Should The New York Times Get Out Of Science?

Should The New York Times Get Out Of Science?

It may seem like blasphemy to scientists and journalists to have anyone argue that perhaps mainstream media should do less science coverage, but the world is changing fast. Trying to be all things to…
My All-Time Favorite April Fool's Day Gag

My All-Time Favorite April Fool's Day Gag

My wife and I were in an airport newsstand. I was looking through the magazines to find something to read on the flight when I saw something that didn't make sense. Quite confused, I had to blink a…
Science 2.0 And Intel #TailgateTheScienceFair

Science 2.0 And Intel #TailgateTheScienceFair

Last Friday and Saturday, the 2015 Synopsys Sac STEM Fair was held at Folsom High School. I moved here from the football town of Pittsburgh and one thing everyone in football fandom knows about…
How OxyContin Was Allowed to Kill so Many

How OxyContin Was Allowed to Kill so Many

In The Week, reprinted from Pacific Standard, Mike Mariani outlines how OxyContin, which was allegedly known to be addictive by its manufacturers, was pawned off on the public as a safe and effective…
For St. Patrick's Day, Craft Beer Chemistry

For St. Patrick's Day, Craft Beer Chemistry

It's been around for centuries but it seems like beer has never been more popular. Microbreweries are cranking out special stouts, IPAs, lagers and pilsners. And the flavors and aromas of each of…
Geoengineering and Climate Change

Geoengineering and Climate Change

A  National Academy of Sciences panel said that, with proper governance and other safeguards,  we should commence more research on geoengineering — technologies that might let…
Geoengineering and Climate Change

Geoengineering and Climate Change

A  National Academy of Sciences panel said that, with proper governance and other safeguards,  we should commence more research on geoengineering — technologies that might let…
Gold nanotubes to kill cancer cells

Gold nanotubes to kill cancer cells

A research team from University of Leeds has figured out a way to kill cancer cells photothermally. They used Near-Infrared (NIR) to heat up gold nanotubes, and, a single-wavelength pulsed laser beam…
Carbon Nitride and Salmon Sperm

Carbon Nitride and Salmon Sperm

Two things that have caught my attention recently. The first concerns trapping solar energy.  One way to do this is to convert it directly into electricity with a solar panel, but one with much…
Opinions are why 'forensic science' is science

Opinions are why 'forensic science' is science

Sometimes science is the only witness to a crime. Fortunately, the application of scientific evidence in criminal proceedings has grown in proportion to the availability of cutting-edge methods and…
Erector Set Stand Chip Clip Mount

Erector Set Stand Chip Clip Mount

In a previous blog post, I demonstrated how to build a magnetic optical mount for a laser using Erector set parts. Here's another method of attaching a chip clip to the Erector set stand. Parts…