Tag: Science

  • Obama cracks a joke to the Atlantis Shuttle Crew – So why wasn’t it funny?

    In space, no one can hear the tumble-weed. Obama: “I was just dialing out for pizza, and I didn’t expect to end up in space…” Recently, the US President took some time out from his busy schedule to make a surprise phone call to the Space Shuttle Atlantis crew. Clearly in need of some light-hearted…

  • The IQ Myth and its Fascist origins - Just how Intelligent are You?

    Western culture has a peculiar fascination with ‘intelligence’. I’ve not taken an IQ test for years – and hopefully never will again. Being ‘intelligent’ is held in ludicrously high esteem (second probably only to good looks) that most people think they’ve either got it, or they haven’t. The ‘doctrine’ of an inborn intelligence seems to…

  • Dear Mr Editor, Your Science Reporting Truly Sucks…

    A letter to the editor of the British Journal of General Practice (The official periodical of the Royal College of General Practice and leading journal for family medicine in Europe): Dear Professor Roger Jones, Last month’s BJGP was noteworthy for several reasons. Most strikingly was the beautiful redesign and compelling headline, “Acupuncture: effective in a…

  • New Research Asks: Could you hack a night shift?

    It’s 5 am and you feel like death. Eight hours down and you’ve still got four more to go. With a mind like sludge, a phone rings and you need to sound attentive and informed. This isn’t going to be easy. Me – I hate night shifts. Hours of dark, unrewarding loneliness accompanied with the…

  • Shock! The way you Walk reveals Your IQ!

    So you think you’re pretty smart, huh? I bet you think walking is easy. Let’s put those assumptions to the test: Haul yourself away from the computer for a couple of minutes and try this simple little test. We’ll see just how clever you really are…

  • Save the Planet by… Becoming a Vegan! Do I really have to?

    Veganism - it’s just something for middle-class ‘hippies’ right? Vegans are those tree-hugging, hemp-wearing festival-goers who say ‘man’ far too much. Well perhaps it’s time for a rethink on that stereotype. At least if you care about environment, that is. If you had thought you could do your bit to fight global warming by getting…

  • Calling all science writers and bloggers… Is anyone listening?

    I considered giving a health warning with this post. Today, I abandon my usual calm demeanour and embark upon a part-rant, part impassioned call to action. As I climb onto my soapbox, be advised, things might get ugly (well, relatively - I am British after all). Over the past 20 or so years, millions of…

  • The Olympics is Coming to London: So Why Won’t Brits be any Happier?

    It was a shock announcement. Back in 2005, everyone thought Paris had the winning bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Unlike the UK’s hastily put together pitch, the French had spent 20 years fine-tuning theirs. When the IOC president declared that the Olympics were coming to London, scenes of jubilant crowds filled the screens…

  • What the Higgs is going on? The idiot’s ludicrously simple guide to what the ‘God Particle’ is… (and in under 4 minutes)

    Does science make you queasy? Thinking about physics tends to make me feel rather seasick. If you’ve ever tried to imagine how big infinity is then you’ll probably know what I mean. News agencies have been buzzing with reports that the discovery of the fabled ‘God particle’ is close at hand. But who really knows…