Science
Marx and Darwin: Two great revolutionary thinkers of the nineteenth century
Part 1
By Chris Talbot, June 17, 2009
Marx and Engels immediately recognised the significance of Darwin’s theory when On the Origin of Species appeared 150 years ago, laying out a scientific conception of the process of historical evolu...
The primate fossil “Ida”: the science and the hype
By William Moore, June 13, 2009
While the recently announced discovery of “Ida,” a remarkably well-preserved early primate fossil, promises insights into the evolution of later primate forms, including humans, the way it has bee...
Walking, running, and human evolution
New insights derived from the hobbits of Flores
By William Moore, May 13, 2009
Recent research results suggest Flores hobbits are more distinctive than previously thought, providing new insights into human evolution.
Danger of major swine flu outbreak continues
By Perla Astudillo, May 12, 2009
The current swine flu virus may not mutate into a more dangerous form and the danger will then subside. Scientists, however, remain concerned that the virus is poorly understood and may be susceptible...
New space telescope to search for earth-sized planets
By Bryan Dyne, March 24, 2009
On March 6, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration successfully launched the Kepler mission, which will observe 100,000 stars in search of smaller, Earth-sized planets.
File-sharing trial against The Pirate Bay has wide-ranging implications
By Mike Ingram, February 20, 2009
What the Times of London described as the “internet piracy trial of the decade” is under way in a courtroom in Stockholm, Sweden, with protesters with megaphones camped outside the building. The t...
“Hobbits” of Flores: Implications for the pattern of human evolution
By William Moore, February 16, 2009
Recent developments in research regarding the so-called “hobbits” of Flores, Indonesia, may lend support to the multilineal or “branching” view of human evolution.
Behind Apple’s decision to drop anti-copying measures in iTunes
By Mike Ingram, January 19, 2009
Apple’s decision to drop the anti-copying protection known as Digital Rights Management (DRM) has received a mixed response from consumers and music fans across the world.
First images taken of extrasolar planets
By Hector Cordon, December 1, 2008
In a breakthrough expected to foster further discoveries, two teams of astronomers have for the first time directly imaged planets orbiting stars outside the solar system.
Australian biotechnology company enforces cancer gene patent, restricting medical scanning
By Frank Gaglioti, November 28, 2008
Biotechnology firm Genetic Technologies has moved to enforce its patent over two critical genes implicated in the development of breast and ovarian cancer, shutting down genetic scanning on potential ...
Behind the creationism controversy at Britain's Royal Society
By Paul Mitchell, October 17, 2008
The Royal Society’s education director was forced last month to resign, for at the very least seeming to advocate the teaching of creationism alongside evolution in school science classes.
Neanderthals and modern humans--a key to understanding human evolution
Part 2
By William Moore, October 4, 2008
This is the conclusion of a two-part article. Part 1 was published October 3. The evidence bearing on the question of the Neanderthal/modern human relationship falls into several categories, each giv...
