18th November 2018, 1 min read

Science and Technology links (November 18th 2018)

1. It seems that reducing your carbohydrate (sugar) intake might be a good way to lose weight:
   

lowering dietary carbohydrate increased energy expenditure during weight loss maintenance. This metabolic effect may improve the success of obesity treatment, especially among those with high insulin secretion.

I should warn that this study refers to “lowering sugar” not getting rid of it entirely.

1. 85% of the more than $100bn a year spent on medical research globally is wasted avoidably
2. Collison and Nielsen write:
   

science has slowed enormously per dollar or hour spent. That evidence demands a large-scale institutional response. It should be a major subject in public policy, and at grant agencies and universities

While I accept their demonstration, it is not clear what (if anything in particular) is causing this lack of productivity.

Collison and Nielsen fall short of offering a solution. Maybe we ought to reinvent discovery?

1. A man is going to court so that he can be considered 20 years younger than what his birth date indicates.