Interesting Stuff Thread

Turtwig · 15-11-2009 4:24pm

This weeks issue of NewScientist's editorial paid homage to Darwin (and Bill O'Reilly's idiocy), the magazine also features a lovely feature on how an updated Origin of Species Book might be filled in.

This month marks the 150th anniversary of the most influential piece of popular science writing ever published.

A few years ago, New Scientist listed reading On The Origin of Species as one of the 100 things to do before you die. To do so is to experience the extraordinary sensation of having a scientific genius enter your mind to guide you through his most important theory.

Now we have asked the geneticist, evolutionary thinker and author Steve Jones to summarise and update the book for the 21st century - and, we hope, to inspire readers to experience Darwin's astounding, world-changing writing first-hand.

Well worth a Read.

Flamed Diving · 15-11-2009 5:15pm

Can we make this a general science thread? I think the recent discovery of water on the moon is exciting news.

Richiecats · 15-11-2009 5:16pm

Has everybody got there free poster from the OU in association with the BBC if not here is the link

https://css2.open.ac.uk/outis/1alight/(w0cabdrwc0zpxw55utamtz45)/o1ayourrqst.aspx?CATCODE=OZLLIF

I have mine it's cool and totally free, no need to leave any details apart from your name and address ( well how are they going to post it)

Turtwig · 15-11-2009 5:20pm

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Can we make this a general science thread? I think the recent discovery of water on the moon is exciting news.

I think if was general science it would be impossible to keep up with as there could be far too many posts of interest..

Like the idea though.:)

Dades · 15-11-2009 7:51pm

Flamed Diving wrote: »

Can we make this a general science thread? I think the recent discovery of water on the moon is exciting news.

Not a bad idea. Post away.

5uspect · 15-11-2009 9:09pm

The Evolution & Interesting Science Thread

Since when is Evolution not an interesting Science?

Turtwig · 15-11-2009 9:12pm

Dades wrote: »

Not a bad idea. Post away.

Awesome!

I'll get the ball rolling then.

13 Things that [currently] do not make sense.

13 MORE Things that [currently] do not make sense.

What exactly is a meant by a day?

A more realistic look at the warming debate from the scientific viewpoint.
Excellent series of videos, it's just a shame that all this correcting of rubbish media misconceptions must be done.

Turtwig · 15-11-2009 10:17pm

5uspect wrote: »

Since when is Evolution not an interesting Science?

Agreed,

How bout
"Evolution and Other Interesting Science Stuff."?

Dades · 15-11-2009 10:28pm

Done.

You fussy bastards ;-)

pH · 16-11-2009 12:46am

Malty_T wrote: »

13 Things that [currently] do not make sense.

Ugh, the "Belfast Homoeopathy trials" yet again, what a rag that magazine is, never bothered with it since this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Scientist#EmDrive_article_controversy

That's without the "Darwin was wrong" cover from January.

Waste of paper.

Turtwig · 16-11-2009 1:16am

pH wrote: »

Ugh, the "Belfast Homoeopathy trials" yet again, what a rag that magazine is, never bothered with it since this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Scientist#EmDrive_article_controversy

That's without the "Darwin was wrong" cover from January.

Waste of paper.

Even with that woeful sensationalist let's get creationists to buy this magazine blunder, I still read it.:o

It's coverage of Swine Flu, in particular, has been commendable.
(Although Sciam bunked it out of the water recently.)

As for homeopathy thingy, well there is a plethora of comments on that issue and as along as NS doesn't go the way of creationists with regard to censoring web comments, I think I'll stick with them.

pH · 17-11-2009 5:20pm

Islam comes to terms with evolution
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1258445657737&pagename=Zone-English-HealthScience%2FHSELayout

(Bonus points for reading the text on the figure "Giraffe's evolution to meet needs.")

Galvasean · 17-11-2009 5:24pm

Dades wrote: »

Done.

You fussy bastards ;-)

First you allow CreationismLOLisms, now a thread title change....

*Rocks back and forth in the foetal position in a dark corner, pausing occasionaly to utter the word 'rape'*

Dades · 17-11-2009 6:24pm

Next there'll be articles that start with: "Boffins have discovered a new way to..."

Galvasean · 18-11-2009 5:28pm

Dades wrote: »

Next there'll be articles that start with: "Boffins have discovered a new way to..."

AtomicHorror · 22-11-2009 1:46am

Dades wrote: »

Next there'll be articles that start with: "Boffins have discovered a new way to..."

Are you a scientist? If not, you can't use that word. It's our word. We took it back. You have to say "the B word".

darjeeling · 24-11-2009 3:54am

The Origin of Species is 150 years old today.

Charles Darwin wrote:

There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.

Amen.

imme · 24-11-2009 3:57am

darjeeling wrote: »

The Origin of Species is 150 years old today.

Amen.

Happy Birthday!
I'm looking at a Horizon program on BBC 2 about consciousness, the idea of self, great stuff to get one thinking.

Galvasean · 26-11-2009 2:37pm

National Geographic are running an article on Evolution V Intelligent Design. It's basically a short version of the infamous superthread:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/photogalleries/091123-origin-species-darwin-150-intelligent-design/index.html

Flamed Diving · 26-11-2009 10:10pm

Scientific theory which discusses the diversity of life, but not the origin of life vs Hypothesis which assumes the conclusion that an intelligent agent created life on earth

Hmm...

Zombrex · 26-11-2009 11:24pm

Galvasean wrote: »

National Geographic are running an article on Evolution V Intelligent Design. It's basically a short version of the infamous superthread:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/photogalleries/091123-origin-species-darwin-150-intelligent-design/index.html

It falsely implies the old argument that if evolution is wrong that some how demonstrates or supports Intelligent Design, as if that is the only alternative. It is like "Here is a problem with evolution, this is our argument for ID". Which is nonsense, it is like saying proving General Relativity wrong supports my world on the back of a turtle hypothesis.

Quite annoying that the NG would play that Creationist game, probably just by accident.

Galvasean · 27-11-2009 12:41am

Wicknight wrote: »

It falsely implies the old argument that if evolution is wrong that some how demonstrates or supports Intelligent Design, as if that is the only alternative. It is like "Here is a problem with evolution, this is our argument for ID". Which is nonsense, it is like saying proving General Relativity wrong supports my world on the back of a turtle hypothesis.

Quite annoying that the NG would play that Creationist game, probably just by accident.

That wasn't my reading of it at all.

Turtwig · 27-11-2009 5:39am

#1

#2

#3

#4 (This one has a brilliant analogy explaining transitional forms.

#5

This post is dedicated to docdolittle and smithy1981.
C'mon guys, evolutions rocks!!
It's well worth your while to learn about it.

Flamed Diving · 27-11-2009 1:48pm

Enclyclopedia Brittanica Article on Atheism, well worth a read:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/40634/atheism

Galvasean · 28-11-2009 3:37pm

Ideas about how humans might evolve in the future:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091124-origin-of-species-150-darwin-human-evolution.html

Turtwig · 01-12-2009 2:48pm

Good Placebo (if it actually does work) though..

Tyler MacDurden · 02-12-2009 5:25pm

Don't think this has been posted before, pretty awesome comparison of sizes from coffee bean down to Carbon atom.

Dave! · 02-12-2009 5:27pm

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_ITALY_ROBOTIC_HAND?SITE=VOICESD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

ROME (AP) -- A group of European scientists said Wednesday they have successfully connected a robotic hand to an amputee, allowing him to feel sensations in the artificial limb and control it with his thoughts.

The experiment lasted a month, and scientists say it was the first time a patient has been able to make complex movements using his mind to control a biomechanic hand connected to his nervous system.

The Italian-led team said at a news conference Wednesday in Rome that last year it implanted electrodes into the arm of the patient who had lost his left hand and forearm in a car accident.

The prosthetic was not implanted on the patient, only connected through the electrodes. During the news conference, video was shown of 26-year-old Pierpaolo Petruzziello as he concentrated to give orders to the hand placed next to him.

etc

Flamed Diving · 02-12-2009 5:34pm

Dave! wrote: »

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_ITALY_ROBOTIC_HAND?SITE=VOICESD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

ROME (AP) -- A group of European scientists said Wednesday they have successfully connected a robotic hand to an amputee, allowing him to feel sensations in the artificial limb and control it with his thoughts.

The experiment lasted a month, and scientists say it was the first time a patient has been able to make complex movements using his mind to control a biomechanic hand connected to his nervous system.

The Italian-led team said at a news conference Wednesday in Rome that last year it implanted electrodes into the arm of the patient who had lost his left hand and forearm in a car accident.

The prosthetic was not implanted on the patient, only connected through the electrodes. During the news conference, video was shown of 26-year-old Pierpaolo Petruzziello as he concentrated to give orders to the hand placed next to him.

etc

Why won't God heal amputees?

Because he isn't there. Science is.

Interesting Stuff Thread

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