| An Update on C. P. Snow's "Two Cultures" Earlier this summer marked the 50th anniversary of C. P. Snow’s famous “Two Cultures” essay, in which he lamented the great cultural divide that separates two great areas of human intellectual activity, “science” and “the arts.” Snow argued that practitioners in both areas should build bridges, to further the progress of human knowledge and to benefit society.Alas, Snow’s vision has gone unrealized. Instead literary agent John Brockman has posited a “third culture,” of scientists who communicate directly with the public about their work in media such as books without the intervening assistance of literary types. At the same time, many of those in the humanities, arts and politics remain content living within the walls of scientific illiteracy. [More] rss.sciam.com |
Can Scrap Paper Save Haiti's Remaining Forests? Two years ago, the Carrefour Feuilles (pronounced "kar-ah-fur fay") neighborhood was considered too dangerous for U.N. peacekeepers who were not protected by armored vehicles. And even today, a dozen or so Sri Lankan troops garrisoned here nervously stand watch behind heavy fortifications.But Carrefour Fueilles has turned out to be perfect for an experimental solid waste processing and recycling plant set up by people who live in the neighborhood. [More] rss.sciam.com |
EPA Tightens NO2 Smog Standard U.S. EPA today strengthened the federal public health standard for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, a limit that has been in place for nearly four decades.The final rule introduces a new one-hour maximum standard for NO2 at 100 parts per billion (ppb), a level that EPA says will protect millions of Americans from peak short-term exposures. The agency is also retaining the existing annual standard of 53 ppb. [More] rss.sciam.com |
Florida to try a RADical new idea to protect endangered panthers Last year 17 Florida panthers ( Felis concolor coryi ) were killed when they were struck by vehicles, an all-time high and a terrible blow to one of North America's most endangered mammals. Only 100 or so panthers remain in Florida, and the species shows signs of heavy inbreeding due to its limited population.Panthers are already protected by law, and drivers face heavy fines for speeding in known panther zones, but that hasn't done much to stop these unnecessary deaths. [More] rss.sciam.com |
British bumblebees are inbreeding themselves into extinction Populations of a bumblebee species living on remote Scottish islands have a lack of genetic diversity because of many generations of inbreeding, a situation that could put the region's bumblebees at risk of extinction, according to a new study by scientists from the University of Stirling in Scotland. Penelope Whitehorn , a PhD student, presented the research at last week's annual meeting of the British Ecological Society. [More] Scotland - Stirling University - Extinction - Genetic diversity - Research rss.sciam.com |