Latest posts

Its the right idea….almost [2]

Posted on 14 November 2011 by Sylvia McLain

Peter Thiel who invented PayPal and presciently invested in Facebook has announced that he is giving money though a scheme called ‘Breakout Labs’ where independent researchers and start-up companies will be funded philanthropically through a grant-proposal process and that any royalties recovered from these successful folk will be reinv Continue reading →

Posted in Breakout Labs, funding, Peter Thiel, Philanthrocapitalism, Philanthroscience, Science Funding | Comments Off on Its the right idea….almost [2]

Signs of tampering

Posted on 14 November 2011 by Cath@VWXYNot?

In the internet age, anyone can have their say on anything; news articles, blog posts, YouTube videos, politicians’ Facebook pages and pretty much everything else you can find online all have comment sections. Last week, however, the most striking examples I saw were in real life.

The first two examples are from the same sign: a for-sale sign Continue reading →

Posted in communication, current affairs, drunkenness, Instagram, Music, photos, Vancouver | Comments Off on Signs of tampering

Animals

Posted on 13 November 2011 by Henry Gee

You’ll both know by now that we’re very fond of animals here at the Maison des Girrafes. At the moment we have two dogs, four cats, a rabbit, thirteen hens, two snakes, five freshwater tropical fish and an axolotl. We’ve previously been serial hamster owners (after number six died we decided we couldn’t bear any more rapid a Continue reading →

Posted in canis croxorum, defiant the guinea pig, human evolution, Pat Shipman, The Animal Connection, the beowulf effect, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Animals

City Reads

Posted on 13 November 2011 by KristiV

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?
And miss it each day and night?
I know I’m not wrong – this feeling’s gettin’ stronger
The longer I stay away.

Miss them moss-covered vines, the tall sugar pines
Where mockingbirds used to sing
And I’d like to see that lazy Mississippi
Hurryin’ into spring. Continue reading →

Posted in book reviews, cities, city books, New Orleans, olfaction | Comments Off on City Reads

Alive to the prospects for libel reform [13]

Posted on 13 November 2011 by Stephen

The campaign for libel reform has been grinding away for several years now but there was still a buzz of expectation as we gathered in Committee Room 10 in the House of Commons last Wednesday evening. By 6 pm the room was packed. All seats had been taken and people parked themselves on window sills or stood in expectant clusters at both doors to th Continue reading →

Posted in Libel Reform, Science & Politics | Comments Off on Alive to the prospects for libel reform [13]

Rational goals for science education

Posted on 13 November 2011 by Steve Caplan

There were two events that conspired this past week to lead me to the topic of education–and particularly science education. The first was the unlikely event in which I actually watched television. Although we do have a small screen telly at home, it is rarely used. The US Public Broadcasting Station hosts a favorite from back in my childhood Continue reading →

Posted in education, Finland, math, rational thinking, Research, S. Korea, School, science, STEM, US | Comments Off on Rational goals for science education

iNterface

Posted on 12 November 2011 by Henry Gee

The biggest problem with computers, as I have always thought, is the whole business of getting your wishes out here to link up with what the computer is doing in there.

Many times, when I’ve been struggling with against a computer, usually a PC, but occasionally with machines whose inventors really were trying to be helpful, but were ahead of Continue reading →

Posted in Apple, brain machine interface, get them down sir william I cannot wait til lunchtime, i will not buy this record it is scratched, iPad, iPhone, iPhone 4S, Mr J McQ of Hackney, necromancer, Science-fiction, Steve Jobs, Technicrox | Comments Off on iNterface

Poppy

Posted on 11 November 2011 by rpg

It’s not about being patriotic or British—not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with either of those.

It’s about those who, when the time came, gave whatever they could for what they believed in. It’s about those who died; those who were captured in the Far East and returned to a world they didn’t recognize; thos Continue reading →

Comments Off on Poppy

Training for Professors?

Posted on 11 November 2011 by Athene Donald

Recently I was asked to describe what professors do day-by-day in 200 words. I declined; I felt it was an impossible task. Some days are spent being ground down by committees of the sort that sap all one’s energy and produce nothing of value but ticking someone’s boxes. Those, fortunately are not that common. Some days one sits on committees which Continue reading →

Posted in careers, education, multi-tasking, science, Science Culture, skills, training | Comments Off on Training for Professors?

A handy topic for a rainy day

Posted on 10 November 2011 by Cath@VWXYNot?

This is what procrastination looks like

Yes, this is a handwritten blog post, delivered to you by carrier pigeon RSS (probably)

Posted in education, first world problems, personal, photos, Silliness | Comments Off on A handy topic for a rainy day