Science and Health
A Quiet Victory
The one debate between scientists and deniers that I don’t relish is the argument vaccinations cause autism. Maybe as I parent, I understand the need, the desire to find answers to questions that remained unanswered. Earlier this week, three separate rulings determined that vaccines — specifically thimerosal —are not linked to the cause of autism […]
Darwin Trumps You, Mr. Freshwater
Meet John Freshwater, an eighth-grade school science teacher from Ohio who likes to play loose with the facts, use the Bible as a scientific resource, and, yes, torture children with electricity. The New York Times reports that the school district started the procedure to fire Freshwater back on June 2008 because he burned crosses into […]
Delaware Liberal Is Good For You
We at Delaware Liberal like to believe that we bring you a public service: Adults with little Internet experience show changes in their brain activity after just one week online, a new study finds. The results suggest Internet training can stimulate neural activation patterns and could potentially enhance brain function and cognition in older adults. […]
40 Years Ago Today
Forty years ago, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon.
Science Explains The Difference Between Conservatives and Liberals
I would like to point you to this really interesting article at Gawker of all places, called Scientists Explain Why People Vote For Republicans. The tone of the article is funny and tongue-in-cheek but it points to three real scientific studies, discussed below. The first was a study by John Alford and published in the […]
Holy Bleep! Swearing Helps to Reduce Pain
It’s scientifically proven! Somewhere, right now, Donviti is worshipping at the Altar of Science. Dr. Richard Stephens and his research team at Keele University have discovered that: …volunteers who cursed at will could endure pain nearly 50% longer than civil-tongued peers. They believe swearing helps us downplay being hurt in favour of a more pain-tolerant […]
Happy Newton Day!
On this day in 1687, Sir Isaac Newton published probably the most important scientific book in history: Philosiphiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica. The Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, which is Latin for “mathematical principles of natural philosophy”, often Principia or Principia Mathematica for short, is a three-volume work by Isaac Newton published on 5 July 1687.[1][2] It […]
Newsweek Takes On Oprah
As much as we complain in the blogosphere about how the media covers issues, sometimes the media gets things right. The latest issue of Newsweek decides to examine some of the lifestyle advice offered on Oprah Winfrey’s show. The article is titled “Live Your Best Life Ever!” and it highlights some of Oprah’s celebrity guests […]
Suck It, Phyllis Schlafly*
How It Works (from the fabulous xkcd)
First, let me explain the title reference. As most of you know, I am a chemist. As a chemist I am a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Daddy’s Little Girl
For years we have understood the importance a father plays in girl’s life. Now, it seems that having a daughter may return the favor. In remarkable research, the sociologist Rebecca Warner and the economist Ebonya Washington have shown that the gender of a person’s children seems to influence the attitudes and actions of the parent. […]
A Lethal Mixture: Science and the Radical Right
Earlier this month Alabama’s à la Rob wrote about a new “textbook” for homeschoolers, Facts, Nor Fear: Teaching Children About The Environment. It’s really not humorous when non-scientists delve into science. It is valuable as a model of propaganda technique in general, and of anti-regulatory rhetorical strategies in particular. Its method mostly consists of amassing […]
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