Bacterial species concepts (my own work)
As described in my profile, I don't want to blog about my own field of research. However, in anticipation of questions about my research, I'm going to write this introductory post.So far, all my...
View ArticleParasites (public radio show with download)
If you want something amusing and informative to listen to on your MP3 player, check out Parasites from the public radio show Radiolab. You can download it or listen via streaming audio. The featured...
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What Is The Average Global Temperature?
I recently encountered the following chart as part of an argument that CO2 does not affect global temperatures. It instantly raised my suspicions because the temperature data is just too clean--I can't...
View ArticleParachute jump from 36 km above the earth.
The highest jump ever made was by Joseph Kittinger in 1960--31 km. This year, astronaut Felix Baumgartner will attempt a 36 km jump, and there is talk about Michael Fournier attempting a 40 km jump....
View ArticleConfusions On Evolution, Creationism, And Falsifiability
Assorted creationists claim variously that creation theories are falsifiable and that evolutionary theories are not falsifiable. Here, I want to quickly point out a few flaws that I see in their...
View ArticleSo awesome... (links)
People want to see awesome stuff. That's the main idea behind this blog, and the interpretation of a recent report on people's decisions to share New York Times articles with friends (via Rycharde...
View ArticleThe importance of proper controls (is homosexuality an illness?)
This American Life from Chicago Public Radio has an interesting story about the history of psychiatry with regards to homosexuality: why homosexuality used to be considered a mental illness, and why...
View ArticleNational Academy does not shy from controversy: Human Evolution and Climate...
This should be a good read:Understanding Climate's Influence on Human EvolutionThe hominin fossil record documents a history of critical evolutionary events that have ultimately shaped and defined what...
View ArticlePlant behavior
One of the most interesting things about plants is that they do exhibit behavior (i.e. movement in response to their environment), even if humans rarely notice it. We don't notice their actions because...
View ArticleThe Supurb Lyrebird (and skepticism!)
Birds in general are impressive creatures, but the Supurb lyrebird takes the cake for its ability to mimic sounds. Here's a video demonstrating its ability to mimic construction sounds. You can listen...
View ArticleHow the history of science is like a fantasy novel
Not long ago, I read J.R.R. Tolkien's mythopoeia masterpiece, The Silmarillion (his creation myth for the world of The Lord of the Rings). Upon finishing it, I immediately picked up Sparks of Life, a...
View ArticleA nice profile of a local researcher
Decisive Advantage by Chris Potter in the Pittsburgh City Paper.If I had a kid who might want to go into research for a living, I'd want them to read this story. It gives some insight into what is...
View ArticleWhat Is The Most Important Field Of Science For The Public?
A while ago, I read an argument that understanding economics is more important than understanding evolution. The author's point is that evolutionary theory does not provide the layman with particularly...
View ArticlePhilosophy for kids
About a week ago, I asked the question "What is the most important field of science for the public?" Many of the comments suggested that general reasoning skills are more important than any particular...
View ArticleWhat are scientists reading?
I recently took a look around my department to see what academic scientists are reading. I ignored the stacks of research papers, because I know that no-one ever gets around to reading them. It seems...
View ArticleWait: What Were The Controls? (Kids In Lesbian Households)
A CNN headline reads "Kids of lesbians have fewer behavioral problems, study suggests".Interesting, but wait...The study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, followed 78 lesbian couples who...
View ArticleExperiments on the origin of life
Nobel laureate J. W. Szostak delivered an interesting lecture on his experiments relating to the origins of life. His research group has set itself the goal of just getting some kind of protocell...
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What Is The Average Global Temperature?
I recently encountered the following chart as part of an argument that CO2 does not affect global temperatures. It instantly raised my suspicions because the temperature data is just too clean--I can't...
View ArticleConfusions On Evolution, Creationism, And Falsifiability
Assorted creationists claim variously that creation theories are falsifiable and that evolutionary theories are not falsifiable. Here, I want to quickly point out a few flaws that I see in their...
View ArticleWhat Is The Most Important Field Of Science For The Public?
A while ago, I read an argument that understanding economics is more important than understanding evolution. The author's point is that evolutionary theory does not provide the layman with particularly...
View Article