Category Archives: science

The week Britain went crazy

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Sylvia McLain

I think Britain has gone mad – It used to be Keep Calm and Carry On in the face of a crisis- now its more like Run Around, Panic and come up with wacky ideas. Maybe the whole world has … Continue reading →

Posted in britain, science | Tagged , | 12 Comments

Why is science important?

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

Alom Shaha runs a webpage called “Why is science important?” where amongst other things, people, some scientists some not, give their veiws on why science is important. I wrote something for this if you care to look “Discoveries come in … Continue reading →

Posted in random, science | Tagged | Comments Off on Why is science important?

On being a ‘foot soldier’

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

Or cannon fodder speaking out. In case you haven’t heard, science funding in the UK is under threat. From Paul Nurse, who said we need to fund only ‘excellent’ science to Vince Cable who thinks 45% of research in the … Continue reading →

Posted in science, UK Science policy, Vince Cable | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Prince Charles, keepin’ it real for mother earth

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

worried about the evils of the world? I know! Lets blame science and science driven consumerism… or Galileo, he started it you know… Prince Charles speaking at the Oxford Centre for Islamic studies a few days ago, seems to know … Continue reading →

Posted in bp oil, environment, science | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Do we really need another sputnik before we do something?

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

Do you like your mobile phone? Do you like the fact that you can use the world wide web to connect with your friends? do you like using your iphone when you sit on a delayed train? Yes? Than why … Continue reading →

Posted in higher education, science | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Science takes time and we are not all going to die…

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

well we are, but not by a world taken over by synthetic beings in the near future… Science isn’t very fast, even though it often seems like it especially when we read media reports about ‘new’ scientific breakthroughs… Last week, … Continue reading →

Posted in genetic technology, morality, science, science ethics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Dumb and Dumber: the mismeasure of women

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

Oh no here we go again.. Every 5 – 10 years the good old IQ debate comes up…. and usually some minority comes out on bottom, women, African-Americans – yet no one ever asks themselves why is it that White … Continue reading →

Posted in bad science, science, women, women in science | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Science funding, where do we go from here???

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

Science needs a Saatchi! Whether you supported the Lib Dems or Labour, or even the Conservatives things are looking pretty dire for science funding. As the New Scientist says in the elections ‘Science is the Loser’. Science is, or rather … Continue reading →

Posted in politics, science, UK Science policy | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

If you vote for science, which party do you choose?

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

I think its gotta be Labour…. The general buzz (twitter, blogs, newspapers, etc) is that the Lib Dems are the best on science, so if you want to save science – Vote Lib Dem! But it depends on which bit … Continue reading →

Posted in climate change, politics, science, UK Science policy | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Just because you are a scientist doesn’t mean you are morally superior.

Posted on May 2, 2010 by Sylvia McLain

Although we sometimes tend to think so – and this isn’t helped by scientists who purport to be morally superior by the fact that they are ‘rational thinkers’ Some scientists like Richard Dawkins appear to think that rational thought (or … Continue reading →

Posted in morality, richard dawkins, science | Tagged , | 5 Comments