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Archive for the ‘Policy’ Category

The future is in data

Posted in Education, Policy, Science and society, tagged , , , on February 11, 2010 | 1 Comment »

There are many reasons for studying mathematics, at school and college.  Everyday practical use being a big one, or maybe just the sheer joy of the logic, if you’re that way inclined. (And below, a fascinating TED talk about what we can learn from health statistics.) But here’s another good reason: because, in a few [...]

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Science, cliques and the cloak of anonymity?

Posted in Policy, Science and society, tagged , on February 8, 2010 | 1 Comment »

Should reviewers in science remain anonymous?  In peer-reviewing papers?  What about reviewing grant applications? This year marks the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Society in London and, with that, arguably, the start of the modern scientific establishment, including the principle of peer review. Yet, thanks to the ‘climate gate’ e-mail controversy (see [...]

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Carbon taxes, cash for clunkers, and the tragedy of the commons

Posted in Carbon, Policy, Science and society, Sustainable living, tagged , on December 9, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Question: what do Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, ‘eco-nomics’ pundit David McWilliams, and the Nobel Prize committee have in common? Answer: a growing realisation of the need to factor the environment into the economy. Lenihan’s budget today will at last introduce a carbon tax and, with it, the principle of ‘the polluter pays’. US economist Elinor [...]

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If we’re so smart . . .

Posted in Policy, Science and society, tagged , , on November 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

. . . how come scientists and innovators still don’t register on the public radar? There’s been much talk lately about developing a “smart economy” here.  My friend and fellow science journalist Cormac Sheridan counted no fewer than  27 ‘smart’ references in the recently revised programme for government. But so far, it seems to be [...]

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Sex, science and stereotypes

Posted in Policy, Science and society, Women and science, tagged , , on November 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Update: BBC Radio 4′s Moral Maze discussed the ethical issues on Nov 25th, listen here (until Dec 2nd) A week ago, if you’d asked someone to name a famous woman scientist, chances are they would have said Marie Curie.  Now, they’re more likely to name Brooke Magnanti. Magnanti, for those who missed the news, is [...]

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Research… or innovation?

Posted in Policy on October 16, 2009 | 3 Comments »

It was good to read Chris Horn’s provocative and analytical post this week, contrasting Ireland with Silicon Valley, and arguing for an Irish ‘innovation system’. In essence, if I have got him right, he is arguing for a system that encourages entrepreneurs to start-up and get rich, or fail and start-up again. There is much [...]

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Dublin bikes & those e-voting machines

Posted in Policy, Sustainable living, Transport on September 15, 2009 | 5 Comments »

Can you suggest any uses for an e-voting machine? I’m thinking we could rent them out for Lisbon Treaty referenda — free for the first 30 minutes — and hope that users wouldn’t return them! An idea prompted by the fact that Dublin’s new bicycles have hit the streets at last : 450 bright and [...]

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The future of motors in general?

Posted in Carbon, Policy, Sustainable living, Transport on June 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

We’ve been watching a car crash unfold here over the last few days, as the future of General Motors was decided.  Or at least, the short-term future. I’m posting this from southern Ontario, where in fairness thousands of jobs currently depend on the American auto industry. As it happens, this is also the homeland of [...]

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