Evolution, love it or hate it? Understanding evolution of the brain has come a long way. In Darwin’s time, scientists and doctors could see the size and weight of animal and human brains, but not much more. Now, we look at the inner-related parts of the brain easily. Tools record what happens inside cells and … Continue reading »
Chemicals in Our Air How much is too much, when it comes to air pollution? For 8 dangerous chemicals, the US National Research Council (NRC) collected all the data reports out there. They did an analysis to answer this very question. Pollution levels are the focus of their 2013 publication “Acute Exposure Guidelines Levels for Selected … Continue reading »
What is on your summer reading list? Healthcare reform is on top, not just for politicians, but for readers too. For readers of the free reports from IOM, the top 10 this summer start with the Future of Nursing report. Nurses lead healthcare, and are no handmaidens of the doctors now - as nurse Sharon Buchbinder comments here . Equal … Continue reading »
What would you think if a third of the world’s population were infected with a bacterium? And if this was one that caused a deadly disease—one that was becoming resistant to all known drugs? Science fiction, maybe? In fact, a third of the world is infected with just such a thing. Two billion people are … Continue reading »
When it comes to spaceships, who does the rebuilding? And how much does it cost? Looking at stars costs billions and billions…have a look at an engineer’s view on space news, in Mike Macartney’s new post. Sick Satellites and Occam’s Razor by Mike Macartney The huge ENVISAT spacecraft is failing according to the BBC. But, did … Continue reading »
When it comes to evidence in court, there’s nothing is better than DNA. Or is there? False testimony can be based on faulty science, and can lead to wrongful convictions. Are all crime labs the same? What standards do we hold them to? How are the people who work in the crime lab trained? Forensic Biologist Sue Carney … Continue reading »
Is there a limit to how fast we can go, how much space we can cover over a unit of time? Take a look at the speed of thought, speed of light, and sound with engineer Mike Macartney in his new guest post. Speed Limits by Mike Macartney If you accept that time is an … Continue reading »
Who needs Earth Science? We do. Now more than ever, we need awareness of Earth Science – climate, land, energy, water –for our health and our safety. It is also a key to unlocking economic growth. The US Geological Survey (also called USGS) is changing course, to use its resources in new ways. This is the … Continue reading »
