In both biology and economy, game-theory models are used to understand human behavior, mainly concerning cooperation. These models usually incorporate gains, benefits, and reciprocity. And this…

As with everything, my insatiable curiosity leads me to adventures.  This past week I went on a hike to one of the remote areas of Trinity River Audubon Center to view a pond that I hadn't seen…

Two theories that have been making the biological rounds have been group selection which argued for evolution and selection operating "for the good of the group" and the "selfish gene" which argued…

I thought I'd write a compelling story about Humboldt squid and one of their favorite prey items, the lightfish Vinciguerria. These two creatures are quite the dynamic duo: one flashing like a red-…

For the crowd watching an Illinois high school football game last fall, it was a sickening feeling watching one of their Unity High School cornerbacks collapse to the ground after delivering a heads-…

I am told "Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon" is a good film.  I enjoyed the first movie well enough, even if it was noisy in all of the wrong ways.   The sequel hurt both my eyes and my…

Over the past several years, a growing number of trade associations, foundations and science and engineering companies have started major efforts to get scientists into schools and hopefully inspire…

My car Runs On Snake Oil There are far too many people trying to con money out of ordinary people with offers of gadgets that will supply you forever with free energy. ... we're a wee bit skeptical…

The Posthumous Memoir of Ignaz Venetz This memoir was published by the Swiss Natural Sciences Society, shortly after the death of Ignaz Venetz, to honor his great contribution to science. For…

The Posthumous Memoir of Ignaz Venetz My  three part article on Venetz's prize-winning 1821 paper began with some facts tending to prove that he was the first person to discuss climate change…