You know how Wile E. Coyote can run in midair, as long as he doesn't realize he has gone past the edge of the cliff? We've probably all had a moment when we've hoped a problem would go away if we just didn't acknowledge the problem existed. A new study might have shed some light on what situations are most likely to elicit this kind of denial. A correlation was observed between disliking or objecting to the solution and rejecting an assertion that a problem exists. … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Problem? What Problem?
Interview
Science Corner: Name that Everything!
For this week, I couldn't choose between a pair of items about science as exploration of the unknown, so I didn't. First, an essay on the value of pushing past the boundaries of what is known, even when mistakes are made. I'd probably make that point even stronger than the essay did. Negative results are valuable in science, a reality that isn't always appreciated in a culture where winning and losing is the lens through which we view every endeavor. Even when Eddington and Hoyle were wrong, they were giving us language … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Name that Everything!
Science in Review: I Think I Can, I Think I Can’t
"The Little Engine That Could" is a popular children's tale, clearly intended to impart a lesson about the power of positive thinking. Through self-encouragement, a small locomotive is able to pull a train up a tall, steep mountain he originally believed to be insurmountable. If you just believe hard enough, kids, you can do anything! The physics of the story may be a bit dubious, although it is plausible that the work required to haul that train up that track is near the rated limits of the locomotive, allowing for … [Read more...] about Science in Review: I Think I Can, I Think I Can’t
Science Corner: Yep, I’m a Cyborg
I have absolutely experienced phantom cellphone vibrations, only I didn't realize that was a legitimate phenomenon. I thought for sure I was feeling something else and just thinking it was my phone because I was distracted or something, which I suppose isn't all that far removed from the proposed explanation in the article. There's already a strong argument to be made that our smartphones, GPS devices, and similar omnipresent gadgets qualify many of us as cyborgs, but this kind of phantom sensation pretty much seals the … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Yep, I’m a Cyborg
Science Corner: SAT, GRE… DNA?
I imagine this study of the genetic contribution to academic achievement will be of interest to many in higher education. As I see it, there are actually two related but distinct takeaways from this research. The first is that academic achievement (as measured by a standardized university entrance test; insert all the necessary caveats) is based on factors like "motivation, personality, [and] confidence" independent of intelligence/IQ. While hardly a surprising result, it's a point that warrants reinforcement. As the … [Read more...] about Science Corner: SAT, GRE… DNA?