When Tom DeLay directed the Texas legislature to radically gerrymander up the the Lone Star State's congressional districts, one of the key objectives was to take away the very progressive voice of Travis County, primarily Austin.
A week or so ago, the editors of Scientific American did something I never saw them do before-- they took a partisan political stand. They didn't mention any names, but it's clear they had two rotten characters in mind, Donald J. Trump and one of his top enablers in Texas, House Science Committee chairman Lamar Smith. Smith's district is not some backward hellhole like Louie's Gohmert's district.
This photo is part of the binge of data New Horizons sent back yesterday before it stopped chattering with earth in order to focus on its up-close observation of Pluto. It was scheduled to reach its closest point to the "dwarf planet" at 7:50 this morning ET, and to check in with home at 8:53pm ET this evening.
The mascot of the Australian Skeptics. Climate-science disinformers don't qualify as "skeptics," say these 48 prominent scientists and thinkers, because they aren't interested in evidence -- just denial."Proper skepticism promotes scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims. It is foundational to the scientific method.
It's poetry in motionAnd now she's making love to meThe spheres're in commotionThe elements in harmonyShe blinded me with science"She blinded me with science!"And hit me with technologyAlthough there are still fringe extremists and dyed-in-the-wool racists in Congress whining that it's time to shut down the government again, that the GOP-written report about Ben
Chris Mooney has been doing some terrific reporting for the Washington Post, primarily on Science. Last week's look at the correlateions between a primitive or fundamental interpretation of Bronze Age religious traditions and a fear or misunderstanding of science is enlightening.
