Monday Science Links

This week's science (a day late, sorry!):

• Phil Plait at Bad Astronomy talks about the methane on Mars story: By now you’ve probably heard the news about Mars: methane gas is being generated on the Red Planet, and the amount varies with season and location. There are really only two ways to make methane that we know of: geologically (volcanoes, chemical changes under the surface, and so on) and biologically (little critters basically farting). Mars is an interesting place, and anytime we find something new and interesting about it, it’s not surprising to see the media covering it. It’s also not surprising to see the scientists involved excited about it. But when that news deals with biology, well, things tend to get a little out of control. Or, as in this case, a lot out of control.


• ERV at erv talks about the immune system and how it fails during AIDS: This is exactly why you do not want 'alternative medicine' quacks treating you when you have a cold, much less HIV/AIDS or cancer-- Even if homeopathy is totally true, Jeremy Sherr doesn't even know the basics of HIV-1 as a virus, and what it does to a patients immune system. If homeopathy could 'activate the immune system', Sherr's treatments would kill his HIV patients even faster.


• Bee at Back Reaction gives us a German-living-in-Canada's look at change you can believe in: I have a complaint. It is impossible these days to live in North America and not be optimistic about the changes the new President of the United States will hopefully initiate, especially for science. These are not easy times for somebody who has pessimism as substantial ingredients in her bloodstream. Psychologists call it “preventive pessimism.” It's essential for my survival. And every time somebody mocks me about it I point out the world needs pessimists. There's too few of us. And we're constantly afraid we'll die out. Currently your local blogging pessimist is wondering what the heck “restoring science to its rightful place” means. Where is the “rightful place” of science? Who decides that? And how is science supposed to get there?


• William at Skiing Mount Improbable posts on geology and the Flood: "Damn you, science. Can't we even keep our big mythical flood?" (shakes fist at lab coat on peg). Or so seem to say creationists around the world, especially when the world produces research which flatly contradicts their view of history, geology, and life on earth.


• David On the Shores of the Dirac Sea posts about the physics of floating: As you might have noticed, some objects float and some others don’t. Here below I have a rendition of a boat and a cube of ice floating.Today, I will go on a bit about flotation. As a matter of fact, some of you might remember a puzzle with an egg I wrote down a while ago. Of course, most of you have probably heard of Archimedes Principle as describing flotation, so I will explain some aspects of how that principle comes about.

Enjoy!