27 JUL 2018 by ideonexus
With Educational Games, Even if the Kids Don't Get It, Yo...
...where does probability theory come from? What is its source? Clearly, like many other sciences, like arithmetic itself, probability theory emerged from observations of certain real-world phenomena, namely, random, unpredictable phenomena. And it is exactly these kinds of observations—fundamental to the formation of science—which are worth making together with kids. Well, not all of them, of course, just the simplest ones. Besides, kids are making them on their own; e.g., when they play... 1 
notes
notes04 MAR 2015 by ideonexus
An Algorithm for Predicting Longevity
For the test, participants exercised on a treadmill at increasing speed and incline. While they were exercising, the researches measured peak heart rate (%MPHR) and their ability to withstand physical exertion. On that latter point, they measured metabolic equivalents, or METs, which gauges how much energy the body expends during exercise. The more intense the exercise, the higher the METs (e.g. slow walking = ~2 METs, whereas running = ~8 METs).
[...]
FIT Treadmill Score = %MPHR 12(M...
1 You can get your MPHR for your age here. I found a chart of METS here for various exercises.
| Activity | METS | Activity | METS |
| Aerobic Dancing | 6.0 | Running 12 min/mile | 8.5 |
| Backpacking | 7.0 | Racquetball | 8.0 |
| Badminton | 7.0 | Rugby | 8.3 |
| Basketball | 6.0 | Skating ice/roller | 7.0 |
| Bicycling - 24mph | 5.0 | Skiing cross country | 8.0 |
| Calisthenics | 4.5 | Soccer | 8.0 |
| Golf | 5.0 | Softball | 5.0 |
| Gymnastics | 5.5 | Swimming | 6.0 |
| Handball | 8.0 | Tennis | 7.0 |
| Hockey | 8.0 | Volleyball | 4.0 |
| Horse riding | 3.5 | Walking | 3.5 |
| Running 8 min/mile | 12.5 | Weight lifting | 4.5 |
| Stage | Minutes | % grade | km/h | MPH | METS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 10 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 5 |
| 2 | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 7 |
| 3 | 3 | 14 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 10 |
| 4 | 3 | 16 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 13 |
| 5 | 3 | 18 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 15 |
| 6 | 3 | 20 | 8.8 | 5.5 | 18 |
| 7 | 3 | 22 | 9.6 | 6.0 | 20 |
Total Durations = 21 minutes
So, if I'm understanding this correctly. If I reach a 160 heart rate out of 179.0 MPHR predicted for my 41 years of age while running 12 minute miles worth 8.5 METS. My score would be:
83.7 12(8.5) - 4(41) = 21.7
The same heart rate for my age running 8 minute miles:
83.7 12(8.5) - 4(41) = 69.7
03 MAR 2014 by ideonexus
The Silence of the Universe is Significant
Geoff Marcy, the University of California at Berkeley astronomer who has found scores of exoplanets, and who has diligently searched for signs of anything artificial in the data, says the silence is significant: “If our Milky Way Galaxy were teeming with thousands of advanced civilizations, as depicted in science-fiction books and movies, we would already know about them. They would be sending probes to thousands of nearby stars. They would have a galactic Internet composed of laser beams a...Folksonomies: extraterrestrial life
Folksonomies: extraterrestrial life
1 notes
notesThe fact that we can't detect anything out there means there may be nothing to detect.
30 AUG 2011 by ideonexus
Honorable Description of Thomas Addis
Injustice or oppression in the next street...or any spot inhabited by men was a personal affront to Thomas Addis and his name, from its early alphabetical place, was conspicuous on lists of sponsors of scores of organizations fighting for democracy and against fascism. He worked on more committees than could reasonably have been expected of so busy a man... Tom Addis was happy to have a hand in bringing to the organization of society some of the logic of science and to further that understand... 1 notes
notesThe man was a humanist, charitable and sponsor of organizations fighting for democracy.
03 MAY 2011 by ideonexus
Writing as Quilting
This book is crammed with original ideas—very few of them my own. Science writers become accustomed to the feeling that they are intellectual plagiarists, raiding the minds of those who are too busy to tell the world about their discoveries. There are scores of people who could have written each chapter of my book better than I. My consolation is that few could have written all the chapters. My role has been to connect the patches of others' research together into a quilt. Taking ideas and patching them into the quilt of a book.
