As we think about the influence of computerized epidemiological models on our lives these days, we might think back to the old joke, “If you’re a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail.” The hammer, of course, is big data, and we humans are the nails. That is, since we’ve created a digital layer
READ MORE
Tolerance is the virtue of the 21st century. Because of this, we’ve seen a new clamor regarding certain opinions viewed as intolerable in America’s political discourse. What makes for a tolerable opinion? That’s hard to say. Yet the arbitrary standards are quickly enacted by certain gatekeepers as soon as someone expresses an opinion deemed too uncouth for our
READ MORE
What happens when trees are planted in a “perfect” growing environment? Give the trees rich soil, just the right amount of water and no wind, and they grow rapidly, but topple over before they reach maturation. Wind stimulates the tree to grow stress wood, which “helps a tree position itself for optimal sun absorption, and it
READ MORE
Dystopian fiction is hot. Sales of George Orwell’s “1984” and Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” have skyrocketed since 2016. Young adult dystopias – for example, Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games,” Veronica Roth’s “Divergent,” Lois Lowry’s classic, “The Giver” – were best-sellers even before. And with COVID-19, dystopias featuring diseases have taken on new life. Netflix
READ MORE
Remember the Common Core, the national curriculum standards that sparked a conflagration over who should control what every public school child in America would learn? If nothing else, you might recall a little Core comedy, though in many places the Core is still with us in various forms. What you might not recall is how
READ MORE
Little boys are sexist. At least, that’s what recent headlines want us to believe. A new study hit newsstands the other day, claiming that young children, boys especially, exhibit indicators of sexism even into early middle school. This sexism, however, is not likely to be aggressive, mean-spirited behavior toward females. In fact, it could be
READ MORE
Most Read from past 24 hours
Most Read from past 7 days
Most Read from past 30 days
Most Read of All Time
Most Read of All Time
