Category Archives: Science Technology and Society

Subtle and not so subtle biases shape assessment of Fukushima

As readers of this blog may have figured out, I like to discuss political issues related to science and technology. Although I am personally a bit to the left of the American center, my ideology, if I have one, is … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Science and Public Policy, Science Books, Science Technology and Society, Technology | 17 Comments

Should we call the Fukushima meltdowns a nuclear disaster?

A year ago, in the immediate aftermath of the Fukushima meltdowns, I prepared a proposal for a middle grade book called “Lessons from Fukushima: The Promise and Risks of Nuclear Power.” My editor at Twenty-First Century Books accepted it, and … Continue reading

Posted in Energy, Science and Public Policy, Science Technology and Society, Technology | Leave a comment

James Webb Space Telescope on Chopping Block

URGENT from Heidi Hammel: “The House Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee has proposed termination of the James Webb Space Telescope. Now is the time to contact your representatives in Washington, as well as members of the Appropriations Subcommittees, if … Continue reading

Posted in Blog Entry, Planetary Science, Science, Science and Public Policy, Science Technology and Society, Space and Astronomy | 5 Comments

Japan can learn from Chernobyl

There’s been a lot of sensationalism about the meltdowns at the Japanese Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. I just read an article that puts Fukushima into perspective without minimizing its seriousness.

Posted in Blog Entry, Science and Public Policy, Science Technology and Society, Technology | 2 Comments

What do extreme weather events tell us about climate change?

“Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.” That famous quotation from science fiction great Robert A. Heinlein captures the difficulty climate scientists have when trying to share the science behind global warming to the general public through … Continue reading

Posted in Blog Entry, Climate Change, Earth Science and Weather, Science and Public Policy, Science Technology and Society, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Make no myth-take about climate change risks

I have been an admirer of Richard Muller for some time, though I had no idea that he was among the climate change skeptics. One of the reasons I admire him is that he follows the evidence, and in doing so, he came to a conclusion opposite to what his funders had hoped for: “that the Berkeley (Earth Surface Temperature) project would conclude that global warming is a myth.” No myth. No myth-take! Continue reading

Posted in Blog Entry, Climate Change, Science and Public Policy, Science Technology and Society | Tagged | 8 Comments

Groundhog Day moved ahead to January 25

An April Fool’s Day prank with a point. Read this link to understand why Groundhog Day really should be moved ahead to January 25. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/Ecard?ecard_id=1761&autologin=true

Posted in Climate Change, Science and Public Policy, Science Technology and Society | Leave a comment

Japanese Nuclear Crisis: TMI, Chernobyl, or In-between

My favorite chapter from my 1995 book Catastrophe! Great Engineering Failure–and Success is the one where I discuss two very different nuclear reactor accidents, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. It is my favorite because of the way I ended it. … Continue reading

Posted in Energy, media, Science and Public Policy, Science Technology and Society, Technology | 9 Comments

Review of Alone Together by Sherry Turkle

Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other by Sherry Turkle (Basic Books, $28.95, 378 pages, January, 2011) Reviewed by Dr. Fred Bortz

Posted in Book Reviews, Science Technology and Society, Technology | 1 Comment