Recent Posts
- Magic of the Future or Just Another Green Mirage?
- A Second Look at Life Expectancy: What the 1918 Flu Tells Us About the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Take the Extra Minute: Listen to Your Adrenaline
- Laying Track in the Cloud: Why AI is the Railroad Mania of Our Time
- The Age of Re-Engineering: How Science Is Rewriting the Limits of Human Life
Recent Comments
Tag Archives: science
The Road Not Taken — A Reflection on the Quantum Self
I had an interesting conversation with a friend recently about the road not taken, in the spirit of Robert Frost’s famous poem. We talked about the turns that change a life, not the trivial ones, not “Store A versus Store … Continue reading
Posted in Philosophy
Tagged academia, alternate history, multiverse, philosophy, physics, Schrödinger’s Cat, science, tenure, what if?
Leave a comment
Superstition, Statistics and Our Unshakable Love of Spooky Math
It’s not quite Halloween. There are no ghosts, no monsters, no spooky hauntings, no plastic skeletons on the lawn, no “fun-size” candy bars clogging the pantry and no neighbors dressed as inflatable dinosaurs, at least not in the costume aisle … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged black cats, Friday the 13th, Halloween, luck, psychology, science, superstition, triskaidekaphobia
Leave a comment
The Great Rodent Referendum: A Proud Tradition of Meteorology by Rodent
I can’t let the cultural wonder known as “Groundhog Day” pass by without a comment. The idea behind the celebration is an odd Old World carryover rooted in European weather lore, specifically from the German custom of Candlemas. Originally, if … Continue reading
Gravity Doesn’t Have an “Off” Switch (and, sadly, neither do conspiracy theorists)
I don’t spend a ton of time on social media. I have actual work to do and, quite frankly, my tolerance for the digital equivalent of “prospecting for gold in a septic tank” is at an all-time low. Most of … Continue reading
Posted in Science
Tagged Albert Einstein, conspiracy theory, general relativity, gravity, physics, relativity, science, spacetime
Leave a comment
Why Your Skin Is Not a Canvas: What Science Really Says About Tattoos, the Immune System and Long-Term Risk
A good friend of mine recently announced his intention to get a sleeve tattoo later this year, a full, vibrant mural on his arm. As an admirer of art, I can appreciate the creativity and the impulse, but I’ve always … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Science
Tagged art, biology, body art, cancer, immune system, inflammation, ink, minimalism, science, tattoo
Leave a comment
A Light in the Forest
A girl with a doll, named Jubilee, Dreamed of the jungle, wild and free, To Africa’s shore, her spirit took wing, With no fancy credentials, but wonder to bring. She walked into Gombe, where shadows descend, A novice observer, a … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Science
Tagged chimpanzees, conservation, environmental activism, Jane Goodall, nature, obituary, poetry, primatology, science, tribute, women in science
Leave a comment
The Dire Wolf’s Return
If you’ve watched Game of Thrones, you probably picture dire wolves as majestic, massive canine companions with a supernatural sense of loyalty. As much as this version of the dire wolf is compelling, real dire wolves (Aenocyon dirus) don’t quite … Continue reading