Even rubber ducks are products of engineering.by Joan Marie GalatWhen it comes to problem solving, science and engineering represent a partnership. Scientists explore and observe the world and conduct experiments to improve their understanding. Engineers look at circumstances and try to make life easier using the principles of science and math. Across the centuries, engineers have used their knowledge to create tools, machines, and structures. They've also helped create everyday objects from water-squirting rubber ducks…

Continue reading

by Paula JohansonToday's post is a short one, but will be fun for anyone playing at home making electric circuits. If you are learning about how to make projects that light up, or buzz, or move, you probably already have what you need. Click here for a link to a website discussing popular kits for kids to use making electric circuits. There are many places you can find online where families can buy and have…

Continue reading

Here's a guest post from our colleague Margriet Ruurs, written when she was visiting Hawaii in the winter. There she discovered that Hawaii is home to both Nene geese and anoles!Ever heard of a Nene goose or an anole and his dewlap? I hadn’t until I traveled to Hawaii.I love learning new things and animals never cease to amaze me. Each continent has amazing animals that are unique to that part of the world.We’ve all…

Continue reading

by L. E. CarmichaelI hear it's a long weekend? I'm not sure how to tell, really, since we will all (hopefully) be doing exactly what we've been doing for the last couple of weeks: preventing the spread of potentially deadly viruses by eating too much while watching Netflix in our jammies.Jammies are a long-standing Easter tradition in the Carmichael family, because the Grandparents Carmichael used to give my brother and me a new pair of…

Continue reading

By Raymond NakamuraI hope you are as well as can be expected under the circumstances. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed us into a new world. Dealing with the pandemic has spread beyond an issue of science communication to sharing an historic experience.If you are feeling overwhelmed by the threat and the many impacts of self-isolating, other posts on this blog have already shared some helpful information. Increasingly, the importance of finding common ground with your…

Continue reading

By Yolanda RidgeIt’s hard to write about the science of COVID-19 right now because our understanding of the virus is still evolving. But it’s also hard to think about anything else.One thing everyone wants to know is how and when this pandemic will end. In the best-case scenario, a vaccine becomes available and life goes on as normal. The problem is that it will take at least a year – even with international cooperation, dedication…

Continue reading

By Gillian O'ReillyThese days, our minds are on epidemics (the rapid spread of disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time) and pandemics (disease epidemics that have spread across large regions or worldwide). One of my current projects is a book about the brilliant Canadian diagnostician and medicaleducator Dr. William (Willie) Osler. Born in 1849 when people still thought diseases werecaused by bad air, Osler lived through…

Continue reading

Saturday is UN International Day of Forests! As Sci/Why readers might know, my newest children's science book, The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World's Largest Land Biome, will be published on April 7, 2020. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all of my in-person book tour events have been cancelled through early May. But that doesn't mean we can't celebrate - or help our kids learn at home! And so...Here's everything you need…

Continue reading

Hey, people who read Sci/Why website! We've got new resources added to this post.With the coronavirus pandemic, nearly all the schools, libraries and museums are closed for most of our readers. Here are some free online resources that will be useful for families who are doing some homeschooling, or just want to have interesting things to do. If you have more free online resources to recommend, please share them in the comments below.Due to the…

Continue reading

By Simon ShapiroWe're being bombarded with the very sensible advice to wash our hands constantly. It's the first line of defense against the COVID-19 virus. And it's critical to wash properly: enough soap and water, lots of friction, spend 20 - 30 seconds (sing 'Happy Birthday' twice through) etc. But even after a diligent washing, your hands are probably not perfectly clean. After a less-than-diligent washing, your hands are definitely not perfectly clean. Drying them…

Continue reading