Dark energy, or the possible lack thereof, grabbed a lot of headlines at the end of the year. However, it sounds like rumors of its demise are probably premature. This is a pattern in science, especially science journalism and popular science. An alternative to the consensus, previously only known within its field, comes to wider attention and causes a stir. The alternative idea seems to make sense to a lay audience because it is presented only in the context of the data that best match that idea. But the experts know … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Not All Vaccines are Created Equal
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Science Corner: Making Change
How does change happen? Fast, slow, locally, everywhere, smoothly or in leaps and bounds? Of course the answer can be all of the above, depending on the change and the circumstances. Still, it's a question that came to mind as I thought about advent this year. We are rehearsing the wait for one of the most profound changes the world has experienced. We have the benefit of knowing how long we will wait and what we are waiting for, and yet the nature of the change still has multiple facets to consider. … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Making Change
Science Corner: Responding in Kind
"What a piece of work is a man" declares Hamlet, and indeed human beings are quite extraordinary. What other organism can organize 334 million individuals (or even 158 million) over 3.8 million square miles in a shared activity in service of an abstraction like democracy? In terms of sheer numbers, the closest would probably be an ant colony or a bacterial film, both of which can coordinate the activities of that many individuals, but via genetics and biochemistry. Only humans are socially engaged at such a scale … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Responding in Kind
Science Corner: Suddenly See More
It's Nobel Prize week, but since those announcements are in the future for me, I'd like to go back a month to the 2024 IgNobel prizes. While they might seem at first glance like the Razzies for science, the IgNobel awards are more celebratory and seek to spotlight science which is rigorous but not quite as prestigious in its applications or aspirations. And yes, sometimes there is a bit of a scatological bent, but even our baser bodily functions need to be understood with clarity. The prize that stood out to me was less … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Suddenly See More
Science Corner: Was Canceling The Acolyte a Mistake?
Ever get hit with the realization that you should have asked for help three mistakes ago? One incident from when I was a science apprentice continues to haunt me. I was an undergrad working in a cell biology lab. Among my regular tasks were two that involved different kinds of cuvettes--small rectangular tubes. One was used to assess bacterial growth; you put a sample of bacteria in liquid culture in the cuvette and measured how much light was blocked by the bacteria. That one was clear; the other cuvette had metal … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Was Canceling The Acolyte a Mistake?