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Organic Food Leads To Surge In Manure Methane Emissions

Organic Food Leads To Surge In Manure Methane Emissions

Sep 29 2017 | comment(s)

The realization that livestock like cows are ruminants - and produce a lot of methane while chewing - was a real boon to vegetarian activists because they got to say curbing meat would mean less global warming.

Methane has 23X the warming power of the more popular CO2 in climate change estimates but it drastically shorter in duration. Still, that is enough. When natural gas caused American CO2 emissions from energy to plummet back to early 1990s levels, solar and wind lobbyists and their environmental allies claimed that methane, which they had endorses as an alternative to coal for decades, was suddenly a crisis.
Gravitational Wave GW170814 Hits Earth

Gravitational Wave GW170814 Hits Earth

Sep 28 2017 | comment(s)

Three detectors tracking gravitational waves emitted by a merger of two black holes have brought science a little closer to locating a gravitational wave's birthplace in space. 

Gravitational waves are ripples in space and time created when two massive, compact objects such as black holes merge. The new detections were made on August 14, 2017 by two gravitational-wave detectors in the United States - Hanford and Livingston at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), operated by Caltech and MIT - and by the Virgo Gravitational-Wave Observatory in Italy. This marks the fourth detection of a binary black-hole system.

Are clamps miniature gravitational waves?

Are clamps miniature gravitational waves?

Sep 28 2017 | comment(s)

Clamps are miniature equivalents to the gravitational shock fronts caused by colliding black holes that currently reach the press because very sensitive measuring equipment such as LIGO can detect these fronts when they pass the sensor. During travel, these fronts keep their shape, but the height diminishes as 1/r as a function of the distance r to the trigger location. The result is temporary, and the front integrates into the Green’s function of the vibrating field. Thus, the spherical shock front deforms its carrier. Having mass is synonym to having the capability to deform its carrier. That vibrating field is our living space. Where a huge explosion triggers the front that passed the LIGO sensor, are clamps triggered by a point-like artifact.

Bumble Bee Studies Show How Science Can Be Massaged

Bumble Bee Studies Show How Science Can Be Massaged

Sep 27 2017 | comment(s)

Two recent studies on the health of bumblebees and links to neonicotinoids were published simultaneously last month in sister publications of the prestigious science journal empire Nature.

Both examined closely similar scientific questions, with somewhat different experimental methodologies. They had one big difference: The study that found that neonics caused no serious issues was ignored by the media while the one suggesting a bee-apocalypse was widely played up as “definitive.’

Let’s unpack what these studies actually showed, and reflect on why the studies have been reported on so differently.

Now That The World Hasn't Ended - Let's Petition YouTube And Journalists To Do Something About These Suicide Inducing Stories!

Now That The World Hasn't Ended - Let's Petition YouTube And Journalists To Do Something About These Suicide Inducing Stories!

Sep 23 2017 | comment(s)

This is a good example of a story that has morphed and changed as it gets passed from one paper to another. They all cite the same source, from the BBC but the reporters haven’t read the source. I think they just read each other. The science is actually rather interesting. But just about everything they say is the opposite of what the original story says.

This is the original story on the BBC:

This is what Fox News make of it (notorious for being somewhat unreliable)

World Won't End Tomorrow 23rd September - Don't Kill Yourself Over This BS- Advice To Help Those Anxious, Scared And Suicidal

World Won't End Tomorrow 23rd September - Don't Kill Yourself Over This BS- Advice To Help Those Anxious, Scared And Suicidal

Sep 22 2017 | comment(s)

I'm getting numerous pm's from very scared and sometimes suicidal people who think the world will end tomorrow. To those who are scared and suicidal - what do you do if you are scared like this? I've written this article to help you.

If you are feeling suicidal right now, of course contact any of us, via pm and post to the group.

Top Quarks Observed In Proton-Nucleus Collisions For The First Time

Top Quarks Observed In Proton-Nucleus Collisions For The First Time

Sep 22 2017 | comment(s)

The top quark is the heaviest known matter corpuscle we consider elementary. Elementary is an overloaded word in English, so I need to explain what it means in the context of subatomic particles. If we grab a dictionary we get several possibilities, like e.g.- elementary: pertaining to or dealing with elements, rudiments, or first principles

- elementary: of the nature of an ultimate constituent; uncompounded
- elementary: not decomposable into elements or other primary constituents
- elementary: simple
Both Liberals, Conservatives Engage In Motivated Reasoning To Interpret Science

Both Liberals, Conservatives Engage In Motivated Reasoning To Interpret Science

Sep 21 2017 | comment(s)

In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, many claims have been made that science denial, particularly as it relates to climate change, is primarily a problem of the political right.

But what happens when scientific conclusions challenge liberals’ attitudes on public policy issues, such as gun control, nuclear power or immigration?

Most Americans Get Science News From Corporate Media - And That's Bad

Most Americans Get Science News From Corporate Media - And That's Bad

Sep 20 2017 | comment(s)

Though every politician and both U.S. parties claim to be pro-science, that isn't reflected in corporate media coverage. The New York Times will publish conspiracy theories drafted by US Right To Know, a corporate front group created by Organic Consumers Association. Washington Post will host a panel on food science and refuse to invite any scientists. 
The Insect Spreading Citrus Death

The Insect Spreading Citrus Death

Sep 19 2017 | comment(s)

In recent years the citrus industry has suffered a dramatic decrease in production. The iconic Florida citrus industry is in a disease-induced decline, ravaged by a pathogen that has cut the production to half of what it was only a decade or so ago.
USDA Scolds National Organic Program For Lax Enforcement

USDA Scolds National Organic Program For Lax Enforcement

Sep 18 2017 | comment(s)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General recently did an audit of the National Organic Program, which is part of its Agricultural Marketing Services group.
Does Rope Cause Suicide?

Does Rope Cause Suicide?

Sep 18 2017 | comment(s)

A new paper claims that guns are only involved in 5 percent of suicide attempts but are 50 percent of suicide deaths. Despite everyone claiming to want to be data-driven about gun deaths, few are and this is no exception.  
Proposed Boyajian's Star System Configuration, Based on Analysis of Century-Long Data

Proposed Boyajian's Star System Configuration, Based on Analysis of Century-Long Data

Sep 18 2017 | comment(s)

Until recently, we hadn't observed brightening of Boyajian's Star (KIC 8462852) over time. There were documented instances of fading over time, some more convincing than others. It was as though the star is gradually fading until the day it finally disappears from view.


Simon et al. (2017) changed all of that. Using ASAS/ASAS-SN data, the researchers documented two apparent episodes of brightening in the last 11 years. It now seems Boyajian's Star has long-term variability that is likely periodic.

Since the apparent amplitude of the long-term magnitude signal is not small, it's reasonable to expect it should show up in century-long data, despite the noisy nature of this data. I have confirmed this expectation with simulations.
Letters From Indochina, 1952-54: The Tragic Story Of A 18 Year Old Enrolled In The Legion Etrangere

Letters From Indochina, 1952-54: The Tragic Story Of A 18 Year Old Enrolled In The Legion Etrangere

Sep 17 2017 | comment(s)

In 1952 my uncle Antonio, then 18 years old, left his family home in Venice, Italy to never return, running away from the humiliation of a failure at school. With a friend he reached the border with France and crossed it during the night, chased by border patrols and wolves. Caught by the French police Toni - that was the abbreviated name with which was known by everybody - was offered a choice: be sent back to Italy, facing three months of jail, or enrol in the French legion. Afraid of the humiliation and the consequences, he tragically chose the latter.
Since It's Not Medicine, Medical Students Aren't Trained To Prescribe Medical Marijuana

Since It's Not Medicine, Medical Students Aren't Trained To Prescribe Medical Marijuana

Sep 17 2017 | comment(s)

Although 29 states and the District of Columbia allow marijuana use for medical purposes, there is no evidence it is medicine. Obviously some of the reason for that is because it's illegal and therefore hard to study, but regardless of the past it seems odd that scholars at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis surveyed medical school deans, residents and fellows, and examined a curriculum database maintained by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and lament that medical marijuana is not being addressed in medical education.

Nibiru As Daft As Extra Continent In Pacific - Not Particularly Christian - Bullshitter - 23rd September Numerology Nonsense

Nibiru As Daft As Extra Continent In Pacific - Not Particularly Christian - Bullshitter - 23rd September Numerology Nonsense

Sep 17 2017 | comment(s)

I thought I should do another debunking article, as there are lots of people who are getting really scared by this BS. The Daily Express particularly is promoting David Meade's book heavily with more than two articles a day on this totally non notable author for the last week. The other "red top tabloids" are joining in. These journalists seem to forget that vulnerable people, including young children read these stories. Parents report children as young as 12 or younger who are scared by this. 

 

Sushi Yes, Coffee And BPA No: The Science Behind When Pregnant Women Should Adopt The Precautionary Principle

Sushi Yes, Coffee And BPA No: The Science Behind When Pregnant Women Should Adopt The Precautionary Principle

Sep 15 2017 | comment(s)

Mothers have always been put upon culturally when it comes to how kids turn out. Though the physical costs of gestation are literally borne by mothers while fathers are basically done at conception(1), everyone feels they hav a say in telling expectant moms what to do.

- Society once insisted pregnant mothers not only to abstain from participating in sports but even abstain from watching sports. The excitement would be too much for the baby, women were told.

- Doctors also told women not to put their arms over their heads or the umbilical cord might get wrapped around the baby's neck. 

Why is linguistics such a magnet for dilettantes and crackpots?

Why is linguistics such a magnet for dilettantes and crackpots?

Sep 14 2017 | comment(s)

Why linguistics attract so much nonsense is because these “crackpots” are not linguists, according to a linguist.

Scholars of yore, when reflecting upon language, would wonder things such as: which of the contemporary languages was spoken by the first man? Which one is superior to the rest? And which of the human tongues deserves the label ‘divine’? Modern linguists will not touch those with a 10-foot pole.

Given the extensive body of historical knowledge collected since, one would expect that claims of Goropian and Rudbeckian absurdity would be a thing of the past.

That would be wrong, writes Gaston Dorren at Aeon.
Physical Simplicity

Physical Simplicity

Sep 14 2017 | comment(s)

Abstract

Physical reality must be simple.

The World Is NOT Going To End On 23rd September - Or October - David Meade & Nibiru - FAKE PROPHET ALERT

The World Is NOT Going To End On 23rd September - Or October - David Meade & Nibiru - FAKE PROPHET ALERT

Sep 13 2017 | comment(s)

For the last several weeks I’ve been getting messages from scared people nearly every day. They are worried that the world is going to end on 23rd September. We have had numerous such dates, about a dozen a year at present. The chap who has been promoting that date all summer has now changed it to October in an interview with a US conspiracy radio chat show. These people are trying to drag you back to a pre-scientific dark age where you go to prophets to learn about the future, and the prophets look into the stars for omens.