Category: Science

Tons of Rain

On Thursday last week, the Schenectady weather forecast I have in my Bloglines feed called for “Tons of Rain,” which I thought was amusingly unprofessional. I mentioned this to Kate yesterday (after it had, in fact, rained quite a bit), and she said “I wonder how much rain you would need to make a ton?”… Continue reading Tons of Rain

Quantum Consciousness and the Penrose Fallacy

Over at Neurophilosophy, Mo links to an article by a physicist, posted on the arxiv, that claims to explain visual perceptions using quantum mechanics: A theory of the process of perception is presented based on von Neumann’s quantum theory of measurement and conscious observation. Conscious events that occur are identified with the quantum mechanical “collapses”… Continue reading Quantum Consciousness and the Penrose Fallacy

N Skills Every Scientist Should Have

A little while back, Popular Mechanics published a list of 25 Skills Every Man Should Know. Seven of the 25 are car-related, another four have to do with construction, and an additional six are outdoorsy things. Of course, they also threw in “extend your wireless network,” for the nerds out there, but it does tend… Continue reading N Skills Every Scientist Should Have

Dorky Poll: Science Power!

OK, the monkey business may have been a little too abstract for a good audience participation entry. So let’s fall back on a classic: What science-related superpower would you most like to have? Because this is a Dorky Poll, “science-related superpower” here means a supernatural ability that is useful for doing science. Because battling crime… Continue reading Dorky Poll: Science Power!

Announcing the Uncertain Principles Physics Scholarship Program

In the spirit of the newly clarified regulations governing the Academic Competitiveness Grant and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant Programs administered by the Department of Education, I am pleased to announce the Uncertain Principles Physics Scholarship Program. Under this program, I pledge to personally pay the full tuition for any… Continue reading Announcing the Uncertain Principles Physics Scholarship Program

European Nobels in Perspective

There’s been a bunch of talk about the apparent European dominance in Nobel Prizes this year, and whether it means that American science is in decline, blah, blah, blah. I’m a little surprised at this– nobody took last year’s abundance of American laureates as a sign of the collapse of European science, after all– but… Continue reading European Nobels in Perspective

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White House: “More Study Needed” on Gore Nobel

(WASHINGTON, DC) On the heels of reports from Oslo that the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded jointly to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and former US Vice President Al Gore, a White House spokesman issued a statement saying that “significant uncertainty” remained regarding the recipient of the prize. “The President feels that… Continue reading White House: “More Study Needed” on Gore Nobel

America’s Best Formulaic Science Writing

Attention-grabbing anecdote about science-related issue. Short biographical sketch of quirky researcher working on scientific problem. Short explanation of the scientific problem’s history and significance. Anecdote about quirky researcher’s work on scientific problem. Short explanation connecting back to initial attention-grabbing anecdote. Pithy summary of What It All Means. (Repeat steps 2-4 as needed to fill out… Continue reading America’s Best Formulaic Science Writing

Dorky Poll: Meta-Dorkitude

I’m running short of Dorky Poll topics– suggestions are welcome– but it occurred to me that a meta-dorky-poll might be worth a shot. So: There have been many Dorky Polls here over the last year or two. Which Dorky Poll question was the most dorktastic? “Dorktastic” is in the eye of the beholder, obviously– it… Continue reading Dorky Poll: Meta-Dorkitude