Imagine that you are doing a physics lab to measure the velocity of a small projectile. After making a bunch of measurements to four significant figures, and doing a bunch of arithmetic, you get a value of 4.371928645 m/s. After yet more gruelling math, you find the uncertainty associated with this number to be 0.0316479825… Continue reading Uncertain Pop Quiz
Science Blogging or Blogging Science?
Bora/ coturnix over at Science and Politics has generated a lot of conversation via his taxonomy of science blog posts, mostly relating to the call for people to start publishing data and hypotheses on blogs. Much of the discussion that I’ve seen centers on the question of “scooping” (see, for example, here and here), but… Continue reading Science Blogging or Blogging Science?
All About Vanity
I’d just like to note that I’m inordinately amused to find a blog called Mormon Philosophy and Theology linking me. I also seem to have picked up a sidebar link at Cocktail Party Physics, which reminds me that I really need to update the blogroll… These minor revelations brought to you by ego-surfing on Technorati…
New Aggregator
The people (well, person) who brought you the physics blog aggregator Mixed States have now rolled out a new biology-themed blog aggregator: Recombinants. At the moment, it only has about six feeds going into it, and the content is about 70% PZ Myers, so head over there and suggest some biology feeds to be added… Continue reading New Aggregator
Quote of the Day
Teresa Nielsen Hayden, writing about the phenomenon of fan fiction: Personally, I’m convinced that the legends of the Holy Grail are fanfic about the Eucharist. One of the most peevesome things about the hectic period I’m in at my day job is that I no longer have time to follow Making Light comment threads– I… Continue reading Quote of the Day
Big Questions
Via BioCurious, a list of science questions every high school graduate should be able to answer: What percentage of the earth is covered by water? What sorts of signals does the brain use to communicate sensations, thoughts and actions? Did dinosaurs and humans ever exist at the same time? What is Darwin’s theory of the… Continue reading Big Questions
Playing Dice with the Future
Monday is the decision deadline for accepted students to decide whether they’re coming here next year, and we’ve had a slow parade of people getting tours of the department and suchlike over the last few weeks. We’ve also had a couple “Open House” events, where accepted students and their families are invited to campus to… Continue reading Playing Dice with the Future
Dear Mr. Fantasy
The NFL Draft is this weekend, and ESPN is entering their 57th day of intense, round-the-clock coverage of the draft. I have one simple thing to say to them: Stop. You’re hurting America. This isn’t even a real sports story– this is a fantasy sports story. This is like college basketball recruiting, only even less… Continue reading Dear Mr. Fantasy
Why Are You Asking Me?
I’ve found myself in the weird position of giving career advice twice in the last week and a half. Once was to a former student, which I sort of understand, while the second time was a grad student in my former research group, who I’ve never met. I still don’t really feel qualified to offer… Continue reading Why Are You Asking Me?
Methadone Basketball
In a previous post, I dissed the NBA as being a haven for ugly pseudo-basketball. It does serve a purpose, though, as a sort of methadone program to ease the way down from the hoops-jukie high of March to the Great Sports Desert between the end of the NBA and the start of the NFL.… Continue reading Methadone Basketball