Knowing the words for numbers is not necessary to be able to count, according to a new study of aboriginal children by UCL (University College London) and the University of Melbourne. The study of the aboriginal children from two communities which do not have words or gestures for numbers found that they were able to copy and perform number-related tasks. The findings suggest that we possess an innate mechanism for counting, which may develop differently in children with dyscalculia, a lessor-known learning disability that affects mathatical calculations. Professor Brian Butterworth, lead author from the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, says: ‘Recently, an extreme form of linguistic determinism has been revived which claims that counting words are needed for children to develop concepts of numbers above three. That is, to possess the concept of ‘five’ you need a word for five. Evidence from children in numerate societies, but also from Amazonian adults whose language does not contain counting words, has been used to support this claim. ‘However, our study of aboriginal children suggests that we have an innate system for recognizing and representing numerosities – the number of objects in a set – and that the lack […]
The relationship between faith and science in the United States seems, at least on the surface, to be paradoxical. Surveys repeatedly show that most Americans respect science and the benefits it brings to society, such as new technologies and medical treatments. And yet, religious convictions limit many Americans’ willingness to accept controversial scientific theories as well as certain types of scientific research, such as the potential use of embryonic stem cells for medical treatments. Science and religion have traditionally, and often incorrectly, been viewed as enemies. This perception has been fueled in part by a number of famous episodes in history that have pitted scientists, like Galileo and Darwin, against the prevailing religious establishments of their time. But more often than not, scientists and people of faith have operated not at cross purposes but simply at different purposes. Today the situation is much the same. Certainly, there are modern scientists who are actively hostile to religious belief. British biologist Richard Dawkins, for instance, in his best-selling book, The God Delusion, argues that many social ills – from bigotry to ignorance – can be blamed, at least in part, on religion. In addition, a significant number of scientists – […]
NEW YORK — The Post Register of Idaho Falls, Idaho — one of the newspapers that initially defended the Associated Press’ new controversial rate structure — has given notice that it will drop the news service in two years in protest of the arrangement. In a letter sent Friday to AP President Tom Curley, Post Register Publisher Roger Plothow informed the news cooperative of the decision, stating, ‘Given the AP’s historical inflexibility (particularly when it comes to small, independent newspapers), I fear the implications of what I’m about to write, but I can’t think of another option. I wish to give notice of our intent to cancel our AP contract effective August 15, 2010.’ He also states, ‘I’ll put my cards on the table — I’m not sure how we’re going to pull this off. While the AP’s value to us has been severely diminished over the years, it still does provide a handful of services that we haven’t been able to find elsewhere — yet. I’m betting, however, that it’s only a matter of time. More likely, we’ll use that time to become essentially 100 percent local, which is probably where we’re headed eventually anyway.’ Under […]
ISLAMABAD – – Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf resigned on Monday, bringing down the curtain on nine turbulent years of US-backed rule to avoid the first impeachment in the nuclear-armed nation’s history. The former army chief, who seized power in a 1999 coup, announced the move in a lengthy televised address . He rejected the charges against him but said he wanted to spare Pakistan a damaging battle with the ruling coalition. ‘After viewing the situation and consulting legal advisers and political allies, with their advice I have decided to resign,’ Musharraf , wearing a sober suit and tie, said near the end of his one-hour address. ‘I leave my future in the hands of the people.’ Celebrations erupted across the country after Musharraf bowed out, yet it was far from certain what would come next for a nation whose role in the ‘war on terror’ has been increasingly questioned by Washington. The White House said US President George W. Bush thanked Musharraf for his commitment against extremism and he would keep working with Pakistan’s government. Musharraf’s decision to quit came after the coalition said it was ready to press ahead with impeachment as […]
Parts of the world’s oceans are running low on oxygen, a new study finds. Fertilizers and other chemical pollutants in river runoff fuel blooms of algae that cause oxygen levels to dip precipitously when they die. A review of research into these so-called ‘dead zones,’ detailed in the Aug. 15 issue of the journal Science, finds that the number of dead zones has roughly doubled every decade since the 1960’s. The study authors, Robert Diaz of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Rutger Rosenberg of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, tallied 405 dead zones in coastal waters worldwide today, affecting about 95,000 square miles (245,000 square kilometers) of ocean, an area about the size of New Zealand. While that may seem small compared to the total coverage of the oceans, the local effects can be devastating to marine ecosystems. These dead zones occur when fertilizer runoff dumps excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, into coastal waters, providing food for algae. When these microscopic plants die and sink to the ocean bottom, bacteria feed on them and subsequently consume all the oxygen dissolved in the water. This leaves fish and other bottom-dwelling sea […]
Remote Viewing the Year 2060
