On the Reality of Race and the Abhorrence of Racism
To our knowledge, we have yet to see a similar example applied specifically to race.
Bo Winegard, Brian Boutwell
· 10 min read
Science
A collection of 158 posts
Giving Genes Their Due, But Not More
To go from noticing that genetic differences were making a difference to knowing which genetic differences were making a difference, geneticists had to move from the classical twin methods to the modern “molecular” methods.
Erik Parens
· 16 min read
Evolutionary Conflict and the Family
We should start at the beginning, which is to say, conception. That magical moment when sperm meets egg holds an important insight.
Brian Boutwell
· 10 min read
The Bermuda Triangle of Science
Quantitative genetic work on human behavior has also had its time in the spotlight as arguably the most controversial subject in science.
Brian Boutwell
· 9 min read
What Does Science Tell Us About the So-Called Ferguson Effect?
A substantial segment of the American public is questioning the legitimacy of police actions, including the use of force. This attention is a Ferguson effect in itself.
Scott E Wolfe Scott H Decker and David C Pyrooz
· 9 min read
Taking the Wonder Out of Science Education
A couple of years ago, the London Science Museum produced its own travelling act for children called “The Energy Show”.
Emma C Williams
· 7 min read
The Unbearable Asymmetry of Bullshit
There will always be things that we haven’t figured out yet, and even some that we get wrong.” But science is not just about conclusions, he argues, which are occasionally (or even frequently) incorrect.
Brian D Earp
· 8 min read
Good News on Rain Forests: They Bounce Back Strong
This was the vision of tropical deforestation held in the popular imagination for many years, but the reality is more complex – and more hopeful.
Susan Letcher
· 6 min read
Alice in Blunder Land
“Begin at the beginning,’ the King said, very gravely, ‘and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
Robert King
· 9 min read
Gossip Is a Social Skill—Not a Character Flaw
Gossip can actually be thought of not as a character flaw, but as a highly evolved social skill.
Frank T McAndrew
· 6 min read
Heritability and why Parents (but not Parenting) Matter
Non-additive effects don’t breed true with the same degree of fidelity—in fact these effects bust up the clean transmission of traits from parents to children (to use a sports analogy, it’s a bit like a cornerback in football deflecting the quarterback’s perfect spiral aimed at the receiver).
Brian Boutwell, Razib Khan
· 13 min read
How to Find a Parenting Effect
Practically no one these days will fight you on the idea that genes and environments interact (GxE), and it is in these interactions, perhaps, that we can discover if parenting truly does impact children.
Brian Boutwell
· 17 min read
Why distance running is the perfect lab for studying sex differences in competitiveness
What are the psychological differences between women and men? What causes these differences, and are they shrinking over time? The dominant view – held by most scholars and policymakers – is that sex differences are slight and can be rather easily altered. Whether this view is true or not has implications for
Robert Deaner
· 7 min read
How a Rebellious Scientist Uncovered the Surprising Truth About Stereotypes
Studying the accuracy of stereotypes is risky business. For many, investigation into stereotypes is tantamount to endorsing bigotry.
Claire Lehmann
· 11 min read
Authoritarianism is a Matter of Personality, Not Politics
Because democracy reflects the will of the majority, extremists will never win a fair election.
Adam Perkins
· 4 min read