Get Inspired for 2016!

Post by Helaine Becker

What better way to start the New Year off here at Sci-Why than with some inspiration?

I recently had the happy occasion to meet Filipe Deandrade, a nature filmmaker, while he was gathering footage for a new project with National Geographic. DeAndrade had won the 2015 Wild to Inspire film award, sponsored by the American Wildlife Foundation, National Geographic and the Sun Valley Film Festival for his short film, "Adapt." I think you'll like it, and hope we all find as much inspiration in our own work/lives in 2016!

 Happy New Year, everybody!

What Is Science?

Some fabulous quotes and food for thought on the question of "What is science?" from the equally fabulous, Brain Picker. Check it out here.

Inspiring Books

What were your most inspiring science reads in 2011? Maria over at Brainpickings (a site to which I recommend you subscribe) has a wonderful list with lots of links and videos to pore over. On my wish list? Radioactive: A Story of Love and Fallout by Laura Redniss. A great story and, by the looks of things, a stellar design. (And, really, what a great title.)

Science, My Father and Me

Posted by Vivien Bowers

As a child I spent summers in the BC Okanagan, where my physicist/astronomer father worked at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory while we kids swam in the lake. On weekends when nobody else was around he’d let us climb the ladder high up to the gigantic dish antenna, where we’d perch while Dad in the control room slowly turned the dish to listen to another part of the mysterious universe.

You’d think I might have developed an affinity for science from my father, but no. My degree was in English literature, and science was a bit of a foreign land.

Yet these days I often write about science. I contribute to a school publication called “What in the World?” and often get handed the monthly science and technology story. Nuclear meltdown in Japan. Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Internet bandwidth hogs. Space trash.

I find joy in nailing these science stories, though they are a stretch for me. I peer into pockets of scientific knowledge and challenge my brain to grasp the unfamiliar concepts. Then I write about them, and why they matter, in a way that I hope captures the attention of a Grade 8 audience.

Recently my topic was dendritic cells and their role in our body’s immune system. Canadian-born medical researcher Ralph Steinman won the Nobel prize for discovering these cells. And I learned about them too, one morning, and was almost as thrilled.

The hardest story? The Large Hadron Collider at the CERN Institute in Switzerland. My research took me into the heart of dark matter, anti-matter, string theory… my father’s familiar haunts. Fortunately CERN has a very helpful website. That story has become my benchmark – if I can write about particle physics, I can write about anything.

My father died more than a decade ago, but I feel closer to him as I tackle these stories. I’m no scientist but I’ve realized that I share his intellectual curiosity, rational mind and enthusiasm for new discoveries. I remember the day he told us about black holes – hands gesturing wildly and blue eyes shining. And how, after visiting a neurologist who told him he had an inoperable brain tumour, he demonstrated to us with real fascination how the changes in brain functioning were affecting his body’s movements.

Being a scientist – someone passionate about the how and why of this mysterious universe – gave my father a sense of perspective on his impending death, and some comfort. As for me, I’m grateful to have inherited more than just his blue eyes.

11.11.11

By Margriet Ruurs

Since my column was scheduled to be posted on this blog on November 11, I decided to share information on the One Day on Earth Project with you, and post it a bit earlier so that you can participate!
On November 11th, 11.11.11, across the planet, documentary filmmakers, students, and other inspired citizens will record the human experience over a 24-hour period, thus contributing their voice to the second annual global day of media creation called One Day on Earth. Together, they aim to create a shared archive as well as a film shedding light on many aspects of life on earth including poverty, education, the environment and many other specific topics.

One Day on Earth's first media creation event occurred on 10.10.10. The collaboration was the first ever simultaneous filming event occurring in every country of the world. This allowed for the creation of a unique archive as well as an upcoming feature film showcasing the amazing diversity, conflict, tragedy, and triumph that occurs in one day around the world.

And you are invited to join this international community of hundreds of schools, and dozens of non-profits, and contribute to this unique global mosaic. One Day on Earth is a community that not only watches, but participates and is supported by such organizations as UNICEF and the World Wildlife Fund.

A recent One Day on Earth's press release states that The United Nations, 60+ NGOs, filmmakers and other inspired media creators from EVERY country in the world plan to share their unique perspective.
To help secure footage from developing nations, and to increase the overall diversity of coverage,ONE DAY ON EARTH has partnered with the United Nations and non-profit
organizations, including the International Red Cross and the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The event will bring together filmmakers, students, humanitarian aid workers, and other
inspired people to collaborate worldwide on a single day. Last year, media arrived from regions of the world that are often times difficult to access, including Uzbekistan and North Korea.
"The power of creating and sharing videos as part of a community is inspiring," said Kyle Ruddick, Founder and Director of ONE DAY ON EARTH. "Despite the 3000 hours of footage created by our 2010 collaboration, we know we just scratched the surface for how this type of project can educate and connect local and global conversations on important topics."

Through its website, which is also a social network, the project works closely with its non-profit partners to provide cause-based calls-to-action to film on a variety of topics, including poverty, gender equality, and human rights. The project includes groups of filmmakers collaborating around themes, such as child birth, sports, and music, and also technique, including time-lapse photography and underwater filming.
As a key aspect to the project, participants will share their footage for non-commercial use. If you contribute a minute or more of collaboration on the social network site, you will receive access to final film.

Educators can check out this special site:
www.onedayonearth.org/education
Lesson plans and online classrooms are available to educators to connect their students to the rest of the world.

To learn more, visit: www.OneDayOnEarth.org



Margriet Ruurs is the author of 27 books for children, including My Librarian is a Came and My School in the Rainforest, Boyds Mills Press, a book that shows how children around the world attend school.

Why?

Why?
How come?

Those are probably the first questions a child asks in any language. I wished we'd never stop asking 'why' and 'how come'?
Looking for answers to these two questions has probably led to many inventions, and it has lead me to write many books.
How does a tiny little seed know to grow into a stalk of corn or into a towering cedar tree? How did it get programmed?

I love doing research and finding answers to my questions. For my latest book, Amazing Animals, I had so much fun reading and learning about mind blowing animals facts.
Did you know that the fig wasp and the fig tree have a symbiotic relationship? Neither one could live without the other.
The wasp bores a hole into the fruit, lays its eggs and dies. This means that when you eat one of those crunchy brown fig newton cookies, you are chomping down on some dead wasp remains... Gross huh? But a cool fact.

The octopus is a pretty amazing animal, too. Scientists in the Seattle Aquarium could not figure out what was killing their sharks. Little did they suspect the octopus. Have a look at this cool video which sheds a whole new light on the octopus: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7004909622962894202

When I write, I submit a proposal to a publisher whom I hope will be interested in this sort of book. The publisher decides on the title of a book. They also decide who will be in the illustrator. I have been lucky enough, with several of my books, to be allowed to collaborate with the illustrator.

W. Alan Hancock is a young, and impressive, wildlife artist. When I saw his art, I suggested to Tundra Books that he illustrate Amazing Animals. I was so happy that they agreed. His art looks so real... Check out his website:
http://www.wallanhancock.com/



Even if you don’t know much about anacondas or weaver birds, there are many questions you can ask about animals which you daily see around you.
Do you know how old ladybugs get to be?
Does a blackbird migrate? How far?
When my son was ten years old, he asked a great question. It had snowed and, when we stepped outside, he looked at the pristine white fields.
“Where does the white go when the snow melts?” he asked.
I told him “Don’t ever stop asking those kind of questions! And go in search of the answer!”
I wrote a poem about ‘where does the white go when the snow melts?’ and so you don’t need to write just nonfiction about your questions. Nonfiction can even be written in the form of poetry!
Have fun researching and writing!

Eleanor of Aquitaine Sundial

When I speak to schools and libraries, I try to find a way to show how science can relate to a child's life. But tying science to history and making it interesting is more difficult than it seems. Thanks to my writing partner, Leslie Johnstone, I have the perfect way to capture a child's imagination.

Look at the picture on the left. Is this science or history?

Usually kids guess that this is the "One Ring" from Lord of the Rings as it has markings on the inside and outside of the piece. But the writing isn't Elfish.

On the outer rim of the ring are the letters " J F M A M J J A S O N D" and on the inside of the ring are the numbers 1 through 11. There is a brass ring that rotates around the centre of the ring and in the middle of this ring is a round hole. Engraved inside the ring are words, "Carpe Diem" or "seize the day."

So other than a really cool piece of jewelery and very nice birthday present from my best friend, what does this pendant have to do with science and history?

You are looking at a replica of the Eleanor of Aquitaine sundial, based on the one the queen gave to her husband, Henry II of England in about 1152. Right about now kids yawn.

Most children have never heard of Eleanor, Henry and know nothing about the Aquitaine. However, ask a child if they have ever heard of Robin Hood and most hands go up. Ask them if they know which king went to the crusades with Robin Hood most know the name of Richard the Lionhearted. And generally kids will have heard of his evil brother, King John. Now you have their attention. Let's not get into the fact that Robin Hood as portrayed in movies and books, was fictional.

When Eleanor married Henry, she was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women of her time. Marrying Eleanor was a pretty smart move for Henry as he now had access to money, lands and political influence. Eleanor like throwing lavish parties and wanted Henry to be back in time for dinner. Now frankly telling your husband he needed to be back at the castle no later than 5 pm had no real meaning as well, wrist watches would not be invented for another 500 or so years.

To solve this problem, Eleanor had a beautiful sundial made for her husband. This way he could always tell what time it was. Henry also commissioned an even fancier one for his wife made from gold and set with diamonds. And how did this romantic gesture work out? Sadly, there wasn't a "happily ever after" ending. Henry imprisoned Eleanor in a castle and went off to hunt and party to his hearts content, never having to see what time it was on his sundial watch.

Now the science. Turn the dial so that the hole aligns with the month. Turn the hole towards the sun so that a ray of the sun shines through the hole. Where the ray lands will tell you the hour.

Did you know?
When asked most people will say that "A.M." means "after midnight". In fact a.m. and p.m. mean "Ante Meridian- Latin - before midday" and "Post Meridian- Latin "after midday".

Inspiration in the Oatmeal Jar

After, "How old are you?" and "How much money do you make?" students I meet during school visits often ask "Where do you get your inspiration?"

That's pretty easy for a science writer. Everywhere. Ideas are all around us. The trick is spinning these ideas into a viable project and always being open to to seeing the story in whatever you are up to. There are a lot of times I miss out on a good idea and there are many times I've seen a published book or article and said, while slapping forehead, "Ah, I wish I'd thought of that." Like the time I found the coolest coprolite in New Zealand. (I mean, honestly, don't you think fossilized poo is exciting? Well, I do and that's probably why I'm a science writer.) Much as I was fascinated, for some reason I didn't think of spinning it into an article or even a book. But Jacob Berkowitz did and he wrote the the coolest book about the stuff: Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (and others) Left Behind. I'm not envious at all. Nope. Not me.

Writing about poop would be right up my alley. I tend to veer towards the living-things-people-love-to-hate school of writing. Bats, snakes, spiders, shipwrecks, and slugs have all been subjects, but I don't stop at living things. Mud, slime, even death fascinate me. General rule? The gooier, slimier, muckier and grosser the better.

Most of the time, writing about these topics is just plain fun. But sometimes it pays off too. When people ask me "What is your best selling book?" they are often surprised at the answer: Mealworms: Raise them, watch them, see them change.



Yup, when it first came out in 1998, this book flew off the shelves. (Well, as much as my books ever fly anywhere.) The trick to the success of this book was, to use a sciency term, finding its niche. And I found a fairly large one: teachers across North America use mealworms to teach students about metamorphosis. These creatures, the larva of the darkling beetle, metamorphose fairly quickly and don't fly as beetles. So they're perfect for the classroom, where the last thing teachers want are escaped science projects, especially ones as potentially pesty as mealworms.

So, all of this is to say hello and to make my official entry onto this blog. Thanks for stopping by! If you care to know more about me, you can find more than enough here.