Science Etcetera, Mercuryday 20090128

Posted in Science Etcetera on January 28th, 2009

Oranchak has a fantastic post up about his work developing algorithms using natural selection.

Genetic Algorithm Structure
Credit: Smartest

Video games linked to poor relationships with friends and family. Interestingly, the student co-author, who plays Madden NFL, was disappointed at his own findings.

Americans can thank cleaner air in 51 U.S. cities for a five month increase in life expectancy.

Google’s PageRanking of scientific papers predicts Nobel Prize winners.

Symmetry found in the sizes of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars hints that they may have formed from the same debris ring.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

Teaching Caucasians how to distinguish between African American faces, associating African American faces with positive words, and carefully structured social mixing may be scientific steps towards curing racism.

Example of biomimicry, as researchers develop a surgical brain-boring robot based on a wood-boring adaptation of the wood wasp.

GAO cites the EPA for not doing its job in assessing toxic chemicals for regulation.

New historical research indicates Darwin’s theory may have been motivated by a desire to end slavery.

International Space Station Tour (Part III)