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How Imaginary Numbers Were Invented

youtube.com link posted by c_prompt in todayilearned

A general solution to the cubic equation was long considered impossible, until we gave up the requirement that math reflect reality. References: Some great videos about the cubic: 50...

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My Own Personal Nothingness - From a childhood hallucination to the halls of theoretical physics

nautil.us link posted by c_prompt in philosophy

“Nothing will come of nothing.”(William Shakespeare, King Lear) “Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed.”(Blaise...

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Rewarding Disobedience: 2018 - MIT Media Lab is giving out a no-strings-attached cash award of $250,000 for "disobedience" that benefits society

media.mit.edu link posted by c_prompt in politics

Nominations are now open for the second MIT Media Lab Disobedience Award, which carries a $250,000 cash prize, no strings attached. This award will go to a person or group engaged in what we...

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Learning About the Most Important War in History

editorial posted by Andrew in Blog

                During history, one war has stood out among all of the awful wars, all of the genocides, all of the violence; that war is World War 2. Since I was little, I was interes...

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Oh No! Science Supports... The Anarchists!!

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

I'm talking about the real anarchists here, not bloody bomb-throwers or anti-capitalist window breakers. I'm referring to people who have faced the scary fact that all coercive power corrupts and tha...

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Killer viruses - should we make them?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

We all have previously learned about the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918, which killed between 20-40 million people worldwide in our history classes. Now with the advance of modern molecular biology techn...

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Madly in love - is there a rational basis to love?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

We need a new demotivational poster: "Science. A quick way to mess-up all those great love poems." The definition of rational isn't very controversial: "having reason or understanding." The defini...

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An interview with David Eagleman, neuroscientist

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

A neuroscientist is someone who studies "the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, or molecular biology of nerves and nervous tissue and especially their relation to behavior and learning." Although the...

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The age of nanotechnology

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Throughout history, machines, tools, devices, etc. have become smaller. But not until recently have we been able to see down to the lowest level - to that of the nano. With electron microscopes, nano...

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TIL real-life levitation does exist

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that, without a magic wand, levitation is real. The physics behind it consists of a ceramic material that is famous for superconductivity when cooled below -185ºC (-301ºF). The s...

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TIL you CAN prove a negative

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned the adage "you can't prove a negative" is false because you can prove a negative. It's very easy. We need to stop saying that. A better statement to use is "he who asserts a positive...

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Breaking the laws of physics - will philosophy become more important?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Just when you thought you understood how the world works, the tachyons come to shake things up. For those who haven't heard by now, the masterminds at CERN who brought you the LHC rap have made wh...

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The seven blunders of the world that lead to violence

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

When it comes to non-violent, ideological leaders, Mahatma Gandhi has got to be toward the very top of the list. His resistance to British tyranny through mass civil disobedience is famous. Needless...

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Guilt begone - it was the sun all along

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore aren't going to be happy. Scientists are messing up their politics. So it turns out that the only thing man-made about global warming is t...

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One nation, under God, and undereducated

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

For the most part, public education in the US is a disaster. Where the blame lies will be forever debated, but to claim otherwise is to sleep undisturbed in a fantasy world with "stark wake-up calls"...

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TIL Einstein supported a one-world government and was a Socialist

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned Albert Einstein supported a one-world government and was a Socialist. Einstein's passionate commitment to the cause of global peace led him to support the creation of a single, u...

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Science helps explain why men are confused about female orgasms

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

It is claimed that women fake orgasms because of insecurities. But as women have a tremendous capacity for pleasure, perhaps men just aren't stimulating the right places. As scary as it might sound t...

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Space and "empty space": Much ado about nothing, or is it?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Space is a concept which is very rarely correctly understand by anybody, including modern physicists. However, the purpose of this essay is not to discuss the confusions of others in relation to this...

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The Davies Certainty Principle (Two-Minute Case Against The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle)

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Most of you are probably aware of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. It states that it is not possible to know the precise position and momentum of subatomic particles such as electrons. (There is...

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Superstitions - finding an impenetrable prophylactic against ignorant beliefs

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

One of the many fun things to do as a kid is to sit around a campfire late at night and hear adults tell ghost stories. Our imaginations would run wild - are there really such things as ghosts? Bu...

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Does porn hurt relationships? Science says no

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Porn is like bacon: some won't eat it for religious reasons, some consider it filthy, some feel guilty after eating it, but everyone else (which is most of the population) loves it. Funny enough, sci...

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The courage of convictions - rational people don't agree to disagree

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Politics. Morality. Religion. Relationships. Even science. These are examples of the many categories in which you will find disagreements. These debates occur just as much with intelligent people as...

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The legitimacy of higher education - do we need more scientists and engineers?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Robert Heinlein once wrote: "Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor." The number of students going to UK universities is falling. Additionally,...

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Well I'll be a monkey's uncle - evolution is not a matter of faith

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Humans and chimpanzees share 96% of the same DNA. In other words, from a scientific perspective, humans and chimpanzees are genetically very similar. As the battle between evolution and intelligen...

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TIL why helium makes your voice squeaky

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned why light gasses like helium make your voice squeaky and heavy gasses like sulfur hexafluoride or xenon make your voice sound like Barry White. In summary, the timbre of your voice...

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TIL hot water freezes faster than cold water (and be careful with reigning paradigms)

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned hot water sometimes freezes faster than cold water. Although there isn't one, conclusive scientific explanation for the phenomenon, one of the theories for why this occurs is that hot...

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TIL you can run a diesel engine car on used vegetable oil

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that you can run a diesel engine car on waste vegetable oil (e.g., oil that's been used to cook). It is less harmful to the environment, less toxic to people and animals, and runs abo...

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TIL how cats and dogs drink water

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned how cats and dogs drink water. The water sticks to their tongues and the upward pull creates a water column from inertia (the liquid continues to move in the direction pulled). Then,...

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TIL don't use olive oil for cooking at high temperatures

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that you should not use olive oil to cook at high heats (i.e., potentially anything over 200 - 250º F / 93 - 121º C, although that is debated), especially extra virgin olive oils. T...

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Is neurobiology making us morally ill?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Getting people to agree on objective moral principles is difficult, to say the least. Moral codes seem to span the gamut of culture, time, environment, experience, geography, gender, race, etc. Could...

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The cosmic conflict of religion and science

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

If you're looking for the meaning of life, religions are ready with an answer. As of yet, science doesn't have an answer, other than to possibly claim that there isn't any purpose. (Nihilists of the...

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TIL about the Ig Noble prize

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned about the Ig Noble prizes, which "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think. The prizes are intended to celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative -...

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Environmental suicide

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Contrary to what the United Nations does, Mother Earth doesn't have a conscience. She can't tell us which of her resources she wants us to save, which to take care of, and which to use. Ergo, how we...

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• philosophy,
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Epic win - making a better world with video games

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

"Gamers are super-empowered hopeful individuals." They are masters at figuring things out, even medical problems. So who wants to use gaming to change the world? There are many problems to address...

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TIL about the Flying Spaghetti Monster

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that the Flying Spaghetti Monster was a humorous protest against the government's decision to permit the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in public school...

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TIL why hair turns grey

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that hair turns grey with age because of naturally-secreted hydrogen peroxide. Guess blondes were onto something. Good to know someone is finally getting at the "root" of the problem....

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Engineering the perfect human

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Recently, Harvard University had a panel discussing the legacy of the Human Genome Project. Started in 1990, and with scientists from six countries and initial funding of $3 billion, the project publ...

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Optical Illusions - Proof That The Senses Are Valid

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

The senses have no power of distortion; what they observe is what is. Optical illusions do not validate the claim that the senses can deceive us: optical illusions are the senses making valid observa...

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Why Philosophy Precedes Physics

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

A few months ago, I was discussing certain aspects of quantum mechanics with somebody. I got around to saying that certain claims within the realm of physics can be rejected outright on philosophical...

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• ayn rand,
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Synthesizing happiness

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Through Hamlet, Shakespeare said "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." You'd never believe it if someone told you the secret to happiness in life is to accrue wealth, power...

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TIL ignorance begets confidence

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Ah, to be ignorant of your own ignorance... Today I learned that there is a psychological term for people who don't know stuff but are too incompetent to realize it and, therefore, suffer from an ill...

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Step-up and be a man

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Contrasted with being a "good guy," what does it mean to be a "real man?" Putting aside the obvious requirements of XY chromosomes "and a pair of testicles," what determines masculinity? Is there a w...

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Quadrotor robots

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

You've just got to love science... one of the great things about science fiction is how quickly it becomes non-fiction. Putting aside the potential for Skynet or I, Robot, imagine for a moment artifi...

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Is Jesus Christ a myth?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

The central figure in all of Christianity is one man: Jesus of Nazareth. Putting aside whether or not you believe that God exists, a key component to Christianity is that Jesus did exist. But what if...

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Stop being a bystander

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

The Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. displays the ominous words: "Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander." Although there are except...

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The simpler, the better?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Albert Einstein once said: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Although not supported by math or science, and certainly not an axiom of physics, Occam's Razor (or Ockh...

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TIL the cause of yawning is still unknown

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that my belief that the purpose of yawning is to bring oxygen into the brain has never been proven. Scientists still don't know why we yawn. FTA: Everyone yawns, but no one kn...

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Mind boggling

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Talk about "mind=blown." Imagine a world where you can manipulate objects solely with your mind. It's here, it's now, and it's incredible. Consider every industry. Consider every skill. Consider ever...

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The next big alternative fuel - salt water?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

In 2007, John Kanzius accidentally found a way to release and burn hydrogen from salt water with 13.56 MHz radio waves. Many people initially thought it was a hoax. Penn State professor Rustum Roy ve...

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Empathy - can you feel me?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

As a soft science, sociology is the study of the social behavior of humans in the pursuit of social welfare. Dr. Sam Richards suggests that the sociological analysis of the various aspects in your ow...

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• sociology,
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TIL: The sky is black and the sun is white

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that the sky isn't blue and the sun isn't yellow. The sky is actually black and the sun is white. It's only because we have an atmosphere (which is made of gas molecules and dust) tha...

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TIL: Birds and bees aren't only pollinators

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Today I learned that my parents mislead me when they taught me about the "birds and the bees" - there are over 200,000 species of animals that act as pollinators, and even the wind acts as a pollinat...

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• plants,
• sex,
• insects,
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Love is good for you

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Everyone's familiar with the expression "love at first sight." But is that really the way love works? According to a recent scientific study, the answer is yes. But what about romance? What about val...

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• relationships,
• love,
• intellectualism,
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Do you want to live forever?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

The mystical Fountain of Youth so long sought after... What if it were real, and the key to life could be discovered in an 18-year old girl that, for all intents and purposes, is a baby? What if, in...

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• transhumanism,
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Why is there something rather than nothing?

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

People study science and natural science (i.e., philosophy) to understand the nature of reality. Presumably, the more accurately we understand reality, the happier we will be. (Similarly, when we ope...

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Starving cancer with food

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Cancer. I hate this disease. My sister was diagnosed with it at about age 5. She, along with my mother, father, and I, spent the next 16 years in and out of hospitals getting treatments that, arguabl...

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• medicine,
• cancer,
• science,
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Thorium - energy's silver bullet

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Nuclear energy was discovered in the context of war (specifically World War II). In the 1950s, the US Air Force tried to come up with an idea of putting a nuclear reactor on an airplane to keep it ru...

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The legal system is criminal

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

The Nazis and Joseph Stalin were famous for their show trials, where "guilt" was determined by the authorities before the trial. From the court jester files, we continue to find that the the American...

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• politics,
• crime,
• police state,
• police brutality,
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Natural philosophy rocks

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Science rocks. It's a shame that it sometimes doesn't get the gratitude it deserves. Humans, by our nature, are curious about how the world works. Science helps us understand what reality is, and tha...

• No comments
• science,
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Science fiction and politics

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Science fiction author Robert Heinlein was known as the "the dean of science fiction writers." According to Wikipedia, "he was one of the most popular, influential, and controversial authors of the g...

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• science-fiction,
• books,
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Science and morality

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Are human values detached from science? Many, such as moral relativists, argue that morality has little, if anything, to do with reality. Science attempts to prove what reality is through an objectiv...

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• philosophy,
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Doomsday Ark on the moon

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

If you're really concerned about future generations, shouldn't there be other, more important priorities that one would be focused on instead of building a "doomsday ark" on the moon? Is this really...

• No comments
• astronomy,
• science,
• technology

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Eviscerating global warming

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

You don't say? Hey Al Gore, what do you think? FTA: "A cross examination of global warming science conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Law and Economics has concluded tha...

• No comments
• environment,
• conspiracy,
• global warming,
• science,
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Beam me up Scotty

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

In the movie Contact, Jodi Foster says "So if it's just us... seems like an awful waste of space." Do you believe that there is life outside of Earth? What are the implications for humanity if aliens...

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• science,
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• UFO,
• extraterrestrial

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Magnets manipulate morality

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

FTA: "By stimulating a certain region of the brain, scientists can alter a person's ability to make moral judgments... The study results show that stimulating a specific brain region interfered with...

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• philosophy,
• science,
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Rejecting evidence to the contrary

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozl...

• No comments
• philosophy,
• science,
• psychology

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Galilei vs. Carlin

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei (aka the founder of the scientific meth...

• No comments
• religion,
• science,
• philosophy

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Leonardo da Vinci's resume

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

At one time in history, even Leonardo da Vinci himself had to pen a resume to explain why he was a qualified applicant. Here's a translation of his letter to the Duke of Milan, enumerating his many t...

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• art,
• science,
• history

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Climate change from a historical perspective

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Politics destroys all things, it's latest casualty being scientific truth. When the global warming science fraud didn't work out, the propoganda artists changed the name to climate change. Here's a s...

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• environment,
• climate change,
• science,
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Science is racist

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

So we had a great discussion earlier today about scientific theories vs. laws, physics, astronomy, and geometry. Science is so amazing! And then I read something like this and it makes me sick. Hi...

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• science,
• politics,
• education

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Does the G-spot exist

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Ladies, there's a new study out where scientists are saying that the G-spot may not exist G-spot 'may not exist', say scientists DISCUSS! Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on...

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• science,
• sex

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Sci-Fi Fantasies

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

Come explore the geek in me. I've been a lifelong artist and these days, most of my work is inspired by roleplay characters, sci-fi or fantasy novels and films, and my love of Star Wars. M...

• No comments
• science-fiction,
• graphic design,
• illustration

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A Challenge - Defend Evolution Against Intelligent Design

editorial posted by braincrave in braincrave

This challenge arose from a discussion in a large philosophy venue in which I stated that if ever a really competent intelligent design defender or evolutionist came around, he would blow the philoso...

• 1 comment
• religion,
• evolution,
• science,
• speciation,
• intelligent design

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A new material can absorb up to 90 times its own weight in spilled oil and then be squeezed out like a sponge and reused, raising hopes for easier clean-up of oil spill sites

newscientist.com link posted by c_prompt in environment

A new foam material could be the first good reusable method to recover spilled oil, and would be much better for the environment: A new material can absorb up to 90 times its own weight in spill...

• No comments
• science,
• oil spill,
• sorbents

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Symbolab Math Solver - Step by Step Calculator

symbolab.com link posted by c_prompt in homeworkhelp

Equation search and math solver - solves algebra, trigonometry and calculus problems step by step (shows you actual steps how to solve). Symbolab is an advanced math education tool. It allows user...

• 1 comment
• math tools,
• formulas,
• equations,
• calculator,
• science

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Miraculous Stem Cell Breakthrough Reverses Multiple Sclerosis, Paralyzed Patients Walking Again

thefreethoughtproject.com link posted by c_prompt in health

The wonders of stem cell therapy are being realized in a breakthrough medical trial that has reversed and halted the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS). This disease can suddenly attack healthy youn...

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• science,
• medicine,
• multiple sclerosis,
• stem cells,
• disease

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Stuart Hameroff on Singularity 1on1: Consciousness is More than Computation!

editorial posted by Clarisse88 in science

• 2 comments
• consciousness,
• science

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Apparently, Burning NH4Cr2O7 With HgSCN Opens A Portal To Hell.

iflscience.com link posted by Clarisse88 in science

Of all the chemical reactions we've covered within the past few months, the one filmed below probaby takes the prize for coolest looking and possibly scariest. After the pile of reactants is lit, it b...

• 4 comments
• science,
• chemical reactions,
• hell

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Scientists Baffled After Finding 10th Century Medicine that Kills Antibiotic-Resistant ‘Superbug’ MRSA

thefreethoughtproject.com link posted by c_prompt in health

London, U.K. – An ancient Anglo-Saxon potion, used to treat eye infections in the 10th-century, has shown the potential to eradicate the modern MRSA superbug, according to research. The ancient...

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• science,
• MRSA superbug,
• food,
• alternative medicine,
• biology

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“race is simply not a level of biological division …in…humans”

lewrockwell.com link posted by c_prompt in politics

In the spirit of Morgan Freeman's excellent advice on how to solve the race problem and just "stop talking about it," I'm reposting this thoughtful perspective from lewrockwell.com. Rachel Dol...

• 1 comment
• race,
• discrimination,
• ethnicity,
• science,
• biology,
• genetics,
• libertarian,
• segregation,
• culture

8

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Laura Schulz: The surprisingly logical minds of babies (TED Talk). Do I admit too much when I tell you I had tears in my eyes as she finished her presentation?

ted.com link posted by c_prompt in science

How do babies learn so much from so little so quickly? In a fun, experiment-filled talk, cognitive scientist Laura Schulz shows how our young ones make decisions with a surprisingly strong sense of l...

• No comments
• neuroscience,
• children,
• philosophy,
• psychology,
• learning,
• education,
• babies,
• reason,
• cognition

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Batteriser is a $2.50 gadget that extends alkaline battery life 800%. Someone thought it was hot enough to go to jail for.

macworld.com link posted by c_prompt in technology

Count the number of alkaline batteries in your house. Now consider replacing those batteries eight times less often. If Batteriser delivers, it could be a game changer. Bob Roohparvar tells...

• 1 comment
• batteries,
• green technology,
• environment,
• science,
• energy,
• industrial espionage,
• engineering,
• electronics

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Scientists retrieve lost memories using optogenetics

sciencedaily.com link posted by c_prompt in science

Researchers have found that memories that have been 'lost' as a result of amnesia can be recalled by activating brain cells with light. They reactivated memories that could not otherwise be retrieved...

• 1 comment
• memory,
• amnesia,
• alzheimer's disease,
• neuroscience,
• brain,
• health,
• psychology

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Cold sore virus 'treats skin cancer'

bbc.com link posted by c_prompt in cancer

A genetically engineered version of a virus that normally causes cold sores shows real promise for treating skin cancer, say researchers. The modified herpes virus is harmless to normal cells but...

• No comments
• genetics,
• science,
• melanoma

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First They Came for the Anti-Vaxxers

lewrockwell.com link posted by c_prompt in health

The manipulation of the conversation around vaccines in the mainstream media has been nothing short of a tour de force. If you read only mainstream publications, you might come away with the impres...

• 2 comments
• vaccines,
• conspiracy,
• science,
• mainstream media,
• libertarian,
• propaganda,
• medicine,
• children,
• politics,
• parenting

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Yes, You Can Catch Insanity: Reviving the debate about the immune system and mental illness.

nautil.us link posted by c_prompt in health

One day in March 2010, Isak McCune started clearing his throat with a forceful, violent sound. The New Hampshire toddler was 3, with a Beatles mop of blonde hair and a cuddly, loving personality. H...

• No comments
• biology,
• psychology,
• science,
• medicine,
• immunopsychiatry,
• mental illness,
• autoimmune disease

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Neuroscientist Sam Harris on Drugs and the Meaning of Life

samharris.org link posted by digdug in philosophy

The power of psychedelics, however, is that they often reveal, in the span of a few hours, depths of awe and understanding that can otherwise elude us for a lifetime... I believe that psychedeli...

• 7 comments
• neuroscience,
• drugs,
• LSD,
• marijuana,
• consciousness,
• psychology,
• parenting,
• psychedelics,
• ethics,
• morality

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Awkward: UN Said Global Warming Would Destroy Nations By 2000. We are now living 15 years after the global warming apocalypse. Image that.

thelibertarianrepublic.com link posted by c_prompt in environment

• No comments
• global warming,
• climate,
• science,
• propaganda,
• conspiracy,
• libertarian,
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Michio Kaku: "Yes there are rogue nations, the principal among them perhaps the United States of America"

youtube.com link posted by digdug in politics

• No comments
• science,
• anti-war,
• freedom,
• physics

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Harvard cracks DNA storage, crams 700 terabytes of data into a single gram

extremetech.com link posted by c_prompt in technology

A bioengineer and geneticist at Harvard’s Wyss Institute have successfully stored 5.5 petabits of data — around 700 terabytes — in a single gram of DNA, smashing the previous DNA data density...

• No comments
• storage,
• DNA,
• science,
• genetics,
• engineering

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Climate And Truth: A Tale Of Immorality?

wattsupwiththat.com link posted by digdug in environment

The most recent aberration of climate science is the apparent cherry picking of ocean temperature data by government scientists, Richard Feely and Christopher Sabine. The objective is not to determ...

• No comments
• science,
• politics,
• philosophy,
• global warming,
• climate,
• conspiracy

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11 amazing quotes from theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking

mentalfloss.com link posted by c_prompt in Note to Self

1. On His Schooling: "At school, I was never more than about halfway up the class. It was a very bright class. My classwork was very untidy, and my handwriting was the despair of my teacher...

• 4 comments
• physics,
• science,
• quotes,
• disabililty,
• philosophy,
• religion,
• celebrities

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Scientists discover infinite energy: toast always lands butter-side down. Cats always land on their feet...

memedepot.com link posted by c_prompt in funny

• No comments
• meme,
• science,
• energy,
• cats

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How a nerdy kid from nowhere self-published a best-seller and got noticed by Google CEO Larry Page and The Wall Street Journal

federicopistono.org link posted by c_prompt in teens

Last week Larry Page, the CEO of one of the largest corporations in the world, and possibly one of the most powerful people on the planet, released an interview with the Financial Times endorsing m...

• 1 comment
• philosophy,
• education,
• writing,
• self-help,
• technology,
• self-publishing,
• transhumanism,
• robotics,
• science,
• singularity,
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Stanford scientists develop water splitter that runs on ordinary AAA battery

news.stanford.edu link posted by c_prompt in environment

Hongjie Dai and colleagues have developed a cheap, emissions-free device that uses a 1.5-volt battery to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen gas could be used to power fuel cells in zer...

• No comments
• cars,
• science,
• alternative energy,
• energy

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The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales (Oliver Sacks) - The President's Speech

junkfoodforthought.com link posted by c_prompt in psychology

ROFL. This is not only hysterical but also incredibly insightful. tl/dr: Some people who have language disorders are unable to understand the meaning of words. Instead, they rely on facial express...

• No comments
• neuroscience,
• politics,
• neurology

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Sound and Touch Collide

nautil.us link posted by c_prompt in psychology

Humans have five distinct senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. For decades, researchers have thought that each sense is processed separately in the cortex, or outer layers of the brain, and...

• No comments
• neuroscience,
• senses

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What's scientific about political science? Nothing.

lewrockwell.com link posted by b_independent in politics

They call it political science. They study things such as the origins of the state, history, political ideologies, law, war, taxes, regulation, international relations, and free trade. They claim t...

• No comments
• political science,
• philosophy,
• science,
• propoganda,
• conspiracy,
• education,
• taxes

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TIL why alcohol makes you dizzy

youtu.be link posted by b_independent in todayilearned

Alcohol dilutes your blood (i.e., makes it less dense) because alcohol is lighter than water. Alcohol-soaked blood builds up more quickly in your ears than elsewhere in the body, and that throws off...

• 2 comments
• alcohol,
• drugs,
• science,
• health

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Periodic Table of the Elements, in Pictures

elements.wlonk.com link posted by digdug in teens

Inspired by this post, these colorful, fun, and informative periodic tables are great for elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as adults.

• 2 comments
• science

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New research sheds light on how the body regulates fundamental neuro-hormone

bristol.ac.uk link posted by c_prompt in health

New research has revealed a previously unknown mechanism in the body which regulates a hormone that is crucial for motivation, stress responses and control of blood pressure, pain and appetite. The br...

• No comments
• science