16 APR 2018 by ideonexus
Teens Need a Psychological Moratorium
She remembered psychologist Erik Erickson's exhortation about teenagers: they need a "psychosocial moratorium," he wrote, an environment and a stretch of time in which they can explore different aspects of their personality and try on a series of identities without fear of consequence. In a way, that was what school was supposed to offer, but it didn't always do so with much success. She realized that this was exactly what virtual worlds offered all the time, to anyone with a computer and an ... 1 
notes
notesA time when they can find their identity.
29 DEC 2016 by ideonexus
The World is Getting Better
The facts are as follows. The rate of violent crime is lower now than it was at any time between 1966 and 2009. Immigrants have a lower rate of violent crime than American citizens. Terrorists kill just three-tenths of one percent of all American homicide victims. The rate of death from terrorism in the United States was higher in the early 1970s than it is today. And since 2002, more Americans have been killed by right-wing American terrorists than by Islamic terrorists. It’s true that the...Folksonomies: optimism
Folksonomies: optimism
1 notes
notes09 NOV 2015 by ideonexus
Non-English Languages Lack the Words for Talking About Te...
By the early 19th century, just three—French, English, and German—accounted for the bulk of scientists’ communication and published research; by the second half of the 20th century, only English remained dominant as the U.S. strengthened its place in the world, and its influence in the global scientific community has continued to increase ever since.
As a consequence, the scientific vocabularies of many languages have failed to keep pace with new developments and discoveries. In many l...Folksonomies: culture technology
Folksonomies: culture technology
1 notes
notes30 DEC 2013 by ideonexus
Chemistry as the Foundation of Science
Chemistry I deem to be the foundation of all other science, and in a manner pf speaking to comprise all other branches of science. As matter and motion comprise everything we can behold or conceive, and as Chemistry is an investigation of the properties of matter, with the causes and effects of its various combinations, it is evidently the most important part of science, or rather, the first and last part of it. The cultivation of the earth—the cookery of our food—its quantity and quality... 1 notes
notesAn early view, predates physics?
19 DEC 2013 by ideonexus
Understanding Awe
It can be hard to generalize what people consider jaw-dropping, but Vohs says research demonstrates what consistently creates an awesome experience. Travel ranks high. So does gazing at the cosmos on a clear night or watching a sensational film, as well as anytime we encounter massive quantities: colorful tulips in bloom, a bustling market in India, or a stunning school of fish.
Novelty and perceptual vastness forces us into the present moment. The study underscores the importance of cultiva... 1 notes
notesThe sense of wonder has health benefits, may open us up to learning new information, but what is it exactly?
09 DEC 2013 by ideonexus
Demographic-economic paradox
The demographic-economic paradox is the inverse correlation found between wealth and fertility within and between nations. The higher the degree of education and GDP per capita of a human population, subpopulation or social stratum, the fewer children are born in any industrialized country. In a 1974 UN population conference in Bucharest, Karan Singh, a former minister of population in India, illustrated this trend by stating "Development is the best contraceptive."[1]
The term "paradox" com... 1 notes
notesAs societies grow more developed, birthrates decrease, despite the increased resources.
19 APR 2013 by ideonexus
Prejudice is an Enemy of Reason
We shall expose the origin and trace the history of general errors, which have more or
less contributed to retard or suspend the advance of reason, and sometimes even, as
much as political events, have been the cause of man’s taking a retrograde course
towards ignorance.
Those operations of the mind that lead to or retain us in error, from the subtle
paralogism, by which the most penetrating mind may be deceived, to the mad reveries
of enthusiasts, belong equally, with that just mode of re... 1 notes
notesIt is a cognitive bias, and it prevents the acquisition of new truths.
18 MAR 2013 by ideonexus
The Geoscope
Because the real planet Earth is revolving around its north-south polar axis, so, too, is mini-Earth. They are both thus revolving without effecting any change of the observed position of Polaris—the North Star—in respect to mini-Earth's north pole. Therefore, the observer at the center of the Geoscope feels spontaneously the celestial fixity not only of Polaris but also of all the other stars as seen outwardly through the Geoscope's triangular windows. Because outwardly of Geoscope's equ... 1 notes
notesAn enormous proposed model of the Earth that would teach children their orientation on our planet. With such an understanding, the term "sunset" would be replaced with "sunclipse."
21 JUN 2012 by ideonexus
Experiment Demonstrating Plants Produce Breathable Air
When air has been freshly and strongly tainted with putrefaction, so as to smell through the water, sprigs of mint have presently died, upon being put into it, their leaves turning black; but if they do not die presently, they thrive in a most surprizing manner. In no other circumstances have I ever seen vegetation so vigorous as in this kind of air, which is immediately fatal to animal life. Though these plants have been crouded in jars filled with this air, every leaf has been full of life;...Folksonomies: experimentation
Folksonomies: experimentation
1 notes
notesUsing a mouse and a sprig of mint.
31 MAY 2012 by ideonexus
God Explains Nothing
In consequence of Darwin's reformed Theory of Descent, we are now in a position to establish scientifically the groundwork of a non-miraculous history of the development of the human race... If any person feels the necessity of conceiving the coming into existence of this matter as the work of a supernatural creative power, of the creative force of something outside of matter, we have nothing to say against it. But we must remark, that thereby not even the smallest advantage is gained for a s... 1 notes
notesThere is nothing wrong with believing in God, but it serves no useful purpose.
