Science & Technology
Science & Technology
Scientists—2, Worms—0
Ross England March 15, 2013
Need to diagnose an intestinal worm infection? Yeah, there’s an app for that. In fact, it’s the built-in camera app in the iPhone 4S! Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a physician specializing in infectious diseases at Toronto General Hospital, and his associates have managed to transform the iPhone 4S into a basic…
Science & Technology
BP Right to Move Forward with Petroleum
David Biederman March 13, 2013
It’s been a little over a year since BP, once one of the world’s leading solar power companies, announced that it was exiting the solar power market. According to the company’s website, “BP Alternative Energy is focusing on those sectors of the energy industry where we can profitably grow our…
Science & Technology
Skunk Works to Deliver “Energy for Everyone”
Howard Roerig March 11, 2013
Nuclear fusion has long been the holy grail as a source for energy. Consider that one kilogram of natural gas will light a hundred-watt light bulb for six days, but one kilogram of nuclear fuel will light it for 140 years. Unfortunately, there is some truth to the old joke…
Science & Technology
A 15-Year-Old Boy and Your Future
Howard Roerig March 2, 2013
Jack Andraka is not your typical cancer researcher. His first research project resulted in a non-invasive, simple, sensitive, and effective test for detecting pancreatic cancer. His test is 168 times faster than any currently available test; 26,000 times less expensive (that is not a typo); potentially 100 percent accurate; and…
Science & Technology
Scientists Generate Electricity from Coal Without Burning It
Howard Roerig February 27, 2013
Thomas Newcomen first developed his steam engine in 1712 to provide energy for pumping water out of Britain’s coal mines, enabling deeper, more-fruitful mining. Newcomen’s engine was the precursor to today’s coal-fired (steam) generating plants that, until just a few years ago, provided 50 percent of all electrical energy in…
Science & Technology
The Light Brigade Shines for Capitalism
Joshua Lipana February 24, 2013
Last Sunday, the Light Brigade, headed by Alex Epstein of the Center for Industrial Progress (CIP), traveled to Washington DC to counter the Sierra Club’s “climate rally.” What was the Sierra Club & company’s target de jure? The Keystone XL Pipeline. What is their ultimate enemy? Industrial civilization and the…
Science & Technology
Government Regulations Hinder Quality Control and Harm Consumers
Michael A. LaFerrara February 24, 2013
The tragic case of the tainted medication produced by New England Compounding Center, which resulted in at least twenty-five deaths and hundreds sickened, highlights a little-recognized danger inherent in government regulation. As David Brown reported: “[Purchasing pharmaceuticals from compounding pharmacies is] like buying your electricity from a different supplier. It…
Reviews, Science & Technology
Review: FrackNation
Earl Parson February 20, 2013
Earl Parson reviews FrackNation, written and directed by Phelim McAleer, Ann McElhinney, and Magdalena Segieda.
Science & Technology
Cheers to Bipartisan Support for Repealing the Medical-Device Tax
Joshua Lipana February 19, 2013
Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate are putting forward bills to repeal the medical-device tax in ObamaCare. As The Hill reports: A bipartisan group of 180 House members—consisting of about 40 percent of the House—has reintroduced a bill to end the 2.3 percent tax on medical devices that…
Science & Technology
Medical Tourism: A Free Market Alternative to ObamaCare
Howard Roerig February 18, 2013
In 2009, in my home state of Colorado, a friend faced an estimated expense of $30,000 for necessary dental surgery, an amount far in excess of what he could afford. After doing some research, he opted to have the work done in Costa Rica, where he ended up paying $6,000…