Epigenetics: the 21st-Century Scientific Revolution
July 4, 2012
If genetics was the 20th century's major scientific revolution, epigenetics appears to be the big revolution for the 21st.
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Explanatory Filter in Action: Fairy Circles in Africa
June 30, 2012
The old "crop circle" craze fanned the curiosity of many, till humans were filmed making them. Now, scientists have a different circle mystery, and they're stumped.
Evolution Worked Magic in Plants
June 29, 2012
Some evolutionary papers are filled with verbs like arose, emerged, and originated. Do these convey scientific understanding, or are they veils concealing ignorance? Is it like saying "abracadabra" to say something "arose" by evolution? A recent paper about sophisticated metabolic enzymes in plants is a case in point.
Who Owns Science? Publication Revolution Underway
June 27, 2012
A revolution in scientific publishing may fundamentally alter the power structure over science and result in openness for all.
Scientific Markers Can Mislead
June 26, 2012
In historical sciences, observable phenomena are often used as indicators of past phenomena. Some recent examples show how these can mislead researchers.
SETI Gets Good Press
June 25, 2012
For an enterprise that has failed for 50 years, SETI gets good press. There are many worthy enterprises on the planet; what is it about SETI that gets honorable mention with nary a critical word?
Evolution as Lottery Manipulator
June 22, 2012
Lady Luck is often clearly the stated referee of evolutionary events, but the vast number of times evolution wins suggests design afoot.
Belief in Hell Lowers Crime
June 20, 2012
A psychologist has determined that belief in hell reduces the crime rate. A finding like this might belong in the "Well, duh" category, but more interesting is the interpretation.
Beethoven Rolls Under Darwin
June 18, 2012
Beethoven may indeed be rolling in his grave, but not for the reasons some Darwin-loving reporters think.
Scientific Method Evolves
June 17, 2012
The so-called "scientific method" (if there is such a thing) has undergone dramatic changes throughout history, but there is one constant that can be relied upon: the myth of scientism.
Titan Lake News: Throwing Caution to the Wind
June 15, 2012
Planetary scientists cautiously suggested the possible presence of an equatorial lake on Saturn's moon Titan. You wouldn't know that from the headlines.
Neanderthal-Heidelberg Distinction Blurs
June 14, 2012
"Heidelberg Man" has been a modern name imposed on certain fossil humans that have been unable to speak for themselves. Now, their bones appear to overlap with Neanderthals. But don't modern humans have Neanderthal DNA? Do the distinctions make any sense?
South Korea "Creationism" Means War
June 11, 2012
Give just one side of a controversy the press, and you will get a one-sided presentation of the issues. That happened this week in the journal Nature.
Myth Busters: Flubs in Evolutionary Anthropology
June 10, 2012
Evolutionary psychologists and anthropologists have trouble explaining living humans, let alone past ones.
Geology of the Gaps: Dolomite
June 9, 2012
Dolomite, a common rock minerals of the world, suffers from an "explanation gap."