Tag Archives: Science

Thoughts on free will & fatalism…

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Shannon

It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves for millennia: Do we make our own choices, or are we controlled by outside forces, such as the gods or — as science has ascended and we’ve learned more about these things — our … Continue reading →

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Today I am reading… About sperm whale poop

Posted on June 19, 2010 by Shannon

Sperm whale poo offsets carbon by fertilizing the oceans with iron: Yet more proof that nature knows better than we. And if we’d stop interfering with her systems, and learned to work within them, we’d all be better off.

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Thoughts on urban rooftop gardening…

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Shannon

Recently, I have become interested in the concept of urban rooftop gardening. This may seem odd because I don’t live in an urban environment, and indeed, where I live it is much more convenient to garden on the ground, which … Continue reading →

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There is room for optimism…

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Shannon

Interesting reading in the New York Times Science section this week: Doomsayers Beware, a Bright Future Beckons. It’s a review of the book The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridleybut makes some points about people who focus overmuch on the idea that mankind is doomed. … Continue reading →

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What is reality? Conspiracy theories and the New World Order…

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Shannon

Image via Wikipedia Something that has always fascinated me is the conspiracy theory, and the person who would believe in them. Because such a person has a radically different view of reality than I do. I am an Occam’s Razor … Continue reading →

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Climategate: The climate change conspiracy explained in three simple steps…

Posted on January 30, 2010 by Shannon

Step 1: Convince everyone on the planet that human activity in the Industrial Age has resulted in a global warming of the planet that will likely have catastrophic consequences if left unchecked. Step 2: ??? Step 3: Profit! Although they … Continue reading →

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The apocalypse will not be in 2012 (probably)

Posted on November 20, 2009 by Shannon

Article in the Science section of the New York Times: “Is Doomsday Coming? Perhaps, but Not in 2012″ Some choice quotes: Dr. Morrison [an astronomer at NASA] said he had been getting about 20 letters and e-mail messages a day … Continue reading →

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What will the Earth be like in 2050 if we do nothing about climate change?

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Shannon

Today is Blog Action Day. The subject this year is climate change. This is my contribution. My son was born in 2008. In 2050 he will be 42 years old, still young and healthy, perhaps with children of his own. … Continue reading →

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Does size matter? Pluto’s identity crisis

Posted on July 29, 2009 by Shannon

Image via Wikipedia So is Pluto a planet or isn’t it? I don’t recall having much of an opinion when Pluto was first axed from the planetary roster, but now I think the International Astronomical Union may have been unfair … Continue reading →

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