The Latest Fossil Finds Make the Puzzle of Human Evolution Harder Than Ever to Solve
The latest molecular analyses and fossil finds suggest that the story of human evolution is far more complex—and more interesting—than anyone imagined
Passenger Pigeons Went Extinct 100 Years Ago
For nearly a minute the sky went black. Then it was over. I was standing in a long alley between two four-story brick buildings on a clear sunny day.
ScienceArt Exhibits Through September and Beyond
The inside scoop on the best science art exhibitions around the country: EXHIBITS: NORTHEAST REGION LIFE: Magnified June – November 2014 Gateway Gallery Between Concourse C and the AeroTrain C-Gates station Washington Dulles International Airport Washington, D.C.
Satirists As a Source of Science News
How many times have you read a science-themed article from The Onion or watched a science-themed segment on The Daily Show (TDS) or The Colbert Report (CR) and remarked at how “spot on” they are?
Ancient DNA Could Return Passenger Pigeons to the Sky
Genetic engineering could restore the once profuse North American bird after a century or more of extinction
Poet and Paleontologist: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The German lawyer, author, poet, politician and artist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (born August 28, 1749-1832) was also a mining engineer and quite interested in geology and paleontology.
In Praise of Proofs by Contradiction that Aren't
If you don't know what to do, do something. That's one of my mottos when I teach math (and it's probably good life advice too). Last year, I taught introductory analysis (basically calculus with the juicy bits left in), one of the first proof-oriented classes students take.
Childhood of Tomorrow: the Art of Simon Stålenhag
Some artists find a synthesis of style and subject that causes their work to resonate deeply within us. We experience new memories and ideas while we look at their images.
A Hangout with Google Science Fair in Swaziland
You know what’s awesome? Seeing a bunch of young people at work on changing the world to make it a better place for all. Today, I hosted a Google Science Fair Hangout On Air on Sustainability in Swaziland, and I got to have that privilege.
How 21st-Century Cities Can Avoid the Fate of 20th-Century Detroit
Why we need to embrace new forms of work and stop protecting the old
How the Jaguar Saved My Life [Excerpt]
A love of the jaguar helped inspire one of the world's leading proponents for saving big cats
What Is the Goal of a Math History Class?
I'll be teaching a math history class for the first time this semester. I'm excited to be teaching it, but I've noticed that preparing for this class has been very different from preparing for other classes I've taught, which have all been math content courses.