Science Cheerleader

Finally: A Phunky Physics Rap. (Thanks, Mike, for recommending it! He found it on BuzzFeed.) This rap bit is a clever way to make complicated physics concepts accessible and relevant to the “average”

person.

Wish this video existed when I was a high school junior studying physics. I wasted 45 minutes a day staring at the cover of my physics textbook (big bang or tie-dye design?) while A+ students, Scott and Stephanie, paraded their superior intellect. On a positive note, I did learn how to french braid my own hair that year. (more…)

Who doesn’t love fireflies?

Except Mean Matthew who, when we were kids, would squish the glow-in-the-dark goo out of them and wipe it on his neck to show off.

(Don’t try that at home, kids. This was before real glow-in-the-dark jewelry was sold, and, frankly, Matthew’s probably serving time now.)

Hey Matthew, here’s a better way to impress your mates this holiday weekend.

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Winner: Bart Leahy. Congratulations! Your Science Cheerleader T-Shirt is on its way. Bart was the first to respond to this post in which readers were challenged to read science fiction books and report back on what “real science” was learned. See here for Bart’s reply. 

Loser: ME. I’m off to a theme park today–hooray!–where I will sneak away for one hour to participate in a conference call with scientists. Ok, the real reason I’m a loser is because I’m SO excited to be part of this call. Leaders in the world of science will talk about the findings of their poll showing voters (us) support candidates who are committed to advancing science and technology on a range of top-tier election issues. But I ask you: is that true? Does a candidate’s commitment to advancing science and technology factor in to your voting decisions? Let me know. Give me something to work with.  (more…)

The other day I reported here on a reader’s idea to consider science fiction as a serious source of science information. Even posted a challenge:  free Science Cheerleader t-shirt to the first person who reads a science fiction book and reports back here what (if any) “real science” was learned. (Publisher Brian Hades saw that post and wrote to say he’d be “delighted” to add two books to the prize package: JEMMA7729 andTime Machines Repaired While-U-Wait. Thanks, Brian!):

Well folks, David Brin, winner of the prestigious Hugo and Nebula Awards for bestselling science fiction novels, wrote this terrific reaction to the post (thank you, David!). If you are a teacher, student or someone else interested in finding new ways to increase science literacy, I think you will find this very useful:

 

 

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Tired of watching the know-it-all, walking encyclopedia get all the attention at cocktail parties and neighborhood BBQs? Here’s your chance to steal the spotlight (if only for 2.5 minutes). Try one of these trivia questions on for size and let me know how it goes. (This is part of our ongoing Social Network Science experiment.)

Women: Why does organic milk have a longer expiration date than regular milk? See Scientific American’s simple but comprehensive answer here.  

Men: Does jet lag cause Major League Baseball teams to lose games? See what Scientific American has to say here.  

Kym Murphy, a retired Sr. VP at Disney, recently posted an interesting suggestion in reply to the post: Benefits and Challenges of Engaging the Public:

“Many years ago I read an exciting fictional novel about World War II. It was riveting, heart wrenching, sexy and full of accurate information regarding this important historical chapter that has stuck with me to this day.

Then came, “Pillars of Earth”, Di Vince Code”, etc., etc. All works of fiction but amazingly thought provoking and educational. I refer to reading novels such as these as, “inadvertant learning.” 

I bring this up, because I believe this form of learning (stimulation) is rarely used by our country’s science teachers/professors. I’m sure there are those who would scoff at this approach, but what better way to learn than through enjoyable experiences!”

Thank you, Kym. Hey, no need to concern ourselves with scoffy educators*. The majority of the visitors to this site have completed school (I have absolutely no data to back that up) so we can think aloud here as independent, free-thinking adults. Shake off Sister Mary’s elements chart and say tootles to Mr. Zapparo’s pickled pig-in-a-jar.   We’re starting over. Learning science from scratch. Social Network Science we’ll call it. For now. Until I’m sued for some copyright infringement. 

I say we give your idea of learning science through science fiction stories a shot and raise the stakes a bit by posing a challenge. A free Science Cheerleader t-shirt to the first size-medium person who reads at least one science fiction book and reports back here what (if any) “real science” was learned.

To get you started, here’s a list of top science fiction books, compiled by Business Week.

*Note to NEA attorney: We are fortunate to count among our visitors intelligent, innovative and non-scoffy science educators.

Cheers!