The Second Law of Thermodynamics is one of the most misunderstood scientific laws. Stated briefly, the law says that entropy increases over time in an isolated system. The misunderstanding can come partly from not knowing what an isolated system is, but mostly comes from not knowing what entropy is. What is entropy? First, entropy is…
Category: Science
Don’t be a ruminant
The suborder Ruminantia includes nearly 200 extant species in six families (Tragulidae, Giraffidae, Antilocapridae, Moschidae, Cervidae, and Bovidae), and is the most important group of large terrestrial herbivorous mammals. Hernández Fernández and Vrba 2005, p. 270 Ruminants are a cosmopolitan group of even-toed ungulates (artiodactyls). They are often distinguished from other large herbivorous mammals by…
AI as an archive of human language
This is a fascinating example of an application of AI. The current discourse around AI can be pretty negative as many of the downsides are apparent and widespread. However, AI has many good uses as well. Like any technology, its effect on the world depends on its user. We are in a period of mass…
It’s what plants crave
What are electrolytes and how do they work? And do plants crave them? Let’s start with… Ions An ion is an electrically charged particle, often an atom with a “missing” or “extra” electron. Molecules can be held together by ionic bonds in which oppositely charged atoms are attracted to each other by electrostatic forces. A…
How compression works and why JPEG artifacts look like that
Do I look like I know what a JPEG is? In a computer, all information is represented as bits, strings of zeros and ones. However, bits can more or less be interpreted as generic numerical data written in base 2 instead of as decimals. In other words, in a computer, all information is represented as…
Structural realism in the philosophy of science
One of the core issues in the philosophy of science is realism vs. antirealism. This concerns two things, the ontological status of entities referred to in scientific laws and what the aim of science is (or should be). Realism is the view that entities referred to in scientific laws genuinely exist to the extent that…
The decline and fall of young earth creationism
For most of human history, the age of the earth was unknown. Many believed it was created at some point in the past by supernatural forces, and others hypothesized that the earth always existed. Within the Abrahamic tradition, genealogical lists have been used to trace back to Adam and the date of creation as described…
The geometry of body plans
Let’s talk about evolution. All living organisms require a way to acquire and metabolize food, a way to respirate, and a way to reproduce. Many single-cell organisms like bacteria can eat by engulfing food within their cell, a process called phagocytosis. Algae and plants are autotrophic, meaning they produce their own food. Some simple animals,…
Feelin’ the vibes (literally)
Has this ever happened to you? You’re driving your car and pull up to a stoplight, and another car pulls up beside you absolutely blasting the bass from their sound system. That’s got to be an aftermarket subwoofer, you think to yourself. Even though the sound is muffled and you can’t hear a melody, the…
Why rockets don’t need to push against anything (it’s rocket science)
How can a rocket work in empty space without something to push against? While you may or may not be aware of the answer yourself, this question is perplexing to many people. I invite you to consider why this situation is confusing. I assure you it is not a matter of mere ignorance, and you…
thoughts on mind 