PinnedChildcare : what the science saysI recently wrote about errors in a ‘data driven’ guide to childcare; the first comment asked: Great, so if you were to write a science based, research backed rebuttal to this chapter alone, it would recommend what exactly? No daycare? Daycare in particular family instances at particular ages? I ask…Childcare19 min readChildcare19 min read
Dec 30, 2021Against parachute skepticismOr: how to read science In the twenty-first century, research has become universally accessible. Anyone with a high school education and an internet connection can read original research. This is a quiet modern miracle. A critical reader is no longer forced to rely on conflicting authorities; where there’s controversy, one…Science14 min readScience14 min read
Dec 9, 2021How to automagically rename PDFsThere was a time when being a researcher meant spending many, many hours in university libraries. Nowadays every paper is available as a PDF, and you can grab papers with a tablet while sitting in a cosy armchair. One headache is that every publisher uses their own naming convention for…Academia5 min readAcademia5 min read
Nov 20, 2020Climate Change on a Little PlanetWe’re often told that if we avoid waste and live in harmony with nature, we can stop climate change. But… Plastic bags don’t cause global warming. Recycling often does. Cattle are responsible for about 10% of global emissions. And reusable nappies cause more warming than disposable ones. In this article…Climate Change12 min readClimate Change12 min read
Nov 20, 2020Climate Action — ChildrenI’ve written a post showing you how individual choices affect global warming. You really should read that first. This is a long supporting post telling you about the research, the (frequent) misunderstandings of it in the media and then the adaptations needed to get meaningful warming numbers. Children I’m nervous writing…Climate18 min readClimate18 min read
Nov 20, 2020Climate Action — DrivingI’ve written a post showing you how individual choices affect global warming. You should read that instead. This is a dry, technical supporting post showing you where the numbers come from. If you read it, please read it after my post on methods. …Climate Change10 min readClimate Change10 min read
Nov 8, 2020How fast will emissions decrease?There are many, many articles telling you how fast emissions need to decrease to limit warming to 2° C in 2100. This one’s different. I’ll show you how emissions are likely to decrease in developed countries, using both expert projections and historical trends. I’ll be looking at two countries: The…Climate Change16 min readClimate Change16 min read
Oct 27, 2020COVID vs the Economy vs the 1970sYou can save more lives without any economic hit, just by changing the timing of restrictions and lockdowns. THERE is a surprising connection between COVID and the economy — and it’s not what you think… In the 1960s, economists thought they had found a trade-off between jobs and inflation. By…Covid-195 min readCovid-195 min read
Oct 17, 2020Climate Action — RecyclingI’ve written a post showing you how individual choices affect global warming. You should read that instead. This is a dry, technical supporting post showing you where the numbers come from. If you read it, please read it after my post on methods. …9 min read9 min read
Oct 12, 2020Climate Action —Air TravelI’ve written a post showing you how individual choices affect global warming. You should read that instead. This is a dry, technical supporting post showing you where the numbers come from. If you read it, please read it after my post on methods. …5 min read5 min read
