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Kyoto prize for evolution while you watch
A husband-and-wife team of British evolutionary biologists, Peter and Rosemary Grant, were on 19 June awarded the Kyoto prize in basic science for their studies, over more than three decades, documenting evolution by natural selection in finches on the Galapagos Islands.
Posted by Richard Van Noorden on June 22, 2009
British scientists petition research councils: round two
A month after British scientists successfully protested against one of their research council’s policies, they’re at it again – this time, with a wider beef. In May, researchers overturned a controversial banning policy [subscription required] from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. An electronic petition to Downing Street kicked off that campaign, and attracted over 2,000 signatures.
Posted by Katharine Sanderson on June 09, 2009
Entente pas cordiale
French researchers have replied with a 5-minute video rebuke to a fiery speech by Nicolas Sarkozy where the French president chastised at length the country's scientists.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on February 05, 2009
Ones that got away
“The same ballots, run through the same machines, yielded different results each time.” Oakland County Clerk Ruth Johnson reports problems with electronic voting machines. Lucky there isn’t an election happening (Wired). Bones definitely Steve Fossett’s DNA shows remains found in October were those of missing adventurer (LA Times). “We were surprised to find this link.” Researcher Anita Chandra comments on finding that watching Sex in the City, Friends, and similar high-quality entertainment is linked to teenage pregnancy (Times). “What debris may have been still together after re-entry, it fell into the ocean between Australia and New Zealand.” Space station manager Mike Suffredini says a giant ammonia tank jettisoned from the ISS has not hit anything major (Space.com).
Posted by Daniel Cressey on November 04, 2008
Election watch
There is still some science sneaking into the coverage of the election in the United States. At lot of it paints Obama in a better light than McCain.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on November 03, 2008
Ones that got away
NASA’s next rocket: “on the chopping block” Former Republican congressman Robert Walker tells the Orlando Sentinel that Ares I is under threat. [Hat tip: NASA Watch.] “After 15 years of work, we are handing over to industry to produce an artificial heart usable by man.” Researcher Alain Carpentier tells AFP an artificial heart for transplant will be ready for clinical trials by 2011. Pssst. Wanna buy some ivory? The BBC reports that the first sanctioned sale of ivory in southern Africa in nearly a decade started today. “We’re exercising our Constitutional right and privilege in casting our ballot this Election Day.” So says E. Michael Fincke, who will be voting from space in the US elections (Scientific American).
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 28, 2008
Election watch...
After McCain’s attack on earmarks for planetariums, the Republican ticket has alienated another section of the scientific community.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 27, 2008
Election watch...
On today’s election science round up: Obama on India’s space mission Palin on stem cells McCain talks ethanol
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 23, 2008
Election watch...
As we move closer to the finish line the candidates are still finding the time to talk science.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 21, 2008
Election watch...
Election round up...
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 16, 2008
Candidates speak out on NIH funding, stem cells (sort of)
Posted on behalf of Meredith Wadman. There’s nothing like a roundtable in Washington three weeks before Election Day to get a reporter confused about just where the candidates stand on matters like the future of National Institutes of Health...
Posted by Brendan Maher on October 15, 2008
Election watch...
Today’s election watch features “A Vote For Science”, a campaign to get scientists to video themselves explaining who they will be voting for.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 14, 2008
Election watch...
Here at the Great Beyond we like nothing more than parasites, big money, corruption, stand-up rows and flagrant misrepresentation. But sometimes we have to leave the world of pure science behind and get into politics. Here’s the latest from the US elections.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 13, 2008
Election watch...
While his running mate’s statements have been ambiguous, John McCain has set his position on climate change firmly on the record.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on October 10, 2008
NASA tears up space suit contract
NASA has cancelled the space suit contract it signed in June.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on August 18, 2008
'Drill here, drill now'
The price of petrol in the United States has actually come down in recent weeks, and by European standards it was never that high to begin with. But you wouldn't know it looking at the news...
Posted by Daniel Cressey on August 06, 2008
And the fan club lives on
Washington is full of science-policy wonks who bemoan the loss of the Office of Technology Assessment, which between 1972 and 1995 was the go-to place for smart independent advice for policymakers on science and technology topics. Fortunately, OTA junkies now...
Posted by Alex Witze on July 24, 2008
Name that tune in three elements
Best song of the 80s? Gold by Spandau Ballet. But it seems that the frilly-collared Spandau boys were far from original in their lyrical choice. According to a survey undertaken by Santiago Alvarez, in the department of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Barcelona, the most popular elements referred to in music are, from the top; silver, gold, tin and oxygen. I was amazed to hear that tin was so high in the elemental hit parade, until a quick survey of the Nature News team opened my eyes to its prevalence elsewhere than in the Wizard of Oz (incidentally the tin man’s song never mentions his eponymous metal).
Posted by Katharine Sanderson on June 12, 2008
A chemist, a physicist, and a biologist walk into a bar
A surprising number of quite dramatic stories today – one big round-up post will have to do for them all.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on April 01, 2008
Watching Die Hard cuts street crime
A lot has been written over the years on the link between violent culture and violent crime. Most of this has focused on the possibility that playing violent games or watching violent movies makes you more aggressive, a finding backed by some lab studies but not others. Now researchers have found the opposite is true – at least in the short term. It seems that when violent movies come out violent people go and see them, meaning they’re not on the streets drinking, fighting and generally running amok.
Posted by Daniel Cressey on January 22, 2008