Thursday, December 17, 2009
Explaining the Tree Ring Data "Trick"
PZ Meyers points out an article by a fellow scientist who points out what was meant in those hacked emails and what the meaning of the word "trick" is in that context. It is definitely worth the read, and handily disposes of complaints about why tree rings are not showing the temperature changes that the science shows.
Labels: climate change, denial, science
Saturday, December 05, 2009
In Which I Take Stupidity to Task
A letter to the editor this past week extolled the virtues of young-Earth creationism and did its level best to convince us that evolution and "Darwinism" (a term I believe is mostly used to try to prove that it is nothing but a belief, even a religion) are wrong.
Not being granted a whole lot of space, I take what the letters column allows and give my answer. Yeah, it mostly amounts to sticking my tongue out, but there you go.
Not being granted a whole lot of space, I take what the letters column allows and give my answer. Yeah, it mostly amounts to sticking my tongue out, but there you go.
Labels: idiots, nonsense, science
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Monbiot on Canada, Plus Answers for Doubters
I sit here watching George Monbiot on The Hour (Ooh! Money quote: "The moment those [leaked] emails were published, the sea ice stopped melting...") and think about his recent Guardian article, which is reproduced on his blog here. The basic gist is that Canada is now a corrupt petro-state, and Stephen Harper (following in the deep footsteps of the Liberals, I might add: I don't play favorites here) is a bully in the pockets of the oil barons.
As an added bonus, check out these "Seven Answers to Climate Contrarian Nonsense."
As an added bonus, check out these "Seven Answers to Climate Contrarian Nonsense."
Labels: climate change, science
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The ISS From Start to Finish
Here's a cool Flash page that shows the International Space Station as it was at the beginning and as each piece was added, with timeline.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Experts on Speed Dial
When you're working on a writing project that requires that particular brand of expertise, it's a handy thing to have a biochemist as a friend and have him ready to engage in a Skype conversation over the computer (video, natch) in order to hash things out.
I'm just saying, is all.
I'm just saying, is all.
Labels: friends, internet, science, writing
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Sometimes People Can Surprise Me
When the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) announced that they were bringing the Darwin exhibit to Toronto, I remember being hopeful that its presence would show Canada to be a tad more forward about behaviour towards evolution than, say, our southern neighbour (for regular examples, see Pharyngula. Just about any day, sadly). But that wasn't looking all that likely at first, as I recall reading a review of the show in the Globe & Mail that stated that the ROM was having trouble finding corporate sponsors to help underwrite the cost of the show.
It's disappointing that no major corporations were willing to come through: no Rogers, Bell, RIM, Canwest Global, or anything else. All a bunch of chickenshits, apparently, unprepared to deal with hard line Christians who insist that if you're going to support that godless Darwinism you're going to pay for it.
I see that some sponsors have stepped up to the plate, though, and I'm quite surprised and even pleased to see what they are. No shock, I suppose, to see that the Humanist Association of Canada is tops on the list, although while this show might be in their purview, the fact that they are not actually a corporate citizen (as much as such an entity is possible). Good for them, though. The big news, at least to me, is that the two "Exhibit Patrons" are a school and a church publication.
Although I now live my life quite happily as an atheist, I did grow up in the United Church of Canada, and my parents are still involved with it. If any Christian group would be able to justify complete support for the teaching of evolution, the United Church would be it. It's liberal enough that many fundagelicals believe its adherents to be, at best, severely misguided, and at worst on their way to hell. And to see a school in there, even an apparently elite private academy, is a pleasant surprise, with all the news these days of schools either teaching mis-named versions of creationism or else people working hard to force schools to teach it and to try to show that evolution is a false doctrine.
As I write this I find an article from late last month about this very thing, here in the National Post, and another in the Star. I don't know if the theme of sponsorship saving the show is overstating the case, especially since it made its way in the US without any sponsors. But these shows are expensive to run, and so it's good to know that strange bedfellows can come forward to help make these things, if not possible, at least easier.
It's disappointing that no major corporations were willing to come through: no Rogers, Bell, RIM, Canwest Global, or anything else. All a bunch of chickenshits, apparently, unprepared to deal with hard line Christians who insist that if you're going to support that godless Darwinism you're going to pay for it.
I see that some sponsors have stepped up to the plate, though, and I'm quite surprised and even pleased to see what they are. No shock, I suppose, to see that the Humanist Association of Canada is tops on the list, although while this show might be in their purview, the fact that they are not actually a corporate citizen (as much as such an entity is possible). Good for them, though. The big news, at least to me, is that the two "Exhibit Patrons" are a school and a church publication.
Although I now live my life quite happily as an atheist, I did grow up in the United Church of Canada, and my parents are still involved with it. If any Christian group would be able to justify complete support for the teaching of evolution, the United Church would be it. It's liberal enough that many fundagelicals believe its adherents to be, at best, severely misguided, and at worst on their way to hell. And to see a school in there, even an apparently elite private academy, is a pleasant surprise, with all the news these days of schools either teaching mis-named versions of creationism or else people working hard to force schools to teach it and to try to show that evolution is a false doctrine.
As I write this I find an article from late last month about this very thing, here in the National Post, and another in the Star. I don't know if the theme of sponsorship saving the show is overstating the case, especially since it made its way in the US without any sponsors. But these shows are expensive to run, and so it's good to know that strange bedfellows can come forward to help make these things, if not possible, at least easier.
Labels: church, evolution, museums, science
Friday, February 22, 2008
Ten Teams Now Signed Up For Google Moon Race
As the natural sequel to the Ansari X Prize, the race to reach the Moon via private interests seems to be ticking along quite nicely, with ten teams registered as of now. And hey, looking at the X Prize site, I see that they're sponsoring an auto prize as well, and one for genomics and another for building a better lunar lander. That's excellent, a good response to this sort of concern, and it's nice to see private enterprise trying to reward innovation no matter who does it, and it's also nice to see such innovation covering such a wide field of endeavor. It would be nice to see government also trying to reward innovation, although these days that's harder to find, unless it's something for military use.
As the natural sequel to the Ansari X Prize, the race to reach the Moon via private interests seems to be ticking along quite nicely, with ten teams registered as of now. And hey, looking at the X Prize site, I see that they're sponsoring an auto prize as well, and one for genomics and another for building a better lunar lander. That's excellent, a good response to this sort of concern, and it's nice to see private enterprise trying to reward innovation no matter who does it, and it's also nice to see such innovation covering such a wide field of endeavor. It would be nice to see government also trying to reward innovation, although these days that's harder to find, unless it's something for military use.
Labels: invention, science, space
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A Way to Prove Creationism
On the SF Canada listserve, someone was asking where they might be able to find a mad scientist. Matt Hughes, never one to be slow off the mark, suggested the following:
"I think it's easier to create your own. Go up to one and say that Darwin was a tool of the devil and, anyway, all this science stuff is just a matter of opinion. If you keep it up, they get really mad. Thus you have created your own mad scientist. That's why it's called creationism. Well, at least, that's my opinion."
Sounds simple.
On the SF Canada listserve, someone was asking where they might be able to find a mad scientist. Matt Hughes, never one to be slow off the mark, suggested the following:
"I think it's easier to create your own. Go up to one and say that Darwin was a tool of the devil and, anyway, all this science stuff is just a matter of opinion. If you keep it up, they get really mad. Thus you have created your own mad scientist. That's why it's called creationism. Well, at least, that's my opinion."
Sounds simple.
Labels: humour, religion, science
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
What Catches a Science Fiction Author's Eye?
In this case, that would be methane seas on Titan and a remarkably depressing outlook (yes, even more depressing than many might think) Iraq.
In this case, that would be methane seas on Titan and a remarkably depressing outlook (yes, even more depressing than many might think) Iraq.
Labels: politics, science, writing
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Aidan, Opening Up a Science Fair-Sized Can of Whupass
Yes, that would be my son with a gold medal and a slightly more ostentatious item, the Ministry of Environment - Environment Award (Special). The trophy stays with the school for the year, but he received a suitable-for-framing certificate as well as a $50 gift certificate for Books and Company.
Six kids from his school, six gold medals, and three other special awards. These kids rocked today!
Yes, that would be my son with a gold medal and a slightly more ostentatious item, the Ministry of Environment - Environment Award (Special). The trophy stays with the school for the year, but he received a suitable-for-framing certificate as well as a $50 gift certificate for Books and Company.
Six kids from his school, six gold medals, and three other special awards. These kids rocked today!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Journey of Mankind
Here is a wonderful graphic of 160,000 years of human migration, animated and annotated and full of all sorts of wondrous details.
Here is a wonderful graphic of 160,000 years of human migration, animated and annotated and full of all sorts of wondrous details.
Labels: science
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