Rantings over rankings
Times Higher Education has just published its influential rankings of World universities. I imagine that university presidents all over the world, at this time, are either pounding their chests, proudly…
science
Ada Lovelace Day – On Dr. Connie Eaves
For those who don't know: Today - October 7th - is Ada Lovelace Day. It's a day where you "share your story about a woman — whether an engineer, a…
The Magic of Reality
Richard Dawkins talks to Thom Hartmann about his new book The Magic of Reality: How We Know What’s Really True. The first part of the interview can be viewed here…
Evolution and Climate Deniers: Natural Allies?
Churchsign(1).jpg On the face of things, there is no clear reason why the same person—like, say, Rick Perry—ought to deny accepted science about both evolution, and also global warmin...
Unequivocal: Today’s Right is Overwhemingly More Anti-Science Than Today’s Left
reality.jpg Last week, I took to task a really poor USA Today op-ed making the following claim: "In short, for every anti-science Republican that exists, there is at least one…
Why should I publish in PRX ?
Dear Colleague: “Why should I publish in PRX?” We have heard this question often, and with the inaugural issue of PRX about to close, we have our first concrete answers.”…
Science Communication: Training for the Future
Mississippi State.jpg Yesterday I arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada, for another installment of an enterprise to which I’ve been increasingly devoted over the last year: Training scientists in c...
Lorne Gunter spews hot air
It’s continually depressing to see professional denialist Lorne Gunter continue to sap money that could be going to actual journalists and columnists. Yesterday he had this to say: Over the…
Climate Science 101
In this video Bill Nye, the Science Guy, explains the fundamentals of climate science, which have been understood by scientists for decades. Just like the tobacco lobby did with the…
New Record or Not, the Arctic Sea Ice Alarm Bells Keep Ringing
N_daily_extent_hires.png Last week, the National Snow and Ice Data Center came out with the estimate that we did not quite set a record for the minimum extent of Arctic sea…
Sliding into Fall
Oops, it did it again…. The Fall term 2011 has managed to sneak up on me, like its 2010 predecessor. All of a sudden, it’s all back. I am facing…
"Doubt" Video On Fossil Fuel Industry’s Tobacco PR Tactics To Undermine Science
doubt.jpg In case you didn't manage to catch all 24 hours of the Climate Reality Project (I mean, what the heck else were you doing?), I wanted to flag this…
What We Don’t Know Will Hurt Us
So, apparently the Conservative government’s deep cuts to Environment Canada are leading to the cancellation of an important monitoring project on the ozone layer over the Arctic. The British journal…
Want to Sway Climate Change Skeptics? Ask About Their Personal Strengths (And Show Pictures!)
509983main_adjusted_annual_temperature_anomalies_final.gif Readers of my posts over the last half year will be familiar with the phenomenon of motivated reasoning, in which people’s subcons...
The schizoid nature of the Western world: Overcoming the root paradox of Western civilization – and our own minds
The Western world is still trapped in a paradox and a self-contradiction of our own making: we are schizoid with regards to the body, the material world and to our…
Presenting Mount Allison’s Year of Science and Discovery President’s Speakers Series
Every year, Mount Allison decides on a theme for its speaker's series. This year's speakers are among the most renowned scholars in their fields. This year's list is below along…
Memo to Rick Perry: Galileo Was a Liberal
472px-Justus_Sustermans_-_Portrait_of_Galileo_Galilei,_1636.jpg Ever since the Republican presidential debate last week, science watchers have been shaking their heads over Rick Perry’s rid...
On Global Warming, the Tea Party is Worse than the GOP
dont-tread-on-me.jpg There’s a fascinating new public opinion analysis out today from Anthony Leiserowitz and the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. It looks at political divides...
Why Questionable "Science" Gets Published, Pounced On in the Media, Retracted, Causes Resignations…Rinse and Repeat
scientific journals.JPG An editor resigns after a journal publishes a paper that seems to trash the scientific consensus on climate change—but is heavily criticized by top scientists. Where...
Exams never end
(Title of famous play by Italian playwright Eduardo De Filippo. To my knowledge, it was not inspired by his own PhD defence) Dear fellow Committee Members, as the appointed Chair…