Category Archives: Science

PIGEONS AND THE CLIFFS OF VENICE.

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Philip

PIGEONS AND THE CLIFFS OF VENICE. I posted here about how pigeons in Saint Mark’s Place take angled paths across the space, creating constant motion against the facades and, I think, adding to the beauty of the space. I posted … Continue reading →

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THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY FLAWED TESTIMONY BY FBI EXPERTS.

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Philip

THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY FLAWED TESTIMONY BY FBI EXPERTS. Spencer Hsu’s article outlines some of the immensities of the problem. The errors go back over two decades. There are trials affected in 46 states. Even if only … Continue reading →

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THE NATURE OF THE FBI’S STATISTICAL ERRORS.

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Philip

THE NATURE OF THE FBI’S STATISTICAL ERRORS. What kind of statistical errors were made by the FBI forensic experts in testifying about human hairs? Hsu’s article tells how the witnesses exaggerated what their statistical evidence demonstrated. Hsu says: “FBI experts … Continue reading →

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AN EMERGENCY IN AMERICA’S JUSTICE SYSTEM.

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Philip

AN EMERGENCY IN AMERICA’S JUSTICE SYSTEM. Today is Law Day, a suitable time for calling attention to a very important crisis in our system of justice. This article by Spencer S. Hsu in the Washington Post (April 18) states the … Continue reading →

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A NEW ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATING TECHNIQUE.

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Philip

A NEW ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATING TECHNIQUE. The article by Roger Atwood illustrates the use of an archaeological technique that indicates “where an individual spent childhood based on a chemical signature left by groundwater in developing teeth”, based on the isotopic oxygen … Continue reading →

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SYNESTHESIA AND FISHER-PRICE REFRIGERATOR LETTERS.

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Philip

SYNESTHESIA AND FISHER-PRICE REFRIGERATOR LETTERS. I posted on research in synesthesia here. Synesthesia is defined by wikipedia as ““a condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive … Continue reading →

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FAILURES OF PEER REVIEW AT JOURNALS WITH LEGITIMATE PUBLISHERS.

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Philip

FAILURES OF PEER REVIEW AT JOURNALS WITH LEGITIMATE PUBLISHERS. Charles Seife is troubled by something more important than bogus journals. He says: “The SCIgen scandal shows that even old-fashioned big-budget scientific publishing houses are sometimes faking the process of scholarly … Continue reading →

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HUNDREDS OF FAKE SCIENTIFIC PAPERS IN BOGUS JOURNALS.

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Philip

HUNDREDS OF FAKE SCIENTIFIC PAPERS IN BOGUS JOURNALS. I have posted, for example here, about ways that psychologists can (and some do) rig the results of their experiments to make them publishable. I have also posted on the ways that … Continue reading →

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A PSYCHOLOGY JOURNAL BANS THE USE OF SIGNIFICANCE TESTS.

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Philip

A PSYCHOLOGY JOURNAL BANS THE USE OF SIGNIFICANCE TESTS. I have posted, including here and here, about how scientists can rig statistical tests to make it easier to show that a result is “statistically significant” (that is, that the result … Continue reading →

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ALBERS AND COLOR.

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Philip

ALBERS AND COLOR. Having a daughter who is an artist has made Mary Jane and me more conscious of what we see. It was less than a month ago that I sent Mary Jane this wikipedia entry about Josef Albers … Continue reading →

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