JONATHAN HANKINS
Autore, Speaker
Is Citizen Science Coming of Age?
Last year I posted an introductory article to citizen science, something that I again touched upon in a newer article about synthetic biology, and recently have been following some interesting developments in the field. One of these developments involves a game called ‘Fold. It’ and gamers appear to have made a breakthrough in scientific understanding. ... Is Citizen Science Coming of Age?
2011 4mn
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Face recognition
In an as yet unpublished but widely reported article entitled ‘Privacy In The Age Of Augmented Reality’, Alessandro Acquisiti, Ralph Gross and Fred Stuzman ‘investigate the feasibility of combining publicly available Web 2.0 data with off-the-shelf face recognition software for the purpose of large-scale, automated individual re-identification’. The article that is due for publication in ... Face recognition
2011 5mn
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Government Investment and Cuts in Biodefense Research
This month has been rather somber here in the US as the country remembered those that died on September 11 2001, and the effects upon society of that day. One aspect that is cropping up in the press and scientific journals regards government spending on biodefense in the aftermath of the anthrax attacks that followed ... Government Investment and Cuts in Biodefense Research
2011 8mn
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Science: September’s special edition on synthetic biology
On September 2 the US based journal science published a special edition on synthetic biology, a topic that has been debated through several article on this website. The journal was not entirely devoted to this single argument, although it contained several articles and reviews addressing the problem in a special edition section. The following is ... Science: September’s special edition on synthetic biology
2011 5mn
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Scientists wanted for government positions
In August the New York Times published an interesting article entitled “Group calls For Scientists to Engage The Body Politic“. The article tells the story of a small bi-partisan group of politicians that believe that governance would improve if more scientists ran for (and won) office in governmental positions. The author Cornelia Dean describes the ... Scientists wanted for government positions
2011 4mn
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From Here To Infinity, A Book Review
Martin Rees is Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics and master of Trinity college at the University of Cambridge, the Astronomer Royal and a former president of the Royal Society. In 2010 he delivered the Reith Lectures on BBC Radio 4 and his book ‘From Here To Infinity’ is based upon those 4 lectures. The book ... From Here To Infinity, A Book Review
2011 3mn
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Prosthetic by choice?
Following on from the arguments raised during the discussion with athlete Marta Milani, this article looks at some of the issues posed by advances in prosthetic technology, and the issue of a patient’s choice to amputate a hand in order to have a prosthetic version fitted. The BBC World News channel recently carried a report ... Prosthetic by choice?
2011 3mn
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A discussion with Marta Milani about sport
Event: interview. Title: A discussion with Marta Milani about sport. Date: 2011 07 20 Time: 12 min. Place: Bergamo, Italy. Language: Italiano. url Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/26683451 Abstract: A discussion with Marta Milani about sport (in English). 5 Topics for conversation: an athlete’s relationship with her body, the nature of sport itself, an acceptable use of technology, ... A discussion with Marta Milani about sport
2011 1mn
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A discussion with Marta Milani about sport
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius was Initially barred from competing in the last Olympic games in Beijing, won his appeal allowing him to compete but was then unable to meet the qualifying times, but has had 4 years to prepare for qualification for the London games and in April of this year acheived the B ... A discussion with Marta Milani about sport
2011 9mn
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The problem of cold nuclear fusion
On 14th January of this year an article appeared in La Republica (a well respected Italian broadsheet) in which 2 scientists report that cold nuclear fusion (also known as a low energy nuclear reaction or LENR) has been achieved and demonstrated. The article explains that for the first time the process has been achieved using ... The problem of cold nuclear fusion
2011 5mn
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Home genetic testing and the law
As a lead up to the presentation entitled ‘the construction of the genetic consumer in the US’ that will be delivered by Margaret Curnutte here at the Bassetti Foundation in Milan on 16th May I would like to take a brief look at the way in which the legal community and governmental regulatory organizations view ... Home genetic testing and the law
2011 3mn
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Reports of a Fukushima cover up abound
As Japanese engineers are risking their lives in an attempt to save their country (and possibly the rest of the world) from the effects of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, a couple of stories have appeared on the Internet that raise some extremely serious questions about the integrity of the nuclear industry and the behaviour of ... Reports of a Fukushima cover up abound
2011 2mn
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