Science Increases Wonder — Robin Ince and the Power of Reality
The universe is magical, but we tend to take it for granted. This TED Talk will get you back into the zone of amazement.
The World's English Mania — The Power of Pull and Opportunity
With the largest English-language countries emerging in Asia and billions of people acquiring English language skills, what will the future hold? Are we losing more than we’re gaining? Or gaining something that has eluded our predecessors for centuries?
Statistics and Storytelling — Why We Need Them Both in Science
Two thought-provoking articles published last week in JAMA make compelling and complementary arguments to the rhetorical power of both numbers and words in conveying the message of science.
The Internet Can Be Touched — The Physicality of Cyberspace
The Internet was built and is being built. This fascinating little video shows the unique characteristics of this construction project, including why some big buildings are so important to its existence.
Education Regulation — New Challenges and New Opportunities
The encroachment of standards and the fragmented system across states creates new constraints on publishers, some of which can be turned to advantage.
SSP Annual Meeting — A Call for Participation
Now is your chance to shape the SSP program as a speaker or session organizer. The Call for Participation is open now through November 11, and we want to hear from you with a proposal for a session you would like to see, organize, or lead.
My Utopian Vision for Communication of Scientific Methods
The publishing industry seems to be focused on improving a system that already works well, the system of topical information flows. Perhaps it should be looking at the system of method information flows.
Ask the Chefs: "What Do You Think Is the Most Important Trend in Publishing Today?"
Welcome to a new feature of the Scholarly Kitchen we’re calling “Ask the Chefs.” The premise is that each month, the Chefs (contributors) to the Scholarly Kitchen will answer a provocative question in a pithy paragraph or two. Each Chef answers the question without benefit of seeing the others’ responses. This month’s question: “What Do You Think Is the Most Important Trend in Publishing Today?”
Symphony of Science — Autotune Hawking and Other Giants of Physics
A pleasant way to celebrate Friday.
Back to School: Rethinking the Textbook
There are many new companies seeking to disrupt the college textbook model. Here is a taxonomy of the strategies, with some comments on the likelihood of their being adopted.
Is It Plagiarism? iParadigms Walks Both Sides of the Question
The plagiarism-detection products in use in academia and scholarly publishing are also available for students and authors, who can pre-screen their papers to lower their chances of detection. In the middle, iParadigms takes money from both sides. Is this proper?
Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories — A Charming, Logical, and Whimsical Lesson
Ever seen your favorites stories in line-graph form?
Rallying Cries vs. Reality: Profits and Publishing Meet Academics and Idealism
The comments on a recent post revealed a litany of rhetoric that doesn’t quite match up with nuanced reality.
Graphical Displays, Statistics, and Thinking Straight — "Picturing the Uncertain World"
Simplifying the complex isn’t a simple task. A new book by a practiced hand and statistician proves entertaining and enlightening.
The Power of Language, the Choice to Share Ideas Widely, and Why Humans Have Prospered
A bizarre evolutionary scenario gave us the most powerful tool nature has ever created.