I've always liked frogs. I remember, when I was probably around 4 years old, being fascinated by the tadpoles that Dad brought home in a big jar from a farm pond. Mum explained about how they'd gradually metamorphose (thought I doubt she used that word!) & we watched their legs slowly grow & their tails […]
Continue readingCategory: humour
music to learn by
This was first posted over on Talking Teaching. I’m always looking for interesting ideas that might spark student engagement. A couple of days ago this rap video popped up on the ScienceAlert FB page: As you can see, it’s a fun post with a serious message & – I think – an excellent piece of science […]
Continue readingit’s amazing what you find in the spam folder
I've just spent an entertaining 10 minutes or so clearing out my spam folder. I don't go there often, but a student had asked why I hadn't answered their email & since I hadn't actually received one in the in-box, I thought I'd best check spam. (And there it was. General hint to students: really […]
Continue readingtrue facts about owls
A lot of my friends seem to like owls, if their tendency to post photos of adorable fluffy feathered faces on Facebook is anything to go by. I rather like them too; we live close to a gully & it’s lovely hearing the moreporks calling at night. Once or twice one has sat in a […]
Continue readingcows and physics and urban myths
In which we encounter – cow-tipping! This is apparently the focus of both myth & mirth in the US: the idea that cows, asleep on their feet, are regularly tipped over by tipsy youths. Now, apart from the inconvenient little fact that cows tend to sleep lying down & thus are supremely untippable at that […]
Continue readingsome seasonal fun (with the spice of science)
When I was a kid – & we're talking a looong time ago now! – we had a gorgeous Advent calendar that was designed to look like a renaissance-era painting. At least, that's how I remember it. And there was certainly none of this new-fangled stuff involving chocolate behind the little doors! But Advent calendars […]
Continue readingzombies & lego – great combination!
Actually, that's a bit of a fib as the zombies & the lego don't actually meet in these videos 🙂 But both have a science focus. Lego is the focus of a clip called 'Building Curiosity', which is something of an ode to science; I rather enjoyed it. And the zombies? Well, you're likely to […]
Continue readingthe amazingness of lyrebird vocalisations
This is one impressive lyrebird – laser guns and kookaburras! (Not quite at the same time.) I found him on a ScienceAlert page, which has more info and also links to other videos of these vocally talented birds.
Continue readingquirky science demonstrations
A very brief post before I dive back into marking! My friend Cathy pointed me at this short, fascinating video that shows some quirky chemistry & physics demonstrations (afficionados of Facebook will find it here). I had a couple of 'wow!' moments while watching it; science teachers will probably get the same response when sharing […]
Continue readingacapella science does eminem
It's not biology but this video is too good not to share 🙂 I've always had a soft spot for acapella singing, & acapella science is just wonderful as an example of combining music & science communication. (Those who want the lyrics will find them here at Scientific American.)
Continue reading