Two years done and more evolution

Two more years of GRB optical afterglows

I review the main observational achievements concerning GRB optical afterglows occurred in the past two years Their emission seems to be well interpreted in terms of the ‘fireball’ model, although a variety of behaviours are observed. Evidence for supernova-like late time ‘bumps’ in the optical light curves is growing; however, other interpretations are possible. Fast follow-up observations all...

Drug safety: can more be done?

Guidelines have done more harm than good.

Practice guidelines have proliferated in medicine but their impact on actual practice and outcomes is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify. Though guidelines are based largely on observational data and expert opinion, it is widely believed that adherence to them leads to improved outcomes. Data to support this belief simply does not exist. If guidelines are universally ignored, their impac...

Rewriting Evolution—“Been There, Done That”

A recent paper by a science journalist in Nature shows major errors in understanding phylogenies, in this case of placental mammals. The underlying unrooted tree is probably correct, but the placement of the root just reflects a well-known error from the acceleration in the rate of evolution among some myomorph rodents.

Body-worn monitors: a lot done, more to do.