Slate has an interesting article on Phineas Gage, and about how his story has been mythologized and overhyped over the years. On Sept. 13, 1848, at around 4:30 p.m., the time of day when the mind might start wandering, a railroad foreman named Phineas Gage filled a drill hole with gunpowder and turned his head … Continue reading The mythology that circles Phineas Gage
Tag: Science
SMBC: Math and the universe
The question I've asked multiple times lately. Is the universe math, or math the universe? (Click through for full sized version.) via Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
What is religion?
Pascal Boyer in his book 'The Fracture of an Illusion' asserts that religion does not exist. Boyer points out that "religion" doesn't exist as a concept in most societies. When Boyer, an anthropological expert in religion, says that it doesn't exist, he's making a statement that might seem silly on its face. After all, if religion … Continue reading What is religion?
You don’t always know what you’re saying
If you think you know what you just said, think again. People can be tricked into believing they have just said something they did not, researchers report this week. The dominant model of how speech works is that it is planned in advance — speakers begin with a conscious idea of exactly what they are … Continue reading You don’t always know what you’re saying
When It Comes to Neanderthals, Humans May Be the Borg
The extinction and competition hypotheses for the demise of the Neanderthals, notably suggested by interdisciplinary scientist and author Jared Diamond, hinge on the idea that humans were more advanced than Neanderthals. Commonly claimed are the following: that humans had more communicative abilities, were more efficient hunters, had superior weaponry, ate a broader diet, and had … Continue reading When It Comes to Neanderthals, Humans May Be the Borg
Neanderthals were not inferior to modern humans, says CU-Boulder study
Neanderthals thrived in a large swath of Europe and Asia between about 350,000 and 40,000 years ago. They disappeared after our ancestors, a group referred to as “anatomically modern humans,” crossed into Europe from Africa. In the past, some researchers have tried to explain the demise of the Neanderthals by suggesting that the newcomers were … Continue reading Neanderthals were not inferior to modern humans, says CU-Boulder study
Evolution of animal intelligence | Machines Like Us
Mano Singham has a interesting post up on a large scale review of animal intelligence studies. Animal intelligence is a fascinating topic and there have been many attempts at studying it. Many of the individual studies look at one or other specific trait that we associate with intelligence in one species and the traits … Continue reading Evolution of animal intelligence | Machines Like Us
What Makes an Alien Intelligent?
An interesting article in The New Yorker on the necessity of keeping an open mind about what form an alien intelligence might take. Yet, even as the Kepler mission gets closer to finding a mirror image of our own planet, many scientists have ceased believing that we should be looking for ourselves in space. There … Continue reading What Makes an Alien Intelligent?
SMBC: The evil mathematical universe
A slightly different point of view on the mathematical universe, as only Zach Weiner can deliver. (Click through to see the full sized version.) via Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
Max Tegmark posts his chapter on cosmic inflation online
If you enjoyed my write up on Tegmark's Level II multiverse, you might enjoy this guest post that he makes on Sean Carroll's blog, which includes a link to the chapter on inflation from his book, including those visual aids I referenced! Since the BICEP2 breakthrough is generating such huge interest in inflation, I’ve decided … Continue reading Max Tegmark posts his chapter on cosmic inflation online
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