Category Archives: Evolution

Two Disturbing Carbapenem-Resistance Observations

Posted on October 23, 2012 by

I’ve discussed before the serious problem of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (‘CRE’): these are common disease-causing bacteria that have evolved resistance to all penicillin derivatives, and usually are resistant to all other commonly used antibiotics* (and in some cases, every antibiotic). So … Continue reading →

Posted in Antibiotics, Evolution, KPC, NDM-1, Public Health | 1 Comment

Some Truisms About Large-Scale Research Projects

Posted on September 11, 2012 by

In light of the recent ENCODE data release and paper blizzard, I’ve decided to provide this list of truisms about large-scale biological research projects to make it easier for everyone the next time around: 1) The most pollyanish, expansive interpretation … Continue reading →

Posted in Evolution, Gambling, Genomics | 1 Comment

Fabulous Friday Fish Phylogenetics

Posted on June 22, 2012 by

If you haven’t been to the Harvard Museum of Natural History in a while, they’ve recently revamped the fishes exhibit. It still is full of all sorts of weird fish, but now it actually discusses evolution (TEH DARWINISMZ! AAAIEEE!!). Without … Continue reading →

Posted in Evolution, Fish

Creationism and Education ‘Reform’

Posted on June 9, 2012 by

When it comes to STEM education in grades K-12, one of the great failures of the U.S. educational system is the complete lack of exposure to even the basics of evolutionary biology in science courses. This isn’t just an academic … Continue reading →

Posted in Creationism, Education, Evolution | 1 Comment

Science State Standards Signify Success: Alabama Versus Massachusetts

Posted on June 6, 2012 by

Fortunately for you, dear reader, I couldn’t figure out how to have every word in this post begin with the letter S. Anyway, onto to science education. I would take the education reformers more seriously if they would face up … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Evolution

Heuristics Are Not a Cognitive Flaw, But a Necessity in an Uncertain World

Posted on April 18, 2012 by

So says economist Gerd Gigerenzer. As far as I’m concerned, this video is essential viewing for not only economists, but also biologists, especially those interested in behavior. As one behavioral ecologist I know once quipped, “I don’t believe in optimal … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecology, Economics, Evolution | 3 Comments

A Question for Education ‘Reformers’ About Tennessee’s “Monkey Bill”

Posted on April 12, 2012 by

Do you give a shit? If you haven’t heard, the Great State of Tennessee, in a effort to inflict reversible (hopefully) mental retardation on the children entrusted to its educational system, has passed legislation that “encourages teachers to present the … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Evolution, Fucking Morons, Global Warming, The War on Science | 1 Comment

NYC Department of Education Loses Its F-cking Mind

Posted on March 28, 2012 by

And that is the polite way of putting it. According to CBSNewYork, New York City’s Department of Education has a list of words it would like to remove from tests (boldface mine): Fearing that certain words and topics can make … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Evolution, Fucking Morons | 7 Comments

Nothing in Movement Conservatism Makes Sense Except in the Light of Creationism: Global Warming and Educational ‘Balance’

Posted on March 12, 2012 by

The reason I keep bastardizing biologist Theodosius Dobzhanky’s aphorism about the importance of evolution is that creationism is so daffy that it makes movement conservatives’ tactics and methods crystal clear (that there’s significant overlap between movement conservatives and creationists is … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Creationism, Evolution, Global Warming, Uncategorized

Obama and Why Rhetoric Matters: Nothing Makes Sense in Movement Conservatism Except in the Light of Creationism

Posted on March 5, 2012 by

Once again, with apologies to Theodosius Dobzhansky. Rick Perlstein explains why liberals and progressives are so bothered by Obama’s failure of rhetoric (boldface mine; emphasis original): Instead, his favorite campaign line on the Republican record was a story about competence: … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservatives, Democrats, Evolution | 1 Comment