Intelligent Design

And would everyone think that was a good thing? They’re here but not as popular as you might think. Many paleontologists fear losing control of the story: One of the characteristics of information is that, unlike matter and energy, it is not reduced by being shared. And when it is shared, it can generate new information. Of course, some well-sourced new information may contradict earlier ideas or even important beliefs. “Are 3-D Virtual Fossils a Boon or a Threat?” at Mind Matters See also: Thousands of Cambrian fossils discovered in China, new to science We are told that this Qingjiang discovery is important for its diversity, especially of cnidarians (corals and jellies). The new fossils represent a different ecology from Read More ›

These animal groups lived in the ocean over half a billion years ago but were buried by a subterranean mudflow: Paleontologists found thousands of fossils in rocks on the bank of the Danshui river in Hubei province in southern China, where primitive forms of jellyfish, sponges, algae, anemones, worms and arthropods with thin whip-like feelers were entombed in an ancient underwater mudslide. The creatures are so well preserved in the fossils that the soft tissues of their bodies, including the muscles, guts, eyes, gills, mouths and other openings are all still visible. The 4,351 separate fossils excavated so far represent 101 species, 53 of them new.Ian Sample, “‘Mindblowing’ haul of fossils over 500m years old unearthed in China” at The Read More ›

With her publisher’s permission, Sabine Hossenfelder is making Appendix C of her book Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray, available at her blog: This bit of that excerpt is addressed to the science-minded public: As a science writer or member of the public, ask questions: ● You’re used to asking about conflicts of interest due to funding from industry. But you should also ask about conflicts of interest due to short-term grants or employment. Does the scientists’ future funding depend on producing the results they just told you about? ● Likewise, you should ask if the scientists’ chance of continuing their research depends on their work being popular among their colleagues. Does their present position offer adequate protection from Read More ›