I just finished reading a book on the history of alchemy: "Alchemy," by E. J. Holmyard. I don't have a great deal to say about it, though, because it's not surprising. The author explains ( Read more... )

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=295753

I frequently browse a site called WND, which is both conservative and Christian fundamentalist. I strongly disagree with much of what's on there, but it's at least interesting ( Read more... )

I'm on spring break, and on antibiotics for a poorly-timed bout of food poisoning; ow. Over the second one though, and having some fun on the east coast of Florida.

One of the things I did this week was visit the Brevard Zoo. That place is a good example of modern zoo design, with exhibits that offer hiding spots and varied terrain instead of ( Read more... )

As you may have heard, IBM's computer "Watson" won handily over veteran "Jeopardy" champions. (Overview video) What does this mean?

( Read more... )

I just read about the results of the Loebner Prize Contest, the annual implementation of the Turing Test. One AI actually fooled a human judge! So is there progress being made toward real AI in this contest ( Read more... )

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100929/sc_afp/usastronomyplanet_20100929210707Read more... )

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/05/nasa-chief-frontier-better-relations-muslims/Read more... )

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091023/NEWS02/910230318/Review+panel+signals+NASA+s+turning+pointRead more... )

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1208012/Woman-man-little-bit-How-deciding-Caster-Semenyas-gender-complex-think.htmlRead more... )

A new study sheds light on what happens in the human brain when we read stories. According to this research:

"[R]eading is by no means a passive exercise. Rather, readers mentally simulate each new situation encountered in a narrative. Details about actions and sensation are captured from the text and integrated with personal knowledge from past ( Read more... )