Wednesday, June 01, 2016

News and Reviews

Occasionally we go into the University of Washington to participate in studies on language and development. They do a good job of playing it up and making the kids feel special and helpful (today YOU are contributing to SCIENCE!!). 

Ben was so excited to be a scientist  that he arrived in my bedroom at 7:01 am, fully dressed, including his coat.  

(It also helps that they paid him $30 . He'd spent hours perusing the internet for the perfect LEGO machine long before the money actually made it into his sweaty little fist.)

I am ready for the science! 


Here he is in action. 



Next week he gets to go in and be connected to the 'big magical brain machine'. They do a little test run beforehand:


 This study is an extension of one that was started back when Ben was just a wee bambino. We used to joke in our house that I was always my mom's first subject, as she, too, is a researcher at the University. We've come full circle.



Here are a few links from around the web:

The World's Greatest Birdwatcher (of course he's from Oregon. Birdies, unite!). Yesterday Emma and I discovered an abandoned bushtit nest laying in the road. They are remarkable for their feats of engineering. Today we dissected the nest to discover lots of extra feathers and a few unhatched eggs. The scientists are in da house!

An ad for a menstruation product is too lewd for the subway. 

How first generation faculty can help first generation students succeed 

Becoming a foster parent was a dream I never knew I had

Events that happen in Alaska

Breast cancer ad uses man boobs to check for lumps

Gender bias in Academe

Cat tracking

Did you read Frog and Toad when you were little? A story of friendship and beyond. 

How I deal with the unbearable hypocrisy of being an environmentalist  (Thanks, R)

Hope you're having a great week.

xo,

Sonja