A study published last year in a scientific journal claimed to have found strong evidence for the existence of psychic powers such as ESP. The paper, written by Cornell professor Daryl J. Bem, was published in The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and quickly made headlines around the world for its implication: that psychic powers had been scientifically proven.

Bem’s experiments suggested that college students could accurately predict random events, like whether a computer will flash a photograph on the left or right side of its screen. Scientists and skeptics soon raised questions about Bem’s study and methodology. For example Ray Hyman, a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon at Eugene who previously evaluated the efficacy of psychic abilities for the Pentagon, found many flaws in Bem’s study. At the time Hyman told Discovery News, “I’m puzzled as to how four referees and two editors of a prestigious journal could allow Bem to publish as 'experiments' studies that violated accepted methodological standards.”

As I wrote when I first reported on this study, “Bem has replied to his critics and stands by his findings. Ultimately, of course, either the findings will stand the test of time and be replicated by other researchers, or they won’t.”

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Replication is of course the hallmark of valid scientific research—if the findings are true and accurate, they should be able to be replicated by others. Otherwise the results may simply be due to normal and expected statistical variations and errors. If other experimenters cannot get the same result using the same techniques, it’s usually a sign that the original study was flawed in one or more ways.

So far it’s not looking good for psychics; the experiment was replicated, and failed. A team of researchers Professor Chris French (Goldsmiths, University of London), Stuart Ritchie (University of Edinburgh) and Professor Richard Wiseman (University of Hertfordshire) collaborated to accurately replicate Bem’s final experiment, and found no evidence for precognition. Their results were published in the journal PLoS ONE.

Ironically, the publication that had originally published Bem’s study refused to publish the latest research calling that same study into question. “Our submission was rejected without being sent for peer review on the basis that the journal has a policy of not publishing replications,” said French. “Our paper has opened up the debate on the proper place of replication in the scientific literature.”

In other words, The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology’s editorial policies actually violate standards of good science by preventing the publication of studies designed to ensure that research it originally published is valid. As French wrote in a piece published in The Guardian, “Although we are always being told that ‘replication is the cornerstone of science’, the truth is that the top journals are simply not interested in straight replications – especially failed replications. They only want to report findings that are new and positive.” Wiseman said that he hoped that “academic journals and popular media alike will offer the same weight to negative results as given to eye-catching positive results.”

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Bem, who had encouraged other researchers to replicate his study, acknowledged that the latest findings do not support his claims, writing that “I believe that Ritchie, Wiseman, and French have made a competent, good-faith effort to replicate the results of one of my experiments on precognition.... Nevertheless I consider it premature to conclude anything about the replicability of my experiments on the basis of this article.... In mainstream psychology it usually takes several years before enough attempted replications of a reported effect have accumulated to permit an overall analysis.”

As before, Bem has replied to his critics and stands by his findings. Ultimately, of course, either the findings will stand the test of time and be replicated by other researchers, or they won’t.

Photo credit: Corbis

This is how the new iPad. On Wednesday evening, it was presented in San Francisco.

Apple gives a clear signal to its competitors: The next iPad will remain the king in the tablet market. With the improved technology, the device can remove the classic PC more and more tasks. The iPad is clearly the new focus of the Apple world.

Apple unveiled on Wednesday its third-generation iPad tablet. The device receives, among other things a much better screen, faster processor, can record video in full HD resolution and supports the higher speed wireless standard LTE.

After weeks of guessing whether the new device is now about 3 or iPad iPad would be called HD, Apple is now speaking simply of the "new iPad". The launch is on 16 March, the prices remain stable even with the new generation. At the same time will provide the current iPad 2 with a reduction in market price and competition should be as favorable Tablets stand up. The cheapest iPad 2 cost 399 euros in Germany now. A similar strategy also runs on Apple's older iPhone models in the smartphone market.

The new iPad has 3.1 million pixels on the screen. As with the Apple iPhone is called a "retinal display" in which the human eye can detect at a certain distance of no more pixels. The resolution is 2048 to 1536 - significantly more than for a high-definition television.

Apple CEO Tim Cook left the important task of the evening - the idea of ​​the iPad - marketing chief Phil Schiller. In a clear challenge to the game console manufacturers Schiller devoted much time to the demonstration demanding games on the iPad. With Apple TV you can play on TV screens.

Another new feature Apple's iPhoto photo management software comes from the Mac on the iPad. This gives Apple yet another signal that the tablets to make the personal computer less and less important over time. On the new iPad you can edit photos with a resolution of up to 19 megapixels - enough for demanding photographers.

The battery life will be as before for ten hours. And even when operating with LTE, which is considered to be energy guzzlers, there are still nine hours, promised Schiller. The LTE networks are still under construction and are very sketchy. The new iPad is slightly thicker: 9.4 instead of 8.8 millimeters. This was expected because the technology needed for the better screen a little more room.

The third generation iPad will keep rivals such devices with the Google Android operating system at a distance. This year will also add another competitor: Microsoft launches in the fall of its next operating system Windows 8 on the market, which is also intended for tablets. In a direct swipe at the competition on stage Cook demonstrated that apps on Android tablets would look much worse.

Cook picked up the start of the presentation of the concept of "post-PC world," on which was placed in the late autumn of Apple founder Steve Jobs in issue: "We speak of a world in which the PC is no longer the center of their digital world. It is a world in which was the equipment that you use most, personal and must be more mobile than the PC ever. "Apple has sold 172 million last year, equipment for the post-PC era, the 76 percent of the Group revenue brought in. "When we designed the iPad, we did not want a new device, but created a new category," said Cook.

In order for the Google + users who are on Facebook on the move (or vice versa), do not get confused, and pages users can now also place a "+" are marked.

The functionality is no different to the @ character. Just a status update, or enter a comment and it appears the familiar + selection.

One good thing as we find that it's already happened to me often that I have either entered an on Facebook + Google + or an @.

On both sides now, both the marker works via @ + and easily.

Within the app you can comment as usual and then I like.

Using a small menu can be determined whether the comments and marks to be displayed or not. With a click on his profile picture, will only display your own pictures or you can select a particular album. The same also works with friends and sides.

Friend sheet is a nice little app that a little variety to the presentation of Facebook brings photos. So if the news feed display of photos is not satisfied and want to have something Pinterest optics for his Facebook photos should look at FriendFeed time sheet.