Fruit, vetetable, or….achene?

This is a super fascinating article peering into the work of Adrian Thompson at the University of Sussex.  

Dr. Thompson is using natural selection to create novel microchip designs.

One interesting insight involves one evolved design that didn't seem like it should work at all:

It seems that evolution had not merely selected the best code for the task, it had also advocated those programs which took advantage of the electromagnetic quirks of that specific microchip environment. The five separate logic cells were clearly crucial to the chip's operation, but they were interacting with the main circuitry through some unorthodox method– most likely via the subtle magnetic fields that are created when electrons flow through circuitry, an effect known as magnetic flux. There was also evidence that the circuit was not relying solely on the transistors' absolute ON and OFF positions like a typical chip; it was capitalizing upon analogue shades of gray along with the digital black and white.

If you're attempting to replicate scientific research, you're awesome

Vox has an article up about the recent fraud by Michael LaCour in his "study" featuring gay canvassers.

It contains this tidbit about David Broockman who exposed the fraud:

Broockman was consistently told by friends and advisers to keep quiet about his concerns lest he earn a reputation as a troublemaker, or — perhaps worse — someone who merely replicates and investigates others’ research rather than plant a flag of his own.

I have to say that someone who "merely" replicates studies is super awesome in my eyes.  This probably stems from my interest in meta-science…science about science…but someone out there replicating research and making science better is my hero.

It's pretty frustrating that an introverts preferred state of being is often interpreted as snobbishness or some other negative statement about the relationship between the introverted person and others.

Additionally, it's frustrating when an introvert explains that this isn't the case and it's taken as if there's something wrong with the introvert. 

I had it show a dozen or so files that failed to upload, but I accidentally clicked "dismiss" instead of trying again.

Will the uploader try those again at some point?  It's in the middle of uploading 11,000 photos and videos but I have no idea which ones it was that failed…

In what may be the largest study ever conducted on changes in Americans’ religious involvement, researchers led by San Diego State University psychology professor Jean M. Twenge found that millennials are the least religious generation of the last six decades, and possibly in the nation’s history.