This video is a compilation of the best clips from the 'Six-second science fair' run by GE recently. (Apparently it attracted more than 600 entries!) Could be really interesting to set something like this as a classroom project – rapidly changing technology (including the apps) has really opened up the options 🙂
Continue readingYear: 2014
if fish had nightmares, these spiders would feature in them
If asked, "what do spiders eat?", my answer would probably include insects, spiders, other arthropods, and maybe birds. I'd never have thought of fish! And yet it seems that fish-eating by spiders is, if not common, then not exactly rare, although other food items still account for most of the spiders' diets. In a paper […]
Continue readinghuman facial features the result of being used as a punching bag? somehow I don’t think so
I saw this story in the newspaper yesterday, & again today on one of the science feeds: Researchers in the US have studied the skulls of ancient human ancestors and concluded that fist-fighting may have played a role in shaping the male face. You can read the paper itself here (Carrier & Morgan, 2014). I’m sorry, […]
Continue readingpharaoh’s serpent
Definitely don't try this one at home! The changes shown in the linked video are an example of intumescence, where a substance swells when it's heated. Fascinating to watch, but since we're talking mercury fumes it's definitely not one for the classroom.
Continue readingcarl wieman on active learning
Recently I wrote about a paper by Freeman et al: a meta-analysis looking at the impact of active learning on student success in maths, engineering, & the sciences (the 'STEM' subjects). In the same volume of PNAS is an accompanying commentary by Carl Wieman. Wieman is a physics Nobel Laureate who also leads a research group working on […]
Continue reading“If you’re going to get lectured at, you might as well be at home in bunny slippers”
There's an increasing body of literature demonstrating the benefits of active learning for tertiary students taking science subjects. This is a topic I've written about before, but I'm always interested in reading more on the subject. And let's face it, the more evidence the better, when you're wanting to get lecturers in the sciences engaged […]
Continue readinga bunch of fascinating animals you’ve never heard of…
… unless you've been following this blog for a while, in which case you may already have read about the sarcastic fringeheads (who are not members of a rock band, despite the wonderful name!). The dumbo octopus, the pacu (a fish with teeth like nutcrackers, an attribute that has given rise to an urban myth […]
Continue readingfascinating stories of dna, and the kiwi’s close cousin uncovered
On Monday I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by Alan Cooper, director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA and one of the authors on a very recent paper that provides a new view of kiwi evolution (Mitchell et al., 2014). It was a fascinating & wide-ranging talk that started with a bit […]
Continue readingdissecting the predictable (in this case, ffnz on broadbent et al)
A paper just out by Broadbent et al (2014) describes research which used data from a 38-year-long longitudinal study of Dunedin children to examine claims that exposure to fluoride in childhood has a negative effect on children's IQ. The paper found these claims wanting, and thus – quite predictably – it's now subject to attack […]
Continue readingan anti-fluoride view: democracy is ok as long as it delivers what we want
At least, that's how it sounds in this Waikato Times report on the first day of presentations relating to submissions on Hamilton City Council's draft annual plan. One of those submitting was quoted as saying The democratic argument is flawed in this instance. Sometimes democracy is not enough, we need wise leadership. Democracy is a dangerous […]
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