Popular idioms aside, birds can actually be quite intelligent, with some species demonstrating the ability to use tools and to develop complex social dynamics. This despite some substantial differences in the anatomy of bird brains compared to those of mammals, particularly humans. A recent set of publications revealed stronger similarities at the level of cellular organization and the way neurons are connected even without the same higher-level anatomical organization. More specifically, bird brains lack a cerebral … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Bird-Brained Schematic
machine learning
Science Corner: Are You There, Molière?
Becoming a writer whose work is edited and posted in public has made me more aware of (and self-conscious about) my authorial idiosyncrasies; for example, I apparently use semicolons at an above average rate. I don't want them to become the sort of overly familiar that breeds contempt, but I do find it somewhat satisfying that I can be known through my writing. If someone recognizes my quirks, then I've connected with that reader for good, ill, or otherwise. Writing quirks represent a pattern, and patterns can often be … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Are You There, Molière?
Science Corner: Healthcare for All
Amidst all the conversations of how to best pay for healthcare in the United States, we also need to discuss how to best treat patients for those dollars. As with so many areas of our lives, algorithms trained via machine learning are becoming a part of the treatment process. Machine learning techniques look for patterns in data, even to the point of finding patterns their programmers did not expect or know about. Sadly, one common pattern in many data sets is racial bias. Often when an algorithm is looking to replicate … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Healthcare for All
Science Corner: Predicting Periodically
The periodic table turned 150 earlier this year, or at least March 1 was the 150th anniversary of the publication of Dmitri Mendeleev's version. Chemists had organized the elements in a tabular fashion previously, and some features (like interactivity!) of contemporary representations would be added later. Still, Mendeleev's published version was a significant milestone, since he recognized regularities within properties of the elements which suggested some elements with specific features were undiscovered. Even better … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Predicting Periodically
Science in Review: Seeing the Random Forest for the Trees
We talk a lot about science here, but science isn't just talk. I thought maybe we could roll up our sleeves and try a little science. Our options are limited by the blog format, but it's a pretty good platform for data science and machine learning. Don't worry, the computer will do all the work; you can just follow along if you don't want to deal with code. … [Read more...] about Science in Review: Seeing the Random Forest for the Trees