Accommodationism Accommodating Science: the backfire effect, and conclusion 10 Mar 201411 Mar 2014 [This is the final section of the book. I will return to the section on neurobiology and religion later.] The backfire effect If science is to be communicated to the wider community in a way that will change how people think, then it would seem an obvious idea to look… Continue Reading
Accommodationism Science outreach: A conversation 2 Feb 201420 Feb 2014 From the Freethinkers Blog Con: With PZ Myzer and Aron Ra. Continue Reading
Journalism How scientific journalism is, and should be done 7 Oct 2010 I wrote in my last links page, “Martin Robbins at the Guardian blog site spoofed science journalism with a “meta” entry. Here, he explains why and what to draw from it.” A scientist friend asked me my opinion. Never one to hold back, and as readers know, I have a… Continue Reading
Humor A quote that should be true 13 Aug 2010 … even if it probably isn’t At a television news station, one of the employees put up a sign in the elevator: “The ‘7’ button is broken. Please press ‘4’ and ‘3’.” Then he stood back and watched the behavior of those people who are supposed to tell us what… Continue Reading
Australian stuff Pundit parody 4 Aug 2010 Australia doesn’t have lunatics of the calibre of the white supremacist Glenn Beck, at least, not on the media, but we have sufficient punditry to fuel a small nation all right. Idiots like Alan Jones, who incited a racial riot, and the entire news teams of the commercial TV stations…. Continue Reading
Evolution Creation, a personal reflection on the movie 18 Jul 201022 Jun 2018 I just saw the movie Creation, with Paul Bettany as Darwin and Jennifer Connelly (Bettany’s real life wife) as Emma Darwin. And I am very pleasantly surprised how well it worked as a film, as well as how effectively it represented the era. My quibbles are just that, quibbles. Mostly,… Continue Reading
Australian stuff On recent developments, and a prospective 25 Jun 2010 So, we have a woman PM. I’m not particularly impressed by that – we should have had equal representation in the Parliament thirty years ago and it’s no great achievement to get a female executive now. We beat the US. Hoobloodyray. But that she is unashamedly unmarried, and took the… Continue Reading
Evolution More journalistic idiocy about evolution 9 Apr 20104 Oct 2017 This, from SBS World News, a usually relatively reliable public news service in Australia, on their report on the new hominid. I sent them this message: I have to criticise the moronic commentary in the World News tonight – No, the lack of transitional fossils hasn’t been a problem for… Continue Reading
Biology Zimmer’s evolving blog post on X-woman 28 Mar 2010 Carl Zimmer has a continually updated blog post on the mtDNA of “X-Woman”, which is being informed by his readers and experts. It’s a useful antidote to hasty and inaccurate reportage in the MSM, done well by a very good journalist. Continue Reading
Biology Zimmer's evolving blog post on X-woman 28 Mar 2010 Carl Zimmer has a continually updated blog post on the mtDNA of “X-Woman”, which is being informed by his readers and experts. It’s a useful antidote to hasty and inaccurate reportage in the MSM, done well by a very good journalist. Continue Reading