[NOTE: Part I is here.] It turns out that the case of autistic 13-year-old author Naoki Higashida is more complex than that of Rom Houben. When I Googled his book (The Reason I Jump) online, I was expecting (hoping, anyway) … Continue reading →
Back in 2009 I wrote a post called “Wanting to believe in miracles.” It was about the case of Rom Houben, a severely brain-damaged patient in Belgium who was said to be communicating complex thoughts through a method known as … Continue reading →
Actually, that headline isn’t true. I lied. What RFK Jr. would really like to do is to throw them in jail, if he could only figure out what crime to charge them with: Kennedy Jr. accused skeptical politicians of “selling … Continue reading →
This is not good news: The Ebola virus is spreading exponentially in Liberia, the World Health Organization said, predicting thousands of new cases there in the coming weeks. The agency said Monday the number of new Liberian cases is moving … Continue reading →
According to the preliminary report of an autopsy requested by the Brown family, Michael Brown was shot six times, four in the right arm and two in the head, the last shot killing him. All were fired from the front. … Continue reading →
It’s not pretty, even if your credentials are impeccable: John Christy, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, says he remembers the morning he spotted a well-known colleague at a gathering of climate experts. “I … Continue reading →
The Fermi Paradox is scary any way you look at it. Are we alone in the universe, and if so, why? And if not, why haven’t we heard a thing?: Continuing to speculate, if 1% of intelligent life survives long … Continue reading →
Tired of reading about politics and the decline of the republic? Here’s a palate refresher, and something of a mind-blower: The one and only known Pelagornis sandersi fossil’s wings stretch a whopping 6.4 meters (or 20.99 feet) ”“ about twice … Continue reading →
Oh, those stupid climate deniers, they think the moon is made of green cheese: For the White House it’s about getting the liberal base excited for the midterms. It’s a confidence that climate change has shifted in voters’ minds. It’s … Continue reading →
My guess is that the computer managed to pass the Turing test not so much because computers are getting so smart and lifelike as because people are getting so dumb and computer-program-like.
Continue reading →There are so many crises generated by the Obama administration that it’s easy to lose sight of some. But in just a little over a week a probable new one will be unleashed when the EPA announces rules for existing … Continue reading →
I remember reading decades ago about how quickly we judge people when we first meet them. Yes or no, stay or move on? This 1986 book said the judgments all happen within four minutes, but my impression is that it’s … Continue reading →