ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 651
October 30, 2015
Hearing Ghost Voices Relies On Pseudoscience And Fallibility Of Human Perception
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Did you hear that? Rob and Stephanie Levy, CC BY
Nontrivial numbers of Americans believe in the paranormal. These beliefs have spawned thousands of groups dedicated to investigating paranormal phenomena and a proliferation of ghost-hunting entries in the reality television market.
Viruses Don’t Deserve Their Bad Rap: They’re The Unsung Heroes You Never See
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Viruses are not all bad. In fact, many ecosystems would not function without them. niaid/flickr, CC BY
The word “virus” strikes terror into the hearts of most people. It conjures up images of influenza, HIV, Yellow Fever, or Ebola. Of course we worry about these viruses—they bring us disease and sometimes an excruciatingly painful death.
Trick Or Treat? The Psychology Of Fright And Halloween Horrors
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Not everyone is drawn to horror movies, but some seem to luxuriate in frightful experiences. Flood G./Flickr, CC BY
Halloween is upon us. The spirits of the departed return to haunt the living and demons roam the land.
Predictably, scary movies flood television screens and packs of costumed, sugar-crazed children wander the streets.
Fatal Error: Why We Don’t Fully Trust Technology
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The dreaded blue screen of death has become so ubiquitous it’s now fodder for comedy. Tony Webster/Flickr, CC BY-NC
We’ve all been there. The presenter is about to begin, but then disaster strikes: the computer technology fails. Perhaps the computer has fallen asleep, the data projector is using the wrong input, or the mouse clicker has run out of juice.
This is why wise presenters always have a backup plan. After all, our trust of computer technology is not high. But why is trust of certain technologies low and of others comparatively high?
Oxytocin May Benefit Some Children With Autism, But It’s Not The Next Wonder Drug
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The effects observed in the study are still small and inconsistent. racorn/Shutterstock
A synthetic version of the “trust” hormone oxytocin, delivered as a nasal spray, has been shown to improve social responsiveness among some children with autism, researchers from the University of Sydney have found.
Why Meat Is Important In The Global Battle Against Food Insecurity
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Consumption of chicken has been rising in Africa. This is a short-term solution to improving food insecurity. Reuters/James Akena
The increase in the world’s population has led to challenges in maintaining a balanced diet in both the developed and the developing world. More than two billion people worldwide suffer from “hidden hunger” or micronutrient deficiency.
The inadequate intake of essential micro-nutrients is detrimental to the mental and physical development of children and reduces the productivity and work capacity of adults.
The Modern, Molecular Hunt For The World’s Biodiversity
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New forms of life are discovered in high-tech ways that leave yesterday’s natural history collections in the dust. Detective image via www.shutterstock.com.
The news is full of announcements about newly discovered forms of life. This fall, we learned of a 30,000-year-old giant virus found in frozen Siberia. Until now, known viruses have contained so little genetic information that people have questioned whether they can even be thought of as living. But giant viruses like this one contain as much information as many bacteria, which are certainly alive, and are so big they can be seen with an ordinary microscope.
HALLOWEEN IS FOR EVIL SINNERS!
Halloween is a satanic holiday that only evil sinners celebrate!
Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? http://www1.cbn.com/questions/should-christians-celebrate-halloween
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October 29, 2015
Why Are So Many People Afraid Of Clowns?
Photo credit:
Tom Simpson/Flickr. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
The clown is a staple for Halloween costumes, horror films and children’s nightmares. The figure of the evil clown has inspired countless characters: Pennywise from "It," The Joker from "Batman," Sideshow Bob, wrestler Doink the Clown, Shawn Crahan from Slipknot, and Twisty from "American Horror Story," to name a few. In fact, when was the last time you even saw a "happy clown" on TV?
Scientists Explain Exactly What’s Happening To Your Brain And Body Right Before You Die
Photo credit:
Reactions/Youtube
It’s the season to watch slasher flicks and appreciate all things gruesome. But have you ever thought about what happens biologically if you were being chased by an axe-wielding masked man in the woods?
The YouTube channel Reactions has created a short video explaining what goes on in your brain and body at every stage of a full-blown slasher chase: the fear, the screaming, the pain, and the death.
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