Below you will discover podcast collections created by leading universities. Also be sure to see online collection of Free Courses. - American University – Washington College of Law iTunes Feed Web Site
- An eclectic collection of legal podcasts.
- Boston College iTunes Web Site
- A diverse collection of lectures from across the BC campus. Just load onto your iPod and you’re good to go.
- Bowdoin College iTunes Feed Web Site
- Lectures from Bowdoin. Note: many of the lectures are internally focused and not strictly academic. You can see a webpage providing more information on Bowdoin’s offering here.
- Brown UniversityFeed Web Site
- A new collection that so far largely internally focused.
- Cambridge University iTunes RSS Web Site
- A broad collection that has some good depth in the sciences.
- Carnegie Mellon iTunes Web Site
- Collège de France iTunes Feed Web Site
- Columbia University
- Dartmouth College
- Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Center for Digital Strategies iTunes Feed Web Site
- Radio Tuck brings you ground-breaking digital interviews, straight from the business leaders of today.
- Duke UniversityiTunes Feed Web Site
- Ecole normale supérieure (Diffusion des saviors) Feeds & Web Site
- Most of these presentations are in French. To access these them on iTunes, please go to this page and simply click on any of the individual links and iTunes will automatically launch. Or, alternatively, you can cut and paste any of these links into your own podcatcher.
- Emory University iTunes Web Site
- Georgetown University
- Georgetown University Forum iTunes Feed Web Site
- A weekly radio program highlighting the research and expertise of Georgetown University faculty.
- Georgetown Law iTunes Feed Web Site
- Harvard University
- Harvard@Home Web Site
- Harvard@Home provides the Harvard community and the broader public educational offerings through Web-based video programs.
- Harvard Business Review
- HBR IdeaCast iTunes Feed
- From the Harvard Business School Press and the Harvard Business Review, this podcast features leading thinkers in the business and management world.
- Harvard Extension School iTunes
- Understanding Computers iTunes Feed Web Site
- A good introduction to the inner-workings of computers and the internet.
- The Berkman Center for Internet & Society iTunes Feed Web Site
- MediaBerkman “features conversations with and talks by leading cyber-scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, and policymakers as they explore topics such as the factors that influence knowledge creation and dissemination in the digital age; the character of power as the worlds of governance, business, citizenship and the media meet the internet; and the opportunities, role and limitations of new technologies in learning.”
- Haverford College – Classic/Ancient Texts iTunes Web Site (see site for feeds)
- Haverford College, a very fine liberal arts college, has assembled a collection of key Latin and Ancient Greek texts which are read out loud. The best way to access this collection is through Haverford’s website, for which I have included a link above.
- Johns Hopkins
- General Collection iTunes Feed Web Site
- A diverse and growing collection of podcasts coming out of Johns Hopkins.
- Lehigh University iTunes Web Site
- Lewis & Clarke Law School Podcast iTunes Feed Web Site
- Podcasts of speakers and events.
- London School of Economics Feed Web Site
- A varied and promising collection.
- McGill iTunes
- Podcasts from one of Canada’s finest institutions.
- MIT
- MIT General Collection iTunesWeb Site
- MIT on iTunes U contains video and audio files of MIT faculty lectures, public lectures, and community events. Most of the files contained here can also be found in MIT’s extensive OpenCourseWare project.
- Northwestern University iTunes
- A new/small collection, but it should get more robust over time.
- Notre Dame
- Kellogg Institute for International Studies iTunes Web Site
- Comp Sci Courses
- Ohio State
- Oxford University iTunes RSS Web Site
- A general collection of podcasts from the university that has brought us William Gladstone, Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Richard Dawkins, and Stephen Hawking.
- Princeton University iTunes Feed Web Site
- A solid collection of well-known speakers. Only individual lectures to date.
- Stanford University
- Stanford University – General Collection iTunes Web Site
- Individual lectures from across the university, including many guest speakers, such as the Dalai Lama.
- Stanford Law School: Center for Internet and Society iTunes Web Site
- These technology-focused lectures are given by a diverse group of faculty, many from universities other than Stanford.
- Stanford Law School: Program in Law, Science & Technology iTunes Web Site
- This program, based at Stanford Law School, focuses on the role that science and technology play in the national and global arenas. The issues discussed in these podcasts will interest students, legal professionals, business people, government officials, and the public at large.
- Stanford Technology Ventures Program: Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders iTunes Feed Web Site
- A series of weekly lectures on entrepreneurship jointly sponsored by several programs at Stanford.
- Swarthmore College iTunes Feed Web Site
- Lectures by faculty from one of the country’s finest liberal arts schools.
- Université Paris IV – Sorbonne
- University of California – Berkeley iTunes Web Site
- This is the most extensive collection of educational podcasts out there. Features a host of full-fledged courses. Titles include:
University of California – Davis UCLA - Burkle Center Podcasts Feed Web Site
- The Burkle Center for International Relations fosters research on the role of the United States in global security, military, political, social and economic affairs
- Bruincast Web Site
- UCLA posts here a series of webcasts of current UCLA courses. Although most are password protected, there are some interesting courses open to the public.
- UCSF iTunes Feed Web Site
- Features continuing medical education podcasts from one of America’s leading medical schools.
- University Channel iTunes Audio iTunes Video Audio Feed Video Feed Web Site
- Princeton has assembled a collection of public affairs lectures, panels and events from academic institutions all over the world. You can find podcasted lectures here from some of the world’s leading thinkers.
- University of Arizona iTunes Web Site
- University of Chicago
- Center for International Studies iTunes Feed Web Site
- Graduate School of Business iTunes Feed Web Site
- Law Faculty Talks iTunes Feed Web Site
- The Arabic Circle iTunes Feed
- The University of Chicago’s Center for Middle Eastern studies offers weekly lectures in Arabic that include social, cultural and academic investigations of the Arabic speaking world. Students will find it handy for practicing their comprehension.
- University of Glasgow
- Kant’s Epistemology iTunes Web Site
- An 11-episode course on the philosopher, Immanuel Kant, and his theories on how we think/understand/learn.
- University of Maine iTunes Web Site
- University of Melbourne iTunes Feed Web Site
- A podcast of research, personalities and cultural offerings at the University of Melbourne
- University of Pennsylvania (General Collection) iTunes Web Site
- Wharton School (Business)
- Knowledge@Wharton Audio Articles iTunes Feed Web Site
- Lectures/speeches from major faculty and business leaders presented at Wharton, one of the finest b-schools in the country.
- University of Southern California iTunes Web Site
- University of Sydney Feed Web Site
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Vanderbilt University iTunes
- A robust collection of lectures on diverse subjects.
- Wellseley College iTunes Web Site
- Yale University iTunes Feed
- Individual lectures available to date, many by Yale’s leading thinkers..
Astronomy - Bad Astronomy: Discover magazine’s Phil Plait brings readers some of the Internet’s most interesting, insightful commentary on astronomy.
- Universe Today: Follow this highly popular, accessible blog for the latest news and views from across the astronomical community — including some insanely gorgeous images.
- Tom’s Astronomy Blog: Explore the Solar System with this handy resource, which also provides information on some of the technology that makes space travel and research possible.
- NASA Blogs: Natural history geeks who enjoy reading about outer space would do well to stay tuned into the foremost authority on the subject.
- The Planetary Society Blog: Another excellent, expert resource that brings readers to the furthest corners of the universe through fantastic commentary and vivid imagery.
- 365 Days of Astronomy: Since 2009, the masterminds behind 365 Days of Astronomy have posted daily podcasts and writings relating to an impressively wide range of relevant topics.
- Cosmic Log: Alan Boyle with msnbc.com blogs about astronomy in a manner that even the most novice visitor can appreciate and understand.
- Centauri Dreams: Centauri Dreams focuses on more than just the eponymous star. Much of its intelligent content allows readers to peer into the wondrous and bizarre features of deep space.
- Slacker Astronomy: This blog and podcast will probably appeal to natural history aficionados who enjoy pondering the universe and the astrophysics that defines it.
- Phil’s Astronomy Blog: Stop by Phil’s Astronomy Blog for detailed discussions about stargazing and recommended equipment for watching stars, planets and other heavenly bodies right from Earth.
Evolutionary Biology and Genetics - Gene Expression: Another excellent blog courtesy of Discover magazine, this time delving into genetics and how the field has redefined the past, present and possible futures of life.
- The Dispersal of Darwin: One can probably ascertain The Dispersal of Darwin’s dedication to discussing and dissecting evolutionary biology.
- A Natural Evolution: Evolution plays an integral role in natural history, and this blog provides readers with some excellent research on the subject.
- Charles Darwin’s Beagle Diary: Instead of going out and buying copies of Charles Darwin’s diaries penned during his stint on the H.M.S. Beagle, read completely gratis blog entries with corresponding dates.
- The Loom: Carl Zimmer weighs in on all things biological, with particularly fascinating articles on brain science and evolution.
- Pharyngula: Evolutionary biology, genetics, natural history and plenty more relevant topics form the core of this essential read.
- Evolving Thoughts: John Wilkins keeps an excellent blog peering into issues of biology’s rich past, present and possible futures — among other interesting scientific subjects, of course.
- EvolutionBlog: Natural history buffs who want to read their evolutionary biology spiked with political and religious commentary have plenty to explore here.
- Genomicron: Genomicron provides some challenging content regarding genomes and evolution for readers searching desiring a little intellectual stimulation.
- Afarensis: This highly informative resource finds some fascinating — and largely unsurprising — parallels and overlaps between evolutionary biology and anthropology.
Geology - The Geology News Blog: As the title implies, visitors come here for valuable updates and informed opinions from around the geology world.
- Clastic Detritus: Brian Romans and Wired present an absolutely amazing blog packed with professional, insightful and educational content.
- The Volcanism Blog: Explore one of the planet’s most striking, memorable and dangerous geological phenomena from the comparative safety of a web browser.
- Geotripper: Absolutely gorgeous scenes from the American West come alive through striking photographs, but be sure to read what Garry Hayes has to say about them, too!
- Earth and Mind: Brain science, ecology and other earth sciences collide, producing an intriguing resource for natural history fans.
- News at Geology.com: This blog-style news feed should be a daily reference for professional, student and hobbyist geologists looking for the most updated information on the discipline.
- Stories in Stone: Though not exclusively about geology, David B. Williams’ Stories in Stone emphasizes humanity’s interactions with rocks (usually as a building material) and other facets of the natural world.
- The Lost Geologist: In spite of sporting a slower update schedule when compared to some of the others listed here, The Lost Geologist still features geological observations worth reading.
- Geoblogosphere News: Many different blog postings in many different languages come together in one easy-to-maneuver feed for the time-crunched geology buff.
- Highly Allochthonous: Hit up Highly Allochthonous for tantalizing tidbits and recent news stories regarding the myriad earth sciences.
Nature Photography - Natural History Photography Blog: Phillip Colla’s lush photography brings the wondrous forms, colors and textures found in nature to brilliant, educational life.
- Nature Blog Network : Though it may not focus exclusively on nature photography, this blog series features plenty of excellent, relevant images worth seeking out.
- Earth Science Picture of the Day: Whether browsing for majestic mountains or ethereal weather phenomena, the amazing Earth Science Picture of the Day has something beautiful to offer every natural history aficionado.
- Ethan Meleg — Nature Photography: Through stunning videos and images, the photographer brings to life cute, curious and downright bizarre corners of the natural world.
- Nature Photography Blog: Not only does Nature Photography Blog feature some sterling examples of the eponymous art, it also provides comprehensive, informed research for those hoping to take up the hobby (or profession!) themselves.
- Graf Nature Photography: Don’t visit this blog just for the photography. Be sure to stick around for the insightful writings on ecology, natural history and biology as well!
- Cornforth Images: Award-winning photographer John Cornforth shares some of the breathtaking, dramatic depictions of nature that make him so popular.
- MYRECOS: At the intersection of entymology and macrophotography sits MYRECOS, an excellent, essential resource for both disciplines it predominantly represents.
- Landscape, Nature and Travel Photography: Jim M. Goldstein opens up part of his portfolio to visitors, along with information on photography trends, tips and equipment and discussions of travels and natural sights.
- Moose Peterson Wildlife Photography: Despite the title, the photography hosted here actually covers a broad spectrum of natural wonders, including particularly lovely landscapes.
Paleontology - PALAEOBLOG: Ancient, extinct creatures come alive through vivid illustrations and highly engaging, educational descriptions of their interesting — often mysterious — history.
- BEYONDbones: The Houston Museum of Natural Science keeps readers updated on its research expeditions, usually paleontological in nature, and discusses the inner workings of its eclectic holdings and exhibits.
- Dinosaur Tracking Blog: Presented by Smithsonian.com, the Dinosaur Tracking Blog dissects dinosaurs and pop culture, most especially when it comes to common misconceptions.
- Dinochick Blogs: ReBecca Hunt-Foster attracts plenty of paleontology buffs thanks to her accessible, interesting musings on a variety of relevant subjects.
- Dinosaurs: About.com’s official dinosaur portal tantalizes fans coming from all proficiency levels, making it an excellent start for visiting greenhorns.
- Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs: The Mesazoic period boasted some of nature’s most bizarre and beautiful life forms, which get plenty of attention at this seriously cool blog.
- Everything Dinosaur: Follow Everything Dinosaur for the latest updates on findings and opinions from across the paleontological world.
- ART Evolved: Natural history buffs who enjoy indulging their creative side will greatly appreciate how this collective fuses paleontology and art together.
- eTrilobite.com: Delightful little prehistoric organisms discuss scientific — largely biological and paleontological — concepts in an entertaining comic and blog.
- Chinleana: The majority of Chinelana’s content revolves around the Late Triassic period, though other relevant bits of information seep in as well.
"Beautiful Fatalism" is a phrase from Ernest Hemingway used to describe warriors "who stayed loyal to a doomed cause."
It seems we are all warriors when it comes to existence and we are dedicated to a doomed cause as well.
 Billions of years from now the Sun in our solar system will become a Red Giant and drive any Earth life that might still exist to extinction. "...all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins -- all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain, that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul's habitation henceforth be safely built." Philosopher Bertrand Russell
"To every man comes, sooner or later, the great renunciation. For the young, there is nothing unattainable; a good thing desired with the whole force of a passionate will, and yet impossible, is to them not credible. Yet, by death, by illness, by poverty, or by the voice of duty, we must learn, each one of us, that the world was not made for us, and that, however beautiful may be the things we crave, Fate may nevertheless forbid them. It is the part of courage, when misfortune comes, to bear without repining the ruin of our hopes, to turn away our thoughts from vain regrets...
Of all the arts, Tragedy is the proudest, the most triumphant; for it builds its shining citadel in the very centre of the enemy's country, on the very summit of his highest mountain; from its impregnable watchtowers, his camps and arsenals, his columns and forts, are all revealed; within its walls the free life continues, while the legions of Death and Pain and Despair, and all the servile captains of tyrant Fate, afford the burghers of that dauntless city new spectacles of beauty. Happy those sacred ramparts, thrice happy the dwellers on that all-seeing eminence. Honour to those brave warriors who, through countless ages of warfare, have preserved for us the priceless heritage of liberty, and have kept undefiled by sacrilegious invaders the home of the unsubdued."
In the spectacle of Death, in the endurance of intolerable pain, there is a sacredness, an overpowering awe, a feeling of the vastness, the depth, the inexhaustible mystery of existence, in which, as by some strange marriage of pain, the sufferer is bound to the world by bonds of sorrow. In these moments of insight, we lose all eagerness of temporary desire, all struggling and striving for petty ends, all care for the little trivial things that, to a superficial view, make up the common life of day by day; we see, surrounding the narrow raft illumined by the flickering light of human comradeship, the dark ocean on whose rolling waves we toss for a brief hour; from the great night without, a chill blast breaks in upon our refuge; all the loneliness of humanity amid hostile forces is concentrated upon the individual soul, which must struggle alone, with what of courage it can command, against the whole weight of a universe that cares nothing for its hopes and fears. Victory, in this struggle with the powers of darkness, is the true baptism into the glorious company of heroes, the true initiation into the overmastering beauty of human existence. From that awful encounter of the soul with the outer world, renunciation, wisdom, and charity are born; and with their birth a new life begins. To take into the inmost shrine of the soul the irresistible forces whose puppets we seem to be -- Death and change, the irrevocableness of the past, and the powerlessness of man before the blind hurry of the universe from vanity to vanity -- to feel these things and know them is to conquer them. United with his fellow-men by the strongest of all ties, the tie of a common doom, the free man finds that a new vision is with him always, shedding over every daily task the light of love. The life of Man is a long march through the night, surrounded by invisible forces, tortured by weariness and pain, towards a goal that few can hope to reach, and where none may tarry long. One by one, as they march, our comrades vanish from our sight, seized by the silent orders of omnipotent Death. Very brief is the time in which we can help them, in which their happiness or misery is decided. Be it ours to shed sunshine on their path, to lighten their sorrows by the balm of sympathy, to give them the pure joy of a never-tiring affection, to strengthen failing courage, to instil faith in hours of despair. Let us not weigh in grudging scales their merits and demerits, but let us think only of their need -- of the sorrows, the difficulties, perhaps the blindnesses, that make the misery of their lives; let us remember that they are fellow-sufferers in the same darkness, actors in the same tragedy with ourselves. And so, when their day is over, when their good and their evil have become eternal by the immortality of the past, be it ours to feel that, where they suffered, where they failed, no deed of ours was the cause; but wherever a spark of the divine fire kindled in their hearts, we were ready with encouragement, with sympathy, with brave words in which high courage glowed. Brief and powerless is Man's life; on him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent matter rolls on its relentless way; for Man, condemned to-day [ sic] to lose his dearest, to-morrow himself to pass through the gate of darkness, it remains only to cherish, ere yet the blow falls, the lofty thoughts that ennoble his little day; disdaining the coward terrors of the slave of Fate, to worship at the shrine that his own hands have built; undismayed by the empire of chance, to preserve a mind free from the wanton tyranny that rules his outward life; proudly defiant of the irresistible forces that tolerate, for a moment, his knowledge and his condemnation, to sustain alone, a weary but unyielding Atlas, the world that his own ideals have fashioned despite the trampling march of unconscious power. From Bertrand Russell's Essay "A Free Man's Worship"
"Sex and excretion are reminders that anyone's claim to round-the-clock dignity is tenuous. The so-called rational animal has a desperate drive to pair up and moan and writhe." "Many tragedies come from our physical and cognitive makeup. Our bodies are extraordinarily improbable arrangements of matter, with many ways for things to go wrong and only a few ways for things to go right. We are certain to die, and smart enough to know it. Our minds are adapted to a world that no longer exists, prone to misunderstandings correctable only by arduous education, and condemned to perplexity about the deepest questions we can ascertain." — Steven Pinker ( The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature)
“I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least - and it is commonly more than that - sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.”
~Henry David Thoreau
Science is organized knowledge. Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) English philosopher. Education.
Science is the systematic classification of experience. George Henry Lewes (1817-78) English writer and critic.
Science is simply common sense at its best that is, rigidly accurate in observation, and merciless to fallacy in logic. Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-95) English biologist.
Science is nothing but trained and organized common sense differing from the latter only as a veteran may differ from a raw recruit: and its methods differ from those of common sense only as far as the guardsman's cut and thrust differ from the manner in which a savage wields his club. Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-95) English biologist. "The Method of Zadig" in Collected Essays IV.
Science is nothing but developed perception, interpreted intent, common sense rounded out and minutely articulated. George Santayana (1863-1952) U. S. philosopher and writer. The Life of Reason.
Science is facts; just as houses are made of stone, so is science made of facts; but a pile of stones is not a house, and a collection of facts is not necessarily science. Jules Henri Poincaré (1854-1912) French mathematician.
Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition. Adam Smith (1723-90) Scottish economist. The Wealth of Nations, 1776.
Science is what you know. Philosophy is what you don't know. Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English philosopher, mathematician.
It requires a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious. Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) English philosopher and mathematician.
[Science is] the labor and handicraft of the mind. Francis Bacon (1561-1626) English essayist, philosopher, statesman.
[Science is] the literature of truth. Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818-85) U. S. humorist.
[Science is] a series of judgments, revised without ceasing. Pierre Emile Duclaux (1840-1904) French biochemist, bacteriologist.
[Science is] the desire to know causes. William Hazlitt (1778-1830) English essayist.
[Science is] an imaginative adventure of the mind seeking truth in a world of mystery. Sir Cyril Herman Hinshelwood (1897-1967) English chemist. Nobel prize 1956.
[Science is] the knowledge of consequences, and dependence of one fact upon another. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) English philosopher, author.
[Science is] piecemeal revelation. Oliver Wendell Holmes 1 (1809-94) U. S. poet, essayist, physician.
[Science is] a great game. It is inspiring and refreshing. The playing field is the universe itself. Isidor Isaac Rabi (1898-1988) U. S. physicist. Nobel prize 1944.
[Science is] not belief, but the will to find out. Anon
In essence, science is a perpetual search for an intelligent and integrated comprehension of the world we live in. Cornelius Bernardus Van Neil (1897- ) U. S. microbiologist.
I venture to define science as a series of interconnected concepts and conceptual schemes arising from experiment and observation and fruitful of further experiments and observations. The test of a scientific theory is, I suggest, its fruitfulness. James Bryant Conant (1893-1978) U. S. Chemist and Educator.
Science can only ascertain what is, but not what should be, and outside of its domain value judgments of all kinds remain necessary. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) U. S. physicist, born in Germany.
QUOTES ABOUT SCIENCE:
Now, my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose. I have read and heard many attempts at a systematic account of it, from materialism and theosophy to the Christian system or that of Kant, and I have always felt that they were much too simple. I suspect that there are more things in heaven and earth that are dreamed of, or can be dreamed of, in any philosophy. That is the reason why I have no philosophy myself, and must be my excuse for dreaming. John Burden Sanderson Haldane (1892-1964) English geneticist. Possible Worlds and other Essays (1927) "Possible Worlds".
Shall I refuse my dinner because I do not fully understand the process of digestion? Oliver Heaviside (1850-1925) English physicist.
The mind likes a strange idea as little as the body likes a strange protein and resists it with similar energy. It would not perhaps be too fanciful to say that a new idea is the most quickly acting antigen known to science. If we watch ourselves honestly we shall often find that we have begun to argue against a new idea even before it has been completely stated. Wilfred Batten Lewis Trotter (1872-1939) English surgeon.
There is no adequate defense, except stupidity, against the impact of a new idea. Percy Williams Bridgman (1882-1961) U. S. physicist, Nobel Prize, 1946.
The dispassionate intellect, the open mind, the unprejudiced observer, exist in an exact sense only in a sort of intellectualist folk-lore; states even approaching them cannot be reached without a moral and emotional effort most of us cannot or will not make. Wilfred Batten Lewis Trotter (1872-1939) English surgeon.
[Those] who have an excessive faith in their theories or in their ideas are not only poorly disposed to make discoveries, but they also make very poor observations. Claude Bernard (1813-78) French physiologist, 1865.
One curious result of this inertia, which deserves to rank among the fundamental 'laws' of nature, is that when a discovery has finally won tardy recognition it is usually found to have been anticipated, often with cogent reasons and in great detail. Ferdinand Canning Scott Schiller (1864-1937) English philosopher in the U. S.
In Science the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurred. Sir William Osler (1849-1919) Canadian physician.
The hypotheses we accept ought to explain phenomena which we have observed. But they ought to do more than this: our hypotheses ought to foretell phenomena which have not yet been observed. William Whewell (1794-1866) English mathematician, philosopher.
It is a popular delusion that the scientific enquirer is under an obligation not to go beyond generalisation of observed facts...but anyone who is practically acquainted with scientific work is aware that those who refuse to go beyond the facts, rarely get as far. Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-95) English biologist.
We see only what we know. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) German poet, dramatist.
Science increases our power in proportion as it lowers our pride. Claude Bernard (1813-78) French physiologist.
We know very little, and yet it is astonishing that we know so much, and still more astonishing that so little knowledge can give us so much power. Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English philosopher, mathematician.
I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding of a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) English physicist, mathematician.
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Italian physicist and astronomer.
Laws of Thermodynamics: 1. You cannot win. 2. You cannot break even. 3. You cannot stop playing the game.
Anon
Beyond Science:
Metaphysics is a dark ocean without shores or lighthouse, strewn with many a philosophic wreck.
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) German Philosopher
A Deinosuchus lunges at an Albertosaurus in an artist's conception. Illustration by Raul D. Martin, National Geographic Stock Brian Handwerk for National Geographic NewsCrocs vs. DinosaursOutside Georgia, Deinosuchus apparently took on slightly more challenging prey, according to older bite-mark evidence, which Columbus State paleontologist David R. Schwimmer presented alongside Harrell at the meeting. Deinosuchus tooth impressions in the bones of their prey tell the tale of titanic battles in which the 29-foot-long (9-meter-long) crocs took down dinosaurs their own size—including the T. rex relatives Appalachiosaurus montgomeriensis and Albertosaurus (see picture above) ."One of the marks shows signs that the bone was healed, which means that the animal survived the bite," Schwimmer said. "That proves that at least this one specimen was obviously [indicative of] predation and not scavenging." Schwimmer first noticed strange, dimpled, egg-shaped indentations in Georgia sea turtle fossils. Later he saw similar marks in dinosaur bones in Big Bend National Park in Texas and in the New Jersey State Museum. "I realized these bites were from something with really powerful jaws and lots of teeth," he said. "And it was pretty obvious that this big, blunt-toothed croc was the source. "There was nothing else I've found that could create blunt bite marks like these. By far the mightiest of the newfound fossil crocs, BoarCroc (above, a computer-generated image of the head) was a 20-foot-long (6.1-meter-long) "saber-toothed cat in armor" that ate dinosaurs for dinner.
Three sets of fangs--so long they jutted above and below the jaw when shut (as seen in the skull at bottom)--handily sliced meat, while a snout reinforced with bonelike armor boosted the animal's ramming power The ancient croc ancestor PancakeCroc (above, a computer-generated image of the head) was the "ultimate sit-and-wait predator," paleontologist Paul Sereno said in November 2009. The creature would lie motionless, waiting "for something stupid" to swim into its rail-thin, 3-foot-long (0.9-meter-long) jaws (bottom), which were lined with rows of spiky teeth, Sereno said. One of five newfound crocs that coexisted during the Cretaceous, PancakeCroc likely evolved its unique adaptations to reign over its own corner of the lush, river-carved plains of present-day Niger and Morocco.
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