Astrophysicist Writes Brutal Response To WSJ Article Claiming Science Has Proven God Exists Recently – Christmas Day, in fact – the Wall Street Journal published an article by a Christian apologist who boldly declared that science was “increasingly” making the case for God, year-after-year. Eric Metaxas is best known as a biographical writer, but he is also lauded (in conservative circles) for his work promoting the pro-life movement and making sweeping, outrageous conclusions about the existence of God based on whatever tenuous evidence seems handy at the time. If sweeping, outrageous conclusions be Metaxas bread-and-butter, than his Wall Street Journal article is perhaps his magnum opus. It’s a doozy. After subtitling his work “The odds of life existing on another planet grow ever longer. The arguments aren’t new. Today there are more than 200 known parameters necessary for a planet to support life—every single one of which must be perfectly met, or the whole thing falls apart. Feature image via The Conversation
Earth - Rats will save their friends from drowning Saving another person from a life-or-death situation is something many of us do instinctively. But it's not unique to humans. Many primates will also help each other out. They are our closest relatives, so it's likely that our ape-like ancestors behaved in similar ways. In other words, our willingness to save others is an ancient trait, which modern humans have inherited. This trait may go back a surprisingly long way. When one was soaked in water, another rat quickly learned how to operate a lever that would allow it to escape to a safe and dry area. They did so even in the presence of a tempting chocolate treat, foregoing the lever that would release the food in favour of the one that would save the drowning rat. The rats therefore engage in helpful "prosocial behaviour" even if there was no apparent reward. Past experience played a role too. But when there was nobody to save, or the distressed rat was replaced with an inanimate object, the rats no longer pressed the lever.
Body Painter Transforms Humans Into Breathtaking Portraits Of Animals There’s more to this beautiful heron than meets the eye. It’s actually a human body covered intricately in paint. The stunning work was created by artist Shannon Holt, a body painter from Florida who’s known for her ability to transform the human body into a canvas for beautiful art. The piece is part of Holt’s “Florida Wildlife Series,” a collection of several animal portraits, all painstakingly drawn on human bodies. In a May interview with the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Holt explained what it is about body painting as a medium that she loves so much. “You can have a really beautiful work that transforms the body into a human sculpture or abstract piece that touches on art history, or is a master copy of an Italian Renaissance painting,” she told the news outlet. She added that she loves the “ephemeral” nature of body painting. Scroll down to see more images of Holt’s "Florida Wildlife Series." Ryder Gledhill / Shannon Holt / Caters News Honey Bees
The Compassionate Instinct Humans are selfish. It’s so easy to say. The same goes for so many assertions that follow. Greed is good. Altruism is an illusion. Cooperation is for suckers. These kinds of claims reflect age-old assumptions about emotion. Jonathan Payne Even compassion, the concern we feel for another being’s welfare, has been treated with downright derision. Recent studies of compassion argue persuasively for a different take on human nature, one that rejects the preeminence of self-interest. First consider the recent study of the biological basis of compassion. But this compassionate instinct isn’t limited to parents’ brains. In other research by Emory University neuroscientists James Rilling and Gregory Berns, participants were given the chance to help someone else while their brain activity was recorded. The brain, then, seems wired up to respond to others’ suffering—indeed, it makes us feel good when we can alleviate that suffering. It seems so. Signs of compassion Cultivating compassion
▶ One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful (5 Piano Guys, 1 piano) - ThePianoGuys We're on Tour! Sheet Music: Album here: song here: Subscribe to our main channel: to our BTS channel: us on Facebook: us on Twitter: Get PianoGuys T-Shirts, Wristbands, Sheetmusic here: STORY BEHIND THE SONGThe idea: A couple months ago the 5 of us were gathered round a piano prepping for a video shoot scheduled for that day. The song: We went through several song possibilities before landing on "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction. The location: Where to film? Many thanks to the awesome guys at Annex Recording and Giles Reaves (engineer) for letting us record at their studio.
My Father, the Philosopher If the bed was here, if I touched it, lay down in it, walked away and came back, then it existed. If it existed, then when I left for school and came back, it would still be there. If it was there today, then it would be there tomorrow. Right, Dad? I touched the objects in the house. My father smiled, pleased. Descartes's bad dream. “Think about your first premise.” “My first what?” “Your first premise. If your father is a philosopher, then you should expect to lose many arguments. For my friends and me, the best seats in my family’s station wagon were in the way-back. But Adrianne and Christy widened their eyes when they asked him. I hated those faces. "Of course," my father said when they asked. "NO Way!" "Who's going to sit back there if they don't?" "Nobody." "And where are you going to sit no matter where they sit?" "In the front." "So how is it not fair? But my situation would be worsened. "Adrianne. And so I learned utilitarianism. My father's philosopher friend Paul came over. OK?
Insane Assassin's Creed III concept art by William Wu. strange like me -zenpencil Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) was a Mexican painter. Unlike the figure from my previous comic, the stoic Marcus Aurelius, Frida was the exact opposite. Her life was ruled by emotion, passion, love and suffering. She was a remarkable woman, whom I was completely ignorant about until a friend of mine suggested I adapt one of her quotes (shout out to Morganna). Frida painted mostly self-portraits. Frida’s life was filled with physical suffering. Frida’s second “grave accident” was meeting her husband Diego Rivera, who was a famous painter and nicknamed the ‘Michaelango of Mexico’. Frida’s later years were hindered by more physical problems. Despite a lifetime of pain and turmoil, Frida still led an exciting life, mingling with famous revolutionaries and artists. The paintings I used in the comic are Self Portrait with Monkeys, Self Portrait (1941) and her most famous work The Two Fridas. Related comics featuring the words of Vincent Van Gogh, Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou and Timothy Leary.
12 Enjoyable Names for Relatively Common Things Fancy yourself a logophile ... and didn't have to look up "logophile"? See if you know these 12 words for common things. 1. The plastic table-like item found in pizza boxes is called a box tent and was patented in 1983. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Getty Images 9. 10. 11. 12. What are some of your favorite extra ordinary/extraordinary words? For 12-12-12, we’ll be posting twenty-four '12 lists' throughout the day.