The Virtual Institute of Nature

"A Break from the Establishment"
"Meaningful Participation of the Amateur in Science" "A Useful Source for Science Writers"

Virtual Institute of Nature is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Karo Michaelian of the Institute of Physics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico with the purpose of fomenting an international, non-conformist, open scientific community, with input from the amateur and professional alike, for the study of all aspects of nature.

"A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and
making them see the light but rather because its opponents eventually die
and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it." -Max Planck


Introduction The last 50 years has seen a tremendous specialization in science. So much so that todays scientist is knowledgeable in only one vary narrow aspect of nature, and is either an experimentalist or a theoretician. This situation is unfavorable to the advancement of science for the following reasons: After completing the traditional, formal education, the scientist has become so thoroughly indoctrinated in the status quo of his/her particular field that contributions are usually only slight variations on already established themes. Specialization provides little inspiration for interdisciplinary science, an area beginning to be recognized as crucial to the advancement of science. The general public has become disenchanted with the scientific project, because of the specialized nature of the language and the exclusivity of the professionals. This marginalization of the amateur has serious consequences for cultural, funding and ethical questions. The principal objective of the Virtual Institute of Nature is to promote an open forum for an international, non-conformist study of all aspects of Nature based on rigorous scientific methods. The emphasis at the Institute is on important original ideas which may be of a speculative nature, but which are well founded in the science of the day. Variations on themes all ready published are not sponsored by the institute, while breaks with tradition are encouraged. Articles sponsored by the Institute always appear in two forms. The first, article.pdf , is a scientific treaty written in the traditional language of the scientist. The second, review.pdf , is a version of the same work, but written in the language of the layman or amateur scientist. Works sponsored by the Institute are normally by invitation although some unsolicited works may be accepted by sending an ASCII copy of the work to the e-mail given below. Direct criticism of the sponsored works, by amateur and professional alike, will be published at the Institute as long as it is written in a respectful and scientifically sound manner. To criticize a work, or read the criticism of others and the response of the authors, simply click on the corresponding comments link. All material sponsored by the institute is freely available to anyone for downloads. The only stipulation being that the works are duly cited. The correct way to cite a scientific article published at the Institute will depend on where the article was first published, information which can be found in article . The correct way to cite a review article published at the Institute is, eg., "Authors", Virt. Inst. Nat. 01 (2002) 112.	Some of the most recent works... Thermodynamic Stability of Ecosystems K. Michaelian, Mon Jan 20 , article.pdf, review.pdf , comments A Physical Basis of Evolution and Speculation on an Evolutionary Basis of Physics, K. Michaelian, Mon Jan 20, article.pdf, review.pdf , comments Survival, Society, and the Seven Year Itch, K. Michaelian, Mon Jan 20, article, review, comments Sections; Biophysics Classical Electrodynamics Evolution Cosmology To contribute a paper to the Institute To criticize an article published at the Institute, simply click on the corresponding comment section of the article.

More quotes arguing for the principles espoused by the Virtual Institute of Nature;

"New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any
other reason but because they are not already common." - John Locke

"Theories have four stages of acceptance:
     i) this is worthless nonsense;
     ii) this is an interesting, but perverse, point of view;
     iii) this is true, but quite unimportant;
     iv) I always said so. -J.B.S. Haldane, 1963

"If you restrict the journal to publishing only what pleases the
referees, you end up publishing what is popular, and while it does make
everyone feel more comfortable, you are guaranteed to miss the
occasional breakthrough." - A. Dessler, Editor, Geophysical Research
Letters, (regarding small-comet bombardment of Earth.)

"Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are that
good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats." - Howard Aiken

What I don't understand I despise, what I despise I reject.
- THE REFEREE'S CREED

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The Virtual Institute of Nature: "A break from the Establishment" "Meaningful participation of the amateur" "A useful source for science writers"

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Introduction

Some of the most recent works...

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