March 21, 2010

The iPhone Ghost

As I first saw the image (full size)

It began the way pranks sometimes start these days, as a post to an e-mail discussion group, Q-Skeptics in this case.  The message was along the lines of: I’ve got this photo (attached), and it looks very much like there is a ghost in the photo.  The photo was taken by the mother of the girl in the photo, using a friend’s mobile phone. There were independent witnesses present who saw nothing at the time, but can verify that the photo was taken innocently.
Being good skeptics, we shouldn’t immediately jump to conclusions, but investigate whilst casting doubt.  I’m often reminded that skepticism is a process, not a position.  In practice it is, but in reality it’s difficult.  Anyone like myself, with an interest in photography and a somewhat skeptical attitude, is frequently sent photos containing all kinds of accidental anomalies and challenged with “What do you make of that?” Very tiresome.
View More The iPhone Ghost

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March 21, 2010

PZ Myers

It was nice to see one of the greats of the Skeptical community, PZ Myers along to one of our third Monday, Skeptic café events.
Melbourne is a long way from home for PZ, he resides in Minnesota.  For those that don’t know, P.Z. Myers is an active blog writer.  PZ’s blog called Pharyngula covers topics such as biology, evolution, religious thinking and other topics of interest to Skeptics.  Highly recommended reading.
Mal.

PZ and Terry, Monday the 15th of March 2010

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March 8, 2010

Too Complicated?

This is a brief article about the evolution of the human eye. It first appeared as a Vic Skeptics discussion pamphlet.
The full range of our discussion pamphlets can be downloaded here: http://www.skeptics.com.au/resources/educational/

Note that the diagrams in this article can be saved in high res by clicking on the diagram.

It is often claimed that the eye is such a wonderfully purposeful organ that evolution (i.e. random chance) can not possibly explain it; it must have been designed. In support of this position, Charles Darwin himself often gets half-quoted.

View More Too Complicated?

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March 8, 2010

Too Complicated?

This is a brief article about the evolution of the human eye. It first appeared as a Vic Skeptics discussion pamphlet.
The full range of our discussion pamphlets can be downloaded here: http://www.skeptics.com.au/resources/educational/

Note that the diagrams in this article can be saved in high res by clicking on the diagram.

It is often claimed that the eye is such a wonderfully purposeful organ that evolution (i.e. random chance) can not possibly explain it; it must have been designed. In support of this position, Charles Darwin himself often gets half-quoted.

View More Too Complicated?

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March 7, 2010

Concern Over Science in the National Curriculum

The National Curriculum statement was released on Monday 1st March 2010. A number of commentators have made claims and suggestions. Here are a few of my thoughts based on the experience of over 30 years teaching including a strong role in science education. Firstly, I would like to make a couple of points based on the following extract from the ‘Cross Curriculum Dimensions’.

Curriculum content that relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and contexts is represented implicitly in the content descriptions, and explicitly in the content elaborations. Specific knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is incorporated where it relates to science and relevant phenomena,
View More Concern Over Science in the National Curriculum

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March 5, 2010

Terry Wins Dr Bob's Quiz

Dr Bob’s quiz, known the world over as the most diabolically difficult quiz, has been cracked for the first time by our own Vic Skeptics El Presidente, Terry Kelly.  It’s not enough to answer the quiz correctly.   Your answer needs to be funny and correct.  And if it’s not correct, you need to find something wrong with the question or make Dr Bob crack up with fits of laughter so much that he gives you the points anyway.
Congratulations Terry!
See the results for February 2010.

Terry Kelly tries to hide the Mind Body Wallet festival in 2009

Mal

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March 3, 2010

Dr Vaux's Talk Raises Concerns


At January 18th’s  Skeptics Cafe, Dr David Vaux, (Senior Principal Research Fellow at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) drew attention to a number of examples of lack of integrity by the authors of mainstream scientific research papers, including the manufacturing of data. These articles had been published in peak academic journals and had escaped their editorial processes. He attributed this largely to a lack of an Office of Research Integrity of the kind that exists in other countries. Dr Vaux’s talk caused concern among some of his listeners for the status of Australian research. Statements in 2004 (see Nature Article Feb 2004 )by the then opposition Senator Kim Carr, were supportive of such an oversight body. Senator Carr is now Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research but his government seems to have no immediate plans to proceed. If you wish to send a letter to your local MP in support of the enhancement of standards of research integrity in Australia, please click letter to MP to view and download an example. Contact details for Federal MPs can be found here: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/memlist.pdf
Ken

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March 3, 2010

Sixth Annual Skeptics Trivia Extravaganza

Take Your Partners for the Sixth Annual Vic Skeptics Trivia Extravaganza

La Notte Restaurant
140 Lygon Street Carlton
Monday 17th May 2010
at the special time of 7.30 pm .

or join us for the traditional Third Monday meal at 6pm.
Previous Trivia Nights have been among our most popular events; – this year, get your team organised early , and if you’re having a meal at the restaurant before the Trivia, please arrive and order early.
If you can’t come equipped with a ready-made team, don’t stay home and mope! We can organise consortia of suitable intellects on the evening.
This year even the prizes are more trivial!
A donation is requested from each participant.
Ken

March 3, 2010

Nature Article Feb 2004

NATURE|VOL 427 | 19 FEBRUARY 2004
Misconduct row fuels calls for reform
Carina Dennis,Sydney
A fierce row over misconduct allegations has prompted Australian researchers to call for an office of research integrity to be set up. The issue came to a head on 10 February, when Senator Kim Carr, research spokesman for the opposition Labor Party, released to parliament an unpublished report of an inquiry into allegations made about an immunologist at the University of New South Wales.
The case centres on Bruce Hall, a transplant immunologist working on graft tolerance. In 2001,Hall was accused by four complainants in his laboratory of fabricating and falsifying experimental results in an abstract and paper, providing false data in a grant application, misattributing authorship credit and workplace bullying. The experiments in question involved the use of cells from the immune system � called CD4_ T cells � to transfer graft tolerance to rats with transplanted hearts.Hall emphatically denies the allegations. View More Nature Article Feb 2004

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