One of the scenarios that is often played out in science fiction is what would happen if we encountered an alien civilization. Often, we are portrayed as defending Earth from an alien invasion or fighting battles with the aliens in a war. Another scenario, commonly found in more culturally introspective fiction, focuses on what our … Continue reading Beasts or gods; why a War Of The Worlds is very unlikely
Month: December 2013
Biologists continue to debate genes versus gene expression
PZ Myers has posted his views on David Dobb's Aeon article: That’s the peril of a historically successful, productive research program. We get locked in to a model; there is the appeal of being able to use solid, established protocols to gather lots of publishable data, and to keep on doing it over and over. … Continue reading Biologists continue to debate genes versus gene expression
Soyuz Videos
Not sure how I missed these videos before, but if you haven't seen them yet, and you're interested in how Soyuz launch and reentry works, they are awesome! Until NASA either get the Space Launch System deployed or private ventures succeed at developing something, the Russian Soyuz, which has been in use by Russia for … Continue reading Soyuz Videos
David Dobbs mucks up evolution, part II « Why Evolution Is True
David Dobbs mucks up evolution, part II « Why Evolution Is True. The second part of Jerry Coyne's response to David Dobb's Aeon piece on the problems with the selfish gene metaphor. Be sure to read Dobb's extended response in the comment section. Maybe I'm misreading, but Dobb's appears to be backpedaling significantly from the … Continue reading David Dobbs mucks up evolution, part II « Why Evolution Is True
David Dobbs mucks up evolution, part I « Why Evolution Is True
At any rate, Dobb’s goal is several fold. First, he wants to claim that the metaphor of the selfish gene is wrong. Second, he wants to show that it’s wrong because new understanding of gene regulation—how genes turn on and off during development—render the selfish gene metaphor passé. Finally, he claims that a new theory, … Continue reading David Dobbs mucks up evolution, part I « Why Evolution Is True
Soothing the fear of death
The fear of death is a normal, natural, instinct that we all have. Without it, we’d end up doing all kinds of reckless things that most of us avoid. Some people claim not to fear it, but I suspect that all of us, when we’re honest, retain that fear to one degree or another. After … Continue reading Soothing the fear of death
Why Life Does Not Really Exist | Brainwaves, Scientific American Blog Network
Why is defining life so frustratingly difficult? Why have scientists and philosophers failed for centuries to find a specific physical property or set of properties that clearly separates the living from the inanimate? Because such a property does not exist. Life is a concept that we invented. On the most fundamental level, all matter that … Continue reading Why Life Does Not Really Exist | Brainwaves, Scientific American Blog Network
Why it’s time to lay the selfish gene to rest – David Dobbs – Aeon
The grasshopper, he noted, sports long legs and wings, walks low and slow, and dines discreetly in solitude. The locust scurries hurriedly and hoggishly on short, crooked legs and joins hungrily with others to form swarms that darken the sky and descend to chew the farmer’s fields bare. Related, yes, just as grasshoppers and crickets … Continue reading Why it’s time to lay the selfish gene to rest – David Dobbs – Aeon
BBC News – ‘Memories’ pass between generations
Experiments showed that a traumatic event could affect the DNA in sperm and alter the brains and behaviour of subsequent generations. A Nature Neuroscience study shows mice trained to avoid a smell passed their aversion on to their "grandchildren". More at BBC News - 'Memories' pass between generations. I saw this yesterday, but was reluctant to link … Continue reading BBC News – ‘Memories’ pass between generations
SelfAwarePatterns 