Amazing Lego Creations

post from Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) on 10 June 2006 09:10:20 PM. © Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)

Legos have taken on a life of their own, it seems. Recently, the editors of PC Magazine published their list of the "Top 10 Strangest (or Coolest...) Lego Creations". This particular creation [larger image] was made by Nathan Sawaya used over 10,000 Lego pieces and spent 3 months making this "Han Solo in Carbonite" masterpiece.

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Move to ScienceBlogs Complete

post from The Archives of The Scientific Activist on 10 June 2006 09:02:00 PM. © The Archives of The Scientific Activist

The move to the new site over at ScienceBlogs has actually gone very smoothly, so despite what I said previously, I'm going to go ahead and stop cross-posting here. Other than one or two more updates, this is the last you're going to hear from me on this site. It's been a wild ride, and I hope you'll join me for part two!If you haven't already, please update your blogroll, bookmarks, etc. with

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Mothership Question #6: Your Love

post from Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) on 10 June 2006 07:28:39 PM. © Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)

This week's question from the mothership is a fantasy-type of question.

Question: Assuming that time and money were not obstacles, what area of scientific research, outside of your own discipline, would you most like to explore? Why?

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How to define a planet

post from Science and Space on 10 June 2006 05:31:11 PM. © Science and Space

The International Astronomical UnionI(IAU) is expected to propose wording to delineate planets from other small, round objects at its 12-day General Assembly meeting in Prague this August.
Depending on the outcome of a separate controversial procedural issue —...

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A Mammoth Theory

post from CR4 on 10 June 2006 04:31:00 PM. © CR4

Traditional wisdom claims over-hunting caused the Wooly Mammoth’s extinction 10,000 years ago - new research suggests otherwise. Some scientists now blame a climate shift from dry and cold to warm and wet. As Reuters reports, “new patterns of dates indicate a radical ecological sorting during a...

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Congratulations ExxonMobil; Winner of the Award
for "Biggest Lie on an Oil Company Website"

post from Climate Change Action on 10 June 2006 01:02:00 PM. © Climate Change Action

I`m thinking about doing Climate Change Action awards. Anyone interested in that? I would need some suggested catagories and nominations, if i get any interest i will go ahead.An example is award for "Biggest Lie on an oil company website".For this the winner would have to be ExxonMobil, legendary for theire funding of right wing thinktanks and corrupt sceintists. Never has a company done more

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-of.html

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Bush Science Adviser Answers Questions, but Not
the Toughest Ones

post from The Archives of The Scientific Activist on 10 June 2006 12:49:00 PM. © The Archives of The Scientific Activist

Cross-posted at scienceblogs.com/scientificactivist.

I mentioned earlier this week on my old blog that White House Science Adviser John Marburger would be answering questions from the public via Newsweek, and his answers have now been posted. My reactions are mixed, although he was more open than I had expected. So, what did he say?

Well, I'll start with what he didn't say. He didn't answer any of my questions, which weren't even that hostile, so he loses points for that.

He did answer, though, several questions covering a variety of issues, from alternative fuels to space exploration, from to stem cell funding to the administration's attitude toward science. He even managed to say a few encouraging things in the process, although he avoided some issues and followed the Bush Administration line on others.

The Good

From the outset, he breaks with Bush Administration policy in answering a question about teaching intelligent design as an alternative to evolution:

Evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology. Intelligent design is not a scientific concept. One cannot be an "alternative" to the other.

Marburger also responds to an allegation that the U.S. focuses too much funding on long-term alternative energy development projects like hydrogen fuel at the expense of short-term solutions such as hybrid vehicles:

The federal government tends to fund long lead-time, high-risk research while the private sector funds shorter-term, lower-risk research and development. Both are necessary in a balanced R&D portfolio. The long-term alternatives have the potential for a much greater impact on energy technology and will definitely be needed in the future.

The Bad

In response to a question about political interference in science:

I believe such criticisms are off the mark and are based on incomplete knowledge of the administration's actions and positions. Political tensions are normal in Washington, and advocates seek to spin every incident into support for their causes. Whenever an accusation of political influence is brought to my attention, I act immediately to find out the circumstances and how the cognizant department or agency is dealing with it. The president expects agencies to report scientific findings fully and without distortion.

That would be great... if it were true. I have seem absolutely no evidence of him playing an active role in fighting political interference in science, and he is part of an administration that has time and time again suppressed science that does not fall in line with its agenda.

The Ugly

Unfortunately, Marburger delivers the administration line verbatim in defending President Bush's restrictive policies on embryonic stem cell funding:

Objections to embryonic stem-cell research are rooted in ethical principles and the idea of compromising these is repugnant to many U.S. citizens. Science alone cannot resolve ethical dilemmas, but it can clarify the potential benefits of stem-cell research. Based on careful consideration of both scientific information and ethical concerns, the president has, for the first time in history, made it possible for embryonic stem-cell research to be federally funded.

The last line is my favorite--a textbook example of GOP spin. Stem cells did not even emerge on the national agenda until the end of Clinton's administration, so Bush is basically the first president who has had the opportunity to address the issue head on. He failed miserably, and it's disappointing, to say the least, to see his science advisor letting scientific progress take a backseat to political ideology.

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Science and Engineering Podcasts

post from Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog on 10 June 2006 12:35:00 PM. © Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog

Engines Of Our Ingenuity hosted by John Lienhard, University of Houston’s College of Engineering, (podcasts via NPR). A complete history, with transcripts and audio of the over 2,000 episodes, is online - episodes include: Constantine the African bringing Arab medicine to Europe China: A case history in the survival/nonsurvival of invention Global [...]

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Effects of Burn Marks Due to Grinding

shesh writes: Currently I operate a Gap Face Grinding (special process with speical abrasive)process, basically for a piston rings used in automobiles, with a stock removal of 0.2mm/Pass. On some occasions I go up to 0.4mm/pass due to which I see burn marks in the component. Can anyone tell me what...

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Taking "sexy scientist" maybe a bit too far...

I talk a lot on here about making science more available (and interesting!) to the public. And I've posted previously about "sexy scientists" before. So you might think I'd be all for an effort to combine the two--but is this really necessary?

Ugh.

(Via new Scienceblog, Pure Pedantry.)

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