David’s Comments (group member since Dec 13, 2009)

David’s comments from the Science and Inquiry group.

Welcome, Ting and alana. I'm glad you joined! I really like it when people with different backgrounds join; we get good recommendations for books that ordinarily we might have overlooked. And our discussions are much more interesting!

I enjoyed reading At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity so much, that I've started reading another book on the same theme, The Plausibility of Life: Resolving Darwin's Dilemma. This book investigates how genetic mutations can supply the necessary variability, on which natural selection can act. The book introduces a new theory, complementary to the standard theory of evolution through natural selection. We'll see ...

Steve wrote: "Thanks for the link. Looks like a good target for future exploration. It's odd that the streaks are so straight."

If you follow the links to some of the other sets of photographs, you can see some streaks that are more sinuous.

NASA has just announced that the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found evidence that salt water is flowing on Mars. You can see the images here.

I just finished reading At Home in the Universe. I enjoyed it very much, though it is not an "easy read". The book investigates lattice networks, and shows how simulations shed light on the origin of life, and on biological and technological evolution. Very thought provoking! The title of the book comes from the idea that the origin of life was not a highly improbable event; it was almost inevitable. Hence, we are really "At Home in the Universe". Here is my review.

Ken wrote: "is it possible to bring back "Emperor..." back for nomination for oct? I started it and it is very very good. Though i voted for the blind watchmaker :-)
Tks for your consideration.

Ken, it is certainly possible to bring any book back for consideration in the future. Toward the end of August, we will open up nominations for the October book. You can simply nominate the book then.

Betsy wrote: "At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity for this group, [book:The Believing Brain : From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---Ho..."

Betsy, let us know how you like "The Believing Brain". The book sounds intriguing.

Melissa wrote: "... I'll start by saying that I have been studying the effects of neurotransmitters on mood and have recently become very interested in the connection between food, nutrition, addiction, and the production of dopamine and serotonin. So I'm hoping to find a copy of

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
"

I read about the author of this book in an article in the newspaper. The article was very interesting; it talked about the author sifting through restaurant dumpsters, to determine the true ingredients of restaurant foods. So I read it... but didn't enjoy the book as much as others on the same subject (like, for example, The Pleasure Trap). Maybe you will like it better than I did.

Pete wrote: "This was not a particularly well written article. ..."

I quite agree.

"... I suppose it's necessary in order to go through the peer review process, but with the immediacy of the internet, I would think there would be a better way. "

You've hit the nail on the head, Pete. Of course, anybody can self-publish whatever they want on the Internet. And a lot of people do that. But the peer review process acts as a filter, by weeding out most of the half-baked ideas. It also weeds out a few good ideas, too, unfortunately.

It seems like most people prefer one book each month. If there is a tie, we will have a short run-off poll.

Another Question: Themes for Book of the Month:
Some people have asked us to consider having a different theme for each month. For example, candidate themes might be: astronomy, quantum physics, botany, zoology, genetics and evolution, ocean science, earth science, ecology, science of the brain, science and politics, philosophy/history of science, science breakthroughs. The list could go on and on.

So, the way this could work, is that certain months would be dedicated to a specific topic. Only books that correspond to that topic should be nominated. Occasionally, we would not have any dedicated topic, to allow for books that don't quite fit into any of the categories.

What do you think?

The Blind Watchmaker is the winning book in our September poll. I look forward to reading it!

Our December, 2010 book was Absolutely Small: How Quantum Theory Explains Our Everyday World. The book was mostly about quantum physics. But the most interesting parts were the chapters that describe how quantum theory explains the properties of everyday chemicals.

Also, next month's book, At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity has some discussion of chemistry. In one of the early chapters, the author explains his theory of how inorganic chemical reactions might auto-catalyze, and produce self-replicating life forms.

So, I agree with Cheryl, that chemistry comes to life when a writer discusses applications.

Welcome to the group, Jacob. I'd very much like to hear your opinion of our August book, At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity. It has an interesting approach to understanding evolution.

Nominations for the September book have closed. Nine excellent books have been nominated! (I truthfully don't know how I will decide. I'd like to read them all.) Now it's time to vote in the poll. The poll will close after July 29.

Patricrk wrote: "... I want to challenge all the members of this group to take action when they see scientifically wrong statements in papers or magazines. Please write the editors and help get this information corrected."

Excellent suggestion, Patricrk.

Hey everybody, it's time to start nominations for the September "Book of the Month". If you have a good idea for a book, please share it! (Make sure to press the "add book" option, so a link to the book will make it easier for everybody to read up about it.)

Nominations will be open until July 26.

Susanna wrote: "If there's a tie, nothing wrong with a runoff to try to determine an actual winner."

It looks like people would prefer a single Book of the Month. So, are there opinions about Susanna's suggestion, about having a runoff vote if there is a tie?

Here is another incredible photo of a hydrothermal worm, a "worm from hell".

I'd like to get people's feelings about an issue concerning our "Book of the Month". In several of the most recent monthly polls, we have either had a tie between two books, or a near-tie. When there is a tie, we let both books become the "winners". (Next month we will have two "Books of the Month".)

In some months, so many excellent books are nominated, and people who voted for the "runner-up" may feel a bit miffed. So my question is, should we always have two Books of the Month? Nobody should feel obligated to read both books, and there is more chance that if one of the books doesn't interest you, perhaps the other book will be interesting.

What do you think? Consider this thread as just an informal poll. (More questions like this to follow!)

So, what do people think about this book? Is it convincing? Does the book really persuade you that a small group of people generated all this controversy about these subjects, even after most scientists were in agreement?