Category archives: Humanities & Social Sciences

Research funding: big vs. little science

Research funding: big vs. little science

EconomicsSociology

By Jorge Mejías

With the delicate economical situation that many developed countries are experiencing in the last years, a significant number of questions and concerns have been risen about how to properly assign and distribute funding to scientific institutions and research group leaders. In particular, a relevant question for science funding could be how to optimize the scientific […]

MI weekly selection #43

MI weekly selection #43

Humanities & Social SciencesScienceTechnologyWeekly Selection

By César Tomé

Ocean health imperiled thrice over Climate change and increases in oxygen-free “dead zones” and acidification each pose health concerns for the world’s oceans, with immediate action required, says a report from the International Programme on the State of the Ocean. BBC Bulk of Earth’s xenon concealed in planet’s core Earth’s atmosphere appears to have only […]

MI weekly selection #42

MI weekly selection #42

Humanities & Social SciencesScienceTechnologyWeekly Selection

By César Tomé

19 elements to have atomic weights adjusted Aluminum, cadmium, gold and arsenic are among 19 elements that are having their atomic weights adjusted by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. More precise measurements are now available leading to the new weight calculations, which happens rarely. The atomic weight of nonmetal selenium hasn’t been […]

MI weekly selection #40

MI weekly selection #40

Humanities & Social SciencesScienceTechnologyWeekly Selection

By César Tomé

Reprogrammed stem cells in mice could pave way to tissue regeneration Spanish scientists successfully forced mature cells into an embryonic-like state inside the bodies of living mice, creating so-called reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cells. Transforming mature cells into stem-like cells “means turning back the clock when everything in the environment favors the opposite,” lead author […]

Distribution, demand and growth

Distribution, demand and growth

Economics

By Ricardo Molero-Simarro

The relevance of demand factors for explaining growth was stated almost simultaneously by Michal Kalecki and John Maynard Keynes in the 1930s. The main conclusion of the theory of effective demand is that spending determines income. Keynes stated that the marginal propensity to consume decreases when total income growths. Kalecki considered different propensities to consume […]

The Oxford Questions on the foundations of quantum mechanics

The Oxford Questions on the foundations of quantum mechanics

Philosophy of sciencePhysicsQuantum physics

By Daniel Manzano

Quantum mechanics and relativity constitute the two main revolutions in physics on the twentieth century. Furthermore, the counterintuitive character of quantum mechanics yields to a rich branch of different possible interpretations, and there are still many open questions. Not solving, but just defining these questions, was the main purpose of a conference entitled “Quantum physics […]