VAR in football can learn lessons from other sports (1)
Regarding the video assistant referee (VAR) system in football, how about adding a few rules about its use? For example, the on-field referee could only request VAR if they were really uncertain about a situation, not just to “make sure”, and off-pitch officials could only give their opinion if the referee asked them for it (23 November, p 40).
And a system similar to the one for disputed line calls in tennis could be implemented: the team captains or the coaches could challenge a decision, which would then be checked by VAR, but each team would only have a set number of challenges.
VAR in football can learn lessons from other sports (2)
Daisy Christodoulou’s lament for the English Premier League under VAR shows that football administrators in the UK aren’t cricket fans. Many major cricket matches have an off-field third umpire who is equipped with scientific monitoring systems, but who doesn’t interfere unless one team appeals an on-field decision to them. Each team has a limit of three unsuccessful appeals, after which no more can be made. This prevents gaming the system and reduces the number of delayed decisions.
VAR in football can learn lessons from other sports (3)
We could do away with video reviews in sport if we framed the rules in terms of the officials’ perception of events rather than the events themselves. The sport of race walking did just that when photography showed that the foul of “lifting” 鈥� losing contact with the ground 鈥� happened far more often than had been thought. In 1996, the rules were changed to say that no loss of contact visible to the unaided human eye should occur. This principle could be applied in other sports, using phrases like “if it appears to the referee that…”. Video evidence would become irrelevant.
End of the universe would at least be mercifully swift
I really liked the article on the possible instability in the Higgs field that may end the universe at any moment. If we are doomed, we can at least take comfort in the fact that we won’t have any prior warning or feel a thing, as the end will arrive at the speed of light, travelling faster than any inkling or sensation of pain. This is preferable to an extinction-level asteroid strike, supervolcano eruption, supernova radiation storm or self-inflicted nuclear or biological apocalypse (23 November, p 32).
I don’t hold much truck with the idea that the cosmic cataclysm has already happened, but hasn’t reached us yet, a sort of depressive anthropic principle.
For and against Australia's child social media ban (1)
I think most of the criticism of Australia’s effort to ban social media for people under 16 is an example of the proverb, “The best is the enemy of the good” (23 November, p 15).
Certainly, this proposal provides opportunities for improvement, but in the absence of something better, it is good enough.
At the risk of nitpicking a nitpick, I think the quibble that the age of 16 is an arbitrary cutoff point is an attempt to invent a complaint. This age might not be perfect, but when push comes to shove, good enough is good enough.
Ideally, all governments everywhere should have been more proactive and introduced appropriate legislation while the social media issue was a small problem, before it became a huge juggernaut that is almost impossible to control.
For and against Australia's child social media ban (2)
I doubt that banning children from using social media will be effective. We would reap far more benefit by banning politicians from accessing or using it.
Caution: the kelping hand may not be that helpful
Future Chronicles imagines a time when we use seaweed to remove atmospheric carbon dioxide. But there would be impacts from growing and then sinking many million tonnes of seaweed to the ocean floor (9 November, p 22).
At the surface, the seaweed would take up nutrients otherwise used by phytoplankton. The result would be less CO2 removed by sinking phytoplankton and a cut in food for fish production.
The seaweed would decompose at depth, causing deoxygenation and releasing CO2. The latter would acidify the water. The release of nutrients during decomposition would cause eutrophication. These effects would all affect deep-sea ecology.
Maybe the use of seaweed will be part of the solution to climate change. But we should proceed with great caution before applying it on a grand scale.
Try this to reform the future of food production
I agree with much of “Recipe for disaster”, but find the GM food good/organic food bad thinking perverse. Given the ample evidence that high-input farming is degrading land and ecosystems, it would seem that we need to be looking at some version of “GM-enhanced organic growing” to create a truly sustainable system (16 November, p 44).
No surprise that long-term solutions get short shrift
Am I alone in finding the lack of investment in something as seemingly essential or highly beneficial as GM food crops far from astounding? When we consider the lack of meaningful investment in combating major problems such as water pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, it comes as no surprise. If there is no quick profit, there is generally no incentive to invest (Leader, 16 November).
Turbo chook shows wings were meant for running
You report research stating wing feathers originally augmented running in birds. In Tasmania, we have the endemic flightless Tasmanian native hen, or turbo chook. It is fleet of foot and earns its nickname from its supreme ability to rapidly run for cover when chased. The birds can also turn 90 degrees at pace by simply holding out one wing or the other, depending on which way they want to swerve. This superb move can keep them safe when chased. Maybe robust wing feathers evolved to allow this potentially life-saving manoeuvre (2 November, p 16).