Friday, 25 May, 2012

Denial of science, science of denial Tobacco and cancer. CFCs and ozone. Vaccines and autism. And evolution through natural selection, acid rain and global warming. Why do the facts get lost in a cacophony of argument, falsehood and outright denial? A conference looks at why the media get taken for a ride, and how they can improve.
Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

Patent wars!

As high-tech giants buy patents and launch lawsuits. How does the patent system work? Why does it fail? What does it mean to be “new, non-obvious and useful”? What will be the impact of the new patent law — the biggest change in 60 years? Why should we care?

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

Farming, Native American style

Native agriculture could be a sophisticated response to a challenging environment. What were the secrets of permaculture, companion cropping and corn farming? Could these techniques contribute to modern farming?

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Putting the brakes on fish invasions

As Asian carp approach the Great Lakes, ecologists seek to forestall a devastating invasion. Electric fish barriers on Chicago’s canals — built to dump wastewater into the Mississippi — are blocking carp from reaching Lake Michigan. Many scientists prefer closing the canals, but the shipping industry objects. Who’s right?

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Classroom Activity Page: Ants

Four genomes for ants have just been decoded. The genetic information gives us a better picture of why ants are so successful, and helps us understand why leaf-cutter ants live in a close, mutually beneficial relationship (symbiosis) with fungus. Some argue that leaf-cutters are the most industrious farmers on Earth.

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Should “wastewater” be wasted?

Population growth, climate change and development are all focusing attention on water shortages. Theoretically, water can be recycled forever, but can we possibly clean sewage to make it drinkable? Yes, and a number of projects around the country are doing exactly that. Bottoms up!

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

Reading magma, predicting giant eruptions

Volcanic eruptions are unpredictable, but here’s a new view of the historic eruption of a Mediterranean monster. About 3,500 years ago, Santorini’s eruption left a giant caldera and 60-meter layers of pumice. A new study of tiny crystals tracks the movement of molten magma before the cataclysm.

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Chasing neutrinos at the South Pole

Neutrinos are odd: Extremely difficult to see, they travel through mass with scarcely a trace. A 1-billion ton detector in South Pole ice is now counting neutrinos, intent on understanding their origin and role in the universe, and even spotting echoes of the Big Bang.

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Biology: critters that should not exist!

Lake Vostok could house ancient bacteria, but we already know that bacteria can live in boiling water or light up a glowing squid. Countless weird-and-weirdest critters live between grains of sand… Curious about biology’s strange shelf?

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

New math mavens = pigeons?

Can pigeons learn an abstract mathematical rule? Apparently, according to a new study, which asked pigeons to place, five blue dots and eight green squares, in ascending order. Now we know birds and primates can both do this, but where and why did this ability originate?

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011