Science & Society

Racial Bias May Prevent Patients From Receiving Life-Saving Transplants

In July 1999, Medicare began increasing coverage for people needing a simultaneous kidney/pancreas transplant in hopes of addressing racial and economic disparities that existed. But increased Medicare dollars have not translated into more access for Afric ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 9 2009 - 2:37pm

Science Is Not Magic

I have to delay the Sunday Science Book Club and my discussion of Voyage of the Beagle until next week. In the mean time, I'm initiating the first Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Corner. Over the next few months, I'll share my experiences as I work throu ...

Article - Michael White - Nov 9 2009 - 8:59pm

"Octopusbillies" Just Doesn't Have the Same Ring, I Guess

Fascinating things can be learned from Google Search's drop-down menu. For example, if you type "squid", the suggested search items, in order, are: squidbillies squidoo squidbillies full episodes squid proxy squidbillies quotes Since three o ...

Blog Post - Danna Staaf - Nov 9 2009 - 7:41pm

Natural Historians Get Their Own Facebook

After the successful introduction of myspace, facebook, twitter and however many other social networking sites that now exist, researchers at London's Natural History Museum have created a social networking tool called 'Scratchpads' just for ...

Article - News Staff - Nov 10 2009 - 6:19pm

Cartoonifying Cephalopods

It's hard to make a good cartoon cephalopod, I guess. Yesterday I was disappointed about the Squidbillies. Tomorrow I may despair of Spongebob's pal Squidward. Today, I sigh over Nemo's little octopus friend Pearl. I was profoundly impressed ...

Article - Danna Staaf - Jul 21 2012 - 10:48am

Mouse Brain Surgery And Mouse Welfare

As a mouse vet, my job is to suggest refinements to make cancer studies as easy as possible on the mice.  ...

Article - Larry Carbone - Nov 12 2009 - 8:07pm

Energy Equality & The Carbon Tax

Energy is fungible and nothing is certain but death and taxes. All energy is like all other energy and interchangeable through one means or another.   But, all energy is not created equal.   Some energy is better than other energy.   Hot energy is higher  ...

Article - Jack Vermillion - Nov 11 2009 - 11:50pm

I Humbly Propose A Biologically Accurate Episode Of Spongebob Squarepants

Today's scapegoat for my rant about the place of cephalopods in society is, as I predicted, Squidward Quincy Tentacles, of Spongebob Squarepants fame: What IS that? Six appendages, a misplaced mouth, and a floppy nose? Where'd the nose come from? ...

Article - Danna Staaf - Nov 11 2009 - 9:25pm

Steven Pinker on Malcolm Gladwell

In a review of Gladwell's new book: ...

Blog Post - Michael White - Nov 15 2009 - 10:39am

The Evolution of the God Gene

Gross generalizations about atheists remain in style. A letter in response to a Sunday New York Times article in the Week in Review section, by Nicholas Wade. Dear Mr. Wade, ...

Blog Post - Keith Adams - Nov 15 2009 - 3:10pm