1. Researchers find 6,000-year-old fossil evidence

Comment #22454 by thalesian on February 18, 2007 at 6:19 pm

What makes this discovery so fantastic is how early it is. Archaeologists are accustomed to finding staple crops (Wheat, Corn, Maize) being developed and refined that early, but Chili Peppers? It helps confirm the findings of Sherman and Billing (1999), in that spices like peppers are essential to the maintenance of meat products. This suggets a higher, if incidental, understanding of food preservation early on.

2. Did humans wipe out Australia's big beasts?

Comment #19734 by thalesian on January 29, 2007 at 4:38 pm

I don't understand how this can't be any more obvious - I'm generally skeptical of simplistic extinction theories (astroid, etc.) but the extinction of Australia's megafauna at ~40,000 BP and the North-South American extinctions at ~11,000 BP coincide almost exactly with the arrival of humans. Wouldn't a blast of aridity at 40,000 years ago have shown extinction-effects elswhere than Australia? This is, quite literally, a smoking gun.

There is an additional flaw in Dr. Field's reasoning. Her argument:

"You can say that a species was arid-adapted 200,000 years ago, but you can't then extrapolate to 40,000 years ago and say 'So humans must have done it,"

...is fallacious. For several taxa to spontaneously adapt in the same manner between 200,000 - 40,000 years is way too coincidental and rapid for environmental change. If they survived/thrived through it 200,000 years ago, they will most likely not go through massive multi-taxa extinction because of the same factors a mere 160,000 years ago (~). The rapidly expanding rival populations competing for the same resources are a better bet.

At any rate, fantastic article.

3. The Mystery of Consciousness

Comment #18583 by thalesian on January 21, 2007 at 7:37 pm

Again, Pinker outshines himself. While a lot more vague than other writings, I like how science is begining to tread on these topics long held sacred by those who were way to over-confident in their guesses.

The God of the Gaps is begining to look more like a size 2.

4. Gentle Rottweiler

Comment #17273 by thalesian on January 12, 2007 at 3:13 pm

The last column in the PDF is the most crucial and new. While it is easy to chastise another's religious beliefs, we sometimes forget that while every villain has had some form of religion or faith behind them, many heros have also used religion to form underground railroads and resistance to tyrannical governments. In a way, we should avoid missing the forest for the trees and try and identify all the causes of irrationality.

After America's experiences in Iraq, perhaps ethnic identity is as dangerous as religion (if they don't already both stem from the same vice).

5. Pat Robertson: God told me of 'mass killing' in 2007

Comment #16092 by thalesian on January 4, 2007 at 3:20 pm

Isn't it odd that while science has succesfully predicted hurricains this guy's "Hallmark"-general apocalyptic predictions get press? My spidey sense is telling me there's a double standard.