*new* 10 Nov 11
from an essay in Inside Higher Ed , "The first factor promoting ethics scandals is that, contrary to their self-belief, smart people are especially susceptible to acting foolishly. Your biggest risk factor for foolish behavior is the belief that, while other people often act in foolish ways, you never would do so. Smart people are often those most likely to harbor such a belief."
5 Nov 11
A Dutch scholar was found to have falsified findings in dozens of papers, in a field that critics say is vulnerable to such abuses. http://nyti.ms/unVj1J
31 Oct 11 Is being good sometimes a matter of feeling good?
Brain scans suggest that everything from sugar to sex lights up the brain’s pleasure circuitry similar to the way cocaine does in an addict. And altruism does, too. http://nyti.ms/uH4aJI
27Oct11
Recycling scientific lab equipment:
http://www.npr.org/2011/10/26/141666558/used-lab-equipment-finds-a-second-home-overseas
25Oct11
Fresh Air interview regarding patenting of human genes.
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=141429392&m=141591220
An essay on how biology has changed due to the amount of data involved in studying genomics, and other 'omics'.
http://the-scientist.com/2011/10/01/data-deluge/
We aren't addicted to them, we love our iPhones:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/opinion/you-love-your-iphone-literally.html?_r=1
From the article above:
ReplyDelete"Earlier this year, I carried out an fMRI experiment to find out whether iPhones were really, truly addictive, no less so than alcohol, cocaine, shopping or video games. In conjunction with the San Diego-based firm MindSign Neuromarketing, I enlisted eight men and eight women between the ages of 18 and 25. Our 16 subjects were exposed separately to audio and to video of a ringing and vibrating iPhone.
In each instance, the results showed activation in both the audio and visual cortices of the subjects’ brains. In other words, when they were exposed to the video, our subjects’ brains didn’t just see the vibrating iPhone, they “heard” it, too; and when they were exposed to the audio, they also “saw” it. This powerful cross-sensory phenomenon is known as synesthesia.
But most striking of all was the flurry of activation in the insular cortex of the brain, which is associated with feelings of love and compassion. The subjects’ brains responded to the sound of their phones as they would respond to the presence or proximity of a girlfriend, boyfriend or family member.
In short, the subjects didn’t demonstrate the classic brain-based signs of addiction. Instead, they loved their iPhones."
Wow! How crazy. Maybe we really CAN love objects :)
ReplyDelete