Younger offspring padded in and climbed into bed with us at 5:58 this morning. In a rare show of solidarity (or alertness), younger offspring was the one to hit the “snooze” button when the alarm went off at 6:00.
Dr. Free-Ride: Good morning.
Younger offspring: Why do you say it’s morning?
Dr. Free-Ride: (drowsily) Huh?
Younger offspring: How do you know it’s morning? It still looks pretty dark.
Dr. Free-Ride: I know from the time on the clock. But you’re right, it is pretty dark. Maybe it’s not morning yet. Maybe we should just stay under the covers for awhile.
Younger offspring: No, if you say it’s morning, I think it’s probably really morning.
Dr. Free-Ride: You decide now is the right time to accept authority?
Category Archives: Kids and science
Friday Sprog Blogging: syngnathids vs. cephalopods.
No, it’s not a cage-match between syngnathids and cephalopods. Rather, the Free-Ride offspring consider the relative merits of each. It’s kind of like weighing whether you’d rather be able to fly or become invisible.
From Seahorses and Sea Dragons
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Friday Sprog Blogging: Microcosmos!
Elder offspring: The dung beetle rocks!
Dr. Free-Ride: The dung beetle rolls!
Elder offspring’s eyes roll.
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The sprogs finally watched Microcosmos — which, of course, prompted a second, and third, and fourth viewing in close succession. (They may be young, but that doesn’t mean they’re not obsessive about details.) Some of their reactions to the film:
The cultivation of girl geeks.
It’s been cool to see my ScienceBlogs sisters Sandy, Shelley, and Tara represent in our little nerd-off. I’m inclined to say this offers at least some evidence that women can get as geeky as the geekiest men. Sadly, there seem still to be many people — including people selling stuff — who just can’t wrap their heads around that idea.
Friday Sprog Blogging (excess content!): design issues.
This morning, the Free-Ride family heard the news that McDonald’s had finally capitulated to hedgehog campaigners and redesigned the container for its McFlurry ice cream so that it is no longer a hedgie death-trap.
Elder offspring: What was the problem?
Dr. Free-Ride’s better half: The hedgehogs would find the containers and push their heads in to lick the sweet leftover ice cream, but then they would get stuck —
Younger offspring: I don’t think ice cream is good for hedgehogs.
Dr. Free-Ride’s better half: — and because they couldn’t get back out, they’d starve to death.
Elder offspring: Maybe they wouldn’t starve if there was enough leftover ice cream stil in the container.
Dr. Free-Ride’s better half: Anyway, to keep the hedgehogs from getting stuck, they made a new container with an opening that’s too narrow for the hedgehogs to get into.
Younger offspring: They could still get their tongues in.
Elder offspring: Not as far as an anteater could.
Dr. Free-Ride’s better half: You know, if the leftover ice cream attracted ants, that would make a very tasty treat for the anteaters!
Dr. Free-Ride: Are there many anteaters roaming the British countryside?
Younger offspring: The opening is too small for the anteaters to get in and get stuck, right?
Elder offspring: Right.
Dr. Free-Ride: What gets me is how it’s easier to redesign a product container than it is to train McDonald’s customers to throw away their rubbish properly.
Friday Sprog Blogging: aquarium.
Younger offspring: I drew this picture of what we saw at the Monterey Bay Aquarium with Duke and Super Sally last weekend.
Dr. Free-Ride: Cool! I guess you really were paying attention to the exhibits when I thought you were just running around.
Younger offspring: (rolling eyes) Of course I was paying attention! So, when you scan this in, put labels on it.
Dr. Free-Ride: I think everyone will be able to tell what’s what.
Younger offspring: (sternly) Put labels on it. Some parts need labels to tell.
Dr. Free-Ride: OK.
Friday Sprog Blogging: Pluto update
It seems the IAU ruling on what counts as a planet has stirred a little controversy in the Free-Ride home.
Dr. Free-Ride: You heard what happened with Pluto, right?
Younger offspring: It’s not there any more.
Dr. Free-Ride: Uh, it’s still there, just as big as it was and pretty much where it was before.
Elder offspring: But it’s not a real planet any more. Pluto got kicked out and they made Xena a planet instead.
Dr. Free-Ride: Umm, that’s not right either.
Younger offspring offers a new visual representation.
Robert Fludd, “The Great Chain of Being”, 1617
Maybe you’re familiar with the classical notion of the “great chain of being”, the hierarchical relationship between all the stuff in the universe. It was meant to show the connections between animals (including humans), vegetables, minerals, and the stuff out beyond the Earth, including angels and God.
Younger offspring felt (and I can’t help but agree) that it was time for an update.
Friday Sprog Blogging: bloody minded.
Elder offspring: Blood is cool.
Younger offspring: (Covering head with blanket) I hate blood, because I hate owies!
Dr. Free-Ride: But your blood does all sorts of good things for your body. You know that you’re filled with blood, right?
Elder offspring: Actually, your body is two-thirds water.
Dr. Free-Ride: And what do you think there’s lots of in blood?
Elder offspring: Oh yeah, water.
Younger offspring: I hate blood. I wish I didn’t have any.
Dr. Free-Ride: You need it to get oxygen to all the parts of the body.
Younger offspring: No I don’t, I’ll just breathe harder.
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