Posted inStatistics
Steven Chu Walks To Work
Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a winner of the Nobel physics prize and therefore in the mind of the public a certified genius, walks to work. At least part way. He…
Posted inStatistics
Climate: Uncertainty Means That Things Can Be Worse Than Our Best Guess: Part I
The title sentence was spoken by professor Stephan Lewandowsky from the School of Psychology, University of Western Australia. The psychologist Lewandowsky is concerned that many are not as concerned about…
Posted inBook review Philosophy Statistics
There’s An End On’t! Gazzaniga’s Who’s In Charge? Reviewed: Part II
Read Part I Statistical Measurements And speaking of measurement, first a word from our sponsor, BrainView Magnetic Window3, the world's leading manufacturer of fMRI devices, the machines which produce colorful…
Posted inBook review Philosophy Statistics
There’s An End On’t! Gazzaniga’s Who’s In Charge? Reviewed: Part I
Who's In Charge? Free Will and the Science of the Brain by Michael S. Gazzaniga On the evening of October 10th 1769, in one of his typically curt dismissals of…
Posted inFun Statistics
Solution Given! Probability Problem: Measurement Error Of Colored Balls
From a colleague (who wishes to remain anonymous) comes this poser: Suppose that we have a box containing three objects: one red ball and two identical blue cubes. One object…
Posted inStatistics
A Pill To Eliminate Racism? What’ll Science Think Of Next!
Publishable p-values If it weren't for the miracle of statistics, specifically the p-value, a device which can be used to "prove" anything, scientists would have a lot more time on…
Posted inFun Statistics
Enclothed Cognition—Wearing A Doctor’s Coat Makes You More Careful
I cannot do a better job than Northwestern's Hajo Adam and Adam Galinsky in describing their peer-reviewed paper "Enclothed cognition," which appeared in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. We…
Posted inFun Statistics
Women Spot Snakes Faster Before Their Periods
An Irish non-nun spots a snake. It is nearly St Patrick's day and so time to revisit the legend of how that holy man drove the snakes from Ireland. Little…