Category Archives: Science

THE COSTS OF TOO LITTLE MEDICAL TESTING.

Posted on October 23, 2009 by Philip

THE COSTS OF TOO LITTLE MEDICAL TESTING. Medical tests are not like ice cream or cake which people will be tempted to indulge in if they are free. Tests are uncomfortable and time consuming at best. There is a lot … Continue reading →

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HARMFUL HEADLINES.

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Philip

HARMFUL HEADLINES. The author of the article, Gina Kolata, is a good science writer, but I don’t understand how or why the article was written, and it seems to me that it can be harmful. The article indicates that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Journalism, Science | 2 Comments

BALANCING BENEFITS AND COSTS OF MAMMOGRAMS.

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Philip

BALANCING BENEFITS AND COSTS OF MAMMOGRAMS. My brother Elmer and I were independently struck by this article—and struck by the same sentence in the article. The point of the article is that “the American Cancer Society is now saying that … Continue reading →

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A JOURNAL OF REPLICATED RESULTS.

Posted on October 19, 2009 by Philip

A JOURNAL OF REPLICATED RESULTS. In the article by Robert Samuelson I posted on yesterday, he questions whether increased health expenditures have much effect on health. He says: “But the connections between being healthy and more health spending are loose. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Politics, Science | 1 Comment

DEFINING MAN: THE SPECIES THAT COOKS.

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Philip

DEFINING MAN: THE SPECIES THAT COOKS. I have posted several times (here, here, and here) on the theory that cooking was a crucial breakthrough in the evolution of man. The October 22 New York Review of Books has a review … Continue reading →

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AN IMAGE OF A SINGLE MOLECULE.

Posted on September 13, 2009 by Philip

AN IMAGE OF A SINGLE MOLECULE. This link shows the first image of a single molecule, made with an atomic force microscope. I use the word “image” because it is not a photograph. The image is of a pentacene molecule, … Continue reading →

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WHAT CAME BEFORE THE BIG BANG?

Posted on September 12, 2009 by Philip

WHAT CAME BEFORE THE BIG BANG? My first post on this blog expressed wonder that the remnants of the Big Bang were still affecting radio signals today. Here is a review of BEFORE THE BIG BANG:THE PREHISTORY OF OUR UNIVERSE … Continue reading →

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COLLECTING DATA ON YOUR ILLNESS.

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Philip

COLLECTING DATA ON YOUR ILLNESS. I argued here that there should be comprehensive collection of data on treatment for every tumor in the national tumor registry, including all off-label uses of drugs in cancer treatments. I suspect that one reason … Continue reading →

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HOW OFTEN DOES BEST PRACTICE IN MEDICINE CHANGE?

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Philip

HOW OFTEN DOES BEST PRACTICE IN MEDICINE CHANGE? This article by two Harvard Medical School professors reports on a surprising study. (The link seems unreliable. The article is by Jerome Groopman and Pamela Hartzband in the Wall Street Journal for … Continue reading →

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KEEPING TRACK OF THE SEEDS.

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Philip

KEEPING TRACK OF THE SEEDS. I liked this article by Jack Sanders in our local Darien Times for two reasons. First, I am delighted to know what a chickadee is capable of doing. Sanders writes about how: “A study several … Continue reading →

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