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20 October 2010
From David Stevenson
Marcus Chown suggests explanations for the observation of only bright, young stars at the Milky Way's heart (18 September, p 30) , but neglects to address the fact that conditions at the centre of the galaxy may just favour the formation of massive stars. Alternatively, the massive stars and black hole at the centre of …
20 October 2010
From Ian Peters
I have a problem with David Eagleman's "possibilianism", the idea that we do not have enough information to rule out either religion or atheism, so should actively pursue all the possibilities (25 September, p 34) . The distinction is between the possible and the probable. Much as I would love to entertain the possibility of …
20 October 2010
From Ian Robertson, School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin
Although brain training games may not work (2 October, p 28) , some types of structured cognitive training, usually but not exclusively computer-delivered, can improve working memory by increasing dopamine receptor density in the prefrontal cortex ( Science , vol 323, p 800 ). Indeed, specific cognitive training is the only known treatment for the …
20 October 2010
From Lloyd Zusman
Rachel Courtland reports that a paradox exists in the theory of eternal inflation, which gives rise to the multiverse, because of a mathematical model in which it is only possible to calculate the probabilities by enforcing artificial boundaries (2 October, p 6) . Alan Guth of MIT asserts that the supposed paradox is merely an …
20 October 2010
From David Price
Dan Jones's article on happiness (25 September, p 44) , provided an intriguing conjugation with research (4 October 2003, p 44) showing that those who have religious beliefs are happier and more satisfied with life. The five methods to boost positive emotions that were outlined in Jones's article are congruous with the most important tenets …
20 October 2010
From Alan Carter
The most interesting news in your article on improving photosynthesis seemed to be tucked away in a small paragraph about soybeans: a mutant variety of soybean with half the usual amount of chlorophyll actually yields 30 per cent more biomass (11 September, p 40) . The explanation is that plants evolved to produce excess chlorophyll …
Issue no. 2783 published 23 October 2010
