Science History

An NIH Director Once Funded A Rocket For A 10 Year Old

We sometimes have to wonder about the decision-making of government agencies. Senator Tom Coburn produced an annual list of waste and duplication that included science and it made sense to address those flaws, unless you actually favor National Science Fo ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Dec 12 2018 - 10:53am

The Pagan Roots Of Easter

Teaching any sort of academic program with religious content can be a tricky undertaking. Religious passions, whether pro or con, can be volatile; religion is a matter about which people can become upset. My doctoral studies were in the relatively safe ar ...

Article - The Conversation - Apr 2 2015 - 7:30am

Gallipoli 100 Years Ago Was The Final Chapter Of 3000 Years Of Trojan Wars

There are few geographical areas that have seen as much military action as the Gallipoli region, the site of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp (ANZAC) landings in 1915.  The conflicts in the region include some of the most renowned wars from Greek ...

Article - The Conversation - Apr 6 2015 - 8:00am

We Don't Hear Much About The 10,000 French Deaths At Gallipoli

With almost the same number of soldiers as the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) – 79,000 – and similar death rates – close to 10,000 – French participation in the Gallipoli campaign could not occupy a more different place in national memory. ...

Article - The Conversation - Apr 25 2015 - 12:30pm

The Intriguing Dance Of History And Fiction

At the Brisbane Writers’ Festival some years ago, novelist Peter Carey responded to relentless historical questioning about his True History of the Kelly Gang (2000) by sinking in his chair and saying “I made it up”. But the thing is, he didn’t. As his ti ...

Article - The Conversation - Jun 13 2015 - 1:00pm

Game Of Thrones And The Greek Tale Of Iphigeneia

This article contains spoilers for Game of Thrones, Season 5, Episode 9, The Dance of Dragons. Royal families in myths and legends are infamous for intrigue, murder and mayhem. These very deeds are part of what make the stories epic and immortal. Indeed, ...

Article - The Conversation - Jun 14 2015 - 10:00am

Will More Incentives Mean A Return To High Scientific Standards?

Was America at its greatest scientifically when academics made far less money and were politically representative? Not if science output, Nobel prizes and adult science literacy are the measures, because America leads in all categories. Yet with six figur ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 29 2015 - 9:00am

16th Century Observations Paved The Way For Darwin

Documents dating back to the 16th Century provide a unique insight into one of Darwin's landmark studies, according to new research. ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 11 2015 - 7:30am

Science Lost One Of Its Greatest Minds In The Trenches Of Gallipoli

August 10, 1915. The Gallipoli sun beats down on the back of a Turkish sharpshooter. He is patient and used to the discomfort. He wipes the sweat from his eyes and peers back down the sight of his rifle, sweeping back and forth across the enemy lines. He’ ...

Article - The Conversation - Aug 10 2015 - 9:52am

Ancient Greek attitudes today

The Ancient Greeks (Archimedes being an honourable exception) have a reputation for having been only interested in pure studies, and despising practical applications (which may well have helped the Romans take over.) ...

Blog Post - Robert H Olley - Dec 12 2015 - 10:18am