Eric Berger’s interview with Michio Kaku is, in his own words, a bit scatter-shot. It’s certainly that, but what Kaku had to say about America’s education system was brutal, fascinating, and dead-on true, particularly as relates to science: Kaku: We are dumbing down the American high school kid. We have the worst educational system known…
Category: Science
The Necessity of Mixing God and Science
Lawrence Krauss says that God and Science don’t mix, something that our own Claudia has contended, vociferously at times. Pursuit of logic is a passion with many scientifically-minded people and the pursuit of logic – and logical explanations – can become the object of single-minded devotion. In some cases this process leads to great truths and technological advancements; in others, the forest is lost among the trees and the researcher with it. Regardless, God and science are inexplicably intertwined.
Cold Fusion Coming Closer?
Pamela Mosier-Boss, a U.S. Navy researcher, isn’t willing to climb out on that limb just yet. But she says that her lab has produced “significant” results, including the generation of highly energetic neutrons, an important byproduct of the fusion process. Other researchers, including Rice University’s Paul Padley are justifiably skeptical – the Pons-Fleischmann debacle was…
Texas Board to Block Teaching Evolution’s Shortcomings
The Houston Chronicle reports that the Texas State Board of Education has tentatively decided drop its 20-year-old requirement mandating that science teachers address both “strengths and weaknesses” of the scientific theory originated by Charles Darwin in the 19th century, capping a heated debate on the topic. In Texas, the theory of evolution now has no…
Real Alternative Energy Coming?
When I first read about Hyperion Power Generation‘s plans to manufacture ~25 MWe, turn-key nuclear power plants I was skeptical, to say the least. Still am, truthfully. Now the Guardian says that Hyperion has several confirmed orders for the device. Could this be a real Middle East Oil Killer? The Guardian: The first confirmed order…
A Small Example of What Science is For
Following on to Claudia’s piece about the importance of scientific R&D, this article, while admittedly monkey business, illustrates the point: Two monkeys with tiny sensors in their brains have learned to control a mechanical arm with just their thoughts, using it to reach for and grab food and even to adjust for the size and…
Climate Change and the Fear Factor
John Tierney has an excellent article in the NY Times science section about global warming and the science and reporting behind the climate change scare. A must read, IMO. A year ago, British meteorologists made headlines predicting that the buildup of greenhouse gases would help make 2007 the hottest year on record. At year’s end,…
Science == Prosperity
The National Academies of Science recently produced a report titled “Condensed-Matter and Materials Physics: The Science of the World Around Us” and in it says that the U.S. has failed to increase funding for CMMP research at the same rate as our competitors and that we have all but lost our position of leadership in…
Stem Cells
It’s not popular to say that Bush’s veto of the recent bill promoting embryonic stell cell research is for the best. But I’ll go on record saying it anyway. Bush said: “If this legislation became law, it would compel American taxpayers for the first time in our history to support the deliberate destruction of human…
Health, Ethics, and Stem Cell Research
Everyone wants to live longer, healthier lives, don’t they? Actually, no, most Americans don’t care enough about their quality of life to take the steps needed to maintain and improve their physical well-being. Call it anecdotal evidence if you want to but this claim seems self-evident: people say they care about their own bodies but…