Author Archives: Bubble Chamber

Project SETI for the search of extraterrestrial life is to close down due to financial difficulties. Paul Davies, an astrophysicist at Arizona State University, said “it would be an utter tragedy if a unique research programme is abandoned for the cost of a few miles of motorway … Our society squanders vast sums on trivia and entertainment, yet cannot find some small change to address the burning issue of whether we are alone in the universe,” The Guardian reports.

David Bruggeman discusses whether an alleged “muzzling” of Canadian scientists in the media is an issue for the Canadian elections.

Leading philosophy journal Synthese has published a mostly critical issue on creationism and intelligent design. The editors in chief added a disclaimer in the printed issue about some of the articles’ allegedly inappropriate tone. This has lead blogger-philosopher Brian Leiter to call for a boycott of Synthese for giving in to creationists’ pressure, and some more criticism and reactions on the blogosphere.

Is contemporary military science fiction a neoliberal simplification of the complex reality of war?

Is science policy an issue in the Canada 2011 election?

Top 40 science questions for U.S. conservation policy makers. Well, almost.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson says that scientific innovation and policy should work together.

Scientists solve a problem that has perplexed philosophers for 300 years. And here is a link to the actual paper.

Scientists from the Weiztman Institute of Science storm the Tel Aviv pub scene to tell its party animals about the wonders of science.

A duet from space.

How did language evolve and how much technology design is constrained on BBC’s Science in Action.

Will the Internet collapse the ivory tower?

Philip Kitcher

Philip Kitcher has a new article calling for philosophy to expand its concern beyond the traditional core of metaphysics and epistemology. The Leiter Report has an extensive discussion of his paper, including responses from Kitcher.

Eric Schliesser responds to an essay by Robert and Virginia Shiller about the overspecialization of economics. Schliesser responds that economists don’t just need to learn more facts about the world, they need to examine the foundational assumptions of their discipline.

Will climate change affect nuclear security?

Somatosphere has audio recordings of a panel from the Society of Psychological Anthropology on “Political Subjectivity”.

Andy Stirling argues that science can give us no simple answers regarding the choice between nuclear and renewable energy.

Simone Lewis-Koskinen, guest blogging for Age of Engagement, reports on a recent AAAS panel on communicating science “outside the box”.

Will Thomas continues his series on “Neglected Connections Between the Histories of Science and Economics“.

Climate scientist Isaac Held has started a new blog explaining his science.

A Texas state senator is promoting a bill that would outlaw workplace discrimination against creationists.

Eugene Raikhel has a fascinating post on a method of treatment for alcoholism in Russia: convincing alcoholics that they have been injected with a drug that will severely harm or even kill them if combined with alcohol.