Archive for July, 2008
X Files poll taps top UK conspiracy theories
In a recent poll, almost half of Britons believe that Area 51 exists to secretly investigate aliens and nearly forty percent believe that the U.S. government orchestrated the attacks on the World Trade Center towers and Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Are Britons really this nutty as a citizenry?
Probably not. Although reported by respected papers [...]
92nd Skeptics’ Circle
The latest meeting of skeptic bloggers is taking place over at The Lay Scientist’s pad. Another round-up of some of the best skeptical writing on these here intertubes.
Carnival of the Liberals #70
The inimitable Gracie has posted the latest edition of Carnival of the Liberals at Cult of Gracie. Yet another great carnival in a long line of great carnivals. Posts this time ran the gambit from talking about the hypocrisy of McCain’s adultery to comic books (although, believe me, this comic isn’t funny).
So head on [...]
New wave of creationism in Europe
One of the reasons, I think, that it’s important to read and understand science, even if one isn’t a scientist, is because how we understand our world has implications for the kind of society we live in. An article in the May/June 2008 New Humanist talks about how a fundamental ignorance of evolution has led [...]
Senator Ted Stevens indicted
I’m not quite sure if this counts as schadenfreude or not, but the famously technologically challenged Senator Ted Stevens has been indicted on seven counts of making false statements on financial disclosure forms. Stevens publicly displayed his ignorance of the operation of the internet in June 26, 2006 comments advocating against net neutrality. Video and more after the fold.
About time… and our brains.
The way our brains evolved means we’re not naturally very good scientists, nevertheless science continues to inform our understanding of our minds. Carl Zimmer has a particulary interesting article talking about the three ways our brains affect our perception of the passage of time.
Once again, the plural of anecdote isn’t data
Most skeptics know that determining whether or not our knowledge accurately reflects the real world is problematic at best. While the scientific method is often considered the best tool we have for understanding how the world works, our brains tend to place more value on anecdotal evidence. Michael Shermer explains How Anecdotal Evidence Can Undermine [...]
Get a free Obama button
Would you like a free Obama button? MoveOn is giving them away free. Click here to get yours. Did I mention they’re free?
Carnival of Space #64
You won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-boggingly big this edition of the Carnival of Space is.
Carnival of the Elitist Bastards #3
If you’re an elitist bastard (and why wouldn’t you be?), or if you just like reading elitist bastards (I can’t think who doesn’t), or if you just want to tell PZ for the umpteenth time what an elitist bastard he is, then you’ll enjoy this third edition of the Carnival of the Elitist Bastards available [...]
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