Science Made Stupid
Author:
Publisher: Mariner Books
Published: 1985
Total Pages: 88
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →A humorous takeoff on science texts and lab manuals.
Lanterna Rally
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Stupid Science
Author: Leland Gregory
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Published: 2009-06-15
Total Pages: 226
ISBN-13: 0740792113
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Consider these cases of misdirected human activity, each in the name of science: The Illinois Department of Conservation spent $180,000 to study the contents of owl vomit. Georgia State University psychology professor James Dabbs discovered in 1988 that trial lawyers have about 30 percent more testosterone in their bodies than normal people (regardless of gender). Dabbs stated in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology that high testosterone levels are often linked to aggressiveness and "antisocial behavior." We all knew that lawyers were full of something—now we know it's testosterone. What do stinky cheese and unclean feet have in common? They both attract mosquitoes according to a November 8, 1996 article from Reuters.
The Spike
Author: Mark Humphries
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 2023-01-24
Total Pages: 232
ISBN-13: 0691241481
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →The story of a neural impulse and what it reveals about how our brains work We see the last cookie in the box and think, can I take that? We reach a hand out. In the 2.1 seconds that this impulse travels through our brain, billions of neurons communicate with one another, sending blips of voltage through our sensory and motor regions. Neuroscientists call these blips “spikes.” Spikes enable us to do everything: talk, eat, run, see, plan, and decide. In The Spike, Mark Humphries takes readers on the epic journey of a spike through a single, brief reaction. In vivid language, Humphries tells the story of what happens in our brain, what we know about spikes, and what we still have left to understand about them. Drawing on decades of research in neuroscience, Humphries explores how spikes are born, how they are transmitted, and how they lead us to action. He dives into previously unanswered mysteries: Why are most neurons silent? What causes neurons to fire spikes spontaneously, without input from other neurons or the outside world? Why do most spikes fail to reach any destination? Humphries presents a new vision of the brain, one where fundamental computations are carried out by spontaneous spikes that predict what will happen in the world, helping us to perceive, decide, and react quickly enough for our survival. Traversing neuroscience’s expansive terrain, The Spike follows a single electrical response to illuminate how our extraordinary brains work.
Bad Science
Author: Ben Goldacre
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published: 2010-10-12
Total Pages: 256
ISBN-13: 1429967099
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Have you ever wondered how one day the media can assert that alcohol is bad for us and the next unashamedly run a story touting the benefits of daily alcohol consumption? Or how a drug that is pulled off the market for causing heart attacks ever got approved in the first place? How can average readers, who aren't medical doctors or Ph.D.s in biochemistry, tell what they should be paying attention to and what's, well, just more bullshit? Ben Goldacre has made a point of exposing quack doctors and nutritionists, bogus credentialing programs, and biased scientific studies. He has also taken the media to task for its willingness to throw facts and proof out the window. But he's not here just to tell you what's wrong. Goldacre is here to teach you how to evaluate placebo effects, double-blind studies, and sample sizes, so that you can recognize bad science when you see it. You're about to feel a whole lot better.
When Science Goes Wrong
Author: Simon LeVay
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2008-03-25
Total Pages: 308
ISBN-13: 1440639388
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Brilliant scientific successes have helped shape our world, and are always celebrated. However, for every victory, there are no doubt numerous little-known blunders. Neuroscientist Simon LeVay brings together a collection of fascinating, yet shocking, stories of failure from recent scientific history in When Science Goes Wrong. From the fields of forensics and microbiology to nuclear physics and meteorology, in When Science Goes Wrong LeVay shares twelve true essays illustrating a variety of ways in which the scientific process can go awry. Failures, disasters and other negative outcomes of science can result not only from bad luck, but from causes including failure to follow appropriate procedures and heed warnings, ethical breaches, quick pressure to obtain results, and even fraud. Often, as LeVay notes, the greatest opportunity for notable mishaps occurs when science serves human ends. LeVay shares these examples: To counteract the onslaught of Parkinson’s disease, a patient undergoes cutting-edge brain surgery using fetal transplants, and is later found to have hair and cartilage growing inside his brain. In 1999, NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft is lost due to an error in calculation, only months after the agency adopts a policy of “Faster, Better, Cheaper.” Britain’s Bracknell weather forecasting team predicts two possible outcomes for a potentially violent system, but is pressured into releasing a ‘milder’ forecast. The BBC’s top weatherman reports there is “no hurricane”, while later the storm hits, devastating southeast England. Ignoring signals of an imminent eruption, scientists decide to lead a party to hike into the crater of a dormant volcano in Columbia, causing injury and death. When Science Goes Wrong provides a compelling glimpse into human ambition in scientific pursuit.
The Comfort Crisis
Author: Michael Easter
Publisher: Rodale Books
Published: 2021-05-11
Total Pages: 292
ISBN-13: 0593138775
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →“If you’ve been looking for something different to level up your health, fitness, and personal growth, this is it.”—Melissa Urban, Whole30 CEO and New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Boundaries “Michael Easter’s genius is that he puts data around the edges of what we intuitively believe. His work has inspired many to change their lives for the better.”—Dr. Peter Attia, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlive Discover the evolutionary mind and body benefits of living at the edges of your comfort zone and reconnecting with the wild—from the author of Scarcity Brain, coming in September! In many ways, we’re more comfortable than ever before. But could our sheltered, temperature-controlled, overfed, underchallenged lives actually be the leading cause of many our most urgent physical and mental health issues? In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries, disruptive genius researchers, and mind-body conditioning trailblazers who are unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort. Easter’s journey to understand our evolutionary need to be challenged takes him to meet the NBA’s top exercise scientist, who uses an ancient Japanese practice to build championship athletes; to the mystical country of Bhutan, where an Oxford economist and Buddhist leader are showing the world what death can teach us about happiness; to the outdoor lab of a young neuroscientist who’s found that nature tests our physical and mental endurance in ways that expand creativity while taming burnout and anxiety; to the remote Alaskan backcountry on a demanding thirty-three-day hunting expedition to experience the rewilding secrets of one of the last rugged places on Earth; and more. Along the way, Easter uncovers a blueprint for leveraging the power of discomfort that will dramatically improve our health and happiness, and perhaps even help us understand what it means to be human. The Comfort Crisis is a bold call to break out of your comfort zone and explore the wild within yourself.
Why We Sleep
Author: Matthew Walker
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2017-10-03
Total Pages: 368
ISBN-13: 1501144316
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →"Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming"--Amazon.com.
Stupid Gone Viral
Author: Kathy Scott Ph. D.
Publisher:
Published: 2020
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9781781334461
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Becoming a leader with purpose is a challenge, even for the most successful boss. The L3 Fusion Leadership Model outlined in this book is relatable and fun, enabling you to develop your own path to success. This book will show you how to survive the stupid and ensure your capacity as a leader is never underestimated. Learn how to: Create mental models to gain confidence in your abilities Balance work with humor and grace Experience a quantum leap in your influence and effectiveness Become more holistic - enriching your body, mind and spirit Appreciate the importance of a supportive network
Why People Believe Weird Things
Author: Michael Shermer
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Published: 2002-09-01
Total Pages: 384
ISBN-13: 9781429996761
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →Revised and Expanded Edition. In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, "Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things," Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science. Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them.
Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics
Author: Tom Rogers
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2007-11-01
Total Pages: 338
ISBN-13: 1402249373
DOWNLOAD EBOOK →In this fascinating and humorous guide, author Tom Rogers examines the real science behind stunts, plots, and special effects without ruining the fun of your favorite, universe-breaking action movies. Building on the work of the Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics website (http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/), this book questions classic 80s and 90s movies on 20 different topics, including: Can you ignite gasoline with the flick of a cigarette? What would "shrinking the kids" actually require? Would an explosion in space look like a scene from Star Wars? An informative romp through classic movies, Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics reveals the basic laws of physics and how Hollywood breaks them all—perfect for armchair Einsteins, movie buffs, or engaging lessons in the science classroom.
