Daily Archives: January 25, 2008

Medley

January 25, 2008UncategorizedEvolutionGreg Laden

War on Science – intelligent design – Part 1

January 25, 2008UncategorizedCreation Science, Creationism, Evolution, Intelligent DesignGreg Laden

“This is the story of a battle between faith and knowledge…”The first in a series from the BBC Continue reading War on Science – intelligent design – Part 1 →

Did Humans or Climate Change Cause the Extinctions of Pleistocene Eurasian Megafauna?

January 25, 2008UncategorizedAnthropology, Archaeology, Biogeography, Climate Change, Environment, Evolution, Extinction, Human Evolution, Neanderthal, Origin of Modern Humans, PaleontologyGreg Laden

ï»¿Did humans wipe out the Pleistocene megafauna? This is a question that can be asked separately for each area of the world colonized by Homo sapiens. It is also a question that engenders sometimes heated debate. A new paper coming out in the Journal of Human Evolution concludes that many Pleistocene megafauna managed to go extinct by themselves, but that humans were not entirely uninvolved.

Continue reading Did Humans or Climate Change Cause the Extinctions of Pleistocene Eurasian Megafauna? →

A diversity of science news items

January 25, 2008UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

China Spacewalk; India bird flu outbreak spreading; Pollution and diabetes linked?; Cryptosporidium; Controversial theory of Alzheimer’s Continue reading A diversity of science news items →

Pig Converges on Hagfish

January 25, 2008UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

Speaking of Hagfish, check out this pig: Continue reading Pig Converges on Hagfish →

Antievolution resolutions spreading through northern Florida

January 25, 2008UncategorizedCreation Science, Creationism, Intelligent Design, Science EducationGreg Laden

From the NCSE newsroom:

At least nine county school boards in northern Florida have adopted resolutions calling for the state board of education “to revise the new Sunshine State Standards for Science such that evolution is not presented as fact, but as one of several theories,” according to a January 23, 2008, report from Florida Citizens for Science. These resolutions represent a backlash to a draft set of new state science standards, which are presently undergoing revision in response to comments from the public. The state board of education is expected to consider the revised draft set of standards at its meeting on February 19, 2008.

Continue reading Antievolution resolutions spreading through northern Florida →

Robert Full: Secrets of movement, from geckos and roaches

January 25, 2008UncategorizedAnatomyGreg Laden

UC Berkeley biologist Robert Full shares his fascination with spiny cockroach legs that allow them to scuttle at full speed across loose mesh and gecko feet that have billions of nano-bristles to run straight up walls. His talk, complete with wonderful slow-mo video of cockroach, crab and gecko gaits, explains his goal of creating the perfect robotic “distributed foot.”

Continue reading Robert Full: Secrets of movement, from geckos and roaches →

As Race Moves to South Race Becomes Main Issue

January 25, 2008UncategorizedPolitics, Race and RacismGreg Laden

You can say whatever you think, or believe, or want to think or believe, about the importance of Clinton’s whiteness, Obama’s blackness. and Edward’s southern whiteness. As the primaries move south of the Mason Dixon line, race has become the only issue of importance.

Continue reading As Race Moves to South Race Becomes Main Issue →

Today’s Linux Calendar Output

January 25, 2008UncategorizedLinuxGreg Laden

Jan 25: Robert Burns born, 1759
Jan 25: Virginia Woolf born, 1882
Jan 25: W. Somerset Maugham born, 1874
Jan 25: Conversion of St Paul
Jan 25: First U.S. meeting of ALGOL definition committee, 1958
Jan 25: Passing of Gandalf
Jan 25*: Parashat Yitro
Jan 25: Bob Dylan plays the second “Hurricane” benefit, in the Astrodome, 1978
Jan 26: EDVAC demonstrated, 1952
Jan 26: Sydney, New South Wales settled, 1788
Jan 26: Australia Day in Australia
Jan 26: Republic Day in India

Frank Gehry: Nice building. Then what?

January 25, 2008UncategorizedUncategorizedGreg Laden

Frank Gehry wanted to be a scientist when he grew up. But after blowing up a part of his house, at age 14, he decided against it. He’s gone on to create some mindblowing buildings, including the Guggenheim at Bilbao and LA’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. This wildly entertaining conversation with Richard Saul Wurman (then host of TED) touches on many topics, including the power of failure, the importance of collaboration, and the need for architects to bring personal expression to the table.

Continue reading Frank Gehry: Nice building. Then what? →

Chimpanzee Food Sharing: Sharing Ideas

January 25, 2008UncategorizedApes, EvolutionGreg Laden

Remember this post on chimpanzee food sharing? Over a PLoS, where the original paper is published, you can get involved in a discussion of the paper. I posted something over there in response to someone else’Go have a look, here.Access to the discussion is on the right side bar.

I’ve been practicing Wii Bowling

January 25, 2008UncategorizedOtherGreg Laden

… and I’ve finally got it down. Have a look:

Hagfish: Aphrodisiac of the deep

January 25, 2008UncategorizedAphrodisiacs, fishGreg Laden

The Hagfish, or Slime Eel, is said to be an aphrodisiac. Hard evidence that hagfish can enhance sexual prowess is lacking, but this fish can get evolutionary biologists very hot. Continue reading Hagfish: Aphrodisiac of the deep →