Gwangi Valley - Lost Blog of the Gwangi

Something I hear far too often for my liking and which annoys me to no end is the blustery reply, “Well in the ’70s they thought there was global cooling, so nyah!” OK, I added the ‘nyah’. But you know the argument. It’s along the lines of ‘if scientists were wrong then, then you have [...]

I’ve just heard that skeptic and astronomer and genuinely great guy Jeff Medkeff, aka The Blue Collar Scientist (http://bluecollarscientist.com), has died. He’d recently been diagnosed with liver cancer. He’ll be so very sorely missed.
Jeff and I had corresponded briefly and I kept thinking that it would be awesome if we could get together and meet. [...]

Scientists, skeptics and other rational thinkers are often accused of being “closed-minded” or “not open to new ideas” when they refute, debunk or otherwise remain skeptical of a belief or claim. And, likely just as often, the accuser is someone arguing in favour of their own brand of mysticism or pseudo-science. Or, at the very [...]

REMINDER: While this is, in general, a science-based blog, it is still my own opinions and reactions to the subject at hand. And I have a dirty mouth. You have been warned.

First, I should define First World for those of you who don’t spend much time talking about this sort of thing. You’re undoubtedly familiar [...]

Growing up I heard a phrase that, while crass, has stuck with me. “Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and yours stinks.”
I would add, “Quite possibly, you’re also an asshole.” Maybe that’s just me. But I often find that pure opinion, the uninformed sort in particular, can be a parsimonious and troublesome commodity in [...]

Mistaken Premises are a lot like broken promises. They let you down in a profound way.
Today’s scrutiny falls on a fellow by the handle of Dinotheorist (http://www.dinotheorist.com). He’s a proponent of two ideas that bother me… in a profound way. The first is his assertion that dinosaurs were too heavy to walk and run in [...]

The world is full of misunderstandings. The rhino’s horn is misunderstood; it’s not a bone nor is it made of hair*. Chewing gum does not stay in your body for years**. And there are a number of myths about dinosaurs and ancient reptiles, as well, that need some airing out.
Fallacy: Pterosaurs couldn’t possibly have [...]