Archive for the ‘Understandings about science and technology’ Category


Tar sands - Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Canada’s oil-drenched sands give it the second-largest oil reserves in the world. Using the “tar sands” pollutes air and water, destroys forests and could cause cancer. Should we leave oil sands alone?



Scraps of ancient textiles found - Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Flax, the basis for linen, was spun and dyed, and lost in the mud. More than 30,000 years later, microscopic flax fibers provide the first cord in archeological history.



Phony science - Thursday, June 4th, 2009

New study finds 2 percent of scientists admit faking data; 14 percent say colleagues have done it. Problems are most common in drug and other medical studies.



Green as a garbage dump? Waste rots, makes energy… - Thursday, November 6th, 2008

Decay is part of life, and death. When garbage decays in a landfill, or manure decays in a tank, the result is methane. Is this natural gas a problem — or an opportunity?



Running short of copper, phosphorus, rare elements - Thursday, September 11th, 2008

Without phosphorus fertilizer, millions would starve. A shortage of copper — and electricity — could short-circuit our economy. Without many obscure elements, we would not have LCDs and cell phones. Should we act to prevent future shortages?



Questioning candidates - Thursday, August 28th, 2008

The candidates are skirting issues related to environment, energy and science policy. Heard promising plans for greener energy, solid science advice, or coping with the decline of oil? We neither…



Political equation (1) Election + science = ? - Thursday, February 14th, 2008

Use a cellphone? Love nature? Fear cancer? Then how can you hate science? Epidemics, environment, technology: We’ve got questions for the marathoners running (still?) for prexydent.



Selling the poor, helping the poor: No contradiction? - Thursday, November 15th, 2007

By marketing to billions of lower-income people, business can do well by doing good: Affordable green goods for “the base of the pyramid” could improve lives and cut environmental damage. Could this work?



Barbecue season approaches: What’s so great about open fire? - Thursday, May 17th, 2007

The ancients used fire to cook, smelt metal and make pots. It provided warmth, protection against animals, and became a social focus. Fire changed who we are. Could this explain the enduring allure of fire?



Video games: Teacher’s best friend? - Thursday, March 8th, 2007

U.S. gets “bad report card” on educational progress. Are video games part of the problem — or could they be part of the solution? What do we know about the use of video games in the classroom?


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