Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 



Forgot your password?
typodupeerror

Comment Mapping data to theory vs. "seeing" (Score 3, Insightful) 69

Whenever I see news like that, it reminds me that we're not really "seeing" anything. We just get tons of astronomic data, basically piles of photons and neutrinos and muons and god knows what, with different frequencies and spins and all that. Then we take that data, and start working towards mapping it all onto our continuously evolving and obviously imperfect theory what all that actually means. So astronomers in the end decide what the data means, and then you have these sensationalist articles in the media about "the things we see". Over time, theories will change, data will prove to be imperfect or contain some margin of error previously unaccounted for, etc, etc. So articles like this are quite meaningless. There is real data with real impact on the theory, but it's also very likely that data like that will over the long term change the theory and our understanding of the universe, with the sensationalist concepts of "giant black hole eating up whole galaxy" simply dying the way of the dodo. Good job astronomers for expanding the human knowledge! But let's take the sensationalist sentences with a grain of doubt.....

Comment They have to keep on killing... (Score 1) 361

Tobacco industry and medical industry probably has enough shareholder overlap, so they are legally obliged to making the shareholders happy. So they have to continue making people sick or injured. Once all the cancer from tar and that crap was curbed a bit, they had to invent a new way to hurt everyone!
Image

Designer Builds Coffin For Xbox's Suffering RROD 118

angry tapir writes "The Xbox 360 RROD coffin was created by Aussie designer Alexis Vanamois, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. It's the ultimate final resting place for 'bricked' Xbox 360 consoles that have suffered the Red Ring of Death; it even has a cavity for your controller!"
Image

Police Called Over 11-Year-Old's Science Project 687

garg0yle writes "Police in San Diego were called to investigate an 11-year-old's science project, consisting of 'a motion detector made out of an empty Gatorade bottle and some electronics,' after the vice-principal came to the conclusion that it was a bomb. Charges aren't being laid against the youth, but it's being recommended that he and his family 'get counseling.' Apparently, the student violated school policies — I'm assuming these are policies against having any kind of independent thought?"

Slashdot Top Deals

10 to the minus 6th power Movie = 1 Microfilm

Working...