This is an important book on an important topic. While one may disagree with some of his conclusions as to “why”, the data and overall picture is  bleak. And as both natural disasters and warfare continue to displace millions of people every year, it will continue to get worse. Already over one billion people live in slums – and that figure will double over the next decade. And although we in the US have a relatively small (under 6 percent of the urban population) percentage in urban slums, in absolute terms it is still more than many of the poorer countries have.

Read more on Planet of Slums…

This is a pretty fantastic program, and crucial for thousands of children and teens who have literally NO access to science labs. That is started as a “help out kids with homework in a garage” is even better.

Read more on A Schmal Science Workshop…

I can already hear the clamor for a home unit, with sensors conveniently close to the kitchen table. Your New BFF will be telling you to wash your hands….

The trademarked system, called HyGreen, logs, down to the second, the frequency of hand cleaning and contact with patients in a database that clinical supervisors can review immediately.

Read more on “This Isn’t Big Brother”…

My first question on this is “how is a gang defined?” If this is an actual link to a predisposition to group violence, I would expect to see it also correlated with military volunteers, and particularly those most inclined to violence within the military. Casting this as a “gang-related” gene is a political statement of framing.

Read more on the so-called ‘warrior gene’…

Note the second paragraph quoted – that’s a rational analysis. Odd we don’t see more of that here. But if we did, it wouldn’t be news, eh?

“I believe that looking after the environment will be one of the big generators of jobs in the future,” Slim said on a beach on Mexico’s Caribbean island of Cozumel at the launch of the alliance.

Read more on Carlos Slim goes environmental…