Megawatt-Class Lasers from Earth Could Attract Alien Astronomers, Says New Study

A new study, published in the Astrophysical Journal, suggests that if a 1- to 2-megawatt (MW) laser were focused through a 30- to 45-m telescope and aimed out into space, the combination would produce a beam of infrared radiation strong enough to stand out from the Sun’s energy and attract...

7.5 billion and counting: How many humans can the Earth support?

“When the last living thing has died on account of us, how poetical it would be if Earth could say, in a voice floating up perhaps from the floor of...”

7.5 billion and counting: How many humans can the Earth support? By Andrew D. Hwang Humans are the most populous large mammal on Earth today, and probably in all of geological history. This World Population Day, humans number in the vicinity of 7.5 to 7.6 billion individuals. Can the Earth...

Genetic error led humans to evolve bigger, but more vulnerable, brains

Newly-discovered genes that helped supersize human brains along with DNA retrieved from extinct humans, which can still be found in people living today, are expanding scientists' understanding of how our species evolved. One of the major features that distinguish humans from other primates is...

Mammals cannot evolve fast enough to escape current extinction crisis

Humans are exterminating animal and plant species so quickly that nature's built-in defence mechanism, evolution, cannot keep up. An Aarhus-led research team calculated that if current conservation efforts are not improved, so many mammal species will become extinct during the next five...

Pentagon Rushes to Spend Billions Before End of Month

The Pentagon is expected to spend more than $111 billion in three months as it rushes to use the remainder of its $700-billion budget before the end of the 2018 fiscal year on September 30, Defense One reported. As of early August, the Defense Department had only allocated contracts worth...

Rummaging About in the Genetic Junkyard

Hi all. I often have the urge to post videos of lectures or presentations that are scientifically educational in nature, but I rarely do so because of their length (usually 45-120 minutes), which severely limits interest and discussion. So, today I thought I'd try something new. I've produced a...

CrashCourse - A Few Short Videos On Evolution And Intelligent Design

From CrashCourse on YouTube Click to view CrashCourse's entire Big History series. Click to view CrashCourse's entire Philosophy series.

What Was Liberalism?

This is from one of my favorite YouTube channels, Philosophy Tube. It's produced by Olly, who not so long ago received his Master of Philosophy and decided to share it with the world. Philosophy Tube

Is this the worst campaign ad ever?

Worst campaign ad ever?

Creationism Bill Dies in Alabama

Alabama's House Bill 258, which would have allowed teachers to present "the theory of creation as presented in the Bible" in any class discussing evolution, "thereby affording students a choice as to which theory to accept," died in committee on March 29, 2018, when the legislature adjourned...