Category: Science: The Softer Side
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The Great ‘Monkeys on Mars’ Conspiracy
Look, I’m just asking questions.
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The Nastiest Hate Mail We Have Ever Received
If there is anything to be learned from internet communication, let it be this: Regardless if you are emailing a friend, a bitter enemy, or even a lowly journalist, always remember that there is a human being on the other side of the computer screen.
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Jail ‘Anti-Vax’ Parents
Your family’s right to be sick ends where public health begins.
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Now Is a Great Time to Go to Europe
If you have been planning a trip to Europe, 2015 is definitely the year to go. If you haven’t been planning a trip to Europe… well, maybe you should plan a trip to Europe.
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The Smartest Person Who Ever Lived
The more I study Isaac Newton, the more fascinating he becomes.
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Phil Plait’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
This article was originally published on RealClearScience. The Apocalypse is here. Science writer Phil Plait’s worst nightmare came true. The Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate. What can we expect to happen? In Plait’s words, the Republicans will “put a cohort of science-deniers [sic] into positions of authority,” which “quite literally affects the future…
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How to Make Scientists Publish the Truth
This article was originally published on RealClearScience. John Ioannidis is (in)famous in the scientific community. Using straightforward logic and statistics, he convincingly demonstrated that most published research articles are wrong. This is not because scientists are liars and crooks, but because studies often do not have large enough sample sizes or are testing unlikely hypotheses.…
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Unemployment Linked to Drop in Fertility
The conception rate falls as the national unemployment rate rises.
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Changing the World, One Tweet at a Time
This article was originally posted on RealClearScience. It is easy for journalists to succumb to the notion that we make very little difference in this world. According to Pew, only 28% of Americans believe journalists contribute “a lot” to society, while 27% believe journalists contribute “not very much” or “nothing at all.” And aGallup poll…
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Is Anything Certain in Science?
Extreme skepticism and extreme credulity are anathema to the scientific mindset.