Wikio Blogs - sciences

[Sciences] Science of orgasm (Boing Boing)

Boing Boing — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:02:12 GMT

This month's Scientific American Mind unpacks the neurology of orgasm. It summarizes some very intriguing and also controversial research. For example, brain scans seem to show that orgasms aren't just about heightened arousal but also the silencing of the brain's "center of vigilance" to lose all inhibitions. From Scientific American Mind: To find out whether orgasm looks similar in the female brain (as it does in the male brain), (University of Groningen neuroscientist Gert) Holstege’s team asked the male partners of 12 women to stimulate their partner’s clitoris—the site whose excitation most easily leads to orgasm—until she climaxed, again inside a PET scanner. Not surprisingly, the team reported in 2006, clitoral stimulation by itself led to activation in areas of the brain involved in receiving and perceiving sensory signals from that part of the body and in describing a body sensation—for instance, labeling it “sexual.” But when a woman reached orgasm, something unexpected happened: much of her brain went silent. Some of the most muted neurons sat in the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex, which may govern self-control over basic desires such as sex. Decreased activity there, the researchers suggest, might correspond to a release of tension and inhibition. The scientists also saw a dip in excitation in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, which has an apparent role in moral reasoning and social judgment—a change that may be tied to a suspension of judgment and reflection. Brain activity fell in the amygdala, too, suggesting a depression of vigilance similar to that seen in men, who generally showed far less deactivation in their brain during orgasm than their female counterparts did. “Fear and anxiety need to be avoided at all costs if a woman wishes to have an orgasm; we knew that, but now we can see it happening in the depths of the brain,” Holstege says. He went so far as to declare at the 2005 meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Development: “At the moment of orgasm, women do not have any emotional feelings.” Link...

Mind Hacks : Orgasm and brain ...
Of Two Minds : Orgasms Everywhere! ...

blogs : zidouta.com,Of Two Minds,Boing Boing,Mind Hacks...
(4 posts, last update: 16/05/2008 02:02)

[Sciences] Climate Control: A Costly Proposal (ProudToBeCanadian Blog)

ProudToBeCanadian Blog — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:49:52 GMT

Think energy is expensive now? Wait until Congress plugs in the “Climate Security Act of 2007.” That's the leading piece of legislation on Capitol Hill designed to combat “climate change.” Lawmakers have cooked up an expensive solution to a hyped-up rallying cry against a “problem” that scientists can't even agree exists in the first place. Of course, Congress is doing what Congress seems to do best—pass laws in response to the latest craze. In this case, if the politicians are successful, you may find yourself nostalgic for the days of $3.60 gasoline. And that would be only the start. The overall economic costs could be staggering. Economists at The Heritage Foundation rolled up their sleeves and got under the hood of current proposal. They've run the numbers —and what they found will make all Americans want to buckle up. If the Climate Security Act becomes law, lawmakers would thrust our economy downhill in a hurry. First, a quick look at what the legislation aims to do: Strictly limit the amount of greenhouses gases (primarily carbon dioxide, or CO2) each power plant, factory, refinery or other regulated company could emit. Those who cut emissions below what the government allows annually could sell their excess “allowances” to other companies. It sounds like a sick joke—sort of like saying such emissions are sins, but if you don't indulge in yours as much as Big Brother says you can, then you can sell your “sin rights” to others. My goodness, has Washington really gotten that absurd? It gets worse. The limits in the bill rely on “multiple, untested and undeveloped technologies” that “will lead to severe restrictions on energy use and large increases in energy costs,” according to Heritage researchers William Beach, David Kreutzer, Ben Lieberman and Nicolas Loris. All in all, the legislation—sponsored by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.)—“represents an extraordinary level of economic interference by the federal government,” the researchers write. The bill also would take a serious gamble: Rely on what the researchers call “a critical but unproven technology” known as “carbon capture and sequestration.” That's a fancy way of saying carbon would be caught and stored underground, rather than continuing to be released into the atmosphere. The Lieberman-Warner bill assumes it won't be ready for another 10 years—an assumption that the Heritage researchers consider too optimistic. So how would Lieberman-Warner affect our economy? Start with something we can all relate to: personal income. Under the bill, income in the U.S. would drop significantly, starting in 2012, from a decline of more than $30 billion that year to $121.9 billion in 2016. Or, to put it another way: All other things being equal, by 2016, the annual household income for a family of four would fall by $1,494—about what that family pays now for two months of food. Gross domestic product would start to take a nosedive in 2012 as well. By 2030, GDP would be $436 billion less than it would be if the bill hadn't become law. Energy prices would spike, too. Heating oil would go from $2,120 annually per household in 2012 to $2,728 by 2030. Over the same period, electricity would rise from $1,213 per year to $1,860, and natural gas would go from $1,090 to $1,393. By 2030, the Heritage researchers write, “the total energy bill for the average American consumer has gone up $8,870.” How would Lieberman-Warner affect employment? The Heritage analysis shows that annual job losses exceed 500,000 before 2030 and could approach 1 million. Factory jobs would decline sharply; we’d lose 2.3 million jobs in durable-goods manufacturing in 2029 as the changes forced the economy rapidly away from that sector. What about the “green-collar” jobs the bill is expected to create? The researchers did find an initial bump in employment as firms buy the equipment they need to make themselves more CO2-friendly. “However, any ‘green-collar’ jobs created are more than offset by other job losses,” Heritage experts note. “The initial uptick is small compared to the hundreds of thousands of lost jobs in later years.” Lost income. Higher energy costs. Fewer jobs. Even for Congress, that's quite a list of unintended consequences—and all to satisfy the mass-hysteria fueled by junk science, Hollywood and an out-of-control public-education system that's brainwashing an entire generation of kids to think we’re all going to burn to a crisp. Seems the only thing that truly fried at the moment is common sense.

USA Partisan : The Economic Costs of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Change Legislation By Nick Loris ...
Investor's Iraq Forum : The Economic Costs of Climate Change Legislation ...

blogs : USA Partisan,Investor's Iraq Forum,ProudToBeCanadian Blog...
(3 posts, last update: 15/05/2008 16:49)

[Sciences] Soul gene? (Gene Expression)

Gene Expression — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:09:34 GMT

Ron Bailey in Reason , The Genetics of Ensoulment : Advances in stem cell research may be provoking a kind of "God of the Gaps" retreat on the moral status of embryos. People who subscribe to God of the Gaps thinking believe that the hand of God can be seen in those things which science cannot explain. In this case, the closing gaps in the details of molecular biology are forcing pro-lifers into an uncomfortable corner where they have to decide whether or not a cell can be imbued with a soul by turning a single gene on or off. Read the comments on this post...

bioethics.com : The Genetics of Ensoulment ...
Reason Magazine - Hit & Run : New at Reason ...

blogs : Gene Expression,bioethics.com,Reason Magazine - Hit & Run...
(3 posts, last update: 15/05/2008 18:09)

[Sciences] Administration: Polar bear ‘threatened’ by global warming, but Arctic drilling can continue. (Think Progress)

Think Progress — Thu, 15 May 2008 05:16:29 GMT

After years of delay, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne finally declared the polar bear a “threatened species,” under the Endangered Species Act, due to global warming. Yet at the same time, Kempthorne also decreed that drilling in the Arctic can still continue: This rule, effective immediately, will ensure the protection of the [...]

Gristmill : Bye-polar Kempthorne ...
Thoughts from Kansas : Under pressure from courts, public opinion, Feds list polar bear as threatened ...

blogs : Science Daily,Later On,Watts Up With That?,Gristmill,Think Progress...
(11 posts, last update: 15/05/2008 07:16)

[Sciences] Chasing rainbows and longliners (Greenpeace - Making Waves)

Greenpeace - Making Waves — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:35:00 GMT

A bigeye tuna on a Taiwanese longliner in Pacific international waters Over the past three days we have discovered and taken action against overfishing by six Taiwanese longliners in the Pacific Commons . One of these was the Ho Tsai Fa 18 that we met eleven days ago and released marine life from her hooks . Having previously agreed with the captain that they would leave these international waters we were very disappointed to find them again but we managed to prevent this boat from fishing for three days. Another vessel we boarded (the Yu Jaan Shang) had nine tonnes of tuna, sharks (including sacks of fins and tails) and marlin. We came across one longliner that was actually fishing (the Chin Yu Chun) so we hauled in what line they had in the water and confiscated 2 of their radio beacons (they need these to find the ends of their lines). Last night we escorted this vessel out of the international waters, where we returned the beacons. We asked all of the longliners to leave the Pacific Commons and they agreed. We are also writing an official letter to the Taiwanese Government asking them to withdraw their entire fishing fleet from the Pacific Commons so that tuna stocks here will be able to recover in this ecologically important area. Two of our activists who were involved directly with these vessels have been lovely enough to write about some of their experiences. By Rose - our Chinese translator from New Zealand: We talked to three boats on Saturday, and surprisingly all of them were from Taiwan. They were not from the same company, and each experience was totally different. Continue reading Chasing rainbows and longliners...

Greenpeace News : Pirate of the Pacific busted by Greenpeace ...
The Greenpeace weblog : Greenpeace - Making Waves: Chasing rainbows and longliners ...

blogs : Greenpeace News,The Greenpeace weblog,Greenpeace - Making Waves...
(3 posts, last update: 13/05/2008 09:35)

[Sciences] The government wants to know: Why Are You or Aren't You Biking to Work? (AutoblogGreen)

AutoblogGreen — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:16:55 GMT

Filed under: Etc. , Green Culture , On Two Wheels , Green Daily , USA Photo by Joe Shlabotnik . Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0 . Each week, the EPA asks a question on its blog, Greenversations, to see how people around the country feel about a particular question and opens up the comments section to generate answers. Pretty standard Web 2.0 stuff, but this time the government tells you they're watching. Although the EPA's short press release announcing this week's question (after the jump) doesn't mention the League of American Bicyclists' Bike-to-Work Week that is going on now, the agency's latest Blog Question of the Week fits perfectly with the event. The question is: Why Are You or Aren't You Biking to Work ? Specifically: Biking is healthy, it prevents air pollution, and it can even save you money (filled your tank recently'). So why aren't you biking to work? Need more bike paths? Different policies from your employer? Government sponsorship or policies? Or are you just a couch potato? If you ARE biking, tell us about your route and experiences! As a guy who rides a bike for a lot of regular errands (post office, groceries, etc.), I make due without new and better bike paths. More would certainly be nice, but I find that cruising the residential streets is a good way around the issue. You? Press Release: Blog Question of the Week: Why Are You or Aren't You Biking to Work? Ever wanted to tell EPA what you thought on an environmental topic? Each week, you have your chance in the EPA blog, Greenversations. Each question is an open-ended blog entry; please share your thoughts as comments. This week's question: Why are you or aren't you biking to work? Biking is healthy, it prevents air pollution, and it can even save you money (filled your tank recently'). So why aren't you biking to work? Need more bike paths? Different policies from your employer? Government sponsorship or policies? Or are you just a couch potato? If you ARE biking, tell us about y

Bicycle Design : Win Susan ...
Eco-Chick : Bike to Work Week 2008! ...

blogs : MATTER MAGAZINE,Bicycle Design,AutoblogGreen,Healthbolt,Bike Commute Tips Blog...
(8 posts, last update: 15/05/2008 00:16)

[Sciences] McCain speech, Part 2: Relying on offsets = Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic (Climate Progress)

Climate Progress — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:02:00 GMT

McCain's cost-containment strategy for his climate policy is a fraud. It substitutes a huge amount of low cost, phony emissions reductions both here and abroad — called offsets — for actual domestic emissions reductions. Offsets are “credits for reductions made from sectors of the economy outside the trading system.” Such an offset strategy is [...]

Environmental Capital : McCain Ink: Woo Who? ...
Earth2Tech : FAQ: The McCain Energy Plan ...

blogs : Earth2Tech,Backseat driving,Climate Progress,Environmental Capital...
(4 posts, last update: 14/05/2008 16:02)

[Sciences] Article in Prospect on Rachel Carson (Deltoid)

Deltoid — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:44:47 GMT

I think this article in Prospect on Rachel Carson and DDT is quite good. Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post...

Crooked Timber : In praise of Rachel Carson ...
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub : Deserved praise for Rachel Carson ...

blogs : Deltoid,Crooked Timber,Millard Fillmore's Bathtub...
(3 posts, last update: 13/05/2008 14:44)

[Sciences] A poll in need of a kick in the pants (Pharyngula)

Pharyngula — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:50:23 GMT

In the wake of the recent efforts of a School Administrative District in Maine to expel evolution from the curriculum , we now have a pointless poll seeking the vox populi on this badly worded question: "A school board member in SAD 59 wants the topic of evolution dropped from high school science curriculums. Do you agree?" While I agree that a school board member wants to do that, I think the poll actually intends to ask whether you want evolution dropped from the curriculum. Read the comments on this post...

Pharyngula : Isn't Maine one of them there Yankee states? ...
Greg Laden's Blog : Internet Poll on Dropping Evolution from School Curriculum in Maine ...

blogs : Pharyngula,Greg Laden's Blog...
(3 posts, last update: 13/05/2008 14:50)

[Sciences] Isn't Maine one of them there Yankee states? (Pharyngula)

Pharyngula — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:50:23 GMT

So what are they doing having their own creationist troubles ? It just goes to show that this isn't just a problem for southern yokels in Florida and Texas — it's an epidemic all over the country. The specific problem in this case is a ignorant kook who has been made director of School Administrative District 59 and has decided to flout the state standards and expectations for science classes. Look at this fellow's arguments: Matthew Linkletter of Athens says that both are merely theories that represent "personal beliefs and world views," rather than proven science. Linkletter suggested during last week's SAD 59 board meeting that the board discuss evolution, the "Big Bang Theory" and other studies he believes should be deleted from the curriculum. The school board tabled action on the science curriculum at the April 28 meeting, and will reconsider the issue when it meets at 7 p.m. May 19. Linkletter, a Christian, said there is no way to prove either evolution or creationism. "You can't show, observe or prove it," Linkletter said of the belief systems. "It's something you have to believe by faith. It doesn't meet the criteria of science. "If it's not scientifically verifiable, then maybe we should leave it out of the science classes. When you make a statement that's not backed by facts and just represents a world view, then it has no place." It's just a "theory"; it's a "worldview"; you can't "prove" it. This is a guy who doesn't know one thing about science but has clawed his way up the political ladder so he poison it. As is usual in these situations, the qualified science teachers are stuck there, trying to do their jobs, and gazing incredulously at the posturing buffoon in the administrative position. "The empirical proof of evolution is in the study of genetics and how genes relate between organisms," said Ward, who teaches advanced-placement senior biology, senior anatomy/physiology and 10th-grade biology. She said evolution is proven, as an empirical matter of science, through studies of the human genome. "My personal, as well as the National Science Teachers position, is that you can't teach genetics or ecology without evolution. I rather like this summary : Madison Town Manager Norman Dean, who taught science in Madison from 1962 through 1996 and once taught Linkletter, characterized his former student's proposal as "absolutely stupid." Hyphoid Logic has a round-up of some of the news stories (although they are all saying about the same thing right now), and one godless Maine blogger is urging the locals to join him at at the next school board meeting on 19 May, and also provides contact information for reaching the board. Strangely, while SAD #59 does have a web page , it's mostly blank and doesn't even list the board of directors — if anyone has email contact information, let me know and I'll post it so we can get a fast letter writing campaign going. Read the comments on this post...

Pharyngula : A poll in need of a kick in the pants ...
Greg Laden's Blog : Internet Poll on Dropping Evolution from School Curriculum in Maine ...

blogs : Pharyngula,Greg Laden's Blog...
(3 posts, last update: 13/05/2008 14:50)

[Sciences] Carnival of the Green #127 (The Evangelical Ecologist)

The Evangelical Ecologist — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:57:06 GMT

Hi! Welcome to this week’s Carnival. Bean Sprouts hosted last week, and TechnoVerde is in the hopper for next week. Learn about the Carnival of the Green and get advice for submitting posts at Kara’s TreeHugger blog. ~ Yesterday was a blast. A bit cool but very sunny. We had a great time taking the Eco-Wife out for Mother’s [...]

Mind Hacks : Encephalon 45 glides into your mind with a sunny hello ...
Bean Sprouts : Carnival Roundup ...

blogs : SharpBrains,The Neurocritic,Bean Sprouts,Pure Pedantry,Mind Hacks...
(7 posts, last update: 14/05/2008 16:57)

[Sciences] You Can't Make This Shit Up, But Science Can! (AMERICAN DIGEST)

AMERICAN DIGEST — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:33:43 GMT

Hot Climate Could Shut Down Plate Tectonics ScienceDaily (May 13, 2008) - A new study of possible links between climate and geophysics on Earth and similar planets finds that prolonged heating of the atmosphere can shut down plate tectonics and cause a planet's crust to become locked in place. Forget about that big quake in San Francisco! Party on!

Science Daily : Hot Climate Could Shut Down Plate Tectonics ...
Carbon-Based : Hot climate could shut down plate tectonics ...

blogs : AMERICAN DIGEST,Science Daily,Eurekalert,Physorg,Carbon-Based...
(5 posts, last update: 13/05/2008 05:33)

[Sciences] Photo Contest: What's Your Workbench Look Like? (Mike the Mad Biologist)

Mike the Mad Biologist — Tue, 13 May 2008 00:43:24 GMT

Our Benevolent Seed Overlords have announced a photo contest : Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post...

Thus Spake Zuska : What's Your Workplace Look Like? SEED Wants to Know! ...
Uncertain Principles : Science Habitat Photo Contest ...

blogs : Mike the Mad Biologist,Uncertain Principles,Thus Spake Zuska...
(3 posts, last update: 13/05/2008 02:43)

[Sciences] McCain's “climate change” tour bypasses cooler heads (Michelle Malkin)

Michelle Malkin — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:17:00 GMT

John McCain kicks off his “climate change tour” in Portland today. […] Read the rest »

Salon: War Room : McCain: "facts of global warming demand our urgent attention" ...
Pro Cynic : Naughty Bits ...

blogs : Michelle Malkin,Salon: War Room,Pro Cynic...
(3 posts, last update: 13/05/2008 05:17)

[Sciences] Scientist Says Texting is More Expensive Than Downloading From Hubble (Universe Today)

Universe Today — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:00:45 GMT

Does your cell phone bill ever reach astronomical proportions? Maybe you're doing too much texting. One space scientist has worked out that sending texts via mobile phones works out to be far more expensive than downloading data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Dr. Nigel Bannister from the University of Leicester looked at [...]

Pharyngula : A conspiracy to undermine atheism! ...
Bad Astronomy Blog : A use of Hubble to DI for ...

blogs : Pharyngula,Universe Today,Bad Astronomy Blog,Cost Per News...
(4 posts, last update: 12/05/2008 21:00)