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Cannabis and THC, its main psychoactive compound, have been endorsed by people suffering from anxiety...

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Hank CampbellRSS Feed of this column.

I founded Science 2.0® in 2006 and since then it has become the world's largest independent science communications site, with over 300,000,000 direct readers and reach approaching one billion. Read More »

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Climate Change: Where Republicans And Democrats Agree

Climate Change: Where Republicans And Democrats Agree

Apr 30 2013 | comment(s)

In America, only two political parties can win the presidency. For that reason the two parties tend to have a 'big tent' mentality and embrace a lot of fringe members in return for votes. The perfect shouldn't be the enemy of the good, the saying goes.

Due to that structure, and that a tiny percentage of 'swing voters' determine a winner, the opposing sides tend to vilify and stereotype each other as much as possible, including in ways that are tailored to the audience. For example, Democrats hate business and are anti-science, while Republicans hate minorities and are anti-science. 

Wait, they're both anti-science? Sure, just about different things. 

2-Year-Old Gets Trachea Transplant, Made From Her Own Stem Cells

2-Year-Old Gets Trachea Transplant, Made From Her Own Stem Cells

Apr 30 2013 | comment(s)

If you read THE WIRED WORLD IN 2013 Annual Trend Report you may have seen my article predicting we would make a big advancement on the road to growing one of the Big 5 organs from a person's own stem cells this year.  That will mean no more driver's license donor permission, no waiting lists and no immunosuppressive drugs.
16 People In Pennsylvania Don't Love Fracking

16 People In Pennsylvania Don't Love Fracking

Apr 29 2013 | comment(s)

There is no question that increased use of natural gas has been good for the atmosphere - energy CO2 emissions are down to early 1990s levels in America and coal is at early 1980s levels of emissions, just like we all said we wanted.

Enhanced extraction methods like hydraulic fracturing - fracking - have also been good for the local economies in places like Pennsylvania. But as with any industry, Not In My Backyard (NIMBYism) occurs in residents of Pennsylvania just like it does yacht owners in Massachusetts. 

I Was Going To Write Some Words But Keith Kloor Beat Me To It

I Was Going To Write Some Words But Keith Kloor Beat Me To It

Apr 28 2013 | comment(s)

Reuters gets dinged for being off-kilter journalistically when it comes to politics; to the current generation of independent voters they became famous for their Mid-East coverage last decade by retouching photos to make Israelis look bad and Arabs look persecuted, adding in smoke from explosions that didn't exist, etc. Editors and journalists at other corporate media companies never noticed, but bloggers tripped them up.
Sexiest Vegan: PETA Objectifies Women Again

Sexiest Vegan: PETA Objectifies Women Again

Apr 24 2013 | comment(s)

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is continuing its long-standing policy of defending dead animals by exploiting live human women.

Well, clearly it works, since I am giving them free publicity by hammering on their lack of ethics in my blog once again, but at least this time it is not about their being anti-science crackpots or killing animals they say they want to protect, it is about about their annual effort to make vegans sexy by objectifying attractive women in their Sexiest Vegan Next Door contest.
The PR Problem Of Instagram: Being More Than Pictures Of Bridesmaid Dresses

The PR Problem Of Instagram: Being More Than Pictures Of Bridesmaid Dresses

Apr 23 2013 | comment(s)

Instagram, a popular photo-sharing application, is used by millions of people to show photos of their wedding cakes and pictures of themselves they took in the mirror with their cell phones. 

Or maybe it has a much deeper level, if you look hard enough. And want to take advantage of its popularity and need to talk about something at a conference.