Science
Science for everyone
A way to figure things out
You want a paper airplane to fly better. Watch how it flies and think about what could improve its flight. Make one change, fly it again, and see what happens. You are acting like a scientist and learning the basics of aerodynamics, one change at a time.
By the way, if you think paper airplanes are just kids’ toys, think again. Leonardo Da Vinci used paper to build a model of the first helicopter prototype. Long before their first airplane flight, Wilbur and Orville Wright were inspired by a flying paper toy.
Mystery Science & Mystery.org
Helping kids stay curious
Currently, I create science activities for kids at Mystery Science, an elementary school science curriculum designed to inspire students and teachers to love science. At our related site, Mystery.org, we are creating the go-to resource for curious kids, a place where they can find kid-friendly answers to questions kids actually ask. Our goal: to develop the next generation of problem solvers.
The Exploratorium
Writing for a hands-on museum
For more than 20 years, I was senior writer at the Exploratorium, San Francisco’s museum of science, art, and human perception. Working at the Exploratorium trained me to explore, experiment, ask questions, and write clearly and concisely. As the museum’s Director of Publications, I edited the museum’s quarterly magazine and developed books, kits, and web products from idea through completion.
Fantasy & Science Fiction
Essays about science
From 1998 to 2010, in collaboration with physicist Paul Doherty, I wrote essays on science for Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine, on topics ranging from special relativity to the Monty Hall problem. All are currently available online.
Klutz & science toys
Making toys
For me, the line between science activities and science toys is a blurry one. My work at Klutz, the publisher of Juggling for the Complete Klutz, crossed over from science writer to toy maker. My favorite projects involved creating tools and toys — from a paper telescope that actually worked to paper dragons that actually flew, from “impossible” objects to chain reaction machines.
