Mark Strauss

The Ten Most Bizarre Theories About Why the Dinosaurs Went Extinct

One fact that paleontologists have always agreed upon is that the dinosaurs are all dead. Beyond that, there’s been plenty of room for disagreement—especially concerning the cause of the giant reptiles’ extinction. Here are 10 of the most unusual theories. 1. Rickets! According to a 1928 report in the Science News-Letter, Harry T. Marshall, a…

The Low-Carbon Emission Diet Plan

A new study says that annual carbon emissions from global agriculture can be reduced by as much as 50-90% by 2030. Among the recommended reforms is changing our food consumption patterns, which could eliminate the equivalent of 2,150 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Agriculture accounts for roughly one-fifth of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions,…

If Only The Actual Future Had Been As Cool As These Cars

Beginning next month, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta will exhibit 17 concept cars from the early 1930s to the 21st century that pushed the limits of imagination and changed the automobile from an object of function to a symbol of future possibilities. The four-wheeled fantasies — brought together from across Europe and the…

What the Hunt for IEDs Can Teach Us About Stopping Wildlife Poachers

The World Wildlife Fund is sending Google-financed drones to African national parks to track down illegal poachers. But computer scientist Thomas Snitch believes he can do a better job—by applying a mathematical model he developed for the military to find insurgents making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq. According to an article in Defense One,…

Physics Students Describe How to Make a Force Field with Today’s Tech

A group of physics students from the University of Leicester have calculated that the laser-deflecting shields used by spaceships in Star Wars are not only theoretically feasible, but could also be constructed using today’s technology. However, there are some problems that would require some creative workarounds. The students made some simple assumptions based on watching…

Will China Purchase A Piece Of The Arctic?

China has two related policy priorities: Obtain more sources of energy, and gain a foothold in the Arctic, which is rich in natural resources. So, it comes as no surprise that Beijing is rumored to be interested in a piece of private property on a Norwegian Arctic archipelago that’s been put up for sale. The…

Sorry Bill Nye, This Is The Science Vs. Religion Debate We Need

While the recent smack down between Bill Nye and Ken Ham grabbed all the headlines, the scientific community was far more captivated by a debate featuring physicist Sean Carroll and theologian William Lane Craig that explored the existence of God in light of contemporary cosmology. Carroll is a physicist at CalTech and the author of…

The economic viability of US nuclear reactors is worsening, says a report by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Any additional loss of nuclear capacity, the study argues, would increase carbon dioxide emissions, making it more difficult for the US to achieve its 17% emissions reduction pledge by 2020.

Obama Exchanges Bows With A Robot, and a Right-Wing Freak Out Ensues

Conservative pundits have a bit of an obsession with President Obama’s purported habit of bowing when meeting foreign dignitaries. But, that outrage reached a new peak when our Commander-in-Chief publicly surrendered to our robot overlords. Last week, while in Japan, Obama got up close and personal with Honda’s ASIMO robot. The two life forms exchanged…

Shatner Unleashes His Live-Tweeting Powers on the CW’s Scifi Lineup

If you watch Supernatural, The 100, Star Crossed or The Others this week, William Shatner will be watching them with you. Since last month, The Shatastic One has been providing live commentary of CW shows on Twitter. What began as a fun pastime, he says, is now a dedicated effort to boost ratings of genre…

Mesmerizing Data Visualization Reveals the Utter Chaos Of Lawmaking

Anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes watching C-Span (before falling asleep) knows that passing laws can be a drawn out, excruciating process. This data vis tool called the Legislative Explorer reveals exactly how insane this process can really be. Created by researchers at the University of Washington’s Center for American Politics and Public…

Diving in Shark-Infested Waters — for Science!

Sharks are rapidly dying out, and scientists desperately need more data to estimate the extinction risks for these threatened species. Now, marine researchers in Australia say that dive guides and amateurs can help fill some significant gaps in their knowledge. All the researchers really need are people who can count the sharks that they see.…

Wave power has the potential to be a massive source of renewable energy, yet it lags behind solar and wind power. An analysis in Yale 360 Environment describes the multiple challenges — including the difficulty of designing a device to capture the energy of waves — that stymie efforts to generate electricity from the sea.

​An Alternate History Of The Creationist Movement

How would the creationism-evolution controversy have been different if World War I had never happened? That’s the premise for a series of intriguing short articles posted at the website of the National Center for Science Education. The NCSE—inspired by the centennial of the outbreak of World War I in 1914—has invited several guest scholars to…

Nighttime Images From Space As You’ve Never Seen Them Before

London-based artist Marc Khachfe was “blown away” by the images taken of cities at night by the astronauts on the International Space Station. But when he tried to print out poster-sized versions, he found them too blurry. So, he developed a technique to replicate them on Earth. As designboom magazine explains: [Using] open map data,…

U.S. Military Expert Unveils a Strategy for Deploying Godzilla in War

“Godzilla should not be destroyed,” says scientist Kyohei Yamanhe in the classic 1954 film. “He should be studied.” And how right he was! James Butler, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, argues that a deeper understanding of Japan’s 300-foot-tall, ill-tempered celebrity could be crucial to winning future wars. You’re probably a bit skeptical…

“Big Government” Vaccine Program Has Saved 700,000 Lives

According to a report published today by the CDC, more than 732,000 children’s lives and $1 trillion have been saved in the last 20 years by a government program that was created for kids who didn’t have health insurance that covered vaccinations. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program was implemented in 1994, following an outbreak…

Euronews has produced a wonderful mini-documentary commemorating Europe’s 50 years in space. Historian John Krige gives his insights on how Europe’s space sector has evolved, while veteran scientists recount their experiences in major missions and launches.

3D Printed Eyes Are Insanely Cheap Prosthetics and Look Perfect

Custom-made, prosthetic eyes are molded in acrylic and then painted by hand—a meticulous process that can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. But a recently developed 3D printing process can produce eyes of equal quality, at a rate of 150 per hour, reducing the cost by 97 percent. The prosthetic eyes are the result…

In Iran, Medical Authorities Say Government Censorship Causes Cancer

For years, Iran has been blocking foreign television channels. Now, the country’s medical community is convinced that these electronic countermeasures are responsible for a growing number of cancer cases—and their concerns recently received support from a Grand Ayatollah. In Iran, satellite dishes are illegal, yet as many as half the people in the country own…