Talking about the importance of science education for children, along with Kelly Hargrave, author of Can’t Get Enough Shark Stuff from National Geographic
Hello everyone!
This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at Teaching Children Science. We will be talking with National Geographic's Kelly Hargrave about her new book, Can't Get Enough Shark Stuff.
Children are natural scientists. The questions which may be tedious to some parents "Why is the sky blue?" "What are the stars?" "Why do we have belly buttons?"- reveal science to be hard-wired into the human mind.
Far too often, natural curiosity is squelched and discouraged by society as a whole. Children often find their questions brushed aside by adults all too often caught up in the daily tribulations of media celebrities and the soap opera of state.
At the same time, our race stands at the precipice of massive potential dangers ranging from nuclear war to pandemics to catastrophic climatic change.
VIP subscribers read the full scripted transcript below!
Next week on The Cosmic Companion, we talk about the lives and deaths of stars! We will talk with Dr. Simone Scaringi from the University of Durham who recently discovered a previously-unknown form of nova. Make sure to join us on The Cosmic Companion starting on Tuesday 24 May.
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Clear skies!
James
VIP Subscribers Extra: Transcript (cont.)
Perhaps our best hope for the future is to educate young people, some of whom will become the scientists of the future. In order to do this, however, the light of science in children must be constantly fed by education, inquiry, and play.
If we hope to engage with as many young people as possible, learning should be as enjoyable and engaging as possible. Each child is different, holding onto their own interests and questions about the Universe.
Encouraging innate interests could provide us our best hope at developing young scientists. While Eugene from Oregon is fascinated by the Moon, Madison from Wisconsin might have her room full of toys and posters featuring sharks.
We talk with children’s science author Kelly Hargrave about her new book, Can’t Get Enough Shark Stuff from National Geographic.
The human race now stands at the precipice of the next great step in human evolution — the permanent habitation of large numbers of human beings in outer space.
Soon, for the first time in history, human habitations will rise above the surface of the Moon and Mars.
The explorers within those early interplanetary villages will face dangers unknown on our home world. In return, they will uncover wonders beyond the dreams of avarice.
The first people to step foot on the ruddy surface of Mars are, likely, alive today, possibly running across your kitchen floor as you watch this video.
Millions of years ago, distant ancestors of humans first began to come down out of the trees, forever shaping the future. Our current human migration into space will — for the first time ever — protect our species from any planetwide disaster. For the first time in nearly 75 years, the people of the world will not be held hostage by the ever-present threat of utter and complete extinction following a few hours of nuclear terror.
The first families living on the Moon and Mars will depend on people and equipment from many nations and organizations on Earth. Within decades, these interplanetary communes will be filled with large populations, many of whom never once set foot on Earth.
The trials and tribulations of short-sighted leaders on a distant world are likely to mean little to the real-life “Moon People” and “Martians” of the near future. The exploration of space offers us our best opportunity to evolve past rampant nationalism and jingoistic fervor.
Teaching children science also provides us our best hope for dealing with crises such as pandemics and global climate change. Science teaches young people to better evaluate global events, and scientific claims popularized in media, both large and small. Perhaps we might even see fewer children traumatized by stories of alligators in toilets.
Join us next week on The Cosmic Companion, as we look at The Life and Deaths of Stars, talking with astrophysicist Simone Scaringi from the University of Durham about his recent discovery of micronovae — a type of supernova never before seen by astronomers.
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Here’s wishing everyone out there — especially our budding young scientists — clear skies!
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