Was human evolution inevitable or a matter of luck? – Dan Falk – Aeon “Throughout human prehistory, biological change and technological change ran in parallel. Brains were increasing in size – but this was not unique to our ancestors, and can be seen across multiple hominin species. Something very complicated was going on – a […]
Monthly Archives: June 2015
Ask Ethan #94: Could dark matter not exist?
2015.06.28 – 22:54
Ask Ethan #94: Could dark matter not exist? “When you propose a new theory to replace an old one — as General Relativity replaced Newton’s laws — your theory has three burdens to meet: It must reproduce all the successes of the previous leading theory. It must successfully explain the new phenomenon (or phenomena) it was designed to explain. […]
Technology and The Evolution of Storytelling
2015.06.28 – 22:54
Technology and The Evolution of Storytelling “People get so excited about new technologies. I’ve had the question so many times from young people, “What software should I use?” You know what? In your lifetime the software and the technology will change so drastically, it doesn’t matter. Ollie Johnston would turn to me and I was […]
Convergence – Sara Seager: Exoplanets and the Search for Habitable Worlds
2015.06.28 – 20:51
Convergence – Sara Seager: Exoplanets and the Search for Habitable Worlds June 28, 2015 at 08:40PM
The Morality of Language
2015.06.28 – 20:41
The Morality of Language Using a second language triggers the use of System 2 thinking over System 1: “Nelson Mandela seemed to have understood this dynamic decades ago when he said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, […]
Swedish Scientists Build Artificial Neurons Able to Communicate With Organic Neurons
2015.06.28 – 17:29
Swedish Scientists Build Artificial Neurons Able to Communicate With Organic Neurons “Banks of cell-sized artificial neurons that work like organic neurons, and can communicate with organic neurons, could then be added to the brain as co-processors and memory storage devices, which would be an important step toward working brain implants.”
Unwinnable Arguments and Normative Sociology
2015.06.28 – 16:59
Unwinnable Arguments and Normative Sociology from: June 28, 2015 at 04:58PM
Tweet by ddt
2015.06.28 – 09:40
Wondermark hits the mark. http://t.co/dvWi4C4TKw pic.twitter.com/1Bs1IL9TyG — dan turner (@ddt) June 27, 2015 via https://twitter.com/ddt
Scandinavian Unexceptionalism
2015.06.27 – 22:31
Scandinavian Unexceptionalism from: June 27, 2015 at 10:21PM
Tweet by benthompson
2015.06.23 – 17:45
Cannot endorse this article highly enough. And I’d add, empathy is the root of good analysis. http://t.co/PnvjyBonph pic.twitter.com/k1PdbViihs — Ben Thompson (@benthompson) June 19, 2015 via https://twitter.com/benthompson
Jon Stewart on Charleston South Carolina Shooting. Daily Show 6/18/2015
2015.06.19 – 00:45
Jon Stewart on Charleston South Carolina Shooting. Daily Show 6/18/2015 June 18, 2015 at 10:38PM
Tweet by iSmashFizzle
2015.06.18 – 21:33
When people don't know the history of racist violence, every act is a one -time-thing. The 'system' in systemic racism becomes invisible. — Ashley C. Ford (@iSmashFizzle) June 18, 2015 via https://twitter.com/iSmashFizzle
Peter Thiel on the Future of Innovation | Conversations with Tyler
2015.06.18 – 21:11
Peter Thiel on the Future of Innovation | Conversations with Tyler June 18, 2015 at 07:31PM
Take Down The Confederate Flag. Now.
2015.06.18 – 18:47
Take Down The Confederate Flag. Now. from: June 18, 2015 at 06:31PM
Life Quantified
2015.06.18 – 12:16
Life Quantified “Put another way, the team calculated that it would require 1 billion standard shipping containers to contain all of life’s DNA. According to the estimate, plants seem to harbor the most DNA, weighing in at 3.6 × 1031 megabases, though they were closely followed by prokaryotes (1.6 × 1031 megabases).”
What’s Old Is New Again
2015.06.18 – 11:44
What’s Old Is New Again Extracting ancient DNA samples: “Then, in 2014, another European research team reported that lactase-persistence alleles were completely absent from DNA they had pulled from the bones of Europeans inhabiting the Great Hungarian Plain between 5,700 BC and 800 BC.13 Those ancient DNA analyses suggest that the 13,910*T allele swept across […]
Tweet by MissDahlELama
2015.06.18 – 10:48
This just broke me. This is the only answer to what they could've done differently. #CharlestonShooting https://t.co/w5jrYjiwUu — Dahlia Adler (@MissDahlELama) June 18, 2015 via https://twitter.com/MissDahlELama