Spiders Can Cross Oceans
May 31, 2012
Why did the spider cross the ocean? To colonize the Old World after it "originated" in the New World.
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Climate Change as a Philosophy of Science Case Study
May 30, 2012
Climate Change (what used to be called Global Warming) provides a test case on whether a scientific consensus is reliable or authoritative.
The Wonder and Blunder in Your Skull
May 29, 2012
Even when it goes awry, the brain wins an award of cosmic proportions, according to a veteran psychiatrist.
Animal Sin: What Does It Imply?
May 20, 2012
Some animals commit cruel or disgusting acts humans would consider immoral. What does this mean?
What SETI Guru Wants to Know
May 18, 2012
Seth Shostak, a SETI advocate, has two key questions for aliens.
Shrink Validity Is Shrinking
May 18, 2012
Should you trust the diagnosis of a psychiatrist? If it helps, individuals are free to choose. Behind the scenes, however, there are severe, deep-seated debates about whether psychiatrists understand disorders, let alone diagnose them properly.
Improbable Ape Speaks Randomly
May 15, 2012
It's not uncharitable to call someone an ape when he calls himself that.
Dark Matter as an Escape
May 14, 2012
Employing exotic unobservable entities such as dark matter may be an escape from scientific rigor in more ways than one.
Noah's Ark Claim Not Trustworthy
May 13, 2012
A creationist group in Hong Kong is releasing a dramatic documentary filled with fantastic claims about the discovery of Noah's Ark on Mt. Ararat. Other prominent creationists are warning of fraud and scientific malpractice.
Evolutionists Need to Mind Their Matters
May 12, 2012
To a Darwinian evolutionist, the mind is the product of unguided mutations and random environmental pressures acting on material forces. This raises questions about the mind and morals: do they have any validity? Evolutionists need to "mind" their matter. The following examples show how they try to justify these non-material entities arising from matter in motion.
Lamarckism: Dead but Useful
May 11, 2012
Lamarck's theory of evolution was supposed to have died in 1859 when Darwin published his theory of natural selection. Despite textbook depictions of Lamarckism as obsolete, Lamarckian language still surfaces from time to time, even in prestigious journals.
From Toxin to Medicine
May 10, 2012
Botulinum toxin (botox) is now big business in health and fashion, but few may remember it derives from one of the deadliest substances known in nature. Other examples show that some forms of "natural evil" can be seen in a different light.
Evolution for Men and Women
May 8, 2012
Two recent entries in the evolution literature have application to one sex or the other.
Stem Cells Getting Healthier
May 6, 2012
Over the past decade, stem cells have been a hot news item. Here are some late breaking news stories about them.
We Became Human by Mistake
May 5, 2012
A new theme in human evolution is making the rounds. According to the story, a mistake led to the human brain, and the rest is history.