Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Blood on the tracks

David Hume wrote that reason is a ``slave to the emotions." But new
research suggests that in our moral decision-making, reason and emotion
duke it out within the mind.


Research finds 'unique human DNA'

Scientists say they have discovered a gene sequence
which appears to play a central role in giving humans their unique
brain capacity.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Maths genius declines top prize

Grigory Perelman, the Russian who seems to have
solved one of the hardest problems in mathematics, has declined one of
the discipline's top awards.

"Dark matter" is real: scientists

BOSTON (Reuters) - A team of U.S. scientists has found the first direct
evidence of the existence of "dark matter," a little-understood
substance with a huge influence on gravity, the team's leader said on
Tuesday.

Uh, what kind of gods are these again?

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Dozens of Nepali women stripped naked and plowed
their fields in west Nepal, hoping to appease the gods and get some
much needed rain, a newspaper report said Sunday

Irish tech firm throws down "free energy" gauntlet

DUBLIN (Reuters) - An Irish technology firm issued a
challenge to the world's scientific community on Friday to give
its verdict on technology it says smashes one of the basic laws
of physics by producing "free energy."

Dublin-based Steorn said it had placed an advertisement in
The Economist magazine seeking 12 top physicists to examine the
technology -- based on the interaction of magnetic fields --
and publish their results.

"We fully accept there is going to be cynicism surrounding
this but what we're saying to the world of science is come and
prove us wrong," said Steorn Chief Executive Sean McCarthy.

"The answer to the question we're posing is too big not to
look," he added.







The concept of "free energy" -- which contradicts the first
law of thermodynamics that in layman's terms states you cannot
get more energy out than you put in -- has divided the
scientific community for centuries.

The Internet is awash with claims to have cracked the
problem using magnets, coils and even crystals.

McCarthy, a founder of Steorn in 2000, said the company
discovered the technology while using magnets to try to devise
more efficient wind generators and had spent the past three
years developing it.

"We put in a small amount of mechanical energy and we get a
large amount out ... but until this thing is validated by
science we won't be doing anything commercial with it," he
said.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Freeman J. Dyson ummælir Breaking the Spell eftir Daniel Dennett

Religion from the Outside

Verden har flere overvægtige end underernærede

De overvægtige fylder nu mere end de underernærede - både i faktisk størrelse men også i antal mennesker på Jorden.

Ancient pyramids found in Ukraine

Gigantic pyramids, very similar to Egyptian ones, have recently been discovered in Luganshchina. Scientists conclude that five thousand years ago, a highly developed civilization lived on the territory of modern Ukraine.

Why Scientists Shouldn't Be Surprised by the Popularity of Intelligent Design

Perspectives from Psychology

The main obstacle standing in the way of the public's acceptance of evolutionary
theory is not a dearth of common sense. Instead, it is the public's erroneous belief that
common sense is a reliable guide to evaluating the natural world.

The secrets of animal attraction

Biologists have found evidence that people can sniff out the chemical signals of sexual attraction.

Hvussu ein við 'Skeiðboyggjari' boyggir skeiðir

Eitt suttligt innlegg ímillum øll hini tungu....

Medical 'Miracles' Not Supported by Evidence

The phrase "medical miracle"
is a newsroom cliche. It means a situation in which a person makes an
unexpected recovery despite great odds or a pessimistic prognosis.

Laws of nature

A century and a half ago, Charles Darwin sparked a scientific revolution. Now that revolution has become a culture war.
But does the
concept of “intelligent design” have validity as an alternative to evolution? Three new books look beyond the rhetoric.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Rationalists dare occultists in UK

Grein í India Monitor, um ein bólk av ratinonalistum, sum hevur boðið 16000 pund til tann bólk av okkultistum ella andaligum grøðarum, sum vísindaliga kunnu prógva at teir kunnu grøða einhvørja sjúku ella loysa einhvønn trupulleika.

Ummæli

Ummæli av The Secrets of Happiness, eftir Richard Schoch.

In search of a better bang

Ben Goldacre skrivar um vánaliga vísindi: http://www.badscience.net/?p=271