Back to breathing the air of Fermilab after a full year away, I got to gauge a bit better the aftermath of the little incident created by a posting of mine in July. As often happens with internet…

In line with my article today, How To Make Open Access Better: Make Publishing Free Too, here is an economic analysis of which journal to choose for your publication. Dorothy wanted to submit to PLoS…

In line with my article today, How To Make Open Access Better: Make Publishing Free Too, here is an economic analysis of which journal to choose for your publication. Dorothy wanted to submit to PLoS…

Today, trepanation, or drilling a hole in the head, is commonly used to release the pressure of swelling inside the skull. Throughout history, it's been used to treat epilepsy, migraines, mood…

Recent estimates are that 7-11% of published research is 'open access', a term used to distinguish content that is open to other researchers and the public (free of charge to read) from research…

Scientists at the universities in Tübingen and Mainz say they have developed a blood test that can provide conclusive proof of gene doping - even after 56 days. To date, it has been impossible to…

Soil has limited potential in terms of productivity and nutrient cycle regulation. Drinking water on the earth is limited. Excessive agriculture destroys soil structure and reduces chemical balance.…

This week I have heard a lot of scuttle about what the difference is between "hard" and "soft" science, or if the distinction should exist at all. For me, science has been defined by whether or not…

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution describes the survival of the fitter, the best adapted organisms, but biologist Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis says it does not pay enough attention to the succession of…

Phosphorus is a critical ingredient in fertilizers, pesticides, detergents and various industrial and household chemicals but once phosphorus is mined from rocks, getting it into products is…

When the Batphone rang in my office late Wednesday, I knew it had to be important, like someone being wrong on the Internet, because, really, no one calls me.  It helps that I never call anyone…

While the public has a great respect for scientists, they don't trust scientists, at least when it comes to issues that also overlap with politics, like the environment. When it comes to policy…

Unlike physics or biology, the social sciences have not demonstrated the capacity to produce a substantial body of useful, nonobvious, and reliable predictive rules about what they study—that is,…

Unlike physics or biology, the social sciences have not demonstrated the capacity to produce a substantial body of useful, nonobvious, and reliable predictive rules about what they study—that is,…

Since today, and for a full week, I will be serving as Scientific Coordinator (SciCo) of the crew operating the CDF experiment at Fermilab. This honorable task (or in alternative, the serving as…

Using corn or soybean for getting ethanol or bio-diesel additive could be good option for some nations, developing cellulose resources could be another with genetic engineering, while Jatropha is in…

Behold true tales of procrastination!  Learn whether to get a PhD!  Or just kick back and enjoy fall.  Enjoy another science webcomics interlude!  The first two are 'long form',…

What Morrow plots showed to the world in 1876 and still being maintained as the historical site the world has forgotten. During my visit to UIUC to Professor Jack Widholm the pioneer scientist in…

I love technology. Some people like it because it allows us to do incredibly complicated things that otherwise would not have been possible. I like it because it allows us to do incredibly normal…

OAuth — a proposed Open Authentication standard — fills a significant gap in cross-application authentication. It’s common in a world of myriad web-based services for one service you use to want to…