Science

Deepakese: The Woo-Woo Master Deepak Chopra Speaks

Michael Shermer | Posted 12.28.2009 | Living


Michael Shermer

Deepak Chopra is unhappy with my brand of skepticism--the type that identifies woo-woo nonsense and calls it for what it is: baloney. Last week Deep...

Woo Woo Is a Step Ahead of (Bad) Science

Deepak Chopra | Posted 12.28.2009 | Living


Deepak Chopra

For those who aren't familiar with the term, "woo woo" is a derogatory reference to almost any form of unconventional thinking, aimed by professional skeptics.

Your New Year Resolution: Adopt a Denier

Wallace J Nichols | Posted 12.21.2009 | Green


Wallace J Nichols

Believe it or not, there are people who deny the veracity of the mountain of science behind the origins of humans, the formation of the universe, health care and the state of our environment.

No BS Theory of Life: Pain And Holiday Blues Are Money In The Bank

Robert Lanza, M.D. | Posted 12.21.2009 | Living


Robert Lanza, M.D.

The goal of life is life. Every impulse and thought is a device developed toward that end. Even poetry and art reflect our humanity and are impelled by instincts -- fear and powerlessness, association and love.

Holocaust Deniers, Global Warming Deniers, Chris Wallace: Any Difference?

David Fiderer | Posted 12.21.2009 | Media


David Fiderer

Global warming "doesn't seem proven" to charlatans like Wallace, who artfully twist the concepts of science and religion. Last Sunday, he said science usually welcomes opposing views. Not quite.

Sabotage in Senate Over Climate Change

Trip Van Noppen | Posted 12.21.2009 | Green


Trip Van Noppen

Today, as world leaders, led by President Obama, struggled deep into the night on a plan to fight climate change, a handful of U.S. senators at home w...

Tour Of The Known Universe: AWESOME VIDEO

Posted 12.17.2009 | Technology


This awesome video from the American Museum of Natural History takes you on a tour of the known universe, starting with Earth and zooming out to the f...

Responding to Hitchens on Chanukah

Rabbi Michael Lerner | Posted 12.15.2009 | Politics


Rabbi Michael Lerner

The story of Chanukah is a story of resilience and courage. Unfortunately for some, it is also a story of rejecting Western values. This is why that belief is not correct.

Can Science Resurrect God? New Scenario Says 'Yes'

Robert Lanza, M.D. | Posted 12.15.2009 | Living


Robert Lanza, M.D.

Religious fervor has dwindled of late because religions have failed to keep pace with human knowledge. For faith to thrive, our concepts of God must adapt to our evolving scientific knowledge.

Science Fiction Goes McDonald's: Less Taste, More Gristle

Athena Andreadis, Ph.D. | Posted 12.24.2009 | Books


Athena Andreadis, Ph.D.

Science fiction is really a mirror and weather vane of its era. So it comes as no surprise that the dominant tropes of contemporary speculative fiction reflect the growing malaise and distrust of science.

Ode to My Neighborhood Bookstore

Jane Isay | Posted 12.14.2009 | Books


Jane Isay

I live on 96th Street and Madison Ave. in New York City. I often take a walk down one side of Madison, and up the other. The anchor of my walk is The Corner Bookstore, which is on 93rd Street.

Bionic Fingers: ProDigits Offers Hope To The Disabled (VIDEO)

Posted 12.08.2009 | Technology


Touch Bionics is offering hope to the disabled with an extraordinary new product called ProDigits. It's the world's first powered bionic fingers and ...

Does Death Exist? New Theory Says 'No'

Robert Lanza, M.D. | Posted 12.10.2009 | Living


Robert Lanza, M.D.

Many of us fear death. We believe in death because we have been told we will die. We associate with the body, and we know that bodies die. But a new scientific theory suggests death is not the end.

Why Science Needs To Bring Sexy Back

Jason Silva | Posted 12.07.2009 | Technology


Jason Silva

I have found that there is very little excitement about the scientific breakthroughs that are occurring every day. Science seems to have lost its "art direction," and it needs to bring sexy back.

Copenhagen Climate Summit Begins

AP | ARTHUR MAX | Posted 12.07.2009 | Green


COPENHAGEN — Delegates converged Sunday for the grand finale of two years of tough, sometimes bitter negotiations on a climate change treaty, as...

Space Shuttle Atlantis: INCREDIBLE Images From Space (PHOTOS)

Huffington Post | Posted 12.05.2009 | Technology


The space shuttle Atlantis and its astronauts returned safely to Earth after a seven-day mission resupplying the International Space Station. They ...

Beyond 2012 Hype, A Scientist And Mayanist Faces The Evolution Question

Shana Ting Lipton | Posted 12.05.2009 | Books


Shana Ting Lipton

Laymen need not be afraid to read The Purposeful Universe even if they are not predisposed to science. As deep and challenging of a read as this book might be for the Average Joe, it's well worth the effort.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch: AWESOME VIDEO From Multiple Points of View

Posted 12.01.2009 | Technology


Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned to Earth safely on Friday after a successful mission resupplying the International Space Stat...

Moon River: What Water in the Heavens Means for Life on Earth

Randall Amster | Posted 11.30.2009 | Technology


Randall Amster

We ought to consider how NASA's discovery of water on the moon could alter the fabric of life on earth. The implications of this find -- including the possible near-term development of a viable lunar colony -- are staggering.

Hormone Oxytocin Linked To Kindness

nytimes.com | Natalie Angier | Posted 11.25.2009 | Living


Be thankful for your brain's supply of oxytocin, the celebrated peptide hormone that helps lubricate our every prosocial exchange that make human soci...

The Maya Really Did Warn Us About Our Future (Unintentionally)

Alex Higgins | Posted 11.23.2009 | Green


Alex Higgins

The Maya in the 8th century had little ability to understand the climate change that was happening to them. Our civilization knows what is happening and even has the ability to prevent catastrophe.

Why Brain Science Is Bad for Juvenile Justice

Alexandra Cox | Posted 11.23.2009 | Politics


Alexandra Cox

Brain research may convince the public that development is a fixed, undisputed path toward rational thought, thus further marginalizing those children who stray from the path of 'normal' development.

Al's Poem

William Petrocelli | Posted 11.23.2009 | Books


William Petrocelli

Al Gore keeps reassuring nervous audiences that we have the tools to solve the crisis. Time is short, he says, but it hasn't run out yet. And with all that, he had time to write a poem - one that Yeats might have been proud of.

Bill Bryson's 'Really Short History of Nearly Everything' Is The Dream Gift Book For Every Curious Kid

Jesse Kornbluth | Posted 11.20.2009 | Books


Jesse Kornbluth

Bill Bryson has created "A Really Short History of Nearly Everything," and he's done me -- and you, and every curious kid burdened by a dull textbook or a brain-dead science teacher -- a huge favor.

Back to the Bush Leagues on Arctic Drilling?

Trip Van Noppen | Posted 11.19.2009 | Green


Trip Van Noppen

In the Arctic waters surrounding Alaska, George W. Bush is still president, but Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has the chance to inaugurate a new regime.