Science
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Quantum Dots
This weekend, I was a “mentor” for KEYs, a program to introduce middle school girls to science and engineering. One of the things they got to see were quantum dots. While these have many applications, the demonstration was of their different colors. For the demonstration, the scientists mixed quantum dots with a hydrogel, then put little pieces of the hydrogel…
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“People Evolved From Monkeys”
We here on Skepchick understand that not every one who visits is a hardcore skeptic chock full of everything there is to know about everything. That’s why it’s important to occasionally address the basics. Today is Evolution: What to Say to a Creationist! I was going to make this a dialog between you and Reverend Jeremiah J. Pulpitbanger III, but…
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This Thursday is the National Day of Reason!
Apparently Thursday, May 1, 2008 is the National Day of Prayer as designated by the United States Congress in 1952 and signed into law by Harry Truman. There’s a privately funded National Day of Prayer Task Force with a stated purpose of “encouraging participation” in the NDP, though only encouraging the participation of Christians of course since “this country was…
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Boston Skeptics in the Pub: Video!
At last, a small wrap-up of the April edition of Boston Skeptics in the Pub with speaker Marc Abrahams! Like last month (with Mike the Mad Biologist . . . video here), we had between 50 and 60 people show up, filling up the back room of the pub. Marc delivered a fantastic presentation on the Ig Nobel Prizes that…
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Skepchick Quickies 4.24
Rapidly Evolving Lizards– Sounds like a great band name, huh? To quote Durnett, who posted this link in the comments; “Creationists have been complaining for years that they can’t see evolution happening. “You don’t see a dog grow another leg…” Well, check out this lizard. True, this isn’t like growing an extra leg, however it is like growing an extra…
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Your brain on (performance enhancing) drugs
In last week’s episode of TWIS, Kirsten and guest co-host Andy Fell reported on an online survey by Nature magazine in which 20% of respondents claimed to have taken medications to improve focus or mental performance. An April Fools’ article about the “World Anti Brain-Doping Authority” apparently spawned this survey, which despite the silliness actually raises some serious questions. At…
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Skepchick Guest Article #1 – Richard Wiseman
I am very happy to announce the launch of a brand new feature here on Skepchick. Every month we will host an article by a guest writer, created just for us. Our very first guest writer is everyone’s favourite Quirkologist, Richard Wiseman, who is revealing the results of his latest experiment exclusively on Skepchick! Click ‘Read More’ for the article……
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Explosions and kids can mix safely!
Our reading selection this month, How to Fossilize Your Hamster by Mick O’Hare, is a hands-on guide to learning about science. It’s fun to read, but more fun to work through the experiments yourself. Skepchick reader Skeptigator has been trying out some of the experiments: We made a bomb with baking soda and vinegar, by the way, use a small…
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