rychardemanne's blog

Japan's Nuclear Tragedy - Is A Solution Close At Hand?

rychardemanne — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:00:04 +0000

South Korea has agreed to send some 50 tons of boron from its reserves to Japan to help fight the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima reactor plant.

The scientists at TEPCO have been sent samples for analysis and a decision should be made pretty quickly. [Reuters, Korea Herald]

UK Chief Scientific Adviser In Verbal Meltdown Over Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

rychardemanne — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:34:45 +0000

The UK Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Sir John Beddington, is in Tokyo trying to dampen expat fears that the Fukushima nuclear reactors could possibly ruin their lives.

I had actually received snippets of this meeting by email and was tempted to publish them yesterday. Luckily, Sir John's wisdom is now online for all to see. I just wish to copy some excerpts.

The Business Of Science

rychardemanne — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:33:08 +0000

I think there is something deeply wrong with our view of science. The word itself, Science (with a capital "S"), sits alongside other monoliths such as Religion, Art, Music, Literature, Politics and so forth that require constant defining just to ensure we're talking about the same thing. The problem with science is that we are taught a myth... and then complain when the myth is incommensurate with reality.

Father Of Fractals Benoit Mandelbrot Dies Age 85

rychardemanne — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:18:54 +0000

Benoit Mandelbrot died on 14 October 2010 in a hospice in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the age of 85. His name is synonymous with the study of fractals, a term he himself coined in the 1970s.

Fractals: Form, Chance and Dimension was published in English in 1977 (the original French came out two years earlier) but the book that sealed Mandelbrot's fame as an original thinker was the 1982 classic, The Fractal Geometry of Nature. It is one of those rare books that can be read both by professionals and lay readers. It also helps that it is copiously illustrated so that even if the mathematics may appear esoteric just relax and enjoy the visual candy.

Shock Revelation: Drug Trials Funded By Drug Companies Show Positive Bias

rychardemanne — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:37:36 +0000

Drug trials conducted by the very pharmaceutical company with an obvious vested interest in a positive result are far more likely to yield a... positive result!

Perhaps not earth-shattering news to anybody with a gram of cynicism in their body but is still an orchestrated effort to undermine the credibility of science as anything higher than the distortion of data in the name of money.

Those Magnificent Men in Their Perpetual Flying Machine

rychardemanne — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:00:37 +0000

You could be forgiven for thinking that the days when flying was a frontier science are well and truly over, but not so, as the Solar Impulse had its maiden flight recently. A flying machine no longer seems an eccentric idea but the aim of Solar Impulse is to fly using only solar power.

The Science of OM

rychardemanne — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:16:14 +0000

In the spirit of collaboration between the sciences and religions, two Indian scientists have tuned their laboratory to the sacred mantra, OM. Their paper,"Time-Frequency Analysis of Chanting Sanskrit Divine Sound “OM” Mantra", published in the International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security (IJCSNS) starts in auspicious fashion.

Kung Fu Fetus

rychardemanne — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:36:59 +0000

This little girls seems ready to kick her way out of the womb and into the big wide world!

IPCC Review Panel Revealed

rychardemanne — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:04:40 +0000

The UN-requested review of the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is to be
headed by Harold T. Shapiro, former president of Princeton.

Shapiro, along with 11 others, will analyse “IPCC policies and the procedures by which it prepares its assessments of climate change”, in the wake of the so-called ‘climate-gate’ incident where leaked emails from a British researcher were construed to cast doubt on the science of global warming by some.

The Spirituality Of Scientists

rychardemanne — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:15:43 +0000

A new book, just about to be published, has already caused a stir in the blogosphere. “Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think” by Elaine Ecklund, a sociologist from Rice University, claims that scientists are less atheistic than previously thought.

The dustjacket blurb explains:”In the course of her research, Ecklund surveyed nearly 1,700 scientists and interviewed 275 of them. She finds that most of what we believe about the faith lives of elite scientists is wrong. Nearly 50 percent of them are religious. Many others are what she calls “spiritual entrepreneurs,” seeking creative ways to work with the tensions between science and faith outside the constraints of traditional religion…..only a small minority are actively hostile to religion.”

NASA's Moon Missions Launch Pad Leader, Guenter Wendt, Dies At 85

rychardemanne — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:10:51 +0000

There was a time when kids dreamt of being astronauts - a time when going up to the Moon was sexy and being a spaceman was the coolest job on the planet. As astronauts became global heroes they themselves were only too aware that there were many more heroes whose feet remained firmly on the ground but without whom those Moon missions would never have happened: Guenter Wendt was one of those heroes.

Synaesthetes Wanted For University Synaesthesia Research

rychardemanne — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:46:40 +0000

The Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science has just opened as a new multi-disciplinary research centre at the University of Sussex. One of their first projects is an investigation into synaesthesia and they are looking for volunteer synaesthetes who would like to take part.

"We are interested in ALL types of synaesthesia, and not just the more common 'coloured letters' variety. If you are unsure whether your experiences are synaesthetic or not, then don't be afraid to get in touch. For some of our research we need to meet you in person and so it is important that you live in the UK or travel through the UK on a fairly regular basis. However, we also have questionnaires and other paper-and-pen tests that could be done by e-mail or post if you live overseas.

Scientists In Parliament: The More The Merrier?

rychardemanne — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:07:44 +0000

The UK has a General Election looming on 6 May, thereby giving newspapers enough hot air to puff up their websites. But what should their science writers talk about during such times? With the launch of Britain's Science Party, science journalists can now also join in the ritual inflation of unlikely promises, although in science's case it is more likely a desperate attempt to be heard at all. Mark Henderson of The Times has, however, launched into this with a certain relish, without forgetting that the science reader also wants some data to bite on.

Hell

rychardemanne — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:53:11 +0000

This made me laugh, albeit in mirthless recognition of how many human follies this could be applied to.

From the inimitable xkcd.

I don't know why, but it reminded me of politics in Thailand. Today I had a choice of entertainment; 5 minutes walk to the north I could have witnessed this scene:

whereas 10 minutes walk to the south I could have been here:

Welcome To The Science Party

rychardemanne — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:18:24 +0000

Welcome To The Science Party

Today, 20 April, sees the launch of The Science Party, a new political party led by bestselling author and New Scientist consultant Dr Michael Brooks. Brooks is standing for the party in the forthcoming British general election in the East Midlands constituency of Bosworth.

Brooks launched The Science Party, whose slogan is “Because Science Matters”, at a Skeptics event in Leicester on Tuesday evening.

An Intellectual Is Someone Who...

rychardemanne — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:30:05 +0000

"An intellectual is someone who, sitting opposite a very attractive person on the train, still looks first at what book they're reading."

Thanks to Jack of Kent tweet.

Join A Godless Hive of Drink Soaked Liberal Empiricists

rychardemanne — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 16:14:50 +0000

If you live in London, then you could do worse than join a Westminster Skeptics night out getting paralytic about science.

Westminster Skeptics promote an evidence-based approach and critical thinking in the areas of policy, media, and legal reform. They have packed and lively meetings once or twice a month in a big pub in Westminster, just by St James Tube station.

Aerodynamics is a Hoax

rychardemanne — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 12:16:16 +0000

"Airplanes do not "fly"! They are held aloft through the divine intervention of heavenly angels!"
"I'll notify the Texas Board of Education at once!"

I wonder whether such dark levity is the last refuge of an intelligence that has seen the future, and that future has no need of it. Has anybody seen the film Idiocracy?

by Tom Tomorrow at Salon.com.

Enjoy... if that's the right word.

Bangkok State of Emergency

rychardemanne — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 07:59:38 +0000

As I start to write this I can hear two helicopters passing overhead. I live in a small road just 5 minutes walk from one of Bangkok's major traffic clots, Victory Monument. Sometimes, writing about science has to give way to the business of staying alive. Bangkok has been under a state of emergency for three days and the situation is worsening. My wife is on her way to her village, some 300 km away, and she has told me that the outskirts of Bangkok are filled with tanks and armoured vehicles. I have decided to stay put as communication links are better here.

USA and Russia START Again, But is a New Nuclear Treaty Worth Anything?

rychardemanne — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:54:14 +0000

The United States and Russia are scheduled to sign a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) this Thursday in Prague. The previous treaty expired on 5 December 2009, making the absence of any treaty potentially more dangerous than signing one designed to be little more than face-saving. The Russians see it as a return to superpower status; the Americans have left open their development of a missile defence shield, thereby handing the Russians a reason to rip up the whole deal. We're back to the good old days!

Cake v Pie: A Scientific Analysis

rychardemanne — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:36:36 +0000

"I love cake. Cake is wonderful. But it is too easy to get caught up in the idea of cake. When you compare the data, it is clear that pie is a better choice. " And so Hyperbole and a Half launches into a hilarious scientific analysis of this deeply important issue. A parody of a powerpoint presentation proves the superiority of pie versus cake.

I found it about a week ago and forgot to post it, but as it made me smile on second reading I hope others will appreciate the insanity. And who said science writing was in peril?

Philip Pullman on the Right to be Shocking

rychardemanne — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:10:04 +0000

Here is an amusing quote from novelist Philip Pullman.

At the 2010 Oxford Literature Festival, on the early afternoon of Palm Sunday, March 28th, in Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre, Philip Pullman gave a talk on his book "The Good Man Jesus and The Scoundrel Christ".

The last Questioner of the session quietly asked (paraphrased) :

"To call the son of god a scoundrel is an awful&offensive thing to say"

To which, the author calmly replied :

"Yes it was a shocking thing to say, and I knew it was a shocking thing to say.
But no one has the right to live without being shocked.
No one has the right to spend their lives without being offended.

Are Vision and Consciousness Intimately Related?

rychardemanne — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 07:19:37 +0000

In my article on brain waves and consciousness I looked at some research associating gamma wave activity with consciousness. This is, however, a controversial area in that other researchers have found that such gamma activity is also correlated with eye movements known as saccades: these are the small eye movements that the brain edits out so that we do not perceive the world as a blur as we switch focus. So, are brain gamma waves merely a byproduct of saccadic movements or are they correlated with consciousness or, potentially, both?

What is Nature’s Worst Design?

rychardemanne — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 16:25:06 +0000

What is Nature’s Worst Design?

Francisco Ayala Answers:

"The human reproductive system. Twenty percent of pregnancies end in spontaneous abortions and miscarriages in the first two months. In the world, that’s 20 million abortions per year. Twenty million abortions per year? You wouldn’t want to blame God for that."

Biologist And Former Dominican Wins £1 Million Templeton Prize For Science And Religion

rychardemanne — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 06:08:36 +0000

"Francisco J. Ayala, an evolutionary geneticist and molecular biologist who has vigorously opposed the entanglement of science and religion while also calling for mutual respect between the two, has won the 2010 Templeton Prize." Yet again the prize has gone to a scientist who says nice things about religion.

"Ayala, 76, a naturalized American who moved from Spain to New York in 1961 for graduate study and soon became a leader in molecular evolution and genetics, has devoted more than 30 years to asserting that both science and faith are damaged when either invades the proper domain of the other.

Cosmic Rays Invade Planet Earth: First Strike on Toyota

rychardemanne — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 20:12:45 +0000

Toyota's sticky accelerators could be caused by a concerted attack by evil cosmic rays. Toyota has kept quiet about these malicious forces but this puff piece may have unmasked a sinister force that could be causing untold havoc throughout the planet.

Cosmic rays are high energy protons that have been flung into space by a supernova. Upon hitting Earth they seem to focus their attention on Toyotas. But not, apparently, in random acts of sabotage but rather they seem to have a foot fixation and enjoy playing with their gas pedals.

Atlantic 'Conveyor Belt' Not Slowing Says NASA

rychardemanne — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:18:56 +0000

PASADENA, Calif. - New NASA measurements of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, part of the global ocean conveyor belt that helps regulate climate around the North Atlantic, show no significant slowing over the past 15 years. The data suggest the circulation may have even sped up slightly in the recent past.

The findings are the result of a new monitoring technique, developed by oceanographer Josh Willis of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., using measurements from ocean-observing satellites and profiling floats. The findings are reported in the March 25 issue of Geophysical Research Letters.

Visit Trinity This Easter

rychardemanne — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:08:33 +0000

This must rank up there as the most bizarre holiday destination in the world.

Trinity is the location of the first nuclear test by the Manhattan Project. The world's first plutonium bomb was detonated there on 16 July 1945 - similar to the one dropped on Nagasaki. The site is now part of the White Sands Missile Range, and unbelievably is open to the public.

Well, almost open to the public! The nuclear tourist can visit Trinity on two days of the year; on the first Saturday in April and October. The next visitor day is thus on the 3rd April 2010 which falls on the Easter weekend. Note also that these days coincide with guided tours at the Very Large Array nearby.

Quantum Entanglement In The Visible Universe

rychardemanne — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:38:15 +0000

Quantum mechanics has been around for a hundred years and continues to fascinate and astonish scientists. It has been phenomenally successful at explaining the microscopic universe at the level of atoms and elementary particles and yet classical mechanics has survived to model the macroscopic world of everyday objects. But at what level do these two theories meet? Is there a region in which they could overlap; that is, can macroscopic objects display quantum behaviour?

Unwrapping the Science of Gift Buying

rychardemanne — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:18:47 +0000

Scientists in Russia have been studying how to buy the best possible gift. This coincides with an exhibition of the worst presents received by residents in Yekaterinburg last week.

High on the list of worst presents ever must be the following: "[an] unusual present was the money that belonged to a woman from Yekaterinburg. The woman’s husband was laid off on the eve of her birthday, and she gave him some money so he could get her a birthday present. On her birthday, the woman received a card with her own money enclosed." We don't need much science to calculate the poor woman's reaction.