Posted by Ted Hopton on August 3, 2008
I remember being terrified of jellyfish when I was a small child, but I don’t think I ever actually was stung by one. This NYT article about the dramatic increase in jellyfish along shorelines around the world is worrisome not just from a tourism standpoint. When nature sends us a message as loud as this one, we’d better listen. There’s no simple answer, of course — there never is to big problems.
Let’s just add it to the long list of daunting challenges we are facing these days…
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Posted in Animals, Environment, Outdoors, Science, Travel, Trends | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on July 2, 2008
Two new papers illustrate the continuing power of Stanley Milgram’s shock experiments — and the diverse interpretations they still inspire.
I’ll never forget the powerful impact that learning about Milgram’s experiments had on me as a young man. Surely it was part of my strong belief in questioning authority. If you’re not familiar with these ground-breaking experiments in which subjects were encouraged to inflict terrible pain on another person, I urge you to read this article.
Posted in Ethics, Human Interest, Research, Science | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on July 2, 2008
This article is rather unnerving, as it cites research demonstrating that in addition to being skeptical of others who claim to be acting moral, we also should be just as skeptical of our own convictions that we are acting ethically. Yes, we humans are that good at rationalizing our own behavior that we can’t really trust ourselves. So much for a *true* moral compass.
A moral hypocrite convinces himself that he is acting virtuously even when he does something he would condemn in others.
Posted in Ethics, Human Interest, Politics, Research, Science | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on July 1, 2008
Can hookworms protect against allergies? In a quest to find out, David Pritchard infected himself.
This article literally makes me queasy. The thought of worms working their way around inside my body makes me want to throw up and completely grosses me out. Yet I have suffered most of my life pretty badly from allergies. I take Claritin all year, and now that I have moved to a farm it appears there are more allergens here than that medicine can overcome. The sneezing fits every morning are getting tiresome.
So, as disgusted as I am at the thought of having hookworms, I still find myself truly intrigued Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Health, Research, Science | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on June 27, 2008
We tend to remember news that accords with our worldview, and discount statements that contradict it.
Posted in Science | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on June 25, 2008
Lore Sjöberg is hilarious. I’ve listened to his Alt Text podcasts for Wired for years (his dry delivery style makes the audio performances even better than reading his commentaries). In fact, with George Carlin’s passing on my mind, it strikes me that Sjöberg is something like the George Carlin of geek technology. This commentary isn’t his very best, but it’s a good sample of the way he skewers traditionally accepted ideas.
Humans have been attempting to send messages to the stars since … I’m going to say the early ’70s. I mean, theoretically some caveman could have yelled, “Hey! Stars! You suck!” a hundred thousand years ago, but he was an idiot. But of all the messages sent into space, which ones are good? Which ones conform to quality standards? That’s what I’m here to tell you.
Posted in Human Interest, Humor, Science, Technology | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on June 7, 2008
I’ve always liked the title of the series of technology help books called “The Missing Manual.” The accurate and perceptive premise is that manufacturers rarely provide as much guidance as you would like for the sophisticated technology they have sold to you. These books, written by a third-party expert, help you get the most out of your purchase, and teach you all kinds of tricks to make it easier to understand and use.
So, this title caught my attention — Your Brain: The Missing Manual. Very clever. I didn’t buy my brain, but it sure is a complex tool that I wish I knew how to use better, and there’s no user’s guide, either. I haven’t read this book, so I can’t comment on it, but I am curious about it and will look into it.
Posted in Health, Human Interest, Learning, Science | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on June 4, 2008
You know, I have not even had time to read this article because I have to rush out to the liquor store to buy some wine 
Red wine may be much more potent than was thought in extending human lifespan, researchers say in a new report that is likely to give impetus to the rapidly growing search for longevity drugs.
Posted in Food, Health, Research, Science | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Ted Hopton on May 25, 2008
It doesn’t always seem that my brain is working better the older I get (anecdotal evidence I’ve observed might even suggest the opposite at times . . .), but the NYT says it is: “Older Brain Really May Be a Wiser Brain.”
“If older people are taking in more information from a situation, and they’re then able to combine it with their comparatively greater store of general knowledge, they’re going to have a nice advantage.”
Nice to hear some good news, for a change, about aging brains.
“It may be that distractibility is not, in fact, a bad thing,” said Shelley H. Carson, a psychology researcher at Harvard whose work was cited in the book. “It may increase the amount of information available to the conscious mind.”
So, when things that once seemed to be simple to call to mind no longer are, it’s not Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Ted Hopton on May 13, 2008
Fascinating column by David Brooks (who may be my favorite conservative columnist — and that’s not meant as a backhanded compliment) about the impact of neuroscience on fundamental human attitudes (not to mention fundamentalists’ attitudes). Thought-provoking and well worth reading!
The cognitive revolution is not going to undermine faith in God — it’s going to challenge faith in the Bible.
Posted in Human Interest, Research, Science, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »
