Category: Science

Martin Rees Against Fundamentalism

There’s a really good article from Martin Rees in the latest issue of Seed, on the scientific challenges that won’t be affected by the LHC: The LHC hasn’t yet provided its first results, the much-anticipated answers to questions we’ve been asking for so long. But they should surely come in 2009, bringing us closer to… Continue reading Martin Rees Against Fundamentalism

Notes Toward an Improbable Result: Grade Points per Pound

Inside Higher Ed has an article on grade inflation this morning, which reminds me of my improbable research theory. Academic scolds are always talking about grade inflation, saying that the average grade years ago used to be lower than it is now. Medical scolds are always talking about the obesity epidemic, saying that average weights… Continue reading Notes Toward an Improbable Result: Grade Points per Pound

Atoms as Little Solar Systems

Most people’s first exposure to the ideas of modern atomic physics comes through the Bohr model of hydrogen, which treats the atom as something like a little solar system, with the positively charged nucleus as the sun, and negatively charged electrons orbiting in well-defined circular orbits. It’s a very compelling picture, and works well for… Continue reading Atoms as Little Solar Systems

Science Is Festive

Two announcements of science-related festivals have turned up in my email in the last week or so: The second annual World Science Festival will be held in New York June 10-14 this year. They feature an impressive array of speakers again, including Nobel laureates (Physicists David Gross, Frank Wilczek, and William Phillips), well-known authors, distinguished… Continue reading Science Is Festive

How Not to Write a Press Release

EurekAlert had a press release yesterday titled Quantum paradox directly observed — a milestone in quantum mechanics, which sounds like it ought to be great. The actual release, though…. For one thing, the description of the actual experiment is so vague as to be completely useless. It’s not easy to quote without copying the whole… Continue reading How Not to Write a Press Release

“Global Warming: Facts and Myths (an All That Jazz)” On the Web

A couple of weeks ago, I moderated a global warming panel at Boskone. The panel was recorded by Richard Amirault, who has now posted the video on his Boston fandom website (Episode 41, if it moves off the front page before you click that link). I haven’t watched the video, but I listened to the… Continue reading “Global Warming: Facts and Myths (an All That Jazz)” On the Web

How Do You Teach Critical Thinking?

I went to a panel discussion yesterday on teaching critical thinking skills. It was more of a panel presentation than a panel discussion– the panelist-to-allotted-time ratio was too high to allow much discussion– but it was interesting to see how different disciplines approach the task of teaching students to think critically, and support arguments with… Continue reading How Do You Teach Critical Thinking?