Bold, idealistic and anxious

According to Science Daily,

Anxiety and uncertainty can cause us to become more idealistic and more radical in our religious beliefs, according to new findings by York University researchers, published in this month's issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. . . [T]he results of this research program suggest that bold but vulnerable people gravitate to idealistic and religious extremes for relief from anxiety.

See this related cross-link to Gregory Paul's work showing that religion thrives when a population feels insecure.

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Mobile intestines

Several new species of deep sea creatures have been discovered. It's incredible that any form of life can survive at such depths. I couldn't help but think of the phrase "mobile intestinal tracts" when viewing some of these. I'm sure that's oversimplifying, but based on these images, some of these creatures don't seem to have much more going on than a stomach that moves. Which is how I think of some human beings . . .

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Climategate scientists vindicated

Another inquiry has determined that the "Climategate" scientists' "rigor and honesty as scientists are not in doubt." Not that this will slow down attacks on inconvenient science. Perhaps the biggest lesson illustrated is that when you show know-nothings that they are wrong, it has no effect on their opinions. For an equally good example, read about the "Lenski Affair," where the scientists had conducted 20 years of rigorous experiments that clearly demonstrated evolution of E. coli in the lab. Evidence just isn't good enough for zealots.

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Huffpo gives platform to Discovery Institute

I follow the Huffington Post carefully on political issues. It's credibility is far lower on health issues and, as Alex Pareene points out at Salon.com, Huffpo has completely dropped the ball in allowing a high ranking member of the Discovery Institute to publish a post blaming Charles Darwin "for eugenics and the Nazis." Shame on Huffington Post for allowing such anti-factual drivel.

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