106,887 research outputs found
Mathematics Is Biology's Next Microscope, Only Better; Biology Is Mathematics' Next Physics, Only Better
Joel Cohen offers a historical and prospective analysis of the relationship between mathematics and biolog
Launching the Grand Challenges for Ocean Conservation
The ten most pressing Grand Challenges in Oceans Conservation were identified at the Oceans Big Think and described in a detailed working document:A Blue Revolution for Oceans: Reengineering Aquaculture for SustainabilityEnding and Recovering from Marine DebrisTransparency and Traceability from Sea to Shore: Ending OverfishingProtecting Critical Ocean Habitats: New Tools for Marine ProtectionEngineering Ecological Resilience in Near Shore and Coastal AreasReducing the Ecological Footprint of Fishing through Smarter GearArresting the Alien Invasion: Combating Invasive SpeciesCombatting the Effects of Ocean AcidificationEnding Marine Wildlife TraffickingReviving Dead Zones: Combating Ocean Deoxygenation and Nutrient Runof
Measuring Software Diversity, with Applications to Security
In this work, we briefly introduce and discuss some of the diversity measures
used in Ecology. After a succinct description and analysis of the most relevant
ones, we single out the Shannon-Weiner index. We justify why it is the most
informative and relevant one for measuring software diversity. Then, we show
how it can be used for effectively assessing the diversity of various real
software ecosystems. We discover in the process a frequently overlooked
software monopoly, and its key security implications. We finally extract some
conclusions from the results obtained, focusing mostly on their security
implications.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
What do researchers do? Career profiles of doctoral graduates
Research Councils UK (RCUK
Life and Quantum Biology, an Interdisciplinary Approach
The rapidly increasing interest in the quantum properties of living matter
stimulates a discussion of the fundamental properties of life as well as
quantum mechanics. In this discussion often concepts are used that originate in
philosophy and ask for a philosophical analysis. In the present work the
classic philosophical tradition based on Aristotle and Aquinas is employed
which surprisingly is able to shed light on important aspects. Especially one
could mention the high degree of unity in living objects and the occurrence of
thorough qualitative changes. The latter are outside the scope of classical
physics where changes are restricted to geometrical rearrangement of
microscopic particles. A challenging approach is used in the philosophical
analysis as the empirical evidence is not taken from everyday life but from
20th century science (quantum mechanics) and recent results in the field of
quantum biology. In the discussion it is argued that quantum entanglement is
possibly related to the occurrence of life. Finally it is recommended that
scientists and philosophers should be open for dialogue that could enrich both.
Scientists could redirect their investigation, as paradigm shifts like the one
originating from philosophical evaluation of quantum mechanics give new insight
about the relation between the whole en the parts. Whereas philosophers could
use scientific results as a consistency check for their philosophical framework
for understanding reality.Comment: 13 page
Overcoming the Gender Gap: Women Entrepreneurs as Economic Drivers
Examines the gender gap in the number of successful start-ups, its implications for job creation, and misconceptions about and factors behind barriers to women's entrepreneurship. Recommends steps to cultivate high-growth start-ups among women
The Machine Conception of the Organism in Development and Evolution: A Critical Analysis
This article critically examines one of the most prevalent metaphors in modern biology, namely the machine conception of the organism (MCO). Although the fundamental differences between organisms and machines make the MCO an inadequate metaphor for conceptualizing living systems, many biologists and philosophers continue to draw upon the MCO or tacitly accept it as the standard model of the organism. This paper analyses the specific difficulties that arise when the MCO is invoked in the study of development and evolution. In developmental biology the MCO underlies a logically incoherent model of ontogeny, the genetic program, which serves to legitimate three problematic theses about development: genetic animism, neo-preformationism, and developmental computability. In evolutionary biology the MCO is responsible for grounding unwarranted theoretical appeals to the concept of design as well as to the interpretation of natural selection as an engineer, which promote a distorted understanding of the process and products of evolutionary change. Overall, it is argued that, despite its heuristic value, the MCO today is impeding rather than enabling further progress in our comprehension of living systems
1st INCF Workshop on Needs for Training in Neuroinformatics
The INCF workshop on Needs for Training in Neuroinformatics was organized by the INCF National Node of the UK. The scope of the workshop was to provide as overview of the current state of neuroinformatics training and recommendations for future provision of training. The report presents a summary of the workshop discussions and recommendations to the INCF
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