Observing many researchers using the same data and hypothesis reveals a hidden universe of uncertainty

This study explores how researchers’ analytical choices affect the reliability of scientific findings. Most discussions of reliability problems in science focus on systematic biases. We broaden the lens to emphasize the idiosyncrasy of conscious and unconscious decisions that researchers make during data analysis. We coordinated 161 researchers in 73 research teams and observed their research decisions as they used the same data to independently test the same prominent social science hypothesis: that greater immigration reduces support for social policies among the public. In this typical case of social science research, research teams reported both widely diverging numerical findings and substantive conclusions despite identical start conditions. Researchers’ expertise, prior beliefs, and expectations barely predict the wide variation in research outcomes. More than 95% of the total variance in numerical results remains unexplained even after qualitative coding of all identifiable decisions in each team’s workflow. This reveals a universe of uncertainty that remains hidden when considering a single study in isolation. The idiosyncratic nature of how researchers’ results and conclusions varied is a previously underappreciated explanation for why many scientific hypotheses remain contested. These results call for greater epistemic humility and clarity in reporting scientific findings

Lower Permian conodonts from the Karavanke Mts. (Slovenia)

The first conodont fauna (4 species) from the "Trogkofel Limestones" of the Karavanke Mts. (Dolžanova soteska) is described and correlated with the fusulinids(3 species) within the same sample. The occurrence of Streptognathodus cf. simplex, Streptognathodus cf. elongatus and Diplognathodus expansus? together with Dutkevitchia complicata indicates a higher age (Asselian) of theselimestones than previously thought, because even the Upper Pseudoschwagerina Limestone (Sakmarian) of the Garnie Alps already yields a Sweetognathus fauna.To avoid misunderstanding in correlations the name "Dolžanova soteska limestone member" is introduced for the white, pale red to red limestone unit, described as "Ttogkofel Limestone" in previous literature

Pheasant cap master

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015. This presentation first gives an overview of scholarship speculating on Heguanzi as a person and as a book. Then it turns to its textual complexities and its generally considered Daoist content. Finally it moves towards what I would identify as the specific nexus of ideas that characterize the Pheasant Cap Master’s thought: the vicissitudes of political ambition and frustration, the veneration of the One and its relation to multiplicity, and the nature of Heaven’s order and transcendence.status: publishe

Untersuchungen zur Konstruktion und Montagetechnologie von integrationsfaehigen Membranpumpen, Ventil- und Sensorstrukturen fuer geregelte Mikrodosiereinrichtungen, insbesondere fuer medizinische Anwendungen

The state of development and construction of an integrated micropump (8 mm height, 80 mm diameter) with piezoelectrical membrane drive for future application as a surgically implantable infusion apparatus is described in detail. The sandwich configuration chosen for the micropump allows the separation of pump system and electronical system. From the results obtained during experimental characterization of prototypical devices, topics of necessary future research and development work are derived: improvement of valve and pump efficiencies, and the reduction of the applied voltage amplitude (50-60 V). (WEN)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F94B2067 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman