Monday Science Links

Here's this week's science:

• Jennifer at Cocktail Party Physics blogs about science on tv - entertainingly: That makes The Mentalist a refreshing departure from what used to be the usual prime time fare. I use the past tense because The Mentalist isn't the only show on network and cable television that unapologetically espouses a pro-science rationalist worldview. My inner geek thrills to a mix of science, compelling narrative, strong characters, and good writing; there are so many series now with these elements that said inner geek is positively intoxicated by the sumptuous feast laid out before her: the C.S.I. franchise ("follow the evidence"), House, Bones, Numb3rs -- and those are just the ones with the best ratings. Here's why I think this is significant. Networks aren't altruistic; they're out to make money by appealing broadly to their viewers (not that there's anything wrong with that), and the kinds of shows, therefore, that become breakout hits reflect the preferences of the general public. The fact that so many successful science-themed shows are resonating with viewers is an encouraging sign that there is a significant fraction of folks out there who are interested in science and at least willing to listen to a rationalist viewpoint.


• Phil at Bad Astronomy blogs on a place where the sun never doesn't shine: At the south pole of the Moon is a remarkable place. Shackleton crater, 19 km across, sits almost exactly at the equivalent of 90 degrees south latitude on the Moon. Parts of its rim stick up so high that, for them, the sun never sets. It’s up over the horizon (though very low) all day, every day.


• Kristjan at Pro-science blogs on research about when people begin learning from mistakes and what that means: Eight-year-old children have a radically different learning strategy from twelve-year-olds and adults. Eight-year-olds learn primarily from positive feedback ('Well done!'), whereas negative feedback ('Got it wrong this time') scarcely causes any alarm bells to ring. Twelve-year-olds are better able to process negative feedback, and use it to learn from their mistakes. Adults do the same, but more efficiently.


• William at Skiing Mount Improbable blogs on the oldest rocks: an area of bedrock has been discovered in northern Quebec, some portions of which appear to be some 4.28 billion years old. If further validated, this represents one of perhaps three sites where rocks well over four billion years old have been identified. Of course, a number of people have already gotten to this (damn you, PZ Myers, damn you!), but I just find it fascinating and want to talk for a moment about the age of the Earth. It's a source of endless fascination to me that our understanding of the age of the planet has evolved so radically in the last century.
  


• Ed at Not Exactly Rocket Science blogs on elephants and mirrors: It's the understanding that you exist as an individual, separate from others. Having it is a vital step to understanding that others are similarly aware and have their own thoughts and desires. As such, it is intimately linked to mental qualities like empathy and selflessness. This may seem obvious to us but even human children only become self-aware in their second year of life. In the animal kingdom, the skill is even rarer and has only been found in the most intelligent of species - humans, apes, dolphins and more recently, magpies. In 2006, Joshua Plotnik of Emory University added elephants to that list.
  


• Plus, a special bonus: over at Dinosaur Comics T-Rex and Utahraptor discuss the Makapansgat Pebble: Manuports are neat because they show you what ancient dead dudes found interesting!

Have fun!