Dan Falk

Yes, Oklahoma Truthers Think Obama Used His Anti-Scandal Weather Magic

theatlanticwire.com — If you thought 9/11 conspiracy theorists were bad, or the Sandy Hook and Boston bombing truthers were reckless, Obama's meteorological manipulation - perhaps by way of George Soros - all to distract a country from three Washington scandals, well, that might be a new level of ridiculous.

Amazing Images From The Art Of Science Exhibition

cbc.ca — Light Eddies, by Mitchell A. Nahmias and Paul R. Prucnal, Department of Electrical Engineering. This is a computer model of a laser that is designed to act like a neuron. Photo: via the Princeton University Art of Science Competition.

Why Rational People Buy Into Conspiracy Theories

mobile.nytimes.com — Illustration by Matt Dorfman In the days following the bombings at the Boston Marathon, speculation online regarding the identity and motive of the unknown perpetrator or perpetrators was rampant. And once the Tsarnaev brothers were identified and the manhunt came to a close, the speculation didn't cease. It took a new form.

The E-Cat is back, and people are still falling for it!

scienceblogs.com — "Science literacy is a vaccine against the charlatans of the world that would exploit your ignorance." -Neil deGrasse Tyson Well, I guess it's that season again. The charlatan who claims to have invented a cold fusion device - the same device whose flaws were exposed here two years ago - has just held an "independent...

Daniel Dennett's seven tools for thinking

guardian.co.uk — 1 USE YOUR MISTAKES We have all heard the forlorn refrain: "Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time!" This phrase has come to stand for the rueful reflection of an idiot, a sign of stupidity, but in fact we should appreciate it as a pillar of wisdom.

Daniel Dennett's seven tools for thinking

guardian.co.uk — 1 USE YOUR MISTAKES We have all heard the forlorn refrain: "Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time!" This phrase has come to stand for the rueful reflection of an idiot, a sign of stupidity, but in fact we should appreciate it as a pillar of wisdom.

Life Lessons in Fighting the Culture of Bullshit

theatlantic.com — This item has been excerpted from the prepared Commencement Address to the graduates of Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., on May 18, 2013. I recently turned thirty, which I know seems like a generation away to those of you graduating this morning. But it's more than just the worst.

M.I.T. Scholar’s 1949 Essay on Machine Age Is Found

nytimes.com — It was a vision that never saw the light of day. The year was 1949, and computers and robots were still largely the stuff of science fiction. Only a few farsighted thinkers imagined that they would one day become central to civilization, with consequences both liberating and potentially dire.

Buzz Aldrin on Why We Should Go to Mars

smithsonianmag.com — More from Smithsonian.com A member of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, Buzz Aldrin was the second man to walk on the moon. In the years since, he has become an advocate for space exploration and technology, calling for renewed U.S. investment in the space program.

Dan Falk | Facebook

facebook.com — I'm a freelance writer and broadcaster specializing in science stories, with a particular focus on...