Time’s arrow: the Sokal hoax
In 1996, New York University physics professor Alan Sokal tried an experiment: he wrote an article satirizing deconstructionist philosophy and its abuses of scientific terminology,…
science
The end of a world
We know that in about five billion years our sun will expand and destroy Earth. The question is, do we know what kind of changes…
The science of music
It is said that music has a much more precise vocabulary for describing its objects than any other art. This allows us to talk scientifically…
All this machinery, making modern music
Örjan Sandred is a professor of composition at the University of Manitoba’s Marcel A. Desautels faculty of music. His music involves the use of computers,…
The sounds of silence
The battle between sound and silence rages in many corners of our world – from the sharp glares in libraries, to heated discussions, pleas, and…
Music for the brain
No matter where we go, music is an integral part of daily life. Despite it surrounding us completely, there is still no agreement amongst scholars…
Signifying sounds and structures
I’ve been looking for similarities between the ways we represent music and organic chemistry on paper. The answer is a stretch but the search was…
Evolution’s hotspots
Biologists at the University of the Andes in Colombia claim to have discovered one of the fastest evolving ecosystems on the planet. This rapid diversification…
Genetically engineered mosquitoes can help reduce malaria occurrence
Genetically engineered (GE) biotechnologies are on the rise. We are all familiar with the progress that has been made with genetically modified crops. Now advances…
Together, science and art address our planetary psychopathology
This December, Winnipeg will host the premiere of an arts and sciences exhibition that will travel to many other countries. The exhibition, Toxicity, spawned from…