Small Wonders: Sept. 17, 2010

When I started this blog, I said I wanted to hear from my readers about what they did and didn’t like. Well, I have now received feedback from my Most Loyal Reader (also known as: my mother). Apparently, although she likes these weekly link round-ups she has one critique: they’re “too long.” I won’t always relent in the face of criticism, but I suppose this particular critic has done a few things for me over the years. (Like bringing my nearly-10-pound self into the world.) So, just for her, I’m keeping this week’s round up short. Whaddya say, Mom–can we call it even?

* Why are so many terrorists engineers?

* Very smart piece on what it means when you say global warming “causes” something. (Plus: the parable of “global heavying”)

* Alcoholism, bulimia, OCD: This doctor has discovered a strange cluster of mental illness among the residents of Sesame Street.

* What? A sensible article on the effects of technology on children’s brains? I didn’t think it could be done.

* If mental illnesses are discrete and specific, why do drugs designed to treat one disorder often work for others?

* Wired’s new blog network launches–and includes a very scary post about a very scary superbug.

* Enough with the ovulation studies already! Or, at least, the overly simplified coverage of them.

* Brush up on your science jokes before hitting the weekend cocktail party circuit.

* Feel the burn–of chili peppers. Are those who like spicy foods just masochists?

The Small Wonders: Sept. 17, 2010 by Wonderland, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.