I came across this article today and it put a smile on my face. A traveling malaria researcher came across an “electronic mosquito repeller” for sale in his in-flight catalog. Being an intelligent man, he realized this was total and utter BS. He also realized this product probably sells best while in-route to malaria ridden . . . → Read More: Sunday night rant: the way things should work.
 2 comments - (Comments are closed)  Entomology, Skepticism  Dowsing, JREF, Malaria, Mosquitos, Pseudoscience, Scams and Fraud, Skepticism Look above, I’ve created a new page for techniques. Ever wonder how something is done? Ask me how and I will illustrate. Share this!
Know this butterfly? It’s OK, no one really does. It is in the genus Apodemia (Riodinidae), but the taxonomy of this group is a disaster… and don’t even get me started on the subspecies. This specimen was photographed in September, meaning it is most likely to be Apodemia mormo (mormo) based . . . → Read More: Stupid buttefly of the week Share this!One of the perks of being an entomologist is traveling and collecting. I put a few thousand miles on the car every summer and these are two of the best places in Arizona to collect. The top image is from the Baboquivari Mountains (Baboquivari Peak in the middle), Brown Canyon Research Station. . . . → Read More: In the field Share this!Despite being pretty disinterested in butterflies, they are pretty to look at. Here is a really great video by a guy I know down in Southern CA. His time-lapse videos of lepidoptera life cycles are pretty impressive, and this one in particular is beautiful. If you cut to about 3:00 in, you will see dozens . . . → Read More: Time-lapse butterflies Share this!The brief comment about Linus Pauling and Vitamin C below made me remember this video first posted a while ago by Pharyngula. This is Kary Mullis, the inventor of PCR, and a Nobel Prize winner. His invention basically made DNA analysis possible. But like Pauling, he is also completely and totally nuts. If you have . . . → Read More: Sad but true Share this!This is an old image of mine, so it’s not perfect. If you can tell me this butterfly to species you get a high-five. If you know the subspecies, I’ll send you a new pack of #3 stainless steel pins! Only hint: It’s from the western USA. . . . → Read More: OK butterfly people, who am I? Share this!Today I found this article in NY times health – touting the benefits of acupuncture used for depression relief in pregnant women. I have a few problems with the journalist, Shirley S. Wang, failing to remain skeptical in her piece. But this comes as no surprise, so I won’t bother to point out obvious flaws . . . → Read More: NY Times FAIL – Acupuncture Share this! One comment - (Comments are closed) Skepticism Acupuncture, Alternative Medicine, Bad Science, Health, Media I love Ming Tsai and his cooking empire as much as the next 3-am TV viewer. Actually, his recipes are fantastic and you should make them yourself. But I have noticed an odd tendency for him to say (paraphrased) “you should always use organic, it’s much better for you”. This leaves me a bit puzzled. . . . → Read More: Ming’s Myth Share this![youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc] I really enjoy this autotuned Sagan, makes me with I was this eloquent. Watch more videos here at the Symphony of Science. Share this! |
Skepticism |
