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November 19, 2015
Fear Can be Contagious – How to Protect Yourself
Having trouble coping with images of violence around the world but want to stay informed of the news? Try turning off the TV and getting your news from the radio instead. Fear doesn’t just happen to us when we personally experience something scary. Fear also affects us when we see it expressed in someone else. … Read more
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November 15, 2015
How Science Can Reduce Violence
This week we’ve seen another spate of terrorist attacks on everyday people, starting in Beirut and ending in Paris. World leaders are reacting to the incidents with emotion, and talk is of fighting back, bombing, declaring war. However, before we set off on a path of mutual assured destruction, could science contribute to our efforts … Read more
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November 10, 2015
Making Celebrities Out of Scientists
Fancy-dressed hopefuls glide down a red carpet, smile for the cameras, and wait nervously to present acceptance speeches in front of thousands of their peers and Hollywood glitterati. It’s not the Academy Awards, but if Yuri Milner, a Russian investor and theoretical physics dropout, has his way, The Breakthrough Prize will be watched by millions of people … Read more
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November 5, 2015
Why Journals Reject Manuscripts
This week, the Washington Post reported that a study highlighting the stunning rise in the death rate of middle-aged American whites was rejected by two prestigious journals before finally being published by The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study was conducted by Angus Deaton and Anne Case, both distinguished Princeton economists, and Dr … Read more
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November 2, 2015
Why Translation and Editing Software is Bad for Your Reputation
You got that modest grant to carry out your research. You ran your study as frugally as possible and ate ramen noodles five nights a week. Now you’re tempted to run your data and text through inexpensive translation and grammar software before submitting for publication. Think again. Translation software is not savvy. Humans are. Even though … Read more