William M. Briggs

Richard Dawkins Is A Dangerous Man: Update

I'll tell you how. He makes people feel smarter than they are. And in our world of self-esteem substituting for accomplishment and ability, his villainous power is especially poisonous. For…

Statistics

Climategate 3.0—Update: Hacker A Coder?

Whoever it was that snatched the cache of emails from prominent climatologists and created Climategate 1.0, then 2.0 has come forward, in a sort of way, to begin Climategate 3.0.…

Fun Statistics

How Long Do Popes Serve? Update

Update 14 March 2013. The Guardian has released the data on the popes. Its list and mine differ trivially, except that they were able to include the popes' ages (starting…

Culture Statistics

Paddy Power’s Pope Predictions—Update

Update See below for main update. The odds of Father Dougal Maguire (Craggy Island) being the next Pope are 1,000 to 1. You may say this is small, but it's…

Culture Statistics

Feds Spend $1.5 Million to Study Why Lesbians Are Fat?

The title was taken from the CNS News story of the same name, which made ripples in the news yesterday (Drudge linked to it). The National Institutes of Health (NIH)…

Statistics

Doomed Planet: Changing Sun, Changing Climate

Today's post is at Quadrant. Have you been there before? If not, you have a treat in store. The editors supplied this quotation: "Today's debate about global warming is essentially…

Statistics

How Effective Was This Year’s Flu Vaccine?

A reader asks, was this year's flu shot effective? Short answer: Looks to be, but there is no definitive way to know. In order to know definitively for any one…

Culture Philosophy

Give Children The Vote?

"After soccer practice, I'm going to bring you to the polls." "Ah, mom! Do we have to go?" "Everybody has to vote, Johnny. If you don't, you're disenfranchised." "I want…

spaceranger on Impossible LSAT Statistics QuestionFebruary 4, 2026
I usually go with "b." or "Asia" on those multiple choice ones.
Cary D Cotterman on Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So WellFebruary 4, 2026
Polar bears have existed for at least half a million years, and possibly as long as a million. They have…
Brian (bulaoren) on Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So WellFebruary 4, 2026
Dr. Briggs I was afraid I'd hijacked your subject today with my, rather dark, "Walter Lantz" cartoon. Returning to your…
Brian (bulaoren) on Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So WellFebruary 4, 2026
While we're on the subject of "Ursus Maritimus"; In 1987, a group of amusement denied boys decided to make an…
hudbwu on Impossible LSAT Statistics QuestionFebruary 3, 2026
> But that’s because the setup is itself weird. It contains the implicit premise that more beliefs equals better survival,…

William M. Briggs

Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So Well

Impossible LSAT Statistics Question

How Women’s Equality In Democracies Changes Voting (And Everything Else)

Class 77: Trendy Trends In Time Series

Who Still Listens To AM Radio?

Scientists Invent New Name For Models: Digital Twins

What Science Says About Making Medication Mandatory

What A Winter

FDA Goes Bayes: It Should Have Gone Probability

Class 76: That’s Not Noise. That’s Signal!

AI: The Earth Is Spinning Faster & Slower (Because “Climate Change”)

Confirmation Bias In The Minneapolis Shooting

Sports Betting Is An Excellent Way To Lose Money

Class 75: A Gentle Introduction To Time Series

The Consent Fallacy

On Laws Banning Hacking Women’s Genitals & Imposing Beliefs

Register Your Predictions For 2026!

Happy New Year!

How Did We Do In Our 2025 Predictions?

Why The Drake Equation Fails

Canada Invents New Euphemism For Doctor Killings

Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So Well

Impossible LSAT Statistics Question

Richard Dawkins Is A Dangerous Man: Update

Climategate 3.0—Update: Hacker A Coder?

How Long Do Popes Serve? Update

Paddy Power’s Pope Predictions—Update

Feds Spend $1.5 Million to Study Why Lesbians Are Fat?

Doomed Planet: Changing Sun, Changing Climate

How Effective Was This Year’s Flu Vaccine?

Give Children The Vote?

There Is No Culture Without Inequality: Stove 1

Impose Your Beliefs Before They Impose Theirs

Telekinesis: Ideas In Our Reenchantment & Rectification

The Physics Of Blessings: Ideas In Our Reenchantment & Rectification