Traces and Their (In)significance

Destiny of Insignificance

Our Cosmic Insignificance

The universe that surrounds us is vast, and we are so very small. When we reflect on the vastness of the universe, our humdrum cosmic location, and the inevitable future demise of humanity, our lives can seem utterly insignificant. Many philosophers assume that such worries about our significance reflect a banal metaethical confusion. They dismiss the very idea of cosmic significance. This, I a...

Defining memories by their distinct molecular traces.

It is often stated that short-term memory is consolidated in a protein-synthesis-dependent manner into long-term memory. Alternatively, memories might consist of distinct molecular traces that last for different periods of time. These traces can be graded by their 'volatility'; traces encoded by activation of protein kinases are more volatile than traces encoded by morphological changes at pree...

The Significance and Insignificance of Carbon

In the present review article immune responses induced by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are addressed. As inhalation is considered to be the primary entry route, and concern has been raised by similar high aspect ratio materials, the main focus lies on immune responses upon pulmonary exposure. Inflammation-related findings from both in vivo studies and in vitro models are reviewed, and the major resp...

The Insignificance of Statistical Significance Testing

Despite their wide use in scientific journals such as The Journal of Wildlife Management, statistical hypothesis tests add very little value to the products of research. Indeed, they frequently confuse the interprettation of data. This paper describes how statistical hypothesis tests are often viewed, and then contrasts that interpretation with the correct one. I discuss the arbitrariness of P-...