Science isn't cool because of explosions and fireworks. I've never like the idea of "bribing" people into being interested in science. The sense of wonder that comes with understanding how things work - amazing technologies coming out of new discoveries - the universe is an amazing place full of unexpected things, seeing and understanding them is what's exciting. I wish there was a way to teach THAT.

I think there's an age when that type of understanding is the drive, but for a lot of kids, at this age, it's all about the bang. The big factor for me was seeing events in a natural environment and wanting to understand them, whereas a huge portion of the population is insulated in a big city and isolated from these experiences. In rural areas, I think there are more kids that ARE interested in the sciences, because it's very real for them. I just don't think that's as available in a more urban setting.

Wow, all that sounds cool. Wonder who their insurance carrier is.

NOTHING will EVER top bill nye the science guy.

Bill Nye is amazing. I saw him last year at a lecture he gave. He helped put a sun dial on one of the mars rovers along with a lot of other things. Once again, he is amazing.

I totally agree.
It's rather sad when the education system as become so watered down with flash and bang that a student would no longer recognized academic material if it hit them in the face.
It's also sad to hear a kid talk about how they love science, but after a little bit, all you could do is roll your eyes and think "yeah, right."


And Bill Nye is, in fact, the winner.

The article says that a 5 kg meteor could flatten 4 square kilometres. This means it would destroy things a kilometre away, which seems totally wrong. I once saw a medium-size meteor hit the Earth, and it blasted a crater, but from my vantage point a kilometre away, you could barely hear the impact.

Whether it's phyics, chemistry, biology, Poetry, French, Home Economics or Woodwork, an initial hook is a good place to start.

You have to back it up with good, solid, rounded and interesting teaching, but there's no harm in starting with a flash and a bang to draw people in.

The problem comes (and this is where I think we'd be in agreement) is that if you follow up the first explosion with a second, no-one learns anything other than to expect more and bigger bangs. And that doesn't get anyone anywhere.