Study finds sickly kids more likely to become geniuses

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Kevin A. Barnes

A study conducted by researchers at the University of California has found a negative correlation between IQ and physical health in youth. The study — published in Psychological Science — examined data from 282 historical geniuses, including Rene Descartes, Abraham Lincoln, Michelangelo, Isaac Newton and Voltaire.

Study co-authors Dean Keith Simonton and Anna Song found a link between superior intelligence in adulthood and inferior physical health during youth. While the study’s results may simply reflect the sample’s extreme selectivity, the researchers hypothesize that being “sickly” in youth may help accelerate intellectual development.

Read more about the study.

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Where have all the sunspots gone?

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Kevin A. Barnes

Sunspots and solar flareDuring 2008 and 2009, our sun had the lowest number of sunspots and solar storms of any time during the last century — sunspots essentially disappeared during that two-year period. This lack of sunspots has puzzled astronomers and solar scientists, but a new theory (and supporting data) published in the March 3, 2011 issue of Nature may solve that puzzle.  Read the rest of this entry →

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Interview on the future of technology

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Kevin A. Barnes

Over this past weekend, I was interviewed by the Marquette Tribune — Marquette University’s student newspaper — about possible future directions for personal technology devices. A number of quotes from that interview appear in the article “Tech industry looks to the future” in today’s (March 1, 2011) issue.

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Running Napa to Sonoma in 2011

Posted on February 19, 2011 by Kevin A. Barnes

Team Challenge runs Napa to Sonoma in 2010This July 17, I will run my fifth half marathon as part of the Team Challenge fundraising program. And it also will be my second time running the Napa to Sonoma race through wine country.1

What is Team Challenge and why are we raising money? Team Challenge raises funds for research into Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, plus helps to raise awareness about those digestive diseases. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic, painful, and often debilitating digestive diseases affecting 1.4 million American children and adults. Last year as part of the Las Vegas half marathon, Team Challenge raised almost $4 million, with $165,000 of that coming from Wisconsin participants. And that money is making a difference — there already have been major advances which have translated into improved quality of life for those with Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. Just as important, researchers are making real progress toward finding a cure. Please help with your donation. Read the rest of this entry →

Notes:

  1. I previously ran the Napa to Sonoma half marathon in 2009. The other half marathons I’ve run are San Antonio in 2008, and Las Vegas in both 2009 and 2010. [↩]
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A busy year for NASA spacecraft

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Kevin A. Barnes

MESSENGER departs EarthDespite the fact that the Space Shuttle program will end permanently during the coming months,1 NASA still has a busy schedule in 2011. This year will see the launch of three new unmanned science missions in the short span of just four months, plus major payoffs as several previously launched unmanned missions arrive at their respective destinations. And by the end of this year, scientists anticipate they will have made a number of new discoveries and significantly increased their knowledge about the formation of our solar system, as well as about several planets and asteroids. Read the rest of this entry →

Notes:

  1. The end of the Shuttle program means the loss — for an undetermined period of time — of direct access to space for American astronauts. In the short term, NASA astronauts will reach orbit and the International Space Station as passengers aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The last Shuttle mission currently is scheduled for launch in June. [↩]
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