I started this series to highlight the week's science diaries. Many political issues will require input from the scientific community to make sound policy decisions.
Some criteria for the diaries I will be including in Nerd Network News:
- Diary must have verifiable sources.
- Copyright standards must be followed. The sources must be quoted in part and referenced (no complete articles).
- Writer must comment or show some analysis of the article (no "link only" diaries)
This is to try to keep the diaries as useful as possible. There may be exceptions if an important subject was brought up and there were no other diaries covering the subject.
The opinions expressed in the diaries are not necessarily my own and spelling errors in the gray boxes are intentionally left as written.
If I missed anyone, sorry.
More below.
Science Diary Categories
Click on link to take you there.
Ecology and Global Climate Change
Biology
Medicine & Healthcare
Energy
Technology
Other
Education
Other dKos Diary Lists or Series
dKos Writer's
Science Blog Roll
Image of the Week
Happy 196th Birthday
Charles Darwin!
Quote of the Week
It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
- Charles Darwin
This Week in Science History
(from TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY)
February 6
Golf on the moon
In 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard takes a few shots at some golf balls while on the moon. Near the end of the second moonwalk, and just before entering the lunar module for the last time, Shepard (an avid golfer) attached a 6-iron golf club to the end of a sample collecting tool. Despite thick gloves and a stiff suit that forced him to swing the club with one hand only, he hit two golf balls. The first landed in a nearby crater. The second was hit squarely, and in the one-sixth gravity of the moon, Shepard said it traveled "miles and miles and miles." Then the U.S. Apollo IV astronauts prepared to head back to Earth after a 33-hour stay on the moon. The golf club is on display at the U.S. Golf Association headquarters in Far Hills, N.J.
February 8
Mendel's first scientific paper
In 1865, Gregor Mendel, aged 42, who first discovered the laws of genetics, read his first scientific paper to the Brünn Society for the study of Natural Sciences in Moravia (published 1866). He described his investigations with pea plants. Although he sent 40 reprints of his article to prominent biologists throughout Europe, including Darwin, only one was interested enough to reply. Most of the reprints, including Darwin's, were discovered later with the pages uncut, meaning they were never read. Fortunately, 18 years after Mendel's death, three botanists in three different countries researching the laws of inheritance, in spring 1900, came to realize that Mendel had found them first. Mendel was finally acknowledged as a pioneer in the field which became known as genetics.
February 9
Howard Martin Temin
Died 9 Feb 1994 (born 10 Dec 1934)
American virologist who in 1975 shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with his former professor Renato Dulbecco and another of Dulbecco's students, David Baltimore, for his codiscovery of the enzyme reverse transcriptase. In 1961, Temin's formed a provirus hypothesis that cancer cells affect genetic material. The protein coat of certain viruses contains an enzyme that facilitates the copying of viral genes into the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the host cell. In 1970 he and Baltimore both independently isolated the enzyme, now called reverse transcriptase. The viruses that contain the enzyme are known as retroviruses. Temin also investigated how genetic information in the provirus transforms a normal animal cell into a tumor cell.
February 12
Charles Darwin
Born 12 Feb 1809; died 19 Apr 1882
Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist renowned for his documentation of evolution and for his theory of its operation, known as Darwinism. His evolutionary theories, propounded chiefly in two works--On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859) and The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex
Science Diary Categories
Ecology and Global Climate Change
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'How Mankind is Sleepwalking to the End of the Earth' by Plutonium Page
A few days ago, I posted a diary about a paper presented at a global climate change conference called by Tony Blair, that gave details regarding exactly how global warming will affect everything, from global economy, environmental issues, and food production, to wildlife and water availability.
Evangelicals Are Being Framed: "Creation Care" by Spiral Stairs
In a fascinating article today, the Washington Post explores the efforts of certain Evangelicals to reframe the broad issue of "environmentalism" in terms more palatable to Evangelicals: "Creation care."
Famine is Coming to America: Terminator Seeds and Genetic Diversity by azindy
Among the many precious resources of the earth, surely one of the most important is the seed supply. Canada may be seeking to overturn the moratorium on "terminator seeds" to allow for field evaluation of new plant varieties that included the terminator gene. Plants containing the terminator gene produce sterile seed, thus farmers must buy seed every year rather than plant seed saved from the best plants of the previous year. Not only is it unconscionable to deliberately produce sterile seed (apart from certain hybrids which are naturally sterile), even worse is the threat these plants pose to neighboring fields and gardens through cross pollination.
Anti-(global warming) falsehoods by Erasmussimo
Here is a web page declaring that it has a Global Warming Petition that basically declares that there really is no such thing as global warming. They claim that they have 17,200 signers who are in some way authorities in the field. It's not a complete hoax -- but close to one.
Want to win back control? We must control global warming issue. by oldnorthstate
Believe it. It is only a matter of time before this global warming thing comes to a head. NASA's report today suggests that 2005 could be the warmest year on record. Clearly we have a warming trend with mountains of evidence supporting this.
Federal Scientists Forced to Alter Findings by lapin
The Endangered Species Act is under assault. And so are the federal scientists that determine which species qualify for protection under the act.
Scientists in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say they've been forced to alter or withhold findings that would have led to greater protections for endangered species, according to a survey released by two environmental groups.
Bush Admin. Trashes Species Science by greendem
The truth revealed by the federal biologist survey is that, if the ESA is indeed broken, it is because corporate interests have pressured the Bush administration to ignore real science and pretend imperiled species are doing just fine. No problem here, please move along. Meanwhile, species caught in this Political Science mess are going extinct and America continues to watch the web of life collapse. So much for defending the "Homeland."
Good environmental news of the week by Scott in NAZ
Has anyone else noticed that pratically all the environmental news we get here on dKos (or anywhere else, really) is negative? Sure, there's a lot of bad stuff going down, but good things are happening, too. So, to keep everyone's spirits up, I give you this week's Good Environmental News. (I expect this will become a regular weekly feature, assuming I manage to keep up with it)
Biology
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LTE: NYT 'Intelligent' Design Op-Ed Response by Cache
Today's New York Times has an Op-Ed contribution from Michael J. Behe, well-known shill for 'Intelligent Design' (ID), practicing pseudo-scientist, and spinmaster. He snuck in so many assumptions with his plain 'arguments', that I had to respond. Of course for LTEs, the 3 keys are brevity, focus, and brevity. I find focus the hardest, (as indicated by the polio comment).
First a few quotes to spare you all the surfing:
Creationist hogwash by chewbacca
While I think the paper of record is often a failure, this is really bizarre. It may point to the further spread of conservatism in our lives. But it highlights something very important -- this man, Dr. Behe, is a creationist hack who has made quite a pile of $$$ talking this nonsense. It would be okay if this was 10% of America (as it is in most Western countries). But, if I recall, about 50% + of Americans do not believe in evolution. That is crazy. Evolution is one of the most successful theories in all of science - it's like saying you don't believe in gravity.
Shooting Intelligent Design Fish in a Barrel by Twin Planets
A few weeks ago the NYTimes had a front-page article about the resurgence of Creationism (aka Intelligent Design) in public schools. Since I was stupid enough to forget to mail it to myself (and too bloody cheap to access the NYTimes archives!), I'll paraphrase the ending.
A Problem with Evolution by azindy
In past debates about evolution and creationism the scientists among us have generally acknowledged that here are "holes" in evolution. Such holes provide opportunities for further research and grist for discussion. Often the challenge is issued to "name one problem with evolution." When a problem is named, it is summarily dismissed with very little documentation. Sometimes there is an attempt to bring discussion to a close by asserting that whatever problems might exist, DNA evidence for speciation, especially from bacteria, has put the last nail in the coffin of creationism. What exactly is the status of the DNA evidence for speciation?
Bush Environmental Values Demoralize Biologists by dcookie
How does life on earth fit into Bush Environmental Values? What a nightmare for Fish and Wildlife Scientists. Once inspired to spend careers working hard to understand and protect America's natural resources, these folks must bear the stress of fewer and fewer resources as well as continual political manipulation.
Evolution and Ring Species by azindy
In another diary I began examining challenges to evolution. While it is true that some of the challenges have been posed by creationists, it would be the very definition of ad hominem to suggest that just because creationists pose them, they should not be discussed. As I endeavored to make clear, discussing challenges to evolution should be part of open debate, and not construed as some sort of evil agenda to undermine evolution. If evolution should fail to meet the challenges, then whatever explanation replaces it, if it is scientific, certainly will NOT be creationism. www.sullivan-county.com :
Science Friday: George and Me by peeder
On a lovely afternoon in early spring, a young professor and his wide-eyed 1st year graduate student were walking through Harvard Yard.
The student, though he had been vetted into a program that would all but guarantee him a successful career in traditional biology, was hell-bent on writing software for biology instead. While the professor had written software himself, he was gently urging the student to consider the legacy of discovery found in traditional work.
Medicine & Healthcare
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Physicians blast Medicare plan re: surgery center procedures by jillian
Ambulatory surgery centers would be able to start billing Medicare for some additional types of medical procedures under a recent federal proposal, but the update would come at a steep price: Four times as many other procedures would disappear from the covered list.
The Free Market's blind eye: The tragedy of Libby, Montana (updated w/ email ready factoid) by VirginiaDem
You know when Free Marketers spew nonsense like "Let the market fix it instead!" as they try to fight every economic regulation under the sun. Tell them about Libby, Montana and its dying people.
Bush budget hammers public health -- we all pay by therealcervantes
While increasing the military budget by 5% even before paying for the Iraq atrocity (which will be at least another 5% a year), pushing through more tax cuts for his rich pals, and investing in a new generation of nuclear weapons to keep us safe from, uhh, the Soviet Union? (although, as he famously told the world, "Free countries don't maufacture weapons of mass destruction"), the Resident wants to take the machete to the nation's public health infrastructure.
Gathering storm in health care? by baldandy
In our Reform Democrat war against the corporate plutocracy (those behind the curtains at the Bush regime's Emerald City), no piece of that oligarchy is more corrupt and more powerful than Big Pharma, though the health care insurance industry is a close if junior, partner.
Underneath the massive rock of our health care crisis is a drug company cartel that bilks our citizens and taxpayers of massive billions of dollars.
Tuberculosis: a global public health crisis by Plutonium Page
Last month, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) released a special report, their 7th annual list of the "Top Ten Most Underreported Humanitarian Stories". The list includes the devastating effects of the conflicts in northern Uganda, DR Congo, Colombia, Somalia, Chechnya, on the people living there.
Back to the days of the exploding Ford Pinto by pamindurham
Consumers are f*cked. Now companies like Merck, our Big Pharma friends that gave us the heart-stopping Vioxx, are probably doing the happy dance, as our President next week will sign into law limits on class-action lawsuits against companies. I'll have a little history lesson about corporate responsibility (the Ford Pinto debacle) after this snippet from the NYT on the grim news.
Activist Judge: "Pre-Embryo is a Human Being" by mrboma
Fertility workers in Illinois had accidentally disposed of a couple's healthy embryos, and the couple wanted to seek compensation for wrongful death. Judge Jeffrey Lawrence II, Circuit Court of Cook County said that a "pre-embryo is a human being" whether or not it is implanted in a woman's uterus, and ruled that the parents of the embryo could sue for wrongful death.
Bush Threatens to Veto Medicare Changes by Jaffa
Here's the question; could we get enough Republicans to defect to override? I think it's not entirely out of the question - with the Midterms coming up, Republicans in tight races could be bitten on the ass with this. As I remember, it was pretty tight last time, and Bush needed a Democrat's defection. The name, however, escapes me. Any thoughts?
Georgia caps Medical Malpractice jury awards. by gttim
Yeah, we saw it coming. I have always said I wanted the doctor operating on me to know his ass could be sued off if he screwed up. Now he won't be sweating it too much. What gets me is that it is almost impossible to sue a doctor for medical malpractice in Georgis now.
Arsenic and old lace by Ben in Madison
In his first term, of course, Bush pushed through a Medicare bill, claiming it would cost $420 billion dollars. Democrats pointed out that it did nothing to solve our health-care crisis, and in any event was mainly corporate welfare for the drug industry, which is already the most profitable industry in the world. Republicans strong-armed it through Congress in the middle of the night using questionable parliamentary procedures to stifle debate. Soon after the bill passed, the projected costs of the program mysteriously rose by hundreds of billions of dollars. The whole episode was government by corporation run amok. And now Congress is threatening to modify the bill. Enter the White House, stage right:
Valentine's Science Friday by mcjoan
Poets have known it for centuries, as have playwrites and songwriters and all of us who, like Othello, have "lov'd not wisely but too well." Now medical science has figured it out, too. Love can break you heart.
Bush's Budget Cuts Target Children's Health by DemFromCT
One of the ironies of Republican Administrations is the claim of wanting smaller government by eliminating unessential government programs while preferentially targeting the effective programs that are already in place. Sometimes the reason is clearly ideological (example and see p11-12: abstinence programs don't work as well as comprehensive sex education programs, but are ideologically pure).
And the Band Played On and On and On by wilfred
In this News Report that was accompanied on-air with more information I was thrown back to a time that I never want to visit again except in memory. We have a new strain of AIDS that is deadly and drug resistant called 3 DCR and it could hurl many of us right back to our lives circa 1983 when the `gay cancer' got a name.
The Horror: Why limiting medical malpractice awards is WRONG! by Unstable Isotope
I saw this article in today's paper. People should really think seriously on what the consequences of limiting medical malpractice awards really is. No amount of compensation can ever help with what this family has gone through.
Bush: Raise taxes to pay for Medicare! by Catsy
How nice of Bush to stand up for all those seniors he chose to gouge when signing a law that takes away the government's ability to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. I applaud his sudden and recent interest in fiscal responsibility. It does, however, cause me to ask: precisely how does Bush plan on dealing with these "unfunded liabilities"?
Juries can decide death but not damages? by JLFinch
Let's try to follow the logic here. A doctor injures or kills someone and, out of concern that the jury is somehow going to screw up and make an incorrect determination, the jury's authority to place a value on the resulting suffering is limited by statute to $250,000. A jury can, however, render the ultimate penalty in a criminal case - death.
Energy
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BioDiesel: Pissing Up A Rope? by gwhayduke
I pulled these figures off the web in a matter of about half an hour from what I believe are reliable sources. Even so, I'd make an off the top of my head guess that the overall accuracy of my conclusions is no better than plus-or-minus perhaps twenty percent. Still, they're instructive; they show that biodiesel will never begin to even come anywhere close to meeting even U.S. diesel fuel needs ...
A real energy plan for the future by byoungbl
Well, I certainly agree with the first part. A serious overhaul of our national energy policy is overdue, and we need to immediately begin investing in the energy technologies of the future. But as for that Republican energy plan, it doesn't quite accomplish the lofty goals Bush laid out in his speech.
Budget Plan Will Raise Energy Costs in Northwest by mtfriend
The budget that President Bush put forth yesterday would likely raise electricity rates in the Northwest by 20 percent in each of the next three years. The plan calls for Bonneville Power Administration to begin selling electricity at market rates instead of wholesale. Currently BPA, under federal law, must sell electricity at wholesale rates.
Energy News from Iraq and the World by corncam
This is really the first round of upstream contracts, designed to increase production, not just repair existing facilities. Personally, I expect them to be awarded to unknown, independent oil companies in order to avoid the adverse publicity that come from an award to one of the big Internation Oil Companies (IOCs). Later, the actual work can be quietly farmed out to one of the big boys. This article is silent on the legal structure to be used for the contract, but other industry publications have suggested that the new Iraqi government may use Production Sharing Agreements. This type of contract is highly favorable to IOCs, since it usually means that they get paid in barrels of oil, and they usually avoid local taxes and regulations on repatriation of profits.
Fuel For Thought 2/10/05: Pebble Bed Reactors--The Good, The Bad, The Ugly by lilithvf1998
Once again, Fuel For Thought is back, focusing again on nuclear power--but with a twist or two. Pebble bed reactors, nuclear industry smoke-and-mirrors, new power plant emission rules in the works in California, lots of excellent dKos energy diaries, and more--after the bump!
Energy Independence - How We Can Win 06 and 08 by MW
The Democrats won elections during the Cold War by providing a vision of space exploration. We can win elections now by providing a new vision: energy independence. Set a concrete goal to be the first country to use 100% renewable energy. Set a deadline to do it by 2035. Despite the image Americans have received in these corrupt times, we are smart, industrious, and hungry for a challenge. We will vote for anyone who gives us a chance to prove what we can do.
Technology
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Firefox Search Plugins for the Daily Kos by qw3rty
First I'd like to thank Cookiepuss for hosting these plugins for me.
I made 3 Daily Kos Firefox search plugins. One for the Daily Kos front page posts, one for the diaries, and the other for dKosopedia.
Worse than ID Card - ID Tags by Jerome a Paris
The U.S. House of Representatives approved on Thursday a sweeping set of rules aimed at forcing states to issue all adults federally approved electronic ID cards, including driver's licenses.
Under the rules, federal employees would reject licenses or identity cards that don't comply, which could curb Americans' access to airplanes, trains, national parks, federal courthouses and other areas controlled by the federal government. The bill was approved by a 261-161 vote.
Other
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Politics >> science in Bush administration by meander
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) issued press releases on a study that shows how the Bush administration is attacking science for political gains. Again. (for other examples, see reports from Rep. Waxman (D-CA) and the House Committee on Government Reform, and The Sierra Club)
Education
While this is not necessarily a science category, you can not have good scientists without good education. So I will highlight education issues here.
Free Stock Photos
A Story About The Human Condition... by Rimjob
Every so often you read one of those stories that make you "proud" of Humanity & its nobility. In the LA TIMES, they detail an 85 year old Kenyan man's struggle to learn how to read, by basically going to grade school with children, after the Kenyan government promised free primary education for all. The story is fascinating in this man's quest, and the reaction of his neighbors to it...
Bush says poor kids should not go to college by DodgerDem
I have been a volunteer for the Upward Bound and Talent Search programs over the past two years in inner-city Los Angeles. These are kids who give up 4 hours almost every saturday for help with schoolwork, enrichment, college prep advice, help with college applications, and financial aid forms.
Let's help Sen. Bingaman with his Education Bill. by Boppy
Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, a senior member of the HELP Committee, introduced the Quality Education for All Act. Bingaman's bill recommends changes to Head Start, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and Pell grants, among others. The 90-page bill includes many recommendations for increased funding levels, and requests full funding for both NCLB and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The bill also addresses the shortage of math, science, and special education teachers by suggesting tuition incentives for college students who major in those fields.
Other dKos Diary Lists or Series
These are great lists to help you catch up with easily missed diaries every week.
Newsie8200's "Newsie's Week In Reviewsies"
jotter's "Most Recommended Diaries"
Tomtech's "This Week in Fascism."
social democrat "17 best-rated comments"
These series offer help for everything from saving money to saving your soul.
Newsie8200's "Newsie's Media News Monday"
Jeffrey Feldman "Frameshop"
pastordan "Religious News Roundup"
bonddad "Today's Economic News"
youngblood kaufman "The Goebbels Diaries"
lilithvf1998 "Fuel For Thought"
pamindurham "LGBT News Roundup"
MH in PA "PILR: Progressive Infogeek Listserv Roundup"
A series of photos from Iraq
RubDMC "Iraq War Grief Daily Witness"
Cartoons
scottbateman "Today's Bateman cartoon"
Previous Nerd Network News Lists
Nerd Network News - Week of December 20-26
Nerd Network News - Week of December 27 - January 2
Nerd Network News - Week of January 2 - 8
Nerd Network News - Week of January 9 - 15
Nerd Network News - Week of January 16 - 22
Nerd Network News - Week of January 23 - 29
Nerd Network News - Week of Jan 30 - Feb 5
dKos Writer's
(listed by id#)
This is a list of dKos members that frequently focus on science. If you know of others that should be added please add their names in a comment below.
Devilstower
coturnix
mcjoan
Paul Rosenberg
Plutonium Page
Scott in NAZ
meanandgreen
peeder
Toktora
azindy
Science Blog Roll
greenState A new blog on Environmental issues by fellow Kossians.
Science And Politics and circadiana by our own coturnix
Pharyngula
Chris C Mooney
Deltoid
The Panda's Thumb
blog.bioethics.net
Preposterous Universe
RealClimate
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