In a recent article in The New Yorker about the very popular HBO mini-series “Chernobyl,” the author writes: The Soviet system of propaganda and censorship existed not so much for the purpose of spreading a particular message as for the … Continue reading →
It’s not possible yet, but they’re working on it: Progress toward making “artificial gametes” has been accelerating. In Japan, mice were born from eggs scientists had manufactured in a dish from a tail cell. Chinese scientists later claimed they had … Continue reading →
Apparently not [emphasis mine]: Recent studies show [scientists] may have overestimated the age of the universe by more than a billion years — a surprising realization that is forcing them to rethink key parts of the scientific story of how … Continue reading →
Short answer: no one really knows although theories abound, and the causes are probably interactions among multiple factors. I’ve always found the history of earth’s ice ages to be fascinating, from the moment I discovered some maps as a child … Continue reading →
An ambitious expedition is about to start, with a mission to map the undersea area known as Doggerland, and in particular to take samples to see if any trace of human habitation can be found. I’ve written about Doggerland before. … Continue reading →
Pocket thinks I’d be interested in this article entitled “The Amazing Psychology of Japanese Train Stations: The nation’s famed mastery of rail travel has been aided by some subtle behavioral tricks.” And Pocket’s got my number, all right, because indeed … Continue reading →
Here’s an interesting exploration of that queasy, unsteady feeling many people get when standing close to the edge of a big drop. Some describe it as an urge to jump, but that might just represent a case of crossed and … Continue reading →
[NOTE: Part I can be found here.] Later on in his interview, the philosopher and bioethicist Julian Savulescu has much to say about what humans can do on the biological level to help make the world better, in the general … Continue reading →
[NOTE: Part II here.] As soon as I saw the headline for this article, I thought it might be about Peter Singer. I’ve written at great length about Singer before (see this, this, and this), and the title of the … Continue reading →
The folks at Google have made sure that Kay Coles James will not be on an AI ethics board they’re setting up, because she’s from the Heritage Foundation. She may be a black woman, but as a conservative black woman, … Continue reading →
I’ve had many occasions over the years to quote this line from “Hamlet,” and I’m going to do it again: There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. It was true … Continue reading →
For some diseases, not as long as one might think. For other diseases, a really long time. And in addition, it’s not easy to ascertain how long they last, particularly for diseases that have mostly been wiped out and for … Continue reading →