science

The science of crispy: how to make perfect pork crackling

What is it that turns tough pork skin into amazing crackling? Sam Wong reveals the secret to that wonderful crispy crunch




science

How realistic is Contagion? The movie doesn't skimp on science

Contagion was a film released in 2011 about a fictional pandemic of a virus called MEV-1 which kills between 25 and 30 per cent of those it infected. Here is our review of the film originally published in September 2011, now that it's on Netflix




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UK’s coronavirus science advice won’t be published until pandemic ends

The UK government says its coronavirus strategies are based on science, but the scientific advice it has received won’t be made public until after the pandemic




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Names of UK's coronavirus science advisers to be revealed

The membership of the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies has so far been kept secret, but a list of names will soon be published, the UK's chief scientific adviser has said




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Covid-19 shows why an infodemic of bad science must never happen again

Once the coronavirus pandemic is over, we must work out how to stop the spread of poor information that has helped make a bad situation that much worse




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How the covid-19 pandemic has led to a flood of misleading science

Amid the global coronavirus outbreak, a second epidemic of preliminary, unverified and misinterpreted research has broken out. Can it be fixed?




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Why Science Needs Art

From teaching curious museumgoers to adding creativity to the scientific process, art thrives at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History




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The Science of Fear, the Royal Scandal That Made France Modern and Other New Books to Read

The fourth installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis




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Data science drives new maps to predict the growth of cities over next century

A new global simulation model offers the first long-term look at how urbanization -- the growth of cities and towns -- will unfold in the coming decades. The research team projects the total amount of urban areas on Earth can grow anywhere from 1.8 to 5.9-fold by 2100, building approximately 618,000 square miles.




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Tributes to 'much loved and gifted' science teacher who died aged 35 with coronavirus

For our live coronavirus updates read HERE Coronavirus: The symptoms





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NOAA makes a pact with Vulcan to deepen collaboration on ocean science

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it has forged a new agreement with Vulcan Inc., the Seattle-based holding company created by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, to share data on ocean science and exploration. The memorandum of understanding builds on an existing relationship between NOAA and Vulcan. “The future of ocean science and exploration is partnerships,” retired Navy Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy NOAA administrator, said today in a news release. “NOAA is forging new collaborations, such as the one with Vulcan, to accelerate our mission to map, explore… Read More





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Uncovering the mysteries of the 'crazy beast' – Science Weekly podcast

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to be our focus on Science Weekly, we also want to try look at other science stories. In this episode, Nicola Davis speaks to Dave Krause about the 66-million-year-old fossil of a cat-sized mammal dubbed ‘crazy beast’. A giant in its day, we hear how this now extinct branch of mammals – known as Gondwanatherians – offers new insights into what could have been

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Science news in brief: from making blue dye with red beetroot, to giant plasma bubbles

And other stories from around the world.




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Science news in brief: From mating flies frozen in time to butterflies in captivity

And other stories from around the world




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Science news in brief: From a deep-space mystery to the longest creature in the ocean

And other stories from around the world




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How Science Trumps Denial - Issue 84: Outbreak


There’s an old belief that truth will always overcome error. Alas, history tells us something different. Without someone to fight for it, to put error on the defensive, truth may languish. It may even be lost, at least for some time. No one understood this better than the renowned Italian scientist Galileo Galilei.

It is easy to imagine the man who for a while almost single-handedly founded the methods and practices of modern science as some sort of Renaissance ivory-tower intellectual, uninterested and unwilling to sully himself by getting down into the trenches in defense of science. But Galileo was not only a relentless advocate for what science could teach the rest of us. He was a master in outreach and a brilliant pioneer in the art of getting his message across.

Today it may be hard to believe that science needs to be defended. But a political storm that denies the facts of science has swept across the land. This denialism ranges from the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic to the reality of climate change. It’s heard in the preposterous arguments against vaccinating children and Darwin’s theory of evolution by means of natural selection. The scientists putting their careers, reputations, and even their health on the line to educate the public can take heart from Galileo, whose courageous resistance led the way.

STAND UP FOR SCIENCE: Participants in the annual March for Science make Galileo proud, protesting those in power who have devalued and eroded science. (Above: Washington, D.C., 2017)bakdc / Shutterstock

A crucial first step, one that took Galileo a bit of time to take, was to switch from publishing his findings in Latin, as was the custom for scientific writings at the time, to the Italian vernacular, the speech of the common people. This enabled not just the highly educated elite but anyone who was intellectually curious to hear and learn about the new scientific work. Even when risking offense (which Galileo never shied away from)—for instance, in responding to a German Jesuit astronomer who disagreed with him on the nature of sunspots (mysterious dark areas observed on the surface of the sun)—Galileo replied in the vernacular, because, as he explained, “I must have everyone able to read it.” An additional motive may have been that Galileo wanted to ensure that no one would somehow distort the meaning of what he had written.

Galileo also understood that while the Church had the pomp and magic of decades of art and music, science had the enchantment of a new invention—the telescope. Even he wasn’t immune to its seductive powers, writing in his famous booklet The Sidereal Messenger: “In this short treatise I propose great things for inspection and contemplation by every explorer of Nature. Great, I say, because of the excellence of the things themselves, because of their newness, unheard of through the ages, and also because of the instrument with the benefit of which they make themselves manifest to our sight. “ And that gave him his second plan for an ambitious outreach campaign.

With alternative facts acting like real facts, there are Galileo’s heirs, throwing up their hands and attempts to make lies sound like truth.

What if he could distribute telescopes (together with detailed instructions for their use and his booklet about the discoveries) all across Europe, so that all the influential people, that is, the patrons of scientists—dukes and cardinals, could observe with their own eyes far out into the heavens. They would see the stunning craters and mountains that cover the surface of the moon, four previously unseen satellites of Jupiter, dark spots on the surface of the sun, and the vast number of stars that make up the Milky Way.

But telescopes were both expensive and technically difficult to produce. Their lenses had to be of the highest quality, to provide both the ability to see faint objects and high resolution. “Very fine lenses that can show all observations are quite rare and, of the more than sixty I have made, with great effort and expense, I have only been able to retain a very small number,” Galileo wrote on March 19, 1610. Who would front the cost of such a monumental and risky project?

Today the papacy is arguably the single most influential and powerful religious institution in the world. But its power is mostly in the moral and religious realms. In Galileo’s time, the papacy was a political power of significance, gobbling up failed dukedoms elsewhere, merging them into what became known as the “papal states.” The persons with the greatest interest in appearing strong in front of the papacy were the heads of neighboring states at the time.

So it is not surprising that Galileo presented his grandiose scheme to the Tuscan court and the Grand Duke Cosimo II de’ Medici. Nor is it surprising that Cosimo agreed to finance the manufacturing of all the telescopes. On his own, he also instructed the Tuscan ambassadors to all the major European capitals to help publicize Galileo’s discoveries. In doing so he tied the House of Medici, ruler of the foundational city of the Renaissance, Florence, to modern science. A win-win for both the Grand Duke and Galileo.

Last, Galileo instinctively understood what modern PR specialists refer to as the “quick response.” He did not let even one unkind word be said about his discoveries without an immediate reply. And his pen could be sharp.

For example, the Jesuit mathematician Orazio Grassi (hiding behind the pseudonym of Sarsi) published a book entitled The Astronomical and Philosophical Balance, in which he criticized Galileo’s ideas on comets and on the nature of heat. In it, Grassi mistakenly thought that he would strengthen his argument by citing a legendary tale about the ancient Babylonians cooking eggs by whirling them on slings.

Really?

Galileo responded with a stupendous piece of polemic literature entitled The Assayer, in which he pounced on this fabled story like a cat on a mouse.

“If Sarsi wishes me to believe, on the word of Suidas [a Greek historian], that the Babylonians cooked eggs by whirling them rapidly in slings, I shall believe it; but I shall say that the cause of this effect is very far from the one he attributes to it,” he wrote. “ To discover the true cause, I reason as follows: ‘If we do not achieve an effect which others formerly achieved, it must be that we lack something in our operation which was the cause of this effect succeeding, and if we lack one thing only, then this alone can be the true cause. Now we do not lack eggs, or slings, or sturdy fellows to whirl them, and still they do not cook, but rather cool down faster if hot. And since we lack nothing except being Babylonians, then being Babylonian is the cause of the egg hardening.’”

Galileo understood what modern PR specialists refer to as the “quick response.” He did not let one unkind word go without an immediate reply.

Did Galileo’s efforts save science from being cast aside perhaps for decades, even centuries? Unfortunately, not quite. The trial in which he was convicted by the Inquisition for “vehement suspicion of heresy” exerted a chilling effect on progress in deciphering the laws governing the cosmos. The famous French philosopher and scientist René Descartes wrote in a letter: “I inquired in Leiden and Amsterdam whether Galileo’s World System was available, for I thought I had heard that it was published in Italy last year. I was told that it had indeed been published, but that all the copies had immediately been burnt in Rome, and that Galileo had been convicted and fined. I was so astonished at this that I almost decided to burn all my papers, or at least to let no one see them.”

I suspect that there are still too few of us who can tell exactly what Galileo discovered and why he is such an important figure to the birth of modern science. But around the world, in conversations as brittle as today’s politics, with alternative facts acting like real facts, there are Galileo’s heirs, throwing up their hands at such attempts to make lies seem like the truth and worse, the truth like a lie, responding with just four words: “And yet it moves.”

Galileo may have never really uttered these words. He surely didn’t say that phrase in front of the Inquisitors—that would have been insanely dangerous. But whether the motto came first from his own mouth, that of a supporter whom he met during the years the Church put him under house arrest after his trial, or a later historian, we know one thing for sure. That motto represents everything Galileo stood for. It conveys the clear message of: In spite of what you may believe, these are the facts! That science won at the end is not solely because of the methods and rules that Galileo set out for what we accept to be true. Science prevailed because Galileo put his life and his personal freedom on the line to defend it.

Mario Livio is an astrophysicist and author. His new book is Galileo: And the Science Deniers.

Lead image: Mario Breda / Shutterstock


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VIDEO: The %$#@ing Science of Swearing

Researchers say swearing might actually be good for you. #%$@ yeah!




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STEM apps and platforms to help kids keep up with science and maths in the lockdown

From coding to engineering challenges, these apps and platforms will keep kids busy





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'There are no excuses left': why climate science deniers are running out of rope

Guardian environment correspondent Fiona Harvey recalls being heckled at the House of Commons and explains how attitudes to climate have shifted in 10 years

The shouted words rang out across the packed parliamentary corridor: “Fiona Harvey is the worst journalist there is. She’s the worst journalist of them all, because she should know better.”

They were the words of Lord Lawson, former UK chancellor of the exchequer, turned climate denier and now Brexiter, addressing a crowd of more than 100 people trying to cram into a House of Commons hearing on climate change. As listeners craned their necks to hear better, whispering and nudging, he elaborated at length on my insistence on reporting the work of the 97% of the world’s climate scientists whose work shows human responsibility for global heating, and failure to give equal weight to the tiny number of dissenters.

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Why Infectious Diseases Like COVID-19 Make Science Move So Fast

Science has a reputation for moving slowly. The very process of publishing solid scientific data—let alone developing vaccines and therapies—requires a long timeline. But outbreaks of infectious diseases spread quickly, demanding a much quicker pace. Scientific endeavors to better understand SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have progressed rapidly. Within weeks of the virus emerging…




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Google can give you AR science lessons right from the search page

Last year, Google launched an augmented reality feature within Search that lets you put virtual animals in the real world. Now, it’s adding more 3D objects you can view right from your Search results page on mobile, including Neil Armstrong’s spacesu...




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A luminary of Australian science fiction

Mervyn Binns, well-known Melbourne bookseller who specialised in science fiction, fantasy and counter cultural literature, has died aged 85.




science

A luminary of Australian science fiction

Mervyn Binns, well-known Melbourne bookseller who specialised in science fiction, fantasy and counter cultural literature, has died aged 85.




science

Stay-at-home science project: Two-ingredient Silly Putty

Silly Putty is a toy most anyone can appreciate. Pinch it, bounce it, stretch it, slap it on the side of your face—it’ll do whatever you want it to do.




science

Stay-at-home science project: Grow your own rock candy

Making rock candy is a great way to watch crystals form in real time. It's also an exercise in thermodynamic equilibrium. Also, you can eat it. What's not to love?




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Stay-at-home science project: Bake s’mores using the power of the sun

Sunlight travels nearly 94 million miles to reach Earth. Trap some in a box and use it to make s'mores.




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Science denial among top 10 greatest risks to humankind, new report claims

A new report has ranked disdain for scientific knowledge as one of humanity's biggest threats, alongside climate change, nuclear war, and artificial intelligence.




science

A luminary of Australian science fiction

Mervyn Binns, well-known Melbourne bookseller who specialised in science fiction, fantasy and counter cultural literature, has died aged 85.




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'Spaceship Earth' is a radical ride through science, quarantine and so much more

The new documentary "Spaceship Earth" breaks the mystery of the Biosphere 2 experiment wide open, revealing the facts in a story that feels more like science fiction than reality.




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Amazing images: The best science photos of the week

Here are the stories behind the most amazing images in the world of science this week. A recap of the coolest photos featured on Live Science.




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Science Alone Can’t Tell Us How to Respond to the Coronavirus

Researchers can learn about the disease and develop treatments, but they can’t decide political and moral questions




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Feeling drained by coronavirus quarantine? Science can explain why

As the coronavirus keeps us stuck at home, scientists and health officials fear that social distancing could take a toll on our mental health.




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Retention Science Garners $750,000 New Funding Round

Retention Science is the leader in Retention Marketing. Our team consists of passionate data scientists, statisticians, engineers and marketing experts. We bring our expertise together to create the most effective customer retention solutions that enable businesses to maximize customer lifetime value.




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Ongoing unraveling of a continental fauna: Decline and extinction of Australian mammals since European settlement [Environmental Sciences]

The highly distinctive and mostly endemic Australian land mammal fauna has suffered an extraordinary rate of extinction (>10% of the 273 endemic terrestrial species) over the last ∼200 y: in comparison, only one native land mammal from continental North America became extinct since European settlement. A further 21% of Australian...




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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences




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Join Us Online May 13 for Xcelerating Life Sciences: Biopharma’s Future in Digital Health

Learn how digital tech is accelerating medical breakthroughs by registering your team to attend Xcelerating Life Sciences Boston: Biopharma’s Future in Digital Health. While some content focuses on the Boston ecosystem, we’re confident the forum – and virtual networking – will be valuable to a national audience. The May 13, 2020 event will explore the […]




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Alligator Bioscience hires Chief Financial Officer in interim capacity

Andreas Johannesson has been announced as Alligator Bioscience’s new interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO), replacing ex-CFO Per-Olof Schrewelius who it was previously confirmed will no longer serve the company.

Johannesson’s career has spanned 15 years in the consumer goods sector, with him managing the finances of firms including TeamOlmed, Stenqvist, Fitness23Seven and Haldex.

He spent a further nine years of his career as a strategic consultant with a focus on consumer goods, five of which were spent at global consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

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Data science firm Genomics Plc names new Chief Strategy Officer

Data science firm Genomics Plc, which lays claim to “the world’s largest genomic database”, has welcomed Mitchell Harris to the company and its senior leadership team as its Chief Strategy Officer.

Joining from his previous role as Global Head, Emerging Business Lines at Abcam, Harris’ career has given him ample experience in commercial strategy and operations. Prior to his most recent role at Abcam, he acted as the company’s Head of Proteins Portfolio Commercial and Business Development.

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The Geosciences Community Needs to Be More Diverse and Inclusive

It’s essential if we’re going to protect our planet

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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Statement from Matthew A. Miller, Director of the Office of Public Affairs, Regarding Issuance of the National Research Council’s Report on Forensic Science

We appreciate the diligent work of the National Research Council’s committee on forensic science in preparing this report. The Department of Justice’s principal focus in dealing with forensic evidence is on applying it dispassionately to law enforcement challenges, and we regularly use forensics to not only convict the guilty, but also to exonerate the innocent.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Attorney General Eric Holder Testifies Before the House Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee

"Although unprecedented challenges and new demands have emerged, our key priorities remain clear," Attorney General Holder said.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Testifies Before the Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

"Thank you for this opportunity to discuss the President’s Fiscal Year 2011 Budget for the Department of Justice and to provide an update on the department’s progress, key priorities and future plans," said Attorney General Holder.




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Attorney General Eric Holder Names 18 Experts to New Science Advisory Board

Attorney General Eric Holder today named 18 experts – scholars and practitioners in criminology, statistics, sociology and practitioners in the criminal and juvenile justice fields – to the newly created Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Science Advisory Board.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Convenes First Meeting of New Science Advisory Board

The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) newly created Science Advisory Board convened its first meeting today in Washington, D.C.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Testimony by Attorney General Eric Holder Before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science

"Today, I come to you on behalf of my colleagues – the more than 117,000 dedicated men and women who serve our nation’s Justice Department in positions and offices all around the world. Above all, I come to you on behalf of my fellow citizens."




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Attorney General Eric Holder's Statement Before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies

"As I have said often, no aspect of our work is more important – or more urgent – than protecting the safety of the American people and strengthening our national security."




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Prepared Statement of Laurie Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, Before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies

Chairman Wolf, Ranking Member Fattah and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, I’m very pleased to be here to discuss the President’s 2012 budget request for the Office of Justice Programs.