7 Scientific Urban Legends Debunked Science Videos STEM Education 

7 Scientific Urban Legends Debunked

How reliable is common knowledge? If a large number of people believe something, that doesn’t make it true. Dr. Joe Hanson of the It’s OK to Be Smart series from PBS Digital Studios debunks seven scientific urban legends. He also makes a compelling argument for why we desperately need open-access science information and effective communication. Sometimes common knowledge is wrong. For common knowledge to be right, then knowledge needs to be, well, common. It sounds like such an incredible fact. “Our own cells are outnumbered by our microbes 10 to…

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Book Reviews Ecology Oceanography SciStarter Blog 

Book Review: World Without Fish

By Patricia Balbon Day-to-day encounters of fish—at the grocery store, visiting an aquarium—passively reinforce a notion of triviality about aquatic life until we are prompted to take a pause and spare a thought for a breathtaking world beyond the shore. This month’s selection in our ongoing book review series, World Without Fish, prompts such reflection; however, as the pages turn, we witness the marine world’s vulnerability alongside its majesty.  Through Mark Kurlansky’s words and Frank Stockton’s art, we are challenged by the crisis of disappearing biodiversity in our oceans.  This…

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SciStarter Blog STEM Education 

Cyberchase Makes Math and Science Exciting, Fun, and Relevant to Kids

By Bob Krech Based on my many years of teaching elementary math and science, I know that when kids are bored with math and science, it’s usually because they don’t see the point of how these subjects could be useful or interesting in the context of their real lives. Kids want to apply their math and science skills to make things happen! One great way to help them do this and see the value of these subjects is to introduce the idea of citizen science. Citizen science creates connections for…

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