Featured Articles

Bee Part of the Solution June 13th to 26th, Says Whole Foods

Bee Part of the Solution June 13th to 26th, Says Whole Foods

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

As part of their celebration of National Pollinators Week, Whole Foods Market wants to raise $180,000 to restore pollination habitats. For every organic cantaloupe sold at Whole Foods Market stores from June 13 to 26, they will donate 25 cents to The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a 1:1 match for all donations made to Xerces. 

Not sure how that last bit works but it tells me Science 2.0 needs a government lobbyist.

Generating Solar Power...Underwater

Generating Solar Power...Underwater

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

It sounds like a child’s question: can you generate solar power underwater? The answer, according to Phillip Jenkins and his team at the US Naval Research Laboratory, is yes. The researchers recently demonstrated a method for harvesting solar power underwater at depths of 30 feet.

Currently, the only option for underwater energy is batteries, which shortens the amount of time an underwater system can be powered. Having a source of renewable energy underwater opens up the possibility for long-term installations of autonomous systems, including systems for communication, environmental monitoring and networks of sensors.

European Testing For 'Racial Purity': A Concern

European Testing For 'Racial Purity': A Concern

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

In the giant 'Europeans are far more anti-science than Americans' file, we can now add another section on racism.

Science can use genetic testing to understand risk factors - some groups have a greater risk than others - but that means interested groups can also do other things with the results.  Europe is terrifically racist, you will never hear a racial slur, much less a stadium-wide chant, at an American sporting event but you are guaranteed to have them at the EURO CUP 2012 tournament. Western Europe is at least trying to drive it out and all those 'end racism' banners are a puzzle to western football viewers but at least they care.

Yet now racists have a new weapon; genetics.
That Squid On Your Plate Could Inseminate Your Mouth

That Squid On Your Plate Could Inseminate Your Mouth

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

I'm here today to talk about a very strange paper: Penetration of the oral mucosa by parasite-like sperm bags of squid: a case report in a Korean woman.

This study, published in February in the Journal of Parasitology (?!), presents the tale of a woman eating squid who experienced "severe pain" and a "pricking, foreign-body sensation" in her mouth. A doctor found and removed "twelve small, white spindle-shaped, bug-like organisms" from her tongue, cheek, and gums.
Relax: Young Earth Creationists Can't Even Convince Other Christians They Are Right

Relax: Young Earth Creationists Can't Even Convince Other Christians They Are Right

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

So a young earth creationist museum put some dinosaurs in its advertising.  Ho-hum.

While the atheist panic machine lumbers into action once again - after all, kids like dinosaurs, what if they go and learn not to steal and stuff while they are there? - there really isn't much to worry about if you are not in the panic business.
Recent Results Of CMS

Recent Results Of CMS

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

Two days ago I discussed at ICFP 2012 the most recent results of the CMS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. In the allotted time of my talk I could only cover few analyses, and I obviously chose some of the most interesting ones, so that was already a summary. Here I am bringing the information collapse one step further, by giving a itemized summary of some of the points I made, just in case you are interested. If you want to, you can also download the original slides of my talk from here (but be careful, it's a 8Mb file).
What If GM Crops Boost The Local Ecosystem, Including Organic Foods?

What If GM Crops Boost The Local Ecosystem, Including Organic Foods?

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

It's a nightmare for Whole Foods shoppers; what if genetically modified crops produced by evil scientists who only care about profits for their employers (i.e., the same as every employee of Whole Foods and its organic Mega-Farm suppliers) are actually good for the ecosystem?

We already know that genetically modified foods are as good for people as organic foods - or better if you'd prefer not to get E. coli from your food. We also know that, despite the silly claims, organic food is incapable of feeding poor people while genetically modified foods have brought prosperity and nutrition to a billion people worldwide in the last decade, and they have done it without using more land and with less harmful pesticides.
Our Closest Relatives In The Animal Kingdom Is Now A Tie

Our Closest Relatives In The Animal Kingdom Is Now A Tie

Jun 14 2012 | comment(s)

Chimpanzees, you are not alone.  The distinction of being our closest living relative in the animal kingdom is now a tie with the bonobo.

An international team of researchers has sequenced the genome of the bonobo for the first time, confirming that it shares the same percentage of its DNA (about 99.6%) with us as chimps do.
KELT North - The Little Telescope That Could

KELT North - The Little Telescope That Could

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

Think it takes James Webb Space Telescope money-pit type funding to do (or someday do) astronomy these days?

Not so, some astronomers get it done with a lens equivalent to a digital camera. As the saying goes, it's not the size of your aperture, it's the vigor of your numerical analysis that counts.

The KELT North telescope in southern Arizona has a tiny lens - really tiny.  But it has revealed the existence of two very unusual faraway planets in a big way, according to Ohio State University doctoral student Thomas Beatty and Vanderbilt University research scientist Robert Siverd, who detailed their discoveries for the KELT-North team at the American Astronomical Society national meeting in Anchorage.
Anti-Science Hippies Make Progress Toward Labelling GMOs (Except Organic Ones)

Anti-Science Hippies Make Progress Toward Labelling GMOs (Except Organic Ones)

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

I just wrote an article talking about how limiting choice is framed as 'leading the way' when it comes to a pet belief - and anti-science Californians who insist any genetically optimized food is dangerous are making my point while making some inroads into turning their non-reality-based beliefs into law for everyone in the state.
What is Governor Rick Perry really like? A scientist's perspective on my meeting with him

What is Governor Rick Perry really like? A scientist's perspective on my meeting with him

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

On Monday I did something that up until a few weeks ago I would have thought nearly impossible.

I met in person with Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Why might this have seemed highly unlikely until recently? 

First of all, I'm a lifelong Democrat, while he's a Republican. However, I learned in the lead up to the meeting that the Governor actually was a Democrat for part of his life and his father was a lifelong Democrat so I found that interesting.
Positive Phase 2 Study Results For Tivantinib In Previously Treated Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Positive Phase 2 Study Results For Tivantinib In Previously Treated Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

ArQule, Inc. and Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. announced final results from a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 2 clinical trial with the selective MET inhibitor tivantinib 

as a single-agent, investigational, second-line treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The data was presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (abstract number 4006).

Criminalizing Choice Is 'Leading The Way' - When It Is Your Pet Belief

Criminalizing Choice Is 'Leading The Way' - When It Is Your Pet Belief

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

Do you want to ban cigarettes and legalize marijuana?  Did you cheer when a judge in one state broke the law regarding the Ten Commandments and hissed when a judge in another state broke the law regarding gay marriage?

Freedom is a moving target, as is social authoritarianism, and how people seem to come down on one issue often shows how they think on a whole raft of other ones. 
Science 2.0 Tools Focus: New Functionality Added To SciVal Strata Performance Evaluation Tool

Science 2.0 Tools Focus: New Functionality Added To SciVal Strata Performance Evaluation Tool

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

AMSTERDAM, June 13, 2012  -- Elsevier has added a new enhancement to SciVal Strata, a web-based performance evaluation tool that allows users to conduct highly customized performance assessments of research teams and individual researchers. The new functionality provides the capacity for objective assessment of a specific selection of a researcher's work in addition to their complete publication output. This option is critical when selecting the most impactful papers to be submitted for various government or institutional assessments. In addition the enhanced functionality will prove useful to individuals applying for grants and showing funders the impact of the research they supported. 

Philosopher Alain de Botton To Deliver Ogilvy & Mather Lecture On Creativity

Philosopher Alain de Botton To Deliver Ogilvy & Mather Lecture On Creativity

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

Philosopher and author Alain de Botton will give the second Ogilvy&Inspire lecture at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity 2012 on Thursday June 21st, 2012. 

Internet Study: Americans Too Trusting, Spanish Too Superficial And Germans Are Annoyed

Internet Study: Americans Too Trusting, Spanish Too Superficial And Germans Are Annoyed

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

MELBOURNE, Australia, June 13 -- In what is being billed as the world's largest international study of online consumer behavior, involving over 36,000 users (though that sounds low - we could easily get more than 36,000 respondents to a survey today), differences between online behavior cultures were found, including the secret to success - which appears to be simplicity. 

The Webreep online consumer survey analyzed consumer behavior on the internet between May 2011 and May 2012. Participants were distributed across 7 regions, including France, Germany, Spain, Australia, China, and Russia.

The study found Americans are the most trusting, 20% more than Europeans, Chinese (23%), and Russians (33%).

Small Laboratory Saucepan?

Small Laboratory Saucepan?

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

Is your laboratory environment something like this?
Genetic Technology Provides An Improved Approach To Controlling Cotton Pest Moth

Genetic Technology Provides An Improved Approach To Controlling Cotton Pest Moth

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

Oxitec's novel genetic fluorescent marking technology can substantially improve control of the cotton pest moth, pink bollworm, according to findings of a new study. 

Statins Linked To Increased Fatigue

Statins Linked To Increased Fatigue

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

A new study has found that individuals taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are more likely than non-users to experience decreased energy, fatigue upon exertion, or both. The researchers suggest that these findings should be taken into account by doctors when weighing risk versus benefit in prescribing statins. 

Statins are among the most widely used prescription drugs on the market and therefore increased attention has focused on statins' side effects, particularly their effect on exercise. While some patients have reported fatigue or exercise intolerance when placed on statins, randomized trials had not previously addressed the occurrence of fatigue-with-exertion or impaired energy in patients on statins relative to placebo. 
Morphing Sets: Transforming Naturality With Chronocity

Morphing Sets: Transforming Naturality With Chronocity

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

In my October 4, 2011 Science 2.0 article “A Search In Time Is A Memorable Path” I defined Chronocity as “the measurement of the distance in Time between where we are (Now) and where we were at some point in the past (or where we will be at some time in the future) with respect to a specific object, or document.”  In other words, Chronocity is the degree of change across a series of sequential states determined through discrete time slices.