No, really? Via Taegan.
A new Pew Research report on American attitudes toward science finds that 55% of scientists identify as Democrats, while 32% identify as independents and just 6% say they are Republicans. When the leanings of independents are considered, fully 81% identify as Democrats or lean to the Democratic Party, compared with 12% who either identify as Republicans or lean toward the GOP.
By GottaLaff
Creation Museum "Scientists" Hilariously Explain How to be Skeptical of Science, But Accept the Bible Without Question
By GottaLaff
Knudsen, a curator of the plant-like combination of fungi and algae at the UC Riverside Herbarium, named a new species of tough, orange-colored lichen, Caloplaca obamae, after Barack Obama.
"I supported him running for president, and while we were doing the collecting the election was in its last couple of weeks," Knudsen, 58, said Thursday. "It was real suspense, so we were talking about that every day." [...]"After the Bush administration, I appreciated the change to an administration supporting science and science education," Knudsen said.
Knudsen, who has studied lichens for about 10 years and roamed the California coast looking for them, said the naming decision wasn't about publicity.
With Priestley, Johnson has now taken on a subject that is every bit as complex and multifaceted as any of the Quentin Tarantino films he so admires. Priestley was a scientist, true, and his meditations on the exhalations of gases from mint leaves and the curiosities of phlogiston and fixed air, his discoveries of sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, ammonia gas—and oxygen, most importantly—and his relationship with his French rival Lavoisier have been the stuff of schoolroom chemistry lessons for more than two centuries. But it is his politically liberal and spiritually dissenting views that underpin the story that Johnson chooses to tell—views that led in 1794 to Priestley, whose house in Birmingham had been sacked by rioters, emigrating to America, thereby becoming the first great scientist-exile, seeking safe harbour in America after being persecuted for his religious and political beliefs at home.
By GottaLaff
When President Obama lifts restrictions on funding for human embryonic stem cell research Monday, he will also issue a presidential memorandum aimed at insulating scientific decisions across the federal government from political influence, officials said today.
"The president believes that it's particularly important to sign this memorandum so that we can put science and technology back at the heart of pursuing a broad range of national goals," said Melody Barnes, director of Obama's Domestic Policy Council.
No more creating one's own reality? No more politicizing science? On the Makes-Sense-O-Meter scale of 1-10, that's like a... 400.
While officials would not go into details, the memorandum will order the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to "assure a number of effective standards and practices that will help our society feel that we have the highest-quality individuals carrying out scientific jobs and that information is shared with the public," said Harold Varmus, who co-chairs Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.What?! Did I hear them say "share information with the public"? Everyone duck! The Makes-Sense-O-Meter's about to explode!
The memorandum will ensure that "people who are appointed to federal positions in science have strong credentials and that the vetting process for evaluating scientific information doesn't lead to any undermining of the scientific opinion," he said.Oh puh-leeze. Credentials schmedentials. Allowing cronies to dictate what happens to other people's bodies, which lab procedures to approve, or which religious beliefs to inject into research and development is perfectly sound... if you're an insecure, sadistic little splat of a tyrant named George.
By GottaLaff
Welcome to the 21st century, Texas.A decision Thursday by the Texas State Board of Education is a big defeat for proponents of creationism and others who would like to see evolution presented in school as a weak theory that has viable competing alternatives.
The vote was a tie, 7-7, to restore a rule requiring the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution be taught in high school science class. The tie means the measure was defeated, so evolution can continue to be taught as the very strong scientific theory that it is.
While scientific theories should be open to discussion and challenged by evidence, scientists agree that evolution is about as solid a theory as there is. [...] Importantly, no evidence exists to even mildly support any other theory to explain the diversity of life, the relationships between some species that have diverged, lineages seen in the fossil record, and even such current and obvious evolution as occurs when microbes evolve to resist drugs designed to kill them.
Very cool. Their site is www.nanobama.com.
Barack Obama is larger than life these days. Except, that is, at the University of Michigan, where the president-elect has become remarkably small.
Researchers have created carbon nanotube images of Obama that can be seen only through electron microscopes.
(snip)
Each of the millions of hollow carbon cylinders that make up the incoming president’s image is tens of thousands times smaller than a human hair, but stronger than steel — tiny stuff once of science fiction but now of Nobel prize-winning scientists.
Patterns arranged in the shapes of Obama’s and Biden’s faces, as well as the horizontal flag stripes, are made of metal catalyst nanoparticles. The nanotubes are “grown” like forests of trees on the patterns by 1,000 degree-plus heat in a chemical reaction.
But of course. Via my bro, the Sasquatch king. (some cool vids at the link)
So, bottomline is that despite all his political statements, McCain voted for the DNA study, Palin voted against the belugas and the polar bears, and I think it’s time to watch the videotapes.
If Bigfoot is to be discovered, don’t you think one of the first beachheads of new evidence will come about through this kind of research?
(snip)
Therefore, it’s pretty simple. If you are pro-Bigfoot, you better hope that Mr. Obama gets the presidency.
By GottaLaff
If there's one rule in election-year politics, it's this: Don't mess with the science crowd. [...]Here's a scientific fact: Gramm-pa McCain is one of the worst presidential candidates in memory.[H]e punctuated his attack (twice) with this example:
"[Obama] voted for nearly a billion dollars in pork barrel earmark projects, including, by the way, $3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Illinois. My friends, do we need to spend that kind of money?"
Turns out, a lot of people think we do. This is no ordinary overhead projector from your 5th grade classroom. The blog Cosmic Variance sums it up:
"If you've ever had the pleasure of visiting the Adler Planetarium, you'd probably guess that the 'overhead projector' he's talking about is the spectacular 'Sky Theater' -- one of the most engrossing, gorgeous venues for displaying visuals about space."
The science community is notoriously tight-knit, especially when rallying to a cause, and boy are they are rallying to this one. Alan Boyle's Cosmic Log has a great summary of the uproar:
-"For McCain to use this as a political zinger is insulting..." (Bad Astronomy)
-"Planetariums are Bridges to the Future, and America would be a much better place if all the congressional earmarks went to projects like them." (The Perfect Silence)
-"The logo for Senator John McCain's campaign has a star in the middle. I wonder what his guide star is? It can't be the same one that ten million children have seen at the Adler Planetarium. Why should anyone want their star to dim?" (Discovery Space)
The Adler Planetarium even issued a statement, noting that the request, ironically, was not even funded:
"To clarify, the Adler Planetarium requested federal support -- which was not funded -- to replace the projector in its historic Sky Theater, the first planetarium theater in the Western Hemisphere.... To remain competitive and ensure national security, it is vital that we educate and inspire the next generation of explorers to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math."
[...]McCain probably shouldn't count on the "science vote" this year.
Lurve it!!! Line 'em up boys, conservative anti-choice pundits go first.
WASHINGTON— Cells taken from men's testicles seem as versatile as the stem cells derived from embryos, researchers reported Wednesday in what may be yet another new approach in a burgeoning scientific field.
The new type of stem cells could be useful for growing personalized replacement tissues, according to a study in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. But because of their source, their highest promise would apply to only half the world's population: men.
Embryonic stem cells can give rise to virtually any tissue in the body and scientists believe they may offer treatments for diseases like Parkinson's and diabetes and for spinal cord injuries.
The testicular cells avoid the ethical dilemma of embryonic stem cells, which are harvested in a process that destroys the embryos. For that reason, some people, including President Bush, oppose their use for ethical or religious reasons.
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