A Sign of the Times...

This simple chart from Daily Kos says it all in terms of why I like science, something bloviators, religious fanatics and the uneducated think is too difficult to understand as science requires one to question how reality works from the perspective of intellect and open mindedness rather then accepting a pat answer from on high, which conveniently precludes any of the rigor demanded of a discipline as hard edged as science truly is. Adding fuel to the fire is this sad factoid.

A sign of the times: Popular Science, the 141-year-old publication that's one of my favorites to pick up at airports for in-flight reading, shut off comments on its website today. An important part of the decision was trolls and spambots, just like we struggle to keep in check through community moderation here at Daily Kos.

But there's something else, too, about how people yelling nonsense skews the discussion away from science. Away from fact. Away from their mission, which is to promote science. Away from reality.

Any questions?