Roundup
Yup - it's been way too long again. Should I write about CNN's dismal coverage of science - again? Too easy. It's been a good week though. In the category of 'truth is stranger' than fiction, it's going to be hard to beat this. And Obama is attempting to increase science research. I'm a believer in the concept that the only way out of a hole is innovation, and science drives innovation. Now if only GM and Chrysler had understood that a decade or more ago. Meanwhile Toyota will be releasing the first (?) car to include a solar panel, and Ford has a very capable hybrid that takes aim at Camry and Prius.
And then there's a study which finds that public school students score better in math tests than private school students. What's the reason? The authors claim private schools are teaching out-dated math curricula, while public schools are forced to follow trends and improvements in curricula. Statistics are a tough thing, because what the authors of the study state is that public schools are essentially teaching students to take the tests of today. So do public schools give better math education legitimately, or are they simply 'teaching to the tests', a hot-button issue right now in public education? I don't know.
Finally, if you have not yet found Phdcomics, you should. Obviously written by somebody in the know, they're good and sometimes hit juuuuust a little too close to the truth.