Monthly Archives: March 2011
Thou Shalt Not Make Robots
I read with interest an article from Wired magazine that the Japanese are more accepting of robots because they don’t suffer from the Judeo-Christian guilt or fear associated with making idols, according to Jean-Claude Heudin, an AI expert from the Institute of … Continue reading
Filed under General Thoughts
The Extinction of Religion?
We have the census coming up this weekend in the UK where every household has to return information that gives a snapshot of the society. Included amongst the various demographics is the inevitable religion question. It is likely that there … Continue reading
Filed under atheism, In the News, Research
Cognitive Enhancers or Bad Eggs?
I was at Prof Barbara Saharkian’s lecture on cognitive enhancement a few weeks back where she talked about the growing use of drugs to improve academic performance. Apparently the situation is epidemic on US campuses where approximately 16% of students … Continue reading
Filed under Research, Weird Story of the Week
Skin Deep
There is something deeply disturbing about these two images. I guess the idea of wearing another person’s skin is reminiscent of “Buffalo Bill” from “The Silence of the Lambs” who kidnapped women and then skinned them so that he could … Continue reading
Filed under In the News, Weird Story of the Week
What a Twit I Am
Today something very unusual happened. Dame Helen Mirren started to follow me. I wasn’t walking down the road in London or Los Angeles where the Oscar-winning actress spends most or her time. Rather I was seated at my kitchen table, … Continue reading
Filed under book publicity, General Thoughts
I Have a Sneaker Suspicion:Update
Last week there was a report of another foot washed up on Canada’s BC coastline. This brings the total of severed feet to 11. The fact that the only remains are just feet is peculiar enough, but what is more … Continue reading
Filed under General Thoughts
What to Do If You See a Ghost
With the launch of Richard Wiseman’s excellent new book, “Paranormality,” there is alot of talk about ghosts in the media at the moment. As most you probably know, we scientists don’t give much credence to reports of ghosts. More often … Continue reading
Filed under book publicity, General Thoughts, supernatural
Rendlesham Incident – here we go again
It was only yesterday, that I was doing a piece for the Discovery Channel explaining that people’s testimony is not science, many people want to believe the unbelievable, you can’t prove the non-existence as a logical fallacy and of course, … Continue reading
Filed under General Thoughts, In the News
