Tag: science

Best letter response. . .EVER

Charles Bennett has a beef with the wording of an article title in Science: “At long last, Gravity Probe B satellite proves Einstein right”.

I find myself frequently repeating to students and the public that science doesn’t “prove” theories. Scientific measurements can only disprove theories or be consistent with them.

Instead of going on about the philosophy of science at length, let’s just quote the spot-on quote from their response:

Bennett is completely correct. It’s an important conceptual point, and we blew it.

Bravo!

 

Job description

Job: Scientist

Description:

Daddy: What does Daddy do at work?
Daughter: Solves the Mysteries of the Universe.

Science Tarot

The Science Tarot is a new, creative project to bring scientific concepts to new segments of society in a visually compelling way.

Science Tarot is a creative science communication project that combines science, art and mythology into a tarot deck to engage and awaken people’s curiosity about science and the natural world.

The deck illustrates science stories to engage scientists, artists and tarot enthusiasts alike. In this way we aim to bridge disparate communities and foster both science education and self-discovery.

You can hear the creators discuss the project on Skeptically Speaking when the podcast version is posted.

Zombie Feynman vs The Special Girl Powers

If there is one lesson from SexyGate (the kerfuffle following Sheril Kirshenbaum’s inclusion on a “sexy scientist” list[1]), it is that actions have consequences, long-range, important, and potentially ironic consequences, for which you shall be held responsible. Consequences like drawing the attention of the hedonistic proletariat to the “sexy scientist” list and giving many the excuse to consider the potentially related[2] question: “Is science sexist?”

There were a number of thought-provoking answers. Alexandra Jellicoe’s article was advertised as both unusual and interesting, but was neither. While most commentators examined sexism in the institutions we use to do science, Jellicoe spent her non-raging-lesbian-feminist thunder[3] on the fundamental process of science. Continue reading “Zombie Feynman vs The Special Girl Powers”

The “No Black Box” Podcast: You vill listen and you vill like

If you are not listening to the Omega Tau podcast, what are you doing? Omega Tau covers über-cool science and technology topics like fusion reactors, flight simulators, and deep wreck diving. Unlike other science and technology shows, like the excellent NPR Science Friday, Markus Voelter and Nora Ludewig are willing to spend as much time as it takes to ask all the detailed, dorky questions that we want to know the answers to. They keep asking questions until they find out how things really work. I like to think of it as the “No Black Box” Podcast. Based in the Stuttgart, Germany area, Markus and Nora amazingly produce both German and English podcasts, making me wish I could speak either language fluently.

Omega Tau is available via iTunes and you can follow the podcast on Twitter or “like” them on Facebook.