Tangential Science: it's not necessarily science, but it's still funny.
1. Dave Deamer wanted to know if we think there is a genetic basis for nerdiness? Egads, what if it were so? Worse, what if a nerd marries another nerd and has a baby nerd in some big Lamarckian lovefest of evolution? We could wind some copper around a certain casket in Downe and stick a magnet nearby and power half of England with the spinning Darwin would be doing in his grave.
But there's no question that the awesome diversity of nature means people will be born with gifts more inclined to be valued in a science career ( not me, I am probably more genetically inclined to be a game show host). But what about geeks? They tend to get all of the credit because they are more technology oriented. Heck, they even have their own taxonomy:
The Geek Heirarchy by Lore Sjöberg. CLICK image above for full size.
2. I'm not sure what young, virile Democrat President John Kennedy Bill Clinton Barack Obama knows about taxonomy but he apparently knows anatomy well enough.
During the campaign he said he wanted to improve our reputation in Europe and he found the perfect way to get the respect of French men; 16 year old Brazilian girls are something they can apparently all get behind.
Of course, the G-8 meeting was held in Italy, home of our own Tommaso Dorigo and that may have something to do with it. So for all Italians who hoped their wisdom and culture could guide the new American chief in the 21st century, maybe you should have picked someone other than Berlusconi to show him the way?
3. Scientists, when you're talking in public you tend to say the right things about respecting the intelligence of the mass public. In private, you think people are pretty stupid. Oops, it turns out you are right. Like Sarah Palin, you blame the media.
4. Wish your lubricants were 'green'? Of course you do. Researchers from the University of Huelva have developed an environmentally-friendly lubricating grease based on ricin oil and cellulose derivatives. The world is saved!
5. Last, but not least, it's nice to know corporations are engaging in real diversity.
