I read the news today, oh boy…
- When miracles fail. How ‘Lourdes Syndrome’ hid mother’s terrible secret.
- Nixon and Dixon: after Jeane Dixon’s prophecies about terrorism, President Nixon ordered Henry Kissinger and others to prepare for attacks.
- At James Randi’s Amazing Meeting, all the big questions are debated – like how much of a jerk Uri Geller is. Just not that Iraq war thing.
- Nick Pope discusses the imminent release of French UFO secrets.
- Part two of “The Universe as Magic Roundabout“. In case you missed it, here’s Part One.
- The Guardian reviews Mark Pilkington’s latest Strange Attractor release (Journal Three). You can find out more about the book (including ordering details) at the Strange Attractor website.
- Is weirdness just in the eye of the beholder?
- A response to Stephen Pinker’s comments in Time magazine that scientists have “exorcised the ghost from the machine” (in the recent article “The Mystery of Consciousness“).
- Weighing the Universe: scientists try to find where Einstein went wrong.
- A skeptic returns serve on recent claims that there is a lunar effect on humans.
- Why is evolution speeding up?
- Survival of the biggest – did humans wipe out the hobbits? Also: the he-said, she-said arguments continue, with (some) scientists now saying that the hobbit’s skull proves it was a unique species.
- Discovering the pharmacy of the Pharaohs. Also: if it’s not Ramses, whose body is in the jar?
- Egypt derides Seven Wonders of the World contest.
- Pollen reveals Terracotta Army origin.
- Ancient Mexican carvings being erased by acid rain.
- Sacred cave of Rome’s founders discovered, archaeologists say.
- US answer to global warming: smoke and mirrors. Also: new climate change report expected to carry grave news.
- Is Pluto about to make a planetary comeback?
- Man cancels free trip to space, as Uncle Sam puts his hand out for a slice of the action.
- Mysterious 100-pound block of ice totals a Ford Mustang.
Thanks Pam and Kat.
Quote of the Day:
I think one could say that time and again in science, something that looks like a curiosity initially often leads to a completely new direction of research. Sometimes, they provide the golden key. Doesn’t always happen. Sometimes it’s just mumbo-jumbo. But that may well be true with savants.
V.S. Ramachandran