Aug
Wealthier populations are more likely to accept evolution
In 2006, Jon Miller et al. released a study titled Public Acceptance of Evolution that compiled the results of an ongoing survey asking people from all over the world to answer “true” or “false” to the following question:
“Human beings as we know them, developed from earlier species of animals”.
While the article itself requires an active subscription to access it, the above cartoon from Calamities of Nature tells you everything you need to know about the results.
In short, as a country’s overall wealth increases so does the percentage of people who accept evolutionary theory. Unless you’re the USA - not so much, in that case.
This is not really a revelation as it is widely understood that an increase in wealth will lead to a more educated, culturally aware population, but it is an interesting statistic that is well-presented.
It also does a nice job of shining a spotlight on the ongoing struggle for rationality in the US.
Jun
How to spot a last-minute conference poster
From Stripped Science:
Many posters are made just before conference due to
procastinationthe desire to show the latest results. How can you recognise such posters?
Jun
Graphic science: The Human Microbiome Project
Continuing this week’s microbiome theme, The Wag have provided a easily digestible (yep) illustration that sums up the overall findings of the human microbiome project.
It’s wonderful - head here for the full cartoon.
Jun
Rock stars of physics
You may have seen the recent Phil Plait comic by Zen Pencils, based on a speech he gave at a science fair. If you haven’t, go take a look - it’s excellent.
Based on this comic you can now purchase a single print titled, “Rock stars of physics” with caricatures of the three big-guns of physics: Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Richard Feynman.
I’m worried that I’m going to run out of wall-space soon.
Jun
Where’s the fun in explaining everything?
Here’s something to ponder.
What if every single thing could be explained and summarised by a series of equations and algorithms - the elusive Theory of Everything? Is this the ultimate goal of scientific investigation, or would it strip away the allure and beauty of the world around us?
This is an excellent question posed by The Finch and Pea, along with the image posted above:
I think my major concern about physicists successfully developing a Theory of Everything (TOE), from which everything in the Universe can be described in a series of equations, is that it would absolutely ruin Pictionary.
May
Life on Earth, in summary
May
How Scientists See The World
From Abstruse Goose.
About Me
Hi there, I'm Jim: PhD student in the biological sciences, enthusiast, friendly neighbour, Australian.
