Answers for Aristotle: response to the Weekly
Standard

post from Top stories on 24 September 2012 09:17:48 AM. © Top stories

My new book, Answers for Aristotle, is about to come out. It is an excursion, aimed at a general public, into what I call ?sci-phi,? the practical conjunction of science and philosophy ? a theme familiar to readers of this blog. If you wish, you can think of it as a self-help book for people who dislike self-help books.

Subject:

Brain & Behavior

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To Alpha Centauri via Hawaii

post from Centauri Dreams on 24 September 2012 09:05:27 AM. © Centauri Dreams

I?m always looking for ways to relate interstellar distances to common objects on Earth, knowing that misunderstandings about the vast scale of the universe are common. Sir John Herschel (1792-1871) talked about dropping a pea off the side of a ship[...]

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A whole star exploded, and no one told me

post from Bad Astronomy on 24 September 2012 09:00:07 AM. © Bad Astronomy

One of my favorite things to do in the whole world is look at astronomical images. They are a source of great beauty, insight into our Universe, and wonder that we can understand them.As it happens, I spent a solid chunk of my professional research[...]

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Artificial Intelligence and Cognition: Defending
my Optimism

post from Top stories on 24 September 2012 08:52:50 AM. © Top stories

?Engineers are naturally grumpy,? I once said. ?If we ever start thinking those damned machines are something other than damned machines, we'll get packed away in white jackets.? Does our own natural attitude playing with our interpretation of progress have something to do with why artificial intelligence seems perpetually elusive?

Subject:

Artificial Intelligence

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-optimism

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Practical Atheism

post from Top stories on 24 September 2012 08:48:12 AM. © Top stories

Here is another excerpt from Dr Stephen Uhl?s book Out of God?s Closet. He discusses a practical, pragmatic view of belief in a god. You can find out more about his book here.

Subject:

Atheism & Religion

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Computer composes mood-driven music

post from Top stories on 24 September 2012 08:38:37 AM. © Top stories

A Plymouth University research project to develop a computer capable of reading a person's emotional state and writing music in response has been awarded an £880,000 funding grant.

The project hopes to develop a music-writing computer system with therapeutic applications, helping patients suffering from stress or forms of depression, but applications in computer games and the entertainment industry are also a possibility.

Subject:

Artificial Intelligence

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Announcements!

post from OH, FOR THE LOVE OF SCIENCE! on 24 September 2012 07:00:57 AM. © OH, FOR THE LOVE OF SCIENCE!

Time for a few announcements: Last Monday, Oh, For the Love of Science! turned four. Hooray! Happy birthday, little blog. Last Tuesday, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 was released. I’m honored to be included in the anthology, and had a wonderful time at the release party. Science-lovers, please go buy this book! I’ve only gotten the [...]

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Welcome To The Future Of Molecular Electronics

Electronic devices are on the verge of a breakthrough with the emerging use of nanoscale molecules in the essential components of devices such as computers. New molecular capabilities are being discovered every day, promising a future of smaller and more efficient molecular electronics. This ground-breaking technology has found scientists all over the world looking for [...]

Welcome To The Future Of Molecular Electronics is a post from Science Quick Picks, a blog dedicated to the world of Science.

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-electronics.html

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The next SARS Coronavirus case in UK

The UK alerted the World Health Organisation on Saturday to a case of acute respiratory syndrome with renal failure in a 49-year old man who had visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The man, a previously healthy, Qatari national, first showed symptoms on 3 September 2012 and was admitted to intensive care in Doha, Qatar on [...]

The next SARS? Coronavirus case in UK is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog

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First Rock Contact by Curiosity's Arm

post from HD - NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on 24 September 2012 03:00:00 AM. © HD - NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

This engineering animation depicts the moves that NASA's rover Curiosity made on Sept. 22, 2012, when the rover touched a Martian rock with its robotic arm for the first time.