I have a theory* that there are three kinds of ignorance.The first kind is what I'd call neutral ignorance. The gentle, perfectly understandable kind that arises due to a simple lack of knowledge:Ignorance: lack of knowledge, education, or awareness (Merriam Webster)There is no shame in not knowing something, and there's no shame in not having access to the education or experience that would provide that knowledge. This kind of ignorance is much closer to innocence,…

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By Paula JohansonThere's been a new job posting at NASA, for a Planetary Protection Officer.Sounds like something from the film Men In Black, doesn't it? But for NASA, planetary protection isn't so much about people resisting invasion by giant space bugs. It's about tiny germs.NASA needs to avoid "organic-constituent and biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration." Policies for planetary protection apply to all space flight missions, whether they might carry Earth microbes or…

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By Adrienne Montgomerie“Mom, we saw jellyfish!” “No way. We’re in a lake. Jellyfish are saltwater creatures.”“No, really, honey," his dad said. "There were jellyfish.”“Well that’s cool,” I said with total skepticism.The next day, I said I wanted to see the jellyfish. Totally bracing for the “we’re just kidding” punchline, off we went. Canoeing into a little bay of a medium sized lake in eastern Ontario, my son dipped a pail in the water, and pulled…

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By Paula JohansonAmong all the science news this summer of various kinds across Canada, here's a piece of good news about a person who spent a career working in a science field. After 40 years as an engineering librarian, Randy Reichardt has retired. His colleagues and friends gathered on June 28 at the University of Alberta to celebrate his retirement -- dozens in person and dozens more watching an online live feed of his retirement…

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By Gillian O'Reilly Looking for engaging, appealing and informative science-themed and technology-themed books that incorporate traditional knowledge? Look no further than Inhabit Media.Inhabit Media, an Inuit-owned publishing house based in Iqaluit and Toronto, aims to “promote and preserve the stories, knowledge and talent of northern Canada.” The company publishes a wide range of books for adults and kids, plus two magazines: Kaakuluk: Nunavut’s Discovery Magazine for Kids and Pivut: The Magazine for Nunavut Youth. With…

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By Gillian O'Reilly Looking for engaging, appealing and informative science-themed and technology-themed books that incorporate traditional knowledge? Look no further than Inhabit Media.Inhabit Media, an Inuit-owned publishing house based in Iqaluit and Toronto, aims to “promote and preserve the stories, knowledge and talent of northern Canada.” The company publishes a wide range of books for adults and kids, plus two magazines: Kaakuluk: Nunavut’s Discovery Magazine for Kids and Pivut: The Magazine for Nunavut Youth. With…

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By Claire EamerLiterally, she was out of this world. Twice! Julie Payette, who will take up the post of Governor General of Canada in the fall, is a scientist, an astronaut, and the first Canadian woman to board the International Space Station (ISS).Julie Payette. Canadian Space Agency photo.In fact, she helped build it. In 1999, she spent nine days as part of the second mission ever to the ISS. In a 2015 interview with Macleans…

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By Claire EamerLiterally, she was out of this world. Twice! Julie Payette, who will take up the post of Governor General of Canada in the fall, is a scientist, an astronaut, and the first Canadian woman to board the International Space Station (ISS).Julie Payette. Canadian Space Agency photo.In fact, she helped build it. In 1999, she spent nine days as part of the second mission ever to the ISS. In a 2015 interview with Macleans…

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by L. E. CarmichaelOne of the coolest things about fiction (especially science fiction) is how it inspires scientific discovery in real life. Cell phones - inspired by Star Trek communicators - are a classic example. Edmond Locard is another. Locard was a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes novels, in which the great detective solves crimes using the tiniest of clues. The books were one of the reasons that Locard became a forensic scientist. He not only…

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By Adrienne MontgomerieIn advertising and in popular writing, especially about health concerns, chemicalis used to mean harmful. As science writers and science-literate people, we know that chemical isn’t a synonym for harmful. Not all chemicals are harmful, and besides, everything is a chemical. So how can we, as science communicators, help readers understand the message by using more accurate language?What writers mean by chemicalWhen we read chemical, the writer often meansharmfulunnaturalartificialThe truth about artificial chemicalsSome…

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