Promoting Science and Critical Thinking
You have all heard of it, it is the “Nobel Prize“, the top award bestowed by some Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. But why does it get so much attention, and why is it the top prize when there are lots of other awards out there? Lets explore this a bit … Read more
Its IgNobel time … and as summed up by Nature … Then there are the Ig Nobel awards. These come with little cash, but much cachet, and reward those research projects that ‘first make people laugh, and then make them think’” — Nature And the 2011 winners are … PHYSIOLOGY PRIZE: Anna Wilkinson (of the … Read more
Now here is a cool little 10 min clip that I’ve come across. Its Richard Feynman talking about the scientific method. Here is a very brief summary … How do we find a new law? we guess it then we compute the consequences of the guess then we compare that directly with observation to see … Read more
Andrew Brown writes in the Guardian (with a picture of some bloke setting things up at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky) … At least creationists have given it some thought. Would you rather an indifferent or a passionately wrong child in the science classroom? Let’s not simply sneer at Darwin deniers If you read … Read more
Some utter insanity has apparently broken out in Italy. The BBC Newsnight page reports that seven scientists are, in a Galileo-style inquisition, to stand trial next week for failing to accurately predict the precise timing of an earthquake. Wow … scientists accused of failing to predict an earthquake? Actually no, that is not what is … Read more
Now this is interesting, really interesting … lets start with five key bullet points … Scientists at the University of Glasgow say they have taken their first tentative steps towards creating ‘life’ from inorganic chemicals If they really do construct complex chemical cells with life-like properties, it could help us understand how life emerged (but … Read more