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Category Archives: science
“High frequency of functional extinctions in ecological networks” – translated
Corking article in Nature, Vol 498, No 7455 High frequency of functional extinctions in ecological networks Torbjorn Saterberg, Stefan Sellman and Bo Ebenman. Intensified exploitation of natural populations and habitats has led to increased mortality rates and decreased abundances of … Continue reading
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Dominant males in “slow-to-learn” shocker. Want innovation? Find it among low status (e.g. females).
Nature is an awesome journal, and I am already mourning the impending end of my uber-cheap subscription. Most of it goes WAY over my head. This though, from Vol 500, No 7462, made me laugh. Emphasis and hyperlinks are added … Continue reading
Of crowds – their madness, wisdom and amplifying feedback effects; Dirk Helbing #brainiac #complexity #crowddisasters
Ach, Gustave. And the more recent guy, with better politics. Now, this from the awesome journal Nature which, (along with the Financial Times and Viz) makes me significantly less stupid than I otherwise would be. In the 2nd May 2013 … Continue reading
Posted in activism, competence, natural world, science
Tagged complexity, Dirk Helbing, nature
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Won’t get fooled again? Course I will. By myself. Again and again and again. Science notwithstanding…
Saw this recently – “Philosophy is a battle against the bewitching of our intelligence by means of language.” Wittgenstein. which reminded me of that Feynman quote – “Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. The first principle … Continue reading
IQ tests in “not much use” shocker
For 25 years I have been following the continuing and often tawdry saga of misplaced concreteness that is “IQ” testing. Every so often some big meta-study like this one below (reported by Medical News Today) tells you what is actually … Continue reading
Posted in a little self-knowledge, narcissism, science
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Science: ruining everything since 1543
But I like my myths! Lemme cling to my myths.* *And the myth of objective/’pure’ science is my favourite myth of all
Climate change’ ‘warmists’ versus ‘skeptics’ versus reality?
Except, of course, the soi-disant ‘skeptics’ are nothing of the sort. Anyhows… from Marc Roberts [Amazing what you find in your “Documents” folder.]
Posted in a little self-knowledge, apocalypse, humour, politics, science
Tagged climate change
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Confirmation bias – it’s true. D’oh!
Sorry for the obscure and poor pun. It’s just how I roll… Here’s the website…
Rats pass Voight-Kampff test. And humans??
Seems the crude “social Darwinist” (1)stories about animals lacking empathy is a load of crap. And boffins have proved it with an experiment involving rats that consistently help fellow trapped rats. At this juncture, I can only propose we dig … Continue reading
Posted in natural world, science, technoscience
Tagged BF Skinner, Macaques, nulture, solidarity, Voigt-Kampff test
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