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Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:57 pm
by johnson1010
Something never seen before modern humanity, by any living creatrue.

Take a little stroll across the surface of mars in a time-lapsed 3 year hike from crater to crater.

http://io9.com/5848490/watch-mars-rover ... ee-minutes

The power of inquiry, folks.

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 10:48 pm
by ant
Nice

But science as dogma is just as bad as religious dogma.

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 11:37 pm
by Interbane
But science as dogma is just as bad as religious dogma.
Whoever holds the results of science dogmatically doesn't understand science.

edit- I followed the link but saw no dogma.

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:06 am
by R. LeBeaux
I’m not sure exactly what Ant is referring to, but there is the tendency for some to “dogmatically” believe in science or some face thereof. Scientists are often as dogmatic about their own theories or established “laws” as are religious fanatics, sometimes fighting for years in defense of things that eventually turn out to be false. It is this dogmatic attitude displayed by some (certainly not all) researchers that gives fuel to the religionists, who often point to these uncertainties and contradictions in science as proof that their own theories should be given equal time. Of course, this is a specious argument, since even the most zealous of scientists will eventually be proven wrong if such is the case, whereas the religionists, who have been proven wrong time and time again, never alter their theories in accordance with actual empirical evidence. Still, I do believe it is accurate to say that some scientists can be dogmatic in their protection of established or personal theories, sometimes to the detriment of scientific advancement.

Image

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:11 am
by johnson1010
Scientists are just people. That's why we need peer review.

There will always be the temptation to falsify data, or withold results which don't tell the story you are pushing.
Tobacco companies, pharmacudicals, pestacides, food packaging companies, all of them are pushing for profitability, not the truth.

http://www.wimp.com/badscience/

the process of science has no such bias. That's how we can tell for certain whether somebody HAS invented a more effective treatment for psychosis, or whether or not they really have invented a perpetual motion machine.

The very premise of peer review is that claims from scientists are never to be "believed". They are to be understood. And verified. And improved. That's why when new discoveries come out which challenge the old ways of doing things they are raked over the coals and inspected for any tiny crack in the methods which brought those results.

Because we aren't interested in accepting ideas for the sake of newness, or based on the authority of somebody's doctorate or education. Is what they said true? Can it be verified and confirmed?

That is the whole point. And where dogma is introduced, the path to truth has been abandoned.

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:07 pm
by johnson1010
http://www.wimp.com/quantumlevitation/

Levitation!

It's what makes your bullet train go vroom!

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:52 pm
by R. LeBeaux
johnson1010 wrote: Levitation! It's what makes your bullet train go vroom!
I've been familiar with the concept for years, but had never seen a representational closeup demonstration until now. That was (literally) cool! Thanks for posting it.

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:34 pm
by johnson1010

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 9:40 am
by johnson1010
Check out the Aurora from the international space station.

Coolest video you will see today. Seriously.

http://io9.com/5859010/were-99-certain- ... t-recorded

Re: Thanks, Science!

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:34 pm
by johnson1010
With the help of a filter that won't let anything through larger than 15nm, this man says he can get clean potable water to the entire world with just 20 billion dollars.

http://www.wimp.com/waterworld/

thanks science!