Grades 5-8 - Science and Technology

  • Selling the poor, helping the poor: No contradiction?

    By marketing to billions of lower-income people, business can do well by doing good: Affordable green goods for “the base of the pyramid” could improve lives and cut environmental damage. Could this work?


    Thursday, November 15th, 2007
  • Santa Clarita neighborhood in Los Angeles County, October 21, 2007.
    California burnin’: Are we building in harm’s way?

    Wildfires are a tragedy, but are human actions making them worse? What is the role of global warming and zoning? Can we build safer houses in safer locations?


    Thursday, November 1st, 2007
  • Tree frog’s foot yields re-stickable glue!

    Most adhesives can’t be reused. But a radical new design, based on the foot of frogs, lizards and insects, shows how engineers can learn from nature to make smarter materials.


    Thursday, October 11th, 2007
  • Toddler’s “vocabulary explosion,” explained

    A toddler suddenly begins to learn 10 words a day. Does this reflect some innate genius for language, or could it have a less dramatic explanation? New research de-glamorizes the vocab explosion.


    Thursday, August 2nd, 2007
  • Barbecue season approaches: What’s so great about open fire?

    The ancients used fire to cook, smelt metal and make pots. It provided warmth, protection against animals, and became a social focus. Fire changed who we are. Could this explain the enduring allure of fire?


    Thursday, May 17th, 2007
  • Video games: Teacher’s best friend?

    Could non-violent video games be (gasp!) helpful? What do we know about the use of video games in the classroom?


    Thursday, March 8th, 2007
  • NukeWar, Regional Version

    What would happen to the global climate after a nuclear war between India and Pakistan? Study says the planet would be dark and cool for 10 years. How much would food production decline?


    Thursday, December 21st, 2006
  • After Katrina: Where Should We Rebuild?

    It’s a fact of life: Hurricanes and floods happen. So why are people rebuilding in the path of storms and floods? Is there a smarter way to plan development?


    Thursday, August 24th, 2006
  • Long-Distance Prayer Fails Trial

    People pray for the health of friends and family. Can science prove these prayers work? Should it try? Random, double-blind studies tread the natural-supernatural schism.


    Thursday, April 20th, 2006
  • Inventing Disease: Do Drug Companies Go Overboard?

    Study: Drug companies advertise new diseases to push their product. How do journalists respond to the media blitz? How have newspapers reported on restless leg syndrome?


    Thursday, April 13th, 2006


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