Climate vs Weather

An article in "The Conversation" recently very simply describes the difference between 'climate' and 'weather'. In short the authors (Truen & Braganza) say...

Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get. 
Climate is a statistical description of weather. It describes ...

• the average weather experienced over a period of time — over either a single location, or over a large region

• how variable the weather is around those averages

• trends in weather patterns — longer-term changes in weather that are distinct from the shorter-term variability.

So next time you hear the term 'climate change' don't think of just a hot day but what that hot day means to all the averages in weather statistics.

Read the article and find out more.

Teach Kids Computer Programming

What an inspirational talk given by Mitch Resnick on TED - Let's teach Kids to Code.

Follow up with your kids at the Scratch website and see what you and they can achieve.

A great rainy day activity when all they want to do is watch TV or play computer games. Give them the skill to make their own computer games.

Wildlife Fun for Kids

Just found this site...

http://www.wildlifefun4kids.com/

It has such a lot of fun ideas. I'll add it to my website list at the side as well so I can keep track of it.

Reusable Nappies

Now here is someone with something to back up the use of cloth nappies (reusable nappies) rather than filling our world with 'disposable nappies'. I remember holidays with washing lines strung through the car and windows slightly open to dry cloth nappies as we went.

Nappy days: dith the disposables.

Asimov - The Relativity of Wrong

Now here is an essay worth reading. It was written by Issac Asimov.

http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm

SuperBetter Game

The SuperBetter Game can benefit your recovery from illness or trauma or just improve your health ... 'by increasing your personal resilience. Resilience means staying curious, optimistic and motivated even in the face of the toughest challenges.'

It improves your

• physical resilience - making sure you do not sit still for more than an hour
• mental resilience - improving your will power
• emotional resilience - by promoting curiosity and other positive emotions
• social resilience - by providing opportunities for gratitude and touch

Apparently for a healthy, longer life we need at ratio of 3:1 positive to negative emotions in a day so if you've had a whole heap of negative emotions lately it is time to find a bigger heap of positive ones.

Here is a TedTalk by Jane McGonigal that explains all.

Science is more than freaks and circuses

Here is food for thought for those involved in Science education and communication and related fields. From ABC's The Drum comes Science is more than freaks and circuses.