How to Determine If A Controversial Statement Is Scientifically True

A small typo: "...Dr. Plait warned that [t]here are a few things to watch out for...". Great article overall, though I wonder if it advocates leaning on authority figures a bit too much. I think it's fairly obvious that the evidence itself is more important than whoever presents it, but I wish this were stated more explicitly. It can be next to impossible for laypeople to determine the difference between "legitimate" experts and their counterparts (and in some fields "legitimacy" may be ill-defined to the point of meaninglessness, and even experts aren't *always* right). Flagged Thanks for the correction - and excellent points, thank you!

Einstein for Everyone Einstein for Everyone Nullarbor Press 2007revisions 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Copyright 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 John D. Norton Published by Nullarbor Press, 500 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 with offices in Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222 All Rights Reserved John D. An advanced sequel is planned in this series:Einstein for Almost Everyone 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 ePrinted in the United States of America no trees were harmed web*bookTM This book is a continuing work in progress. January 1, 2015. Preface For over a decade I have taught an introductory, undergraduate class, "Einstein for Everyone," at the University of Pittsburgh to anyone interested enough to walk through door. With each new offering of the course, I had the chance to find out what content worked and which of my ever so clever pedagogical inventions were failures. At the same time, my lecture notes have evolved. This text owes a lot to many. i i i

Skepticism 101 » Welcome to Skepticism 101! The Skeptical Studies Curriculum Resource Center Welcome to Skepticism 101! The Skeptical Studies Curriculum Resource Center The Skeptical Studies Curriculum Resource Center is a comprehensive, free repository of resources for teaching students how to think skeptically. what science is, how it differs from pseudoscience, and why it matters the scientific method and how to use it to investigate and conduct skeptical analyses of extraordinary claims how to construct effective arguments and rhetorical strategies how to effectively use presentations and papers to present an argument reason, logic, and skeptical analysis the psychology of belief how ideas are presented within academia how peer review works and much more… How to Find Resources The Studies Curriculum Resource Center is organized in a way that makes it easy to find what you are looking for. Custom Search Skepticism 101 Resources An alternative to browsing resources using the suggested categories on the left is to enter your own search criteria below.

Alice in Quantumland: A Charming Illustrated Allegory of Quantum Mechanics by a CERN Physicist by Maria Popova Down the rabbit hole of antimatter, or how to believe six impossible things about gender stereotypes before breakfast. As a lover of science and of all things Alice in Wonderland, imagine my delight at discovering Alice in Quantumland: An Allegory of Quantum Physics (public library) — an imaginative and unusual 1995 quantum primer by particle physicist Robert Gilmore, who has under his belt experience at Stanford and CERN. Besides the clever concept, two things make the book especially remarkable: It flies in the face of gender stereotypes with a female protagonist who sets out to make sense of some of the most intense science of all time, and it features Gilmore’s own magnificent illustrations for a perfect intersection of art and science, true to recent research indicating that history’s most successful scientists also dabbled in the arts. Gilmore writes in the preface: In the first half of the twentieth century, our understanding in the Universe was turned upside down.

In God We Teach Khan Academy Newton's Laws of Motion The motion of an aircraft through the air can be explained and described by physical principals discovered over 300 years ago by Sir Isaac Newton. Newton worked in many areas of mathematics and physics. He developed the theories of gravitation in 1666, when he was only 23 years old. Newton's first law states that every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force. The second law explains how the velocity of an object changes when it is subjected to an external force. F = m * a For an external applied force, the change in velocity depends on the mass of the object. The third law states that for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction. You can view a short movie of "Orville and Wilbur Wright" explaining how Newton's Laws of Motion described the flight of their aircraft. Activities: Guided Tours Newton's Laws of Motion: Navigation .. Beginner's Guide Home Page

The Feynman Lectures on Physics