ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 798

Marketing Feminism

If you would like to support my channel:

http://www.patreon.com/CristinaRad

The adds I mentioned:

Ban Bossy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dynbzMlCcw

Potty-Mouthed Princesses Drop F-Bombs for Feminism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqHYzYn3WZw

Always #LikeAGirl :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs

The Palaeolithic Diet And The Unprovable Links To Our Past

Health and Medicine





Photo credit:

Harking back to the diet of the caveman. Flickr/George , CC BY-NC-SA

We still hear and read a lot about how a diet based on what our Stone Age ancestors ate may be a cure-all for modern ills. But can we really run the clock backwards and find the optimal way to eat? It’s a largely impossible dream based on a set of fallacies about our ancestors.

Exo-Earths And The Search For Life Elsewhere: A Brief History

Space





Photo credit:

Artist’s impression of a sunset on the planet Gliese 667Cc. While that planet is likely not an ideal target, we will discover planets far more like our own. ESO/L. Calçada, CC BY

The criteria for life on other planets is the focus of the 4th Australian Exoplanet Workshop, hosted by the University of Southern Queensland this week. The first in this series on exoplanets looks at the story so far in the search for life elsewhere in the universe.

Bitter Coffee Today? Try Changing The Colour Of Your Cup

The Brain





Photo credit:

We know different coloured plates can affect how food ‘tastes’ … and now we know that the same applies to coffee. Esti Alvarez/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA

In Australia, around a billion cups of coffee a year are consumed in cafés, restaurants and other outlets. Even Britain, a nation famous for its fondness for tea, has in recent years seen a dramatic rise in its coffee consumption, with an estimated 70 million cups drunk each day.

Why We Should Mine The Moon

Space





Photo credit:

Gold rush? jovom, CC BY

To date, all human economic activity has depended on the material and energy resources of a single planet; understandably, perhaps. It is conceivable though that future advances in space exploration could change this by opening our closed planetary economy to essentially unlimited external resources of energy and raw materials.

Is Schizophrenia A ‘Real’ Illness?

Health and Medicine





Photo credit:

Shifting descriptions. Words by Shutterstock

In an attempt to move away from the traditional language used to describe psychosis and schizophrenia, the British Psychological Society (BPS) has launched an update to its thinking on this issue.

The foreword of the report it has published sets out the vision:

We hope that in future, services will no longer insist that service users accept one particular view of their problem, namely the traditional view that they have an illness which needs to be treated primarily by medication.

Beginner’s Telescope Buying Guide

Space





Photo credit:

Ryan Wick via Flickr

With the holiday shopping season upon us, it can be challenging to pick out gifts that will be appreciated and last for a long time. Consider buying a loved one a telescope, giving them access to the universe through the night sky.

Ravens Have Social Abilities Previously Only Seen In Humans

Plants and Animals





Photo credit:

Don’t even go there, girlfriend! KOO/Shutterstock

Humans and their primate cousins are well known for their intelligence and social abilities. You hear them called bird-brained, but birds have demonstrated a great deal of intelligence in many tasks.

However, little is known about their social skills. A new study shows that ravens are socially savvier than we give them credit for. They are able to work out the social dynamics of other raven groups, something which only humans had shown the ability to do.

Five Ways To Keep Your Home Warm This Winter

Environment





Photo credit:

The cat approves. Michel Filion, CC BY

If you live in a poorly insulated home, and many of us do, you could spend thousands this winter on energy bills. But our ancestors had many ways to keep snug at little or no cost. Now, thanks to modern infrared cameras and advances in environmental physics, we can understand how these methods work and measure how effective they are.

Brilliant Gift Ideas For Science Fans

Editor's Blog





Photo credit:

Jonas Nordlund via Flickr, CC BY SA 2.0

Purchasing gifts for science lovers can sometimes be tricky, but this handy guide will help you identify the coolest gifts available!

Galilea Moon Phase Clock

$88.15