The Web is a powerful tool. Like all powerful tools it can be used for good, for not-so-good, and for downright bad purposes. Examples of the last surface every so often, such as false biographical information planted in Wikipedia (1) and destruction of a reputation and job by a Web-based campaign of exaggerated […]

I have always liked Rudolph Clausius’s statement of two laws of thermodynamics in the original German: “Die Energie der Welt ist konstant. Die Entropie der Welt strebt einem Maximum zu”. If you know thermodynamics and a little German, this statement summarizes a wealth of experimental data. The title of this editorial is the second law […]

Mathematics is fundamental to science because a great many aspects of science are best described and elucidated using mathematical tools. Lack of preparation in mathematics hampers many students’ efforts to learn science and prevents many other students from pursuing science at all. Consequently, mathematics education is important not only for mathematicians, but for all scientists. […]

I recently had the pleasure of listening to a talk, “Scientific Challenges in Sustainable Energy Technology”, by Nathan S. Lewis, California Institute of Technology. Lewis summarized data on energy resources and provided his analysis of their implications for the future of human society. He has provided slides, text, and a streaming audio/video version at his […]

 
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be. Thomas Jefferson, letter to Charles Yancey, 1816
Thinking is hard. Writing is hard because it requires thinking. Both thinking and writing involve time and concentration-commodities that these days are hard to come […]

Als Ik Kan is the message in the logo of Gustav Stickley, creator of the Mission style of furniture. Loosely translated from Flemish it means “to the best of my ability”. Jim D. Roach, Emporia State University, KS uses Als Ik Kan as the theme for his call for greater dedication by everyone, teachers, students, […]

Everyone wants more for less. That’s human nature, but it’s not necessarily a good long-term strategy for human society, especially when there are unanticipated, unintended negative consequences. Everyone would like lower electric bills, for example, but most of us paying the lower bills will not have to pay the full costs of global warming, many […]

According to Gresham’s Law, bad money will drive out good money (1). In economics the law applies to situations where two things of different value are either perceived to have equal value or are required to be accepted as having equal value. For example, if a government requires that all coins of the same denomination […]

by Robert J. Eierman
In a recent Chemical and Engineering News (1), more than 40% of position advertisements for new college chemistry faculty members included a request for candidates to provide a teaching philosophy statement as part of the application file. Another 20% requested a statement of teaching plans or interests. Almost all primarily undergraduate institutions […]

The National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine have just published a book, Science, Evolution, and Creationism that should be read by all scientists and teachers of science (1). An eight-page brochure summarizes the book and is an excellent way to stimulate and inform discussions of evolution, creationism, and “intelligent design”.
The brochure describes […]