I thought this was quite an interesting read.

I not too infrequently post on bits of bad science. Creationism and anti-evolution arguments come up often, because they are currently well covered by the media.

It happens to other bits of science though, and not always in quite the same way it happens to biology.

The evolution debate is peculiar for a couple of reasons:

• It is a debate only from ( Read more... )

So, my last entry got a decent number of responses. There's no clear difference I can spot between the 9ers and 12ers, and I'm surprised that aendr for one is a 12er, being physicsy, which is where I seem to have got my 9er leanings. I also see there is some numerical tension in the Holding household ( Read more... )

Please don't respond unless you are British:

Poll Billions

So I did the Great South Run. It was wet. I think I got a vaguely respectable time (somewhere under 90 minutes).

I'm now drying off and I'm going to have a nice hot bath.

And I love space blankets.

But furry ones are better once you're indoors.

Update: 85:22. Position 3,389 of 18,000.

Anne Robinson:

In maths, what is 72 divided by 12?

Because in geography it's different, and in pop music it's different again.

This is impressive. There's been (admittedly crude) measurements made for the atmosphere of an exoplanet - basically detecting temperature variations and inferring something about the atmosphere from that.

With TPF and Darwin not so far off things could get even more exciting in the future.

Cosmic Variance reminded me of this image.

( Rest under cut so you can look at it before reading on )

Wow.

Almost numinous.

via Cosmic Variance, a Nature editorial about Libya planning to execute a doctor and five nurses despite studies to the contrary.

I'm not sure what support I can lend. Anyone got suggestions for the most productive way to send a letter?