BOOK CLUB: The Geek Manifesto

Welcome to the launch of the Soton Physoc Outreach book club. Each month we will recommend a science-related book, starting this month with Mark Henderson's The Geek Manifesto: Why Science Matters.

         

As Henderson details in the introductory chapter, we have an opportunity to "embed critical thinking more deeply in the political process." The book seeks to suggest how we can rise to this challenge, stating that "precisely what politicians think is less important than how they think."
           In the following eight chapters, he presents his arguments for "why science matters to..." politics (voting), government (policies), the media, economics, education, justice, medicine and the environment. A true scientist, Henderson encourages us to question what we are told, and he presents strong evidence to support his arguments - references included so that you can see for yourself.
          Every page I read had me saying "Yes! You're so right! Why don't people see that?!" and if you're half as much a geek, you'll agree. One person who agreed with me is Dave Watts, who started a pledge to send every MP and Welsh Assembly Member a copy, which was carried out just over a year ago. Mark Lorch suggests sending a letter to your MP to see if they've read it and what impact is has had on them - some people have done so, and received feedback.

If you've read it, post any thoughts in the comments below. If you haven't, why are you sitting there still? Go find a copy!

Follow mark henderson on twitter @markgfh

Learning to speak 5-year-old

Outreach top tip: getting the balance between accuracy and simplicity is important. 

Whilst at Intech Science Centre over summer, part of my work involves presenting science shows to the public, and putting together the new shows we're going to be doing over summer. Today was my first live show and, thankfully, everyone there seemed to engage and enjoy it. When I told them to shout the answers, they shouted out "Gravity!", "Friction!", "Negative charges!" and every time I asked for a volunteer, I had 15 or 20 hands in the air out of a 30 or 40 strong audience (we only have a small seating area). The key to this was making sure that I made it simple enough for the 5 year-olds but interesting enough for the 15 year-olds and, importantly, correct and accurate, so that I didn't stop and correct myself whilst I spoke. Or get corrected by a knowledgeable parent in the front row. 

Tomorrow we don't have any shows to do as on Fridays in the school holidays we have falconry displays given by a guy from outside of the centre. Instead we're spending our time putting together the new shows we're introducing starting next week (but I'm hoping to be able to sneak off at some point to see the birds). With our Colourful Chemistry show, we've made the demonstrations as visual and exciting as we can, and even added in a little double-act skit when Laura asks me (in charge of webcamming it) for a drink of water and I pour a clear liquid into a seemingly empty glass and it turns pink! (Hint: phenylphthalein - it's always a hit). She hands it back to me, and I pour another clear liquid in (vinegar) and her drink turns clear. We then point out the indicator, and the acids and alkalis and then bring out the red cabbage indicator. This is another of our engaging science tricks - making it do-able at home.
The other shows we have yet to put together include Solids, Liquids, Gases (I'm still trying to convince our director that it's fine to pour liquid nitrogen on people, but I don't think I'm gonna push it past H&S this time - maybe we can just pour it on each other) and All About Air, in which we make marshmallows expand in the vacuum pump - fun, visual stuff. And as Laura's a zoologist by nature, we're also making a show about animal poo - we know what 5 year-olds want!

So, accuracy = important; simplicity = important; FUN = most important of all to Laura and I on caffeine - the equivalent of any 5 year-old.