William M. Briggs

What Would Mark Twain Say About Gun Safety?

Spring Training at the Blog. This post originally appeared in January of 2008. Domonic Gaines, the brute, held the gun to the baby's head and...snapshot! As in photograph: somebody filmed…

Statistics

Thirdhand Smoking: A Triumph Of Wee P-Values

We last did third-hand smoking back in 2011. Even then I didn't think the concept would far. How silly can you get? Pretty silly. Thanks to Dan Hughes we have…

Statistics

Bayes Theorem and Coronavirus: The Chance You Have It & The Chance You Die

I didn't have a chance to put this in yesterday's update, but I've been asked to do it. It's a classic in every 101 biostat textbook to do Bayes theorem…

Class Statistics

Coronavirus Update IV — Take A Deep Breath — If You Still Can

Apologies for the duplicate email! I hit the wrong button yesterday and published the incomplete update meant for today. All the good stuff, caveats, and explanations are linked, some in…

Culture

UN Rapporteur: Give Up Your Religion, Embrace Expert-Certified UNreligion

I don't know the Maldivian word for cohones, but Maldivian UN Special Rapporteur Ahmad Shaheed got him some heuvos grande. Shadheed says any who follows a religion should ignore that…

Philosophy SAMT

Summary Against Modern Thought: Even Private Acts Can Be Sinful

Previous post. Getting away with it in private won't cut it. THAT DIVINE LAW ORDERS MAN ACCORDING TO REASON IN REGARD TO CORPOREAL AND SENSIBLE THINGS 1 Now, just as…

Culture

The Week In Doom — Gendering Jesus Edition

Item What Finding Jesus' Private Parts in the Turin Shroud Says About Faith (Tip from Beckett Basketcase) Newly published scientific investigations into the Turin Shroud have identified the outline of…

Fun

Everything You Know Is Wrong — Book Excerpt! There Is No Wisdom In Crowds

The most controversial book of the year is still on its way! I found two other publishers willing to give it a look, and they're reviewing it now. If they…

Johnno on Peer-Reviewed Research: Men Find Looking At Nearly Naked Women DistractingJuly 22, 2025
Why couldn't I have been involved as a participant in this study? I would enjoy the opportunity to be paid…
David Willis on Peer-reviewed research: Men find looking at nearly naked women distractingJuly 22, 2025
hahahahahahhahahahahah This shit is too much.
C.Saltimor on Reader Opinion Requested: What Science Do You Find Sketchy, Exaggerated Or Wrong?July 22, 2025
- Fomenko's claim that (ao) ancient astronomical publications and unexplainable parallels in history accounts show that our chronology upto AD…
Dan MacDougald on Peer-Reviewed Research: Men Find Looking At Nearly Naked Women DistractingJuly 22, 2025
Reminds me of the study that found college women were more likely to have hook up sex after drinking alcohol
Peer-Reviewed Research: Men Find Looking At Nearly Naked Women Distracting – William M. Briggs on Peer-reviewed research: Men find looking at nearly naked women distractingJuly 22, 2025
[…] This classic column originally ran on 12 June 2008. […]

William M. Briggs

Does Watching TV Cause Autism?

Peer-Reviewed Research: Men Find Looking At Nearly Naked Women Distracting

A Week’s Vacation

Class 58: Hypothesis Testing Is All Wrong

Vegetarians Crave Power And Success More Than Meat Eaters Do, Study Finds

Jung’s Synchronicity & Coincidence

Reader Opinion Requested: What Science Do You Find Sketchy, Exaggerated Or Wrong?

Class 57: The Second Best Model

Don’t Lose Sleep Over Research On “Climate Change” & Sleep Apnea

What’s Wrong With The Golf Course Parkinson’s Study

The Unseen Bias In All Science

The Sad End Of Radio

Let’s Play A Game Of Let’s Suppose!

Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)

How Can You Tell If You Have ESP?

Class 56: The Best Model!

Sabine Hossenfelder’s Free Will Folly & The Deadly Sin Of Reification

England’s Mandatory Suicide & Women

On The Probability Of God

Class 55: Models Vs Reality

AI & Chess Both Produce Pre-Coded Output