Me and Captain Kirk! I am the guy on the right...

Many people in Ottawa were surprised at how wildly popular Ottawa Comiccon was last weekend. About 12,000 people packed the CE Centre and lined up for hours to meet the famous and talented from the worlds of science fiction, fantasy and comics.

I wasn’t the least bit surprised by the sold-out crowds and the huge ques. Whether or not they like to admit it, I believe most people like science fiction. You just have to look at top grossing movies of all time to see that we collectively love aliens, superheroes, spaceships, animation, magic and fantasy.

I will even take this one step further. I believe that science fiction is an essential part of our modern society. Here are the five reasons why I believe this to be true:

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Amazing kindergarten kids learning about the amazing monarch butterfly.

I’ve often repeated the idea that kids are scientists at play. They question, investigate, explore and verify. They don’t just want to know about a ladybug, they want to catch one and look at it up close. They don’t just want to hear about dinosaurs, they want to see the bones, touch a fossil and imitate their roar. They don’t just want to know the “what”; they always want to know the “why”.

Kids are brilliant scientists and an inspiration to adults who have let the gray veil of cynicism descend over their eyes. Science shows us that what we see and experience every day is a very poor, misleading and infinitesimal view of what is going on in reality. Kids are amazing in their ability to grasp that simple truth. When they see a small piece of “life, the universe and everything” for the first time they do the only logical thing – they show surprise and excitement.

I saw a bunch of those looks last week when my son and I spoke to his classmates about the monarch butterfly.

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Photo credit: docentjoyce from u.s.a. (Monarch Butterfly Uploaded by Ekabhishek), via Wikimedia Commons

So it began with a simple request by my son’s kindergarten teacher to do a class presentation about insects. The next thing you know I’m doing the Laser Floyd of butterfly presentations.

Several months ago I watched the fantastic National Geographic special called Great Migrations. I was especially taken aback by the incredible multi-generational migration the monarch butterfly takes down to Mexico and back to Canada and the northern U.S. So I proposed to my son’s teacher that we do a session on the lifecycle and migration of the Monarch.

Raising Our Own Butterflies!

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Regular readers will know that I do not have a religious world view. I also struggle a bit with the idea of lying to my son about such things as Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny (I do it anyway). So what am I supposed to do with the Easter holiday? I think a really good way to inject a little science is to recognize that Easter is all about science and nature.

Death and resurrection

We can see the scientific origins of the Easter holiday in the fact that Western Christians celebrate Easter on the Sunday on or after the full moon that follows the spring equinox (also known as the vernal equinox). The spring equinox is when day and night are the same duration and Pagans and other agricultural societies celebrated it as a time of rebirth – the beginning of the growing season. The theme of death and resurrection is one that has been a key part of spring for millenia.

When you think of it in this way, the presence of such agricultural mainstays as bunnies, chicks and eggs in the modern Easter celebration is not as weird as it may otherwise seem. It can also be no accident that the western Christian story of crucifixion and resurrection takes place around the full moon following the spring equinox. Continue Reading »

It has been said that young children are scientists at play and I really believe that to be true. They are naturally curious and filled with wonder. They actively explore the world around them. They ask questions – sometimes “inappropriate” ones.

And they love a good fart, burp or barf joke.

What I really like about the Discovery Centre in downtown Halifax is that the entire place takes its cue from kids. It is not centred around ideas adults have about what is interesting and what is not. It starts with what kids find interesting. And gross things are pretty interesting. Continue Reading »

Political “Science”

Photo credits: Romney by Jessica Rinaldi; Santorum by Gage Skidmore; derivative work by Shooke. Wikimedia Commons.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the U.S. Republican race and I have just one thing to say. Wow.

I mean really. We have heard these candidates – for President of the U.S.A. no less – openly scoff at science, reason and education. From the infamous “what a snob” comment refering to Obama’s support for post secondary education, to the open opposition to the fact of human evolution or the established science of climate change, these guys say things that many of us couldn’t say with a straight face.

What does this say to the children of America? It says that science, education and the systematic quest for knowledge and understanding should be ignored and ridiculed. These guys are like schoolyard bullies who beat up the science kids because they don’t understand it and it makes them, well, mad and resentful.

And it is not just in America. That ideology and expediency trump fact and evidence is now a feature of Canadian politics as well.

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Named after Sosigenes of Alexandria, the astronomer responsible the Julian calendar that introduced leap years, the Sosigenes Crater is beside the plains Julius Caesar on the moon. Photo: NASA / USGS Lunar Orbiter Digitization Project, Wikimedia Commons

February 29th is Leap Day, the date that only arrives every four years. Its arrival gives parents and kids the opportunity to explore the cool science behind it.

Why leap day?

The earth goes around the sun approximately every 365 1/4 days. Our calendar only has 365 days in a year. That means after four years we will be exactly one day behind in our calendar. For example, after four years our calendar would show the summer solstice (the longest day of the year) as happening one day before it actually happens.

So the Julian calandar, introduced by Julius Ceasar in 45 BC, included leap years every four years to correct for that 1/4 day. But that didn’t quite solve the problem. Continue Reading »

John Glenn Blasted Off 50 Years Ago Today

John Glenn, standing next to his Friendship 7 capsule in which he made his historic orbital flight, meets with President John F. Kennedy. Mrs. Glenn stands next to her husband. Image Credit: NASA

Fifty years ago John Glenn became the first American in space. The first human in space had blasted off almost a year before. Yuri Gagarin‘s flight had shocked the Americans and set off the space race that would reach its peak in 1969 with Neil Armstrong‘s “one giant leap” on the moon. The Americans would feel justifiably victorious at this key moment in the space race and human history.

John Glenn would go on to become a senator for over two decades. He returned to space on board the shuttle Discovery in 1998, making him the oldest spaceman ever at age 77. Continue Reading »

February 18th at the Canada Science and Technology Museum

February 18th is Cool Science Saturday

It’s one of the coldest months but one of the COOLEST days at the Canada Science and Technology Museum where COLD becomes a reason to get active, celebrate, participate and enjoy. Meet some amazing scientists, conservators. archaeologists and biologists. Experience an Arctic Science Field Camp. Enjoy some homemade liquid nitrogen ice cream and watch interesting documentaries in the auditorium. Experiments, workshops, speaker’s corner and the challenges of cold weather exploration are all part of the day-long family experience. Click here for more about the museum including directions and contact information.

Editorial note: Last summer my son attended the Kinder Camp for a week at the Canada Agriculture Museum. It was absolutely fantastic and I can’t recommend it enough. I’m very excited because this year he will be old enough for camps at the Canada Science and Technology Museum and the Canada Aviation Museum as well. The article below was written by museum staff especially for CoolScience.ca.

(Insider information for CoolScience.ca readers: I learned last year that you have to register for these camps on the morning of the first day of registration if you want to get in. We called mid-morning for Kinder Camp and my son was the last kid to get in for the entire summer! Registration is online this year and it starts on February 21^st so be prepared.)

Discover, Engage and Enjoy

Photo courtesy of the Canada Agriculture Museum

This summer there are some terrific options if you’re looking for some day camp experiences that will entertain as well as educate your young camper. Ottawa’s three major science-centred museums, the Canada Agriculture Museum, the Canada Aviation Space Museum and the Canada Science and Technology Museum offer the best quality in hands-on, everyday fun and interactivity.

Discover, Engage and Enjoy are the three pillars the museums offer each and every camper. Whether washing down cows at Agriculture, taking a “test flight” in a cockpit at Aviation or creating your own wacky widget at Science and Tech, there is a camp for everyone between the ages of six to 12 years old.

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The box is cool, the contents are great

Kids Are Natural Chemists

Here are just some one word explanatons as to why kids love chemistry:  slime, potions, magic and fiz.

Here are some one word explanations as to why parents are wary of chemistry: mess, explosions and more mess.

My son received the Magic School Bus Chemistry Lab for Christmas and we finally got around to opening it this weekend. Kids ages five and six will see the cool looking box, shaped like the Magic School Bus, and immediately shed any unfortunate negative programming they may have already received about science (see my previous post on kindergarten students and their perceptions of science).

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The Bring Science Home site has great science activities for parents to do with their kids.

Soon my son with turn six years old. For some reason it appears that the world opens up a little wider for you when you reach this age. Summer camps, athletic programs, games and activities often have the “good for ages 6 and up” or some version thereof.

For example, Scientific American has an excellent site called Bring Science Home that offers “a fun, new, science-related activity every Thursday that parents and their six- to 12-year-olds can do together.”

Now that my boy has almost reached the big 6.0, I’m happy to launch this new series that will document some of our attempts to do the Bring Science Home activities. I will post the results as we complete each activity.

I would also be very pleased to post your description and photographs of any attempts you have made! Simply send me an e-mail at blog@coolscience.ca.

Stay tuned…

Imagination, creativity and inspiration drive we humans forward in our quest for answers. These qualities power the sciences.

So Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas can be viewed as pure expressions of the creative imagination that is required to ask new questions, raise new possibilities and explore new solutions.

Not only that, but Santa has some really cool science on his side.

Below is the current status of Santa’s mission courtesy of NORAD in Colorado Springs. You can also check out my previous posts on the four high-tech systems NORAD uses to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa Cams and fighter jets.

Merry Christmas!

Series on Making Good Decisions (Part 3)

Good information is the basis for a good decision

Parts one and two of this series looked at the science of decision-making and what happens in our brains when we are deciding. This post will try to boil it all down to something simple that we and our kids can use on a day-to-day basis.

At its heart, the process of making a decision is very simple. You have some choices before you so you pick one. This simplicity is probably why most of us don’t give the decision-making process much thought.

But there are few skills as important and fundamental to the quality of our lives than the ability to make good decisions.

So here are the basic steps that we parents can model and teach to our kids.

The CoolScience
Wadaya Gonna Do
Decision Model

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Series on Making Good Decisions (Part 2)

My previous post launched this series on decision-making and how important it is for both parents and kids to do it well. This post will look at what our brains are actually doing when we make a decision and how the “information overload” brought on by Internet culture affects those functions.

If you're connected you're in danger of TMI (too much information). It can impair your ability to make good decisions.

Have you ever noticed how many “experts” come out of the woodwork when you are expecting a child or dealing with a health issue? Advocates, doulas, midwives, doctors, nurses, advocates, family members and many others all appear to tell you how you should proceed.

Is it negligent to bottle feed instead of breast feed? Should you go to a farm and squat over a tub of water or should you go to the hospital and hook up that epidural? Should you circumcise your child? The list of issues is seemingly endless, as is the stream of opinions and perspectives on those issues.

Pregnancy is just one example of how individuals have always been faced with multiple sources of often conflicting information when making a decision. The Internet culture has amplified that situation to incredible levels.

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Series on Making Good Decisions

How do we teach our kids to make good decisions?

Many people advocate for better science education because science, technology and innovation open up many exciting career prospects. I think that is a very worthwhile reason to encourage our children to, at the very least, not turn off of science.

But I have to say that the biggest motivator for me as a parent to encourage a love of science is that I want my son to have a great mind that taps into both the analytical and creative sides of his brain. That great mind will give him the capacity to do well at whatever he pursues in his life. It will allow him to make good decisions.

Our lives and circumstances are just the products of the decisions, both trivial and important, that we have made. But what do we mean when we talk about making good decisions?

Ampin’ on Meth? Continue Reading »

My son (a Power Ranger don't ya know) checks out one of the mad scientists

There was lots of mad science underway last night at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Visitors walked down the  “scary science experiments path” and were rewarded at the end with some candy.

I’ve received some feedback from people suggesting that the event just reinforced negative stereotypes about scientists (the “mad” or “crazy” scientist thing). I guess I can see the point but like so many other issues and objections associated with Halloween, my response tends towards the “let’s all just lighten up a bit” end of the spectrum.
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Cautious Old Men in the Their Flying Machine

Anyone who lives in central Ottawa will know the sound of the vintage 1930′s biplane that takes off from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. My dad and I recently got the chance to take a flight from the Museum over the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill. The fall leaves and the fantastic weather made it one of the best CoolScience activities so far! Here is more information on the biplane and helicopter rides at the Museum in case you are thinking of going up.

Check out our three-minute video of the flight:

Witches, Goblins and Monsters

Despite the advent of Halloween and our proximity to elected representatives, we didn’t spot any flying witches, goblins or other monsters during our flight. To find those I would recommend the Governor General’s Residence.

The theme of this year’s Halloween party at Rideau Hall is mad science! Trick-or-treaters will be invited to explore the “scary science experiments path” and visit the laboratories of Halloween Biology 101, Daunting Mathematics, Slimy Chemistry and Frankenstein Physics. You are invited!

For other links to cool science-based Halloween activities and sites, check out the CoolScience take on Mad scientists, potions and slime.

This is just a quick note to let you all know about the upcoming National Science and Technology Week (October 14-23, 2011). This event provides many opportunities for kids and parents across the country to have some fun with science (read my post about NSTW 2010). In fact, there is a national list of events that you can check out on the official website. If you live in Ottawa, I highly recommend Science Funfest. You can read a review of last year’s Funfest in the Field Trips section of this site.

Or Why I Like “Science & Nature” over “Science & Tech”

So, there I was in Best Buy when it suddenly occurred to me that I have a pretty good idea of how and when the universe started.

The CERN Control Centre. Photo credit:Torkild Retvedt via Wikimedia Commons.

I started thinking about how we have people circling the earth on a space station, space probes all over the solar system and telescopes peering to edge of the universe. We have particle physicists at CERN solving mysteries of matter, space and time. Geneticists are unlocking the secrets of life, evolution and disease.

We can provide concrete insight and many answers to the fundamental questions of existence that have been shrouded in mystery since our species evolved. We are in the midst of the greatest explosion of human understanding that would have been completely unimaginable even just a few generations ago.

Yet many people think of science as something that makes cell phones and LCD televisions.

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