Science & Society

The Economist argues, as they would be expected to argue, given their free market leaning, that due to the glut of Ph.D.s and therefore the poor job market (in academia), it is a waste of time.…

Jonah Lehrer in The New Yorker about the slipperiness of the scientific method: "The Truth Wears Off: Is There Something Wrong With The Scientific Method?" The test of replicability, as it’s known,…

Sorry I've been absent for a while. (I hope you missed me!) Here's one thing that's been keeping me busy: Having played a role in Austin's transformation into “Silicon Hills,” and having consulted…

Some shameful self-propaganda is in order today... Such posts have usually borne good fruits in the past, so why not! In June 2009 I attended in London the World Conference of Science Journalists. I…

I thought I was going into Christmas recess, but then I saw this: Graduate students the world over have got to be feeling like slackers right now: A group of 8- to 10-year-old British schoolchildren…

For too long, scientists have ducked away from public service, not because their peers have been unwilling to elect them, but because there is a sense among scientifically educated people that…

While you sit there, I am simultaneously providing this blog post, this podcast, and this AGU talk.  All on the same topic-- how can we get scientists to provide science for public consumption.…

While Christmas shopping today with my sister and little 3 year old niece, I noticed something that rather disturbed me. And as difficult as it is for me to say this—it was Barbie. OMG. So many…

Lisa Rudy posted "Misinterpretation of Autism News Can Cause Serious Confusion" over at About.com's autism site, and the comments have gotten interesting and clearly demonstrate the growing gap…

The pharmaceutics industry, too many science bloggers, “skeptics” - they all tell us that we should trust science and that all those who speak out for “natural” solutions are none other but religious…