How Eugenics Shaped Statistics

[[newsletter20_header.png]October 29, 2020 [17810_4a4b16d454ca9f9075c129f6a0384d3d.png] Chapter Two: Breakthrough]( [READ ISSUE]( Dear Nautilus Reader, You might think a branch of science as seemingly objective as statistics would be immune to the prejudices of scientists themselves. But mathematician and author Aubrey Clayton reveals otherwise this week. His story, which flows like a movie, follows the lives of the three men who pioneered the use of statistics in science, and used their methods to bolster eugenics—selective breeding to “improve” humankind. Hitler looked up to them as scientific authorities. “My sincere hope in telling this story is that will allow people to get a richer appreciation for where mathematical and statistical ideas come from,” Clayton says. “If we start to realize that statistics is always about human stories and human endeavors, then we won’t fall prey to that kind of authority-seeking anymore.” Also this week: Why you always feel you are running out of time, and what you can do about it; meet the artist and expert in molecular biology who is coding an ancient human story into everlasting microbes. Best, The Nautilus Team info@nautil.us [17516_c97fc9737012376eee6fe4e2c9191c4d.jpg]( [17843_c9cf439982f9d0f89ac7f1ed43e85f7d.png]( [How Eugenics Shaped Statistics Exposing the damned lies of three science pioneers. By Aubrey Clayton In early 2018, officials at University College London were shocked to learn that meetings organized by “race scientists” and neo-Nazis, called the London Conference on Intelligence, had been held at the college the previous four years.](  [17517_ea970b934031dcce24ca218b017a5503.jpg]( [Your Support Matters NAUTILUS PRINT EDITION As a Nautilus member you’ll join a unique group of curious intellectuals that contemplate the greatest scientific questions of our time, and have access to stories that consider multiple perspectives and provide immersive, entertaining learning that covers today’s most incredible scientific mysteries. Join us now!](  [17858_f0668dd2cb48679009e0e7bfd122b7a9.png]( [Preserving a Sense of Wonder in DNA A bold project codes human data into microbes that will survive for millions of years. By Virat Markandeya Not long ago, Joe Davis, the “artist-scientist” in George Church’s genetics lab at Harvard Medical School, was in Brittany, France.]( [17856_19bdcfcac36f518cfedf1a364db02793.png]( [How to Stop Feeling Crushed for Time Quit worrying whether time is money. Start appreciating time’s true value. By Brian Gallagher Sparingly these days do I find myself thinking I’ve got some time to kill. Time has a way of making itself scarce.]( [READ ISSUE]( [nwms_fb.png]( [nwms_twt.png]( [nwms_ing.png]( NautilusNext 25 Broadway 9th FloorNew York, NY 10018 [Add us to your address book]( Copyright © 2020 NautilusNext, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website. [unsubscribe from this list](   [update subscription preferences](