Curiosity About the Breathtaking "Mars Curiosity Descent" Video?
An impressive video of the Mars Curiosity Rover’s landing — from the Rover’s perspective — has been circulating. Now, a “how it was made” video reveals some of what it took to make it.
Online Isn't Cheap, We Know — But An Environmentally Problematic Energy Hog?!
A new analysis suggests that energy costs and carbon footprints for online could surpass those of older media types. Oddly, copyright might be part of the solution.
Are Scientists Themselves to Blame for Exaggerated Claims in Science Journalism?
A new study ties problems in abstracts to subsequent exaggerations in the media — but it’s not the big journals that are the major sources.
Are Open Access Initiatives "Catastrophic" for Commercial Publishers?
An analyst frets that Elsevier might suffer from the trends in OA publishing and its mandates. But there’s no logical or practical reason to believe this.
Monkey Business — Equal Work Demands Equal Pay
When someone is treated unfairly — through pay discrimination — it’s so obvious, even a primate knows it.
Attacking PowerPoint and Prezi — Is This Just Shooting the Messenger?
Perhaps poor presentations aren’t caused by the tools, but the content and delivery. PowerPoint or Prezi can’t cover for those problems.
Insane in the Chromatophores — Squids and Disco Lights
Want disco lights? Squids might be on your path to dance club heaven.
Dictionaries, Maps, and Waste — Thoughts on Publishing Economics, Digital Economics, and Human Frailty
“Waste” is hard to define, and therefore hard to eliminate. And it’s not just a print phenomenon. Perhaps we need more than the minimum because the world is unpredictable, our abilities are finite and fleeting, and intellectual work is fairly extravagant.
Ask the Chefs: "What's the Best Advice You've Ever Received?"
Good advice is hard to come by. Here’s some of the best we’ve gotten over the years.
"Patenterprise" — Jean Luc Picard, Apple, and Androids
In space, nobody can hear you litigate.