Category: academic culture
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Endnotes: the end of science?
Not really, but it is at least the QWERTY of science (this post is a bit more emotional). I really hate them (it’s very emotional). Here is why.
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Pancakes for physicists
Even though brain activity burns around 20% of the calories in your body, the need for good food is often neglected among physicists. This results in pale creatures loitering in front of blackboards mumbling stuff that not even their peers can understand. Here is your way out with the most delicious and healthy pancakes you…
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Bonobo Science
The group dynamics of bonobos, a species of apes that is genetically one of our closest relatives, is predominantly cooperative and peaceful. The reason for this behavior can be explained by the abundance of resources and the relative smallness of the bonobo groups. These preconditions lead to the forming of strong social bonds and a…
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Dialogue with Matteo Polettini about the second law
The second law of thermodynamics is one of the bedrocks of science. It sticks out due to its defeatism, it has become an integral part of pop culture, economics and politics, and it is constantly mystified because “no one really knows what entropy really is” (J. von Neumann). In this dialogue physicists Matteo Polettini and…
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Back to the Ivory Tower
The picture of the truth-seeking scientists sitting alone in their ivory towers is often used negatively. Instead, science is supposed to drive society forward, to create impact, provide solutions, and to be the basis of growth and prosperity. I argue that this expectation is detrimental for science and society. It creates a toxic scientific system…