We defied expectations in last week's Pepsi Throwback Challenge. We found the unusual result that our bodies, against our wills, preferred high fructose corn syrup to ordinary sugar.  Our…

For any of those that have not yet had the opportunity to see it (and have HBO), HBO will presenting its made-for-TV biopic on Temple Grandin this evening.  It's a very well-done piece, and…

Fossilized Weather If you want to know what the weather is doing you can do as the candlelight fisherman in the song did, and "open the pane and pop out the flame and see how the winds do blow".…

The behaviour of inhabitants of the earth on the whole has followed a pattern of war and peace. There was an eara of tensions, then came era of freedom of thoughts, and now global warming. To me…

A cutting-edge UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute research project, the Infant Sibling Study, is leading the way in seeking clues to the earliest behavioral manifestations of autism. This project studies…

University of Birmingham scientists have discovered that the gene DAF-16 plays an important part in determining the rate of aging and average lifespan of the laboratory worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C…

The authors of a new paper in Current Biology say they have found the first concrete evidence that shows how gene duplications can lead to functional diversity in organisms. In the study,…

Princeton Electrical Engineers have developed a new technique for revealing images of hidden objects. The method, a new type of stochastic resonance, relies on the ability to clarify an image using…

ASU Biodesign Institute researchers are using the unique conditions of spaceflight to examine how cells remain healthy or succumb to disease, particularly in the face of stress or damage. Their…

Although they only account for a fraction of the synapses in the visual cortex, neurons in the thalamus get their message across loud and clear by coordination -- simultaneously hitting the "send"…

Simon Singh Wins - US Law To The Rescue! The British Courts do not indulge themselves in bogus judgements - not even on April 1st. This article is genuine. A note on common law: Both the US and the…

One of the most interesting things about plants is that they do exhibit behavior (i.e. movement in response to their environment), even if humans rarely notice it. We don't notice their actions…

Apocalyptic Sci-Fi: Dhalgren Dhalgren is an unconventional but outstanding post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel, and New York Magazine has an excellent feature piece on the book this month: Samuel R. Delany…

I was admitted to one University and the oath University wanted to be filled by all the alumni and students included a sentence about switching off lights when not in use. I pondered a lot how…

Today computer science research has crossed a major threshold in producing a system that can be considered to display true intelligence. The system is purported to possess the ability to engage in…

I chose this unusual name (Wabi ) and placed it in front of my name "Don" around 1996 . The word comes from the Japanese and Chinese culture . I have four books on Wabi…

Leaving aside those who dont believe in any religion most of the Global population is aligned to 4 or 5 religions mainly based on continents or group of coutries or pursue some kind of mythology or…

I have been waiting for the expiry of the embargo on this story at midnight GMT.  I am now free to publish what I am confident will be a major scoop for scientificblogging.com IPCC Says: We Give…

Already well-known for its short character length limits, in a press conference scheduled for later today, Twitter will announce that it will severely shorten its allowable “tweets”. “I’m frankly…

You have to love a company that not only treats its employees well but can have fun and laugh at itself. (Hint, hint, Microsoft.) Today, Google changed their name to Topeka (see link for proper uses…