The Environmental War On Baby Chicks
In the introduction to Science Left Behind, I wrote about a bizarre effort by MoveOn.org-sponsored (think Tea Party, but of the left) progressives who got control of Congress in the 2006 election to make good on their promises to Make America Green - and how in order to do so, they latched onto every pseudoscientific fairy tale they could, like replacing spoons in the Congressonal cafeteria with the kind made from corn.The Environmental War On Baby Chicks
In the introduction to Science Left Behind, I wrote about a bizarre effort by MoveOn.org-sponsored (think Tea Party, but of the left) progressives who helped gain control of Congress in the 2006 election to make good on their promises to Make America Green - and how in order to do so, they latched onto every pseudoscientific fairy tale they could, like replacing spoons in the Congressonal cafeteria with the kind made from corn.Comic Book Science: How To Defeat Someone Who Gets Stronger When You Hit Them
Comic book heroes get into all kinds of crazy situations, everything from alien invaders to losing their powers. Most often, though, might simply makes right - but what happens when the thing you are fighting gets stronger from being hit? How do you defeat something like that?It actually happened in "The Mighty Thor" #140 from 1967.
Comics were a lot different in 1967; fantastic, supernatural events were routine plot devices, but even then Marvel was the more 'scientific' of the two large superhero comics companies. Marvel loved genetic mutations and scientists were often heroes or villains but decades ago the resolution of the plot was going to be fast and likely something of a letdown.
If You Care About The Environment, Here Are Two Reasons To Support Big Ag
There's no greater feel-good fallacy than the belief that organic food is somehow superior to conventionally farmed food. In reality, organic food isn't more environmentally responsible, it is worse, it isn't better for your health, it is worse and, for the most part, it isn't even grown by small farmers, it is giant conglomerates who, like with gluten-free, fat-free or any other food fad, encourage proponents and the mythology of health benefits because they can charge more money.Well, Perlmutter’s Gluten Claims Are Better Than Wakefield’s Vaccine Autism Research
Dr. James Hamblin at The Atlantic takes a skeptical look at the recent demonizing of gluten and grain and sugars and renewed calls for something resembling a paleo diet. I have been beating the gluten-free horse for a while, of course, to much derision and scorn from people who were not Celiacs but insisted gluten was bad for everyone anyway.Last-Minute Science Gifts For Christmas
Given the flakiness and rush of shipping at this time of year, if you intend to order something online, you really need to do it today. Sure, you can take a flyer on next week but if you have Amazon Prime and its two-day free shipping, today is the way to go and remain drama free.With that in mind, here are some cool science gifts, if you are still stumped:
Humanities Scholars Overturn Biology, Discover Trait-Based Politics In Fear Response
There are examples of positive political campaigns - Ronald Reagan appealed to what America could be, for example - but even that message of hope had an undercurrent of fear, namely that if things did not change, America would stay morassed in 1970s stagflation.
Fear is still used in political campaigns to steer public opinion, but a political scientist claims not everyone is equally predisposed to be influenced by that strategy. Who is most genetically predisposed to be swayed by fear? Well, it is a humanities study done by someone with no science training, so take a guess. Answer farther done if you can't connect the cultural dots.
Thanksgiving Chemophobia – If Toxins Scare You, Stop Eating
While driving to my doctor's office to get some persistent Toxicodendron diversilobum (that's poison oak) looked at, I listened to NPR. Just as you would expect of me, my radio stations will all have buttons for NPR, country music, whatever station carries Rush Limbaugh, and a variety of others. On NPR I was intrigued because the guest chef was preparing a meal for alternative Thanksgiving lifestyles, that being vegan and gluten-free.Thanksgiving Chemophobia – If Toxins Scare You, Stop Eating
While driving to my doctor's office to get some persistent Toxicodendron diversilobum (that's poison oak) looked at, I listened to NPR. Just as you would expect of me, my radio stations will all have buttons for NPR, country music, whatever station carries Rush Limbaugh, and a variety of others. On NPR I was intrigued because the guest chef was preparing a meal for alternative Thanksgiving lifestyles, that being vegan and gluten-free.FDA Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations Warns 23andMe
Google money magic can only take you so far with the federal government.23andMe, the highest profile genetic testing company, co-founded by Anne Wojcicki, wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, has gotten a warning letter from the FDA. The problem? They don't disclose how accurate they are, but they claim all kinds of awareness benefits that make them look a lot like a medical device.