive/archive.php?region=MA&id=15…
-----------------------------------------------

I'd propose that the relatively high velocity winds flowing past the entrances of the bowl-like stadium lowered the interior pressure below static atmospheric. -- Like a shower curtain drawn towards the spray, the vacuum of a carberator venturi, or the popping of one's ears when cracking a car window.

If the balls were pumped up to a particular gauge pressure when the indoor air-pressure was low and then checked when the indoor pressure had risen, the guage would then read low.

The combination of (a.) temperature and (b.) Bernoulli can lead to flaccid footballs??

Some visual aids to accompany my above comment #13

http://wbdg.org/images/env_wind_3.gif
http://wbdg.org/images/env_wind_5.gif

The oblong Gillete Stadium at 42°05'27.40" N, 71°15'51.65" W is oriented south-southeast -- north-northwest.

Perhaps, they even closed off the most windward entrances?

Ouch. Just using the simple form of 1/2 X density X v^2 for the 'suction' along a parallell surface only gives ~.015 psi for 30 MPH.

If the stadium were treated as a fat airfoil, then...

I'm most dreadfully embarrassed.

World’s Largest STEM Event Impacts Thousands

carlyo — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 08:00:03 +0000

World’s Largest STEM Event Impacts Thousands

Nearly 800 volunteers and exhibitors brought the Lockheed Martin 2014 USA Science & Engineering Festival pavilion to life last April 25-27, including more than 40 hands-on demonstrations from across the corporation in the areas of nanotechnology, data analytics, robotics, energy, advanced aeronautics, and scientific discovery.

A photo album is available online here, where you will see participants, young and old, flying cockpit simulators, trying on Antarctica cold weather gear, building and flying gliders, learning about 3D printing, and enjoying the many others activities in our pavilion.

"STEM education efforts, both regionally and nationally, are critical to engage and inspire our future technical talent," said Dr. Ray O. Johnson, Lockheed Martin senior vice president and chief technology officer. "I am absolutely confident that many of the children who attended the festival this year will look back in 10 or 20 years and credit that weekend as their spark to pursue a STEM field."

Further inspiring children and participants were several prominent events and stage acts throughout the weekend, including the announcement of the winning high school team for the Exploration Design Challenge. The nationwide challenge was developed by NASA, Lockheed Martin and the National Institute of Aerospace to engage students in STEM by inviting them to help tackle one of the most significant dangers of human space flight—radiation exposure.

Additionally, NASCAR announced the Finish First Fellowship program, a partnership between Lockheed Martin, ACORE and NASCAR to connect students in STEM-related fields with career opportunities in renewable energy.

Notable stage acts included former NBA professionals Jerome Williams and Theo Ratliff, who demonstrated the connection between STEM and basketball; Danica McKellar, best known for her starring television roles in The Wonder Years and The West Wing, who presented her latest best-selling book, Math Doesn't Suck; and U.S. Army veteran Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, a quadruple amputee, who shared the power of STEM and an inspiring "never give up" message.

"Determination and modern technology helped me survive and allowed me to continue to enjoy many of the things I did before I was injured in Afghanistan, including playing with my daughter Chloe," said Mills. "I am a living example of STEM in action, and I hope to inspire students to consider a career in STEM, to chase their dreams, and to never give up and never quit."

These events, stage acts and activities were all captured via social media, which played a big part in the weekend. The #SciFestSelfies contest, for example, received more than 750 submissions and generated more than 7 million impressions, including a post with Dirty Jobs' Mike Rowe, Bill Nye the Science Guy and Dr. Johnson.

Lockheed Martin recently announced their return as the founding and presenting sponsor of the 2016 USA Science & Engineering Festival and expanded outreach. Stay tuned for more information!

carlyo Wed, 10/15/2014 - 04:00

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A Science Festival that Sets the Standard for Inspiration

carlyo — Fri, 09 May 2014 14:49:26 +0000

A Science Festival that Sets the Standard for Inspiration

Guest Blog by Festival X-STEM Speaker Dr. Joe Schwarcz

How do you inspire students toward careers in science, and combat scientific illiteracy at the same time?

First, you spend two years planning the USA Science & Engineering Festival, the largest of its kind in the world. Then you rent the gigantic Washington Convention Center to host it and line up 3,000 displays, many of which feature hands-on activities.

You organize more than 150 stage presentations by Nobel laureates, athletes, astronauts, engineers and scientists of all kinds. You invite the likes of Bill Nye the Science Guy, National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins, famous sleight-of-hand artist Apollo Robbins and the consultants for Breaking Bad, Big Bang Theory and House to address the crowds. You highlight appearances by Crystal Lee (Miss California) and the Science Cheerleaders, a contingent dedicated to motivating girls to study science. And you don’t charge a penny for drenching the public with this remarkable dose of concentrated knowledge and entertainment.

I’ve seen science museums all over the world, and been to numerous science fairs and festivals — but I can honestly say that I have never experienced anything like this festival in Washington that I attended late last month.

Talk about being like a kid in a candy shop.

What to do, what to see; that was the problem. I had read a lot about 3-D printers but had never seen one in action, so that seemed like a good place to start. What amazing devices these are. You design an object on a computer, press start, and you begin to see it constructed in front of your eyes as instead of ink, the printer dispenses molten plastic, building up the object layer by layer. I now possess a comb made of polylactic acid that was “printed” in front of my eyes. That’s nothing, though, in comparison with the next steps in 3-D printing that were being demonstrated — printers that mete out layers of different cells to build up organs. The world’s first printed liver is expected to be unveiled within a year for experimental purposes.

Another printer was cranking out colour-coded interlocking pieces of plastic to be used in the building of a model of DNA. What an amazing blend of engineering, chemistry and biology. I watched as young students learned to assemble nucleotides while experts explained transcription and translation. Genetic modification came alive in front of their eyes. These kids were on their way to understanding the nuances of this technology, making them less likely to swallow the misinformation being parroted by many anti-GMO activists. At a nearby booth, they had the chance to carry out some experiments with real DNA. Simple and elegant. Just place a strawberry inside a Ziplock bag and smash it with your hands until it is pulverized, rupturing its cells. Filter into a test tube and add a bit of alcohol to precipitate the DNA that can then be drawn out in a threadlike form.

Robots were everywhere. Large ones were playing basketball, smaller versions were dancing with remarkably human-like moves, and others were building bridges. Some kids had a “feet-on” experience with non-Newtonian fluids as they scampered across pools filled with a corn-starch solution. Others were climbing through a mock-up of the Orion spaceship, the next generation of spacecraft, or were exploring a giant Walmart truck with its aerodynamic, energy-saving design. There were plenty of opportunities to learn about wind power, solar cells, the science of football, antimatter, “bubbleology” and radioactivity.

Onlookers were surprised to discover that Brazil nuts and bananas are radioactive, due to naturally occurring radon and potassium-40 respectively. Just imagine if activists like the Food Babe ever learned about that. Would we have petitions to ban these foods because of irrelevant traces of radioactivity? And I wonder what Banana Girl, a self-styled diet guru who eats 30 bananas a day, would say?

I doubt that Food Babe or Banana Girl were at the science festival, but they should have been. They would have experienced science that is based on evidence and proper risk-benefit analysis rather than Internet drivel.

They could have learned something from Crystal Lee, Miss California, who is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in human biology and is dedicated to encouraging young women to focus on science and math. If they take this advice, they are unlikely to make ludicrous comments about miso soup eliminating radioactivity, as our pal the Food Babe maintains. She also opines that she would not purchase any soy products “that have been extracted with a very carcinogenic gas called hexane.” Hexane is not classified as a possible carcinogen and it is not a gas, as anyone versed in science would know.

The Science Cheerleaders were also turning people on to science, not by cheering, but by being role models. These young ladies are all cheerleaders for professional teams — and all have degrees in science. I had the pleasure of meeting Margaret, who is completing a PhD in chemistry at the University of Maryland, where she is investigating gold nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer.

I don’t think Margaret would agree with the Food Babe about the “dangers” of microwave ovens. The Babe buys into Masaru Emoto’s thesis that microwaved water does not form beautiful crystals but rather ones that are similar to water that was exposed to the words “Satan,” or “Hitler.” She does say that this “fact” is probably too hokey for most people, but apparently not for her, “because sometimes the things we can’t see with the naked eye or even fully comprehend could be the most powerful way to unlock spontaneous healing.”

Perhaps the reason the USA Science & Engineering Festival impressed me so much is because it hooks people on real science. There were no booths promoting miracle dietary supplements; there was no talk of non-existent molecules leaving an imprint in water; there were no global-warming deniers and no speakers suggesting that GMOs were paving a road to hell.

Instead, we had Amanda Boxtel, a young lady who was paralyzed after a skiing accident demonstrating how she can now walk with the help of a remarkable “exoskeleton,” and Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, describing how many top scientists were first captivated by science through an early hands-on experience. I’m betting that there will be a good number of future scientists who will look back on this outstanding festival as the spark that eventually burst into the flame of discovery.

carlyo Fri, 05/09/2014 - 10:49

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USA Science & Engineering Festival

Bill Nye on the Inside Story of the Nye-Ham Debate

gregladen — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 06:33:40 +0000

Bill Nye on the Inside Story of the Nye-Ham Debate

You will recall that last February, Bill Nye, the Science Guy, debated Ken Ham, the Not-So-Science Guy, on the question of creationism as a viable explanation for the Earth's history. The debate was held in Ham's home territory, at the infamous Creation Museum in Kentucky. Nye didn't really debate Ham. He ate him for breakfast. Form now on we shall call him Ken Bacon and Eggs.

Anyway, people, including me, who have been engaged with the "debate" between science (evolution) and not-so-science (creationism of one kind or another) were very concerned when we heard that this debate might happen. There are reasons to not engage in such a debate. We worried. But then the debate happened and we saw the debate and the debate made us glad. Word.

Well, in May 2014, which as far as I can tell is in the future (Bill Nye has some amazing powers!) Bill Nye published an Article in the Center for Inquiry's Skeptical Inquirer about the debate: Bill Nye’s Take on the Nye-Ham Debate. In it, Nye gives the story of how the debate came to be, what his concerns and hopes were, how he prepared, what happened during the debate, and the debate's aftermath. I think Nye's explanation for his decision to debate is very much worth a read and can be appreciated by anyone interested in this topic. His description of the debate itself is fascinating, as inside stories often are. Also of great interest are Nye's comments on an aspect of this debate that concerned several people: The way in which the debate was used, or perhaps, was not used, as a means of fund raising. Nye opens up questions that he suggests may be best addressed by the community of journalists in Kentucky. Hopefully that will happen.

I strongly recommend that you read Bill Nye's essay. It is very interesting, and I very much appreciate his writing it.

gregladen Thu, 04/17/2014 - 02:33

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interesting indeed.
Having zero experience with this I do have one "huh?" comment from his article.
This

We were, by agreement, accompanied by two of Ham’s security people.

a) Ham has security people?
b) Why would there be a need for them to go with Nye and his agent? Is that common?

Bill the Looser, Science Freak. I think science is great, but I can't be the only one that hates this guy...

No Trevor, you are the only one.

Looser? You think science is "great". You need to finish school dude.

Nope. There was no winner on this debate. And the fact that you're trying to spin Nye's weak stuttering performance as a victory proves it. On the other campus they're probably sputtering the same rhetoric right now.
Nye was the wrong person for this debate (if the right person exists). He's Science's stand-up comedian, he's neither an excellent orator, nor the most knowledgeable person on the theme. His usual ice-breaking jokes found no audience (maybe because he's been repeating them for years ad nauseam, or because they just had no sympathy for him) and just diminished his authority as an ambassador for Science. The usual bland anecdotes about his personal life, he so enjoys coloring his speeches with, were more irritating than ever because he wasn't there to entertain (like in Storytelling of Science at ASU) but to educate - and he kept robbing himself of precious time, better put to use properly explaining the facts.
Both of these two mistakes completely threw him off his game. He was stuttering, shooting blanks, skipping sentences and being overall horribly incongruent with his rushed and feeble attempts to connect with the audience and present what should easily have been an overwhelmingly solid case for Science. He chose such weak and random evidence to present and failed to point out so many critical flaws in Ham's arguments on so many occasions, or even properly explain (to a scientifically-illiterate audience) the counter-arguments he did manage to come up with, it was just too painful to watch!...

I'm not condemning him though. Short on time, faced with a difficult public, against an extremely irrational opponent - maybe no one could do much better. In fact, one can assume such an event could never have been successful in converting anyone, let alone resolving the matter - and many did warn Nye not to do it. But i guess, someone had to give it a shot - after all, you do need to test your hypotheses. I have to applaud his patience and courage! Trying to debate logically with someone who's clearly trying to capitalize on ignorance and perpetuate obscurantism offering the bible as the only book you need to read in this day and age, is so absolutely mind-bendingly frustrating and pointless i literally can't fathom how Nye can even hope to do it, let alone actually try it. And the fact that he pulled it off without ever losing his composure and still managing to be courteous throughout the whole event, well... that could be called a victory... i guess.

TL;DR: Yeah... sorry about that.

First thing you need to understand about me is that I'm a former fundamentalists evangelical/young earth creationist. I managed to dig myself out of the pit of ignorance about 20 years ago and have very much enjoyed the light of reason ever since... Also, I haven't read the essay yet... I thought I'd comment first.

That being said... I completely understand the concern one might have over a legitimate scientist, particularly one the caliber of Bill Nye, get into such a debate as this. I mean, Billy Nye the Science Guy vs Ken Ham the Myth Man? Seriously? Why give such thinking this level of credibility?

Here's why... There's no getting through to Ken Ham or his most ardent fans/followers, but there are vast numbers of people who have no real clue about the truth, or even the possibilities (that which we call fact). When they parrot the familiar idiotic ideas ("evolution means we evolved from rocks" sound familiar?) they really do believe that's what evolution is. If the truth can be put before them, not only will they see the sense in our argument, but they'll see that they've been misinformed. This is incredibly important. That's the golden thread that will allow so many to find their way out of 'Plato's Cave'.

The human brain is a rather magnificent thing. Regardless of what we're consciously thinking about, our brains are constantly working on other things. It's constantly making connections and "seeking" to categorize, classify and make sense of information. The natural operation of the brain appears to make it necessary to resolve instances of cognitive dissonance. In other words, we need to keep giving them the information... Many of them will work out the problems on their own, without even realizing it.

Sorry Christians... But you are part of a dying breed of morons, who will not be around for long. Your silly, dishonest, hypocritical bigotry and child molesting corrupt embezzlement will be a thing of the past. We are getting far too knowledgable to buy into the "Good Book" of misogynistic bias, racist law, and killing those who are unlike you.

Good riddance!

Why is it that the evolutionist supporters all resort to name calling and dispareging comments? im guessing that most of you just vomit whatever you "think" or "feel" is the right answer to this question whithout having done any research whatsoever. But your enlightened and to prove your vast well of knowledge and intelligence you choose to call Christians hypocrites, child molestors and thiefs. Brilliant argument. You've won me over with your superior intelligence and proof of your position. Im a creationist. I don't believe the universe was created out of chaos and i believe the universe is a supreme demonstration of order and funtionality that couldn't possibly have formed by random and ferocious explosion at an unimagionable time in the past. WIth that said, thats my belief and i can't prove it anymore than any evolutionist can prove their position either. Neither side can 100% prove their theory but there should be respect from both sides. No one is ever going to know the truth until they die.

Jay, you are a fool, and you can't type for shamrocks... But, that's to be expected of a Christian... not too great on the mental skills.

"But your enlightened..."

I think you mean "But you're enlightened..."

Jay, before you get your panties in a bundle complaining about how we label Xians, take a look through the comments of any atheist website and read what Xians say to us on a regular basis. THEN you can try to criticize us for uncharitable language. And yes, I know you can't prove your beliefs any more than scientists can prove evolution, because there is actually evidence to support evolution, and none to support your god. And why would we respect your side, when your side has historically murdered people for holding a different (and correct) opinion? No, we can't "prove" any theory 100%, but 99.99% is a lot better than 0%. Which one seems more reliable?

Steve, Jay, Artor, remember logical reasoning can be applied to more than just science. Steve, you're making a hasty generalization from anecdotal evidence. Accusing an entire group of people (falsely) of bigotry is sadly ironic. Jay, just cause someone is mean to you doesn't mean they are wrong. Also, just because neither side can "100% prove their theory" doesn't mean one side doesn't have the advantage. Listen to Mitch Hedburg talk about proving he had a donut, that pretty much sums it up. Artor, just because little Jay called you a name on the proverbial playground doesn't mean you have a right to hit him back. It doesn't make you better or more correct. It doesn't follow to say "I don't respect your opinion because of something bad was done hundreds of years ago by people I associate you ." It doesn't matter if it was done 2 seconds ago, it's faulty logic. Last but not least, can we keep the ad hominem to a minimum, please? I think that would be a score for rational thought everywhere.
Also, might there be some harm done from the debate? Sure. Might there also be some good? Again, sure. Condemn what you will, I am just happy someone took a stand for the cause of science.

Wow, so much for the ad hominem challenge. Radical generalization (or even just trolling) simply encourages ignorance, division and polar extremes; don't you think we have enough of that already? Yay for logic, boo for prejudice.

Upcoming Stage Shows at the USA Science & Engineering Festival

carlyo — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 17:21:24 +0000

Upcoming Stage Shows at the USA Science & Engineering Festival

The 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival, the nation's largest celebration of STEM, is just one month away! This FREE and open to the public event will take place April 26 & 27 at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center. Over 250,000 attendees will experience the weekend of a lifetime with 3,000 hands on exhibits, 150 stage shows, including presentations from science celebrities Bill Nye and Michio Kaku, teacher development workshops, a Festival Book Fair and much much more!

Here is just a sampling of the upcoming stage shows at the Festival Expo Finale:

Learn From Mike Rowe of TV's Dirty Jobs How Skilled Trades Are Packing a Powerful Punch!

Skilled trade jobs are not only high-paying and in-demand, but powerful forces in STEM. In a must-see panel presentation conducted by Mike Rowe, star of TV's Dirty Jobs series and founder and CEO of the mikeroweWorks Foundation, you'll discover at the Festival Expo in April how skilled trades are making a dramatic difference in myriad sectors of the real world. The panel will include such skilled trade notables as: Mark Hatch, Chief Executive Officer of TechShop, a global leader in the Maker/DIY movement; agricultural innovator Sue McCloskey, co-owner of Fair Oaks Dairy Farms in Indiana -- one of the largest dairy farms in the United States that uses both commercial and organic farming practices, much of it made possible by skilled labor technology; and noted marine biologist and inventor Jeremiah Sullivan, founder of SharkArmor Tech which is using skilled trades to further develop the life-saving and world-famous flexible suits of armor he invented to protect divers while working around sharks.

Watch Preview Video here:

http://youtu.be/38VA6QTqntM

Meet Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist William Phillips

It's not everyday that students and others get the chance to meet a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. But they'll get that opportunity at the Festival Expo in an exciting way when noted physicist William Phillips presents a dynamic stage show covering Einstein's theory of relativity, atomic clocks, light, liquid nitrogen and other fascinating areas of physics. Dr. Phillips was the co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997 for his contributions to laser cooling, a technique to slow the movement of gaseous atoms in order to better study them. At the Expo, he joins an exciting compendium of other noted achievers, leaders and visionaries in STEM to help science come alive for young learners and the general public.

Delve Into the Mysteries of the Paranormal

Since the dawn of civilization humans have been fascinated by paranormal phenomena, such as predicting the future, UFOs and conversations with the dead, but how much of these occurrences can be logically explained by scientific approaches involving STEM? Get ready for an unforgettable presentation at the Festival Expo when Dr. Joe Schwarcz, a noted chemist and Director of McGill University’s Office for Science & Society, explores if these phenomena really lie outside the scope of modern day science. His presentation will also be highlighted by various interactive activities aimed at increasing the awareness of the need to evaluate paranormal phenomena through critical scientific methods.

‘Flatland’ Filmmakers and Actress-Mathematician Danica McKellar Explore the Math Behind the Hit Movie ‘Sphereland’

Movie fans will remember the hit animated film Flatland: The Movie, and its 2012 sequel, Flatland 2: Sphereland – two productions highly acclaimed for their creative use of math and sci-fi inventiveness. At the Festival Expo in April, get set to meet the filmmakers of these movies – producer Seth Caplan, and writer/director Dano Johnson -- in an amazing stage presentation in which they take you behind-the-scenes of Flatland 2, including explaining the mathematics behind its captivating animations, and how the theme of scientific inquiry drive the movie’s characters. During the presentation, the filmmakers will be joined by mathematician and actress Danica McKellar, who best known for starring roles in TV’s The Wonder Years, and The West Wing, and for her candid, bestselling books that motivate girls in mathematics.

Watch Preview Video here:

http://youtu.be/nu6XRgDG_0U

Learn the Science of Football From a Scientist Who Studies the Game, and a Mathematics Genius Who Plays It!

One only has to watch a quarterback throw a 50-yard “bomb” on target downfield to his streaking wide receiver, or witness a bone-crushing tackle delivered by a 350-pound lineman to a speeding running back to realize that football is chock full of science and physics. At the Festival Expo in April, you’ll discover with Ainissa Ramirez, Ph.D., a leading scientist who studies the game and who authored the book, Newton's Football, why football boils down to the team that uses the science of force, motion, energy and other elements the best! Adding further excitement to this stage show will be Penn State football standout, John Urschel, a first-team All Big Ten lineman who is known not only for his prowess on the field, but also for his achievements as a math scholar, including graduating as a 4.0 GPA student from Penn State with a B.S. and Master’s in mathematics while playing football!

Watch Preview Video here:

http://youtu.be/uqCltABOT2w

Learn more about the Festival Stage Shows here.

carlyo Tue, 03/25/2014 - 13:21

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The Need to Connect on An Emotional Level With STEM Learners

carlyo — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 16:26:16 +0000

The Need to Connect on An Emotional Level With STEM Learners

By Larry Bock

Co-Founder of USA Science Science & Engineering Festival

No doubt, the influences that move individuals into their chosen field of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are often as different as night and day, but one thing seems constant: most STEM professionals, in remembering how they made their selection, can trace that ¨A-ha!¨ moment back to a pivotal experience in their lives that connected them on an emotional level for the first time with their chosen line of work.

That moment for scientist James E. West, inventor of the foil electret microphone, came at the age of eight when he experienced a jolting electric shock while trying to plug a radio he had just repaired into a ceiling outlet. Strange as it may seem, that emotional episode was the one that inspired him to become an acoustical scientist. "I became fascinated by electricity after that, just completely fascinated,¨ he recalls. ¨I needed to learn everything I could about it."

For others, these pivotal moments may be sparked by episodes less arresting but equally poignant, such as something a teacher or mentor said to them, something they read, something they saw on a field trip, or a hands-on demonstration they participated in.

That's the power of positive emotional experiences. These meaningful moments are captured and stored by the brain for vivid memory and, on an unconscious level, become key to enhancing learning, motivation and decision-making, says noted neuroscientist Antonio R. Damasio, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Iowa College of Medicine.

Such findings are significant as we explore new and creative avenues to inspire and motivate more students in STEM. One thing is clear to me in this quest: We must begin connecting with young learners in STEM on an emotional level by exposing them to exciting, interactive experiences, inside and outside the classroom -- encounters that immerse the senses and touch various emotions. Which is what really thrills me about the USA Science & Engineering Festival, due to kick off nationally again this April.

The Festival, the largest science outreach event of its kind in the country, brings kids, teachers and the public up close and personal with some of the nation's most inspiring leaders and innovations in STEM via exciting hands-on venues -- proving one thing: science and engineering isn't boring!

The Festival's finale Expo celebration on Saturday, April 26 to Sunday April 27 at the Washington, DC Convention Center, will be a prime example of this. Did you ever think science and engineering could engage so many different emotions in one weekend? Here are just a few examples of how the Expo, through its dazzling array of presentations, will strike various emotions while immersing audiences in science:

Adventure: You'll be spellbound while learning the science of extreme sports from some of the world's most daring ZOZI extreme sports champions -- including big wave surfer Maya Gabeira, triathlon athlete Chris Lieto, and kayaker Tao Berman. Plus you'll be captivated as Hollywood stuntman Steve Wolf takes you behind the scenes to discover the science behind TV and movie stunts and special effects.

Think and Ponder: You'll be moved by the thought-provoking presentation by the Innocence Project and the New York Hall of Science that reveals the important role DNA evidence is playing in exonerating a growing number of wrongfully convicted prisoners. And Mike Rowe of ¨Dirty Jobs" will enlighten you with a timely fact: skilled labor jobs are becoming some of the most highly-paid and in-demand jobs today in STEM.

Mystery and Intrigue: You'll gasp as Chris Hackett, America's consummate DIYer, demonstrates his secrets of surviving an apocalypse and zombie invasion! And the science of illusion and sleight-of-hand action with Apollo Robbins, the ¨Gentleman Thief¨ and star of National Geographic's Brain Games, will have you on the edge of your seat.

Inspiration: You'll cheer and shed a tear as Amanda Boxtel, an athlete paralyzed in a skiing accident 21 years ago, reveals how the emerging field of bionic exoskeletal technology is helping her to walk again. And meeting and learning from basketball great Kareem Abdul Jabbar how his nonprofit organization, the Skyhook Foundation, is motivating low-income kids in STEM will have you standing up and applauding.

Perseverance: You'll be wowed by the mission of actress, mathematician and bestselling author Danica McKellar -- known for her acting roles in TV's The Wonder Years, and The West Wing -- to help more girls gain the confidence and perseverance to succeed in mathematics.

Awe: Bill Nye the Science Guy will captivate you as he takes you inside the awesome frontiers of science through the dynamic hands-on demonstrations that have made him famous.

Humor and Music: You'll laugh while increasing your science IQ through the humor of science comedian Brian Malow! And the science-inspired music of two-time Grammy Award winner, They Might Be Giants, will have you singing and humming along.

Empowerment: You'll be fascinated as well as bolstering your level of science literacy when science advisors to some of the hottest TV shows today --Drs. Donna Nelson of Breaking Bad; David Saltzberg of the Big Bang Theory, and John Sotos of House, MD. -- demonstrate the importance of ¨Getting the Science Right in Hollywood.¨ Plus, increase your science acumen in football with ¨The Physics of Football¨ panel featuring scientist Ainissa Ramirez, and John Urschel, a math genius and college gridirion star at Penn State.

Undoubtedly, connecting students with such powerful emotions via STEM can do wonders to inspire the next generation of innovators.

Follow Larry Bock on Twitter @USAScienceFest: www.twitter.com/usasciencefest

carlyo Thu, 03/13/2014 - 12:26

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"...is motivating low-income kids in STEM will have you standing up and applauding." That's really great, but shouldn't one rather encourage low-income kids to have careers in fields which increase their income, such as medicine? Or the financial industry where we learn that bonuses go up, even if profits are down ( http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/03/12/wall-street-bonuses-go-up-as-the… ).
When I was a lecturer, I remember a conversation with a very bright minority physics undergraduate student, whom I tried to encourage to go to graduate school, where undoubtedly he would have done well. he pointed out to me that -as first in his family to go to college - he'd have to provide for younger siblings and parents once working, and clearly, science with endless postdocs positions, engineering with outsourced jobs wasn't it; with a MD he'd be reasonably assured of a reasonable income.-- But in my leafy wealthy suburb, my kids and their friends in high school observe that parents in engineering or CS have to change jobs every so often, because of outsourcing, layoffs, and are unemployable after age 50; but the kids with parents in some financial business or corporate law can retire at age 45.-- But at least for a graduate degree in science or engineering one can avoid student loans by being an underpaid teaching or research assistant for a few years.

Climate Change Is Not A Weather Forecast, with Michael Mann and Bill Nye

gregladen — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:55:35 +0000

Climate Change Is Not A Weather Forecast, with Michael Mann and Bill Nye

Very nice piece on MSNBC's The Reid Report. Spread this around.

Nice job, Michael Mann and Bill Nye.

gregladen Tue, 03/04/2014 - 06:55

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Dave Dahl is in the group of deniers. He has a job on TV, while Paul Douglas does not., What's wrong with that picture?

That's something I noticed when I first moved to the Twin Cities. Dave Dahl was actively denying climate change during his weathercasts while Paul was not, and over time, Paul became a spokesperson for reason in meteorology.

The official version is that WCCO was cutting their budget and Paul was expensive. It is probably more complicated than that but I've never heard that story from him. He was already heavily involved in other enterprises by that time so leaving WCCO probably made a lot of sense for him. He's doing more outreach now, in other ways, probably.

I still don't understand. What do those opposing climate change science want? I have not seen that argument articulated. Perhaps if it were stated, then society could come to a conclusion.

I thought it was stated VERY CLEARLY what those apposing the science of climate change WANT: To keep us all using Fossil Fuels. To keep us all away from alternative energies.
Oil Interests don't want you to buy an electric car or put solar panels on your roof.

But why do they want to keep using fossil fuels?

Because they are the ones selling fossil fuels.

I suspect what you are getting to is that their argument is economic. If they do not sell fossil fuels, they will not have money. On the other hand, society uses the fossil fuels. If we do not buy fossil fuels, we will be cold, lonely and our economy built on cheap energy may collapse. Is that an argument or an insinuation?

If it is socioeconomic, I would like to hear their argument. Even if it isn't, I would like to hear what "they" have to say. What is the argument about? We can read through and understand thousands of pages of IPCC reports to understand the planet physics. Why can't we even be told what "their" socioeconomic argument is?

One cannot come to any conclusion in this debate when the debate is only held in the arena of what is well known and characterized.

I'm not sure I get why it is bad to keep the discussion (debate or otherwise) in areas that are well known and characterized, given the huge amount of effort that has gone into knowing and characterizing things.

Because the science is known. One will not be able to convince people confronted with overwhelming evidence that contradicts their world view that they should change their minds.

Deprogramming the effects of misinformation is tricky. Engaging in conversation over settled topics may simply reinforce the notion that the facts aren't certain.

Stephen, here's the answer you're looking for:

Fossil fuel companies' assets include not only the fossil fuels they extract from oil & gas wells, coal mines, etc., but _also_ the "unproduced resources" that exist in those wells & mines, that they haven't extracted yet.

For example you're an oil company and you test-drill some wells in an area, and estimate the amount of oil in the ground in that area. Your estimate goes through industry peer review and is approved. Now you can add that estimated quantity of oil that's in the ground, to the net worth of your company.

Now I come along and demand a climate policy that will have the effect of not allowing you to extract and sell the oil you've just added to your asset value. That's the same thing as if you were sitting on a pile of money bags and I came along and demanded to take a bunch of that money. You'd fight like hell to keep me away from your money.

That, in a nutshell, is where climate denialism comes from. It's a form of self-defense by the fossil fuel industry. All the PR, all the paid stooges, all the obfuscation and all the interferences in our political process, are the means toward the end of protecting the asset value of unproduced resources.

And once all of us who write and post on these blogs _really_ understand that point, we'll stop wasting our time fighting with stooges, and aim our sights on the real targets.

The bottom line is, we have to go after the "unproduced assets" one way or another. The only question remaining is, "what are the most effective ways to do that?" From there, all else follows.

Future technology need not prohibit fossil fuels from being used. There will always be the chemical production industry. Even coal may be used for fuel with carbon sequestration technology, albeit expensive. The fossil fuel production industries would have their profits and assets under either infrastructure plan but the consumer may pay more for the energy. What the increase would be on a relative basis is difficult to predict.

G, More directly, I too see the conspiracy and know the origin. But knowing source and effect is different than understanding cause. Their agenda is clear but the reasons are obscure. I would like to know the reasons so that I might understand and respond. If is is purely economic, as you suggest, then economics is what needs to be addressed. And there is plenty of data in public health and energy infrastructure web sites.

Climate science is what it is. It is not perfectly predictive but there is no hidden agenda. There is similarly no debate. By debating in the science, we inadvertently contribute to the perceived controversy and uncertainty. We need to stop playing their 'tails I win - heads you lose' game.

Put another way, football matches are not won by playing only defense. Teams need offensive strategies to score points.

Stephen: Their agenda is clear but the reasons are obscure. I would like to know the reasons so that I might understand and respond.

Lately I've been reading some articles by Philip Mirowski, who's an economist/science historian from the University of Notre Dame.

I started with this lecture he gave in Sydney Australia in 2012, because it's more or less about climate science denial. "Life and Debt" Keynote. For me this was quite an unexpected take on the meaning of "the conspiracy" and what denialism means in a larger political context. But I think his arguments make even more sense combined with this lecture called The Commercialization of Science is a Passel of Ponzi Schemes" from the same conference. What's really interesting are his points about the growth of conservative think-tanks and their influence on our public dialog.

As a bonus, he lays out a comprehensive outline of the motivations behind what we see in the denial industry.

Why do I think Mirowskis's arguments are relevant? I've been trying to understand what's going on with Canada's current Conservative government, and I think Mirowski's description of the neoliberal agenda goes a long way towards understanding why Prime Minister Harper's government is doing things that would have been unthinkable 20 years ago: gutting federal environmental legislation; introducing blatantly anti-democratic electoral rules that favour the ruling party; widespread ruination of scientific research, measurement and data programs. And more! This set of behaviours corresponds well with Mirowski's outline of neoconservative rules.

Greg, Thank you! From your description I feel you may have given me some hope. I look forward to listening to all of Mirowski's lectures. What I have heard so far seems well thought out and to the point of what I was looking for. I also plan to see what he has published.

Wow! I can't believe there are people out there who don't know the difference between climate and weather and need to have it explained to them like they're children.

Superbowl of STEM to Draw Tens of Thousands to DC Convention Center

carlyo — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 23:59:23 +0000

Superbowl of STEM to Draw Tens of Thousands to DC Convention Center

By Shawn Flaherty

What is the universe made of? What does science have to do with extreme sports? And how would you survive a zombie invasion? The answers to these questions and more are at the 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo and Book Fair, hosted by founding and presenting sponsor Lockheed Martin. Designed to inspire the next generation of innovators, the Festival Expo is a free, family-friendly expo that allows kids and adults to participate in more than 3,000 hands-on activities and see more than 100 live stage performances.

“Science is amazing…that’s our message to kids and adults attending the Festival. Staying competitive as a nation means we have to encourage more kids to think about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). What better way to capture their imaginations than gathering the rock stars of science in one place and providing activities they can really do?” explained Larry Bock, Festival co-founder.

“We want to show students that STEM is fun, and that scientists and engineers change the world for the better,” said Dr. Ray O. Johnson, Festival co-founder and Lockheed Martin senior vice president and chief technology officer. “The Festival is a great opportunity to motivate students to pursue these disciplines, which we know are critical not only to our national security, but also to our economic strength and our global competitiveness.”

The Festival Expo, which takes place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in
Washington, D.C., April 26-27 from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., is the free grand finale of the
Festival’s year-long science celebration. Taking the entire convention center, the
Festival Expo will also have a Career Pavilion, Book Fair—complete with signings by
well-known science authors, and multiple competitions such as EPA P3’s sustainability
challenge. In all, the Festival expects more than 250,000 people to participate.

Other components of the overall Festival include:
• All Year: The Nifty Fifty program—presented by InfoComm International—where top
scientists speak at area schools.
• April 24: The first ever X-STEM Symposium, a “Ted-style” event for kids with talks by
science visionaries presented by Northrup Grumman Foundation and MedImmune.
• April 25: Sneak Peek Friday—presented by the “Department of Defense - CelebratingDiversity in STEM!"—for school children and military families.
• All Week: More than 20 partner events held in conjunction with the Festival, such as the U.S. News STEM Solutions Conference.

The Festival features science celebrities, explorers, astronauts, athletes, authors, and experts in fields like robotics, genomics, medicine, advanced manufacturing, and even
3D printing. Participating celebrities include:
• Dirty Job’s Mike Rowe (Discovery Channel)
• Basketball legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar
• Bill Nye the Science Guy
• Grammy Award-Winners “They Might Be Giants”
• Author and Illustrator David Macaulay
• Author and Actress (Wonder Years) Danica McKeller
• Miss California Crystal Lee (Stanford grad, Miss USA Runner Up, and STEM advocate)
• Design Squad’s Nate Bell (PBS)
• Illusionist Apollo Robbins
• Stuck with Hackett’s Chris Hackett (Science Channel)
• “Super Woman of Big-Wave Surfing” Maya Gabeira
• MoneyBall’s Paul Depodesta
• Cast and crew from TV Shows like Big Bang Theory, House and Breaking Bad

Among its themes this year is a focus on encouraging diversity in STEM careers. Also
with more than three million unfilled jobs that require STEM experience, the event is
highlighting skills based and “do-it-yourself” professions—with the help of Mike Rowe—
to emphasize the dire need for skilled workers. In addition, the Festival is showcasing new technologies and their applications. For instance, Amanda Boxtel, who is paralyzed, will demonstrate how she uses a titanium exoskeleton to walk and makes it fashionable with a 3D printer.

Founded by serial entrepreneur Larry Bock and Lockheed Martin CTO Dr. Ray O. Johnson to address the severe shortage in science and technical talent, the event is the nation’s largest science festival and was developed to ignite the next generation’s interest in considering careers in science and engineering. In recognition of the Festival’s role in making STEM a national priority, Congress recently designated the last week in April as “National Science Week” and made the Festival a focal point.

To learn more, visit www.USAScienceFestival.org or watch the video at
www.usasciencefestival.org/festival-highlight-video.

carlyo Thu, 02/27/2014 - 18:59

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An Interesting Gift Idea (for others or yourself)

gregladen — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 10:06:28 +0000

An Interesting Gift Idea (for others or yourself)

There's this new thing. Quarterly.co has this thing that when I first heard described I didn't quite understand, and was not sure if I liked it or not, so I dug a bit deeper and it turns out I think it is cool. Here's the idea. Quarterly has assembled a bunch of people they call "Curators." These are famous people among whom you are likely to find someone you admire or respect or perhaps stalk in your own Internety way. The curators then work with Quarterly to assemble a box of stuff. Then, you, as Quarterly's customer, arrange to have the box sent. There are four a year (quarterly!). You only pay for them one at a time, so you can extend or cancel your subscription depending on your likes.

Cool Compass

Quarterly contacted me to let me know about their service because I had been writing about Bill Nye, the Science Guy. Bill is one of the curators. They sent me one of the boxes arranged by him so I could get an idea of what it was all about. It turns out it was pretty cool.

The box contained two kinds of items. There were some commercially available items selected by Bill Nye, and a few other items that were home made or printed up just for this box, including some documents written by Bill, one with a personal autograph.

The retail items were a salt water fuel cell car kit, a solar powered robotic bug, some zany color changing beads, a nice pen, and a carabiner compass. The home made items included the parts and instructions for making a sun dial.

This particular package costs $50. When I calculate the retail costs of the items available for purchase, it comes to over $50. When I search around for the best price I can get it down to just below $50 not counting shipping. So, it seems to be the case that you get pretty close to what you pay for, with respect to just those items alone. The additional things, the personalized stuff from Bill Nye and the sundial kit obviously add more value. And, the idea is that this collection of stuff was put together by someone you admire (or stalk).

The sundial kit comes with all the parts and things you need to make it work, but every one of those parts is a common classroom item. It comes with instructions to use the sundial in a teaching setting, either with your family or in a classroom, and since the items are commonly available, the project is extensible and can be redone again and again. Also, the sundial kit comes with a well thought out list of links between specific national educational standards and the things learned by using the kit, which covers several items in science and a bit of history.

I'm not sure if I would personally subscribe to this, because I'm more of a curator type than a curatee type. But I can think of several people to whom I would like to give at least one box as a gift. Considering the range of curators, there is actually quite a range of possibilities. Bill Nye is The Science Guy of course, so that's for sciencey people and science teachers.

Do you know Ted Vadakan, Angie Myung, Jon Shook, Kristian Bush, Sean Bonner, Viny Dotolo, Q-Tip, Amanda Hesser, Merril Stubbs, Book Riot, Megan Collins, Brandon Long, Pharrell Williams, Andy Dalton, Siobhan O'Conner, Alexandra Spunt, Charles Tillman, or Coco? Those are some of the other curators representing design, art, style, cooking, sports, entertainment, and other things many of which I know virtually nothing. There's also technology stuff and a home organizing box. But I have friends and relatives who so, and some of them might be getting Quarterly boxes as birthday presents this year. (Too bad most of my extended family breeds seasonally and most of the birthdays have just passed!) There's also technology stuff (e.g. Mark Frauenfelder of Boing Boing and MAKE) and a home organizing box. There's even a blogger that is not me (Jason Kottke) and a Viking (Brian Robison). A full list of curators is HERE. Most of the boxes are $50, but a couple are $100, shipping included in the US.

Here's a video that Bill Nye made to go with this kit (If it does not load properly here, you can watch it HERE.):

#NYE01 Video from Quarterly Co. on Vimeo.

This is an interesting idea and I hope it does well. If you get any boxes, let us know how it goes!

gregladen Tue, 02/25/2014 - 05:06

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The Carte Blanche of Intelligent Design

milhayser — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 12:14:32 +0000

The Carte Blanche of Intelligent Design

As an alternative to biblical creationism, Intelligent Design infers a less obtrusive God to explain life on Earth. This deity doesn't hurl bolts of lightning, unless it's with the express purpose of sparking abiogenesis in the primordial soup. On EvolutionBlog, Jason Rosenhouse dismisses probabilistic arguments against the likelihood of complex organisms, explaining that even the most improbable-seeming outcome of natural selection is more or less inevitable. As a flawed analogy, he imagines flipping a coin 500 times. This will always manifest a sequence of heads and tails that only had a one in gazillion chance of occurring. But of course, nature has no mercy upon arbitrary outcomes. Rosenhouse writes, "The prolonged action of natural selection ensures that most gene sequences have a probability close to zero of ever occurring (or persisting for long if they do occur) while the small percentage of functional sequences have a relatively high probability." On Pharyngula, PZ Myers aces a quiz that was meant for him to fail. PZ writes that ID "was intentionally formulated in response to court decisions that prohibited gods and faith-based arguments — they literally rewrote their texts to exclude god to circumvent church-state conflicts." No surprise: it's hard to sway skeptics with a true believer's plan B.

Thus it was an uphill battle that Ken Ham lost in his debate against Bill Nye the Science Guy. Nye was widely perceived as the winner, even in religious circles. Greg Laden sums up Ken Ham's argument as "We know everything, we understand the most important issues of origins, creation, and evolution, and all of this information comes mainly from the Bible." This in contrast to Nye, who presented "science, science, science and more science" clearly and convincingly. Greg continues "During the few moments when we were allowed to see the evangelical audience during Bill Nye’s presentation they looked, frankly, charmed." PZ Myers sounds a note of dissonance amongst the praise for Nye, saying "Nye is good at communicating a passion for science, but fails to note the conflict when he pretends that science is about being a better, more employable widget maker for Big Widget, Inc." In other words, Nye focused on the economic advantages of scientific understanding to the exclusion of aesthetic and philosophic advantages. PZ sees science as an art, and argues we should practice science for science's sake.

As for Ken Ham, with even Pat Robertson disavowing biblical creationism, he may have been flogging a dead horse. The invention of Intelligent Design as a shield for traditional religious beliefs may have backfired on creationism. The faithful are comfortable abandoning the idea of a Young Earth to embrace geology and evolution, as long as they have the carte blanche of Intelligent Design to provide a hypothetical role for the Almighty.

milhayser Thu, 02/13/2014 - 07:14

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