A week ago, America woke up to the results of various local, state, and national elections. At the federal level, we're halfway through a presidential term, and as is often the case, congressional seats swung away from the president's party. Naturally, this was cause for celebration for some and consternation for others. Both groups might, for different reasons, (re)assure themselves that God is on the throne, come what may. For those with a different, less controlling notion of God's relationship to creation, that's … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Strolling Along the Canal
Science Corner: SIR, May I Have Another?
We're entering spooky season. I've always been of two minds about Halloween: I love the communal experience of trick-or-treating, but I'm not big on all the horror and gore and occult. I'm happy to see neighbors getting out and about, practicing generosities big and small, and celebrating the opportunity for kids to experiment with expressing different sides of themselves. And enjoying some leftover chocolate-y or peanut-butter-y treats is hardly a hardship. I'd just rather do all that without the bloody corpses, serial … [Read more...] about Science Corner: SIR, May I Have Another?
Science Corner: All Papers Great and Small
Summer vacations have come to an end, classes are starting up again for the fall, so we all know what that means: Time for the Ig Nobel prizes! Serious about snake bites? Got questions about polar bear kisses? Curious about the nutritional merits of cockroach milk? The Ig Nobels have you covered with awards for research on those topics and more. … [Read more...] about Science Corner: All Papers Great and Small
Science Corner: Epic Science
If you've seen this summer's most discussed blockbuster, The Odyssey, perhaps you also saw the trailer for Digger. Tom Cruise plays the eponymous character, a titan of industry with the ear of the president and the means to (inadvertently?) cause an existential crisis. Towards the end of the promo, Digger asks a subordinate "Help me shape the story." To the suggestion that "They already know the story," Digger replies "They know the facts. The story is yet to be told." … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Epic Science
Science Corner: Scrutiny of the Bounty
For as long as I have been aware of political goings-on, lawmakers have used scientific research in an attempt to score points about government waste. It's a pretty easy game to play; any robust array of research funding will include some grants for high risk projects, niche studies, or ambitious moon shots. And if your audience has an implicit assumption that funding science basically amounts to buying obvious practical applications of utility to many, it's that much easier to find projects that will fail that … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Scrutiny of the Bounty