TED Talk: Reshma Saujani and Teaching Girls Bravery, Not Perfection

 The founder of Girls Who Code, Reshma Saujani discusses the difference between how many boys and girls are raised differently in terms of who is encouraged to take risks (boys) and who is encouraged to be perfect in all they do (girls). This is an interesting presentation that needs to be heard and addressed if we ever want to see greater numbers of women as leaders in science, business, and other fields where the are historically underrepresented, there is a strong argument to be made that this is the way to approach rising girls when young - risk taking is necessary for become a leader in anything, and could be something adults can have some influence on when girls are young.

Can the laws of Physics change over time?

 There is a published study that finds evidence something called the fine-structure constant has changed ever so slightly over the evolution of our universe. This, if true, will make us re-think a lot about our understanding and assumptions about 'universal constants' such as the speed of light, Planck's constant, the gravitational constant, and several others that are believed to be unchanging since the beginning of time. 

We can't know with any certainty if this new study is the final, accepted word on this topic, as many other groups will be going out to verify the results independently (which is how science is supposed to work). But over the years, we have wondered in class whether G, Newton's universal gravitational constant, could change over time? The reason we wonder is because Einstein says gravity is the consequence of curvatures in space and time. Well, since the universe is expanding and space and time can change and vary a lot locally, around big objects such as stars and galaxies, why would we expect G to be a universal constant since the stuff that allows for what we 'feel' as gravity is dynamic and changing?! 

We'll need to find out how this one goes when there are more studies into it! 

Meteorite has building blocks of life

 In a recent study published in the journal Science shows how a meteorite found in Costa Rica has organic molecules, as complex as amino acids, the building blocks of life (proteins). Many scientists have wondered if life was given a 'nudge' by molecules coming to earth from outer space, and this finding would suggest that was a real possibility. It also suggests there could be primitive life on other worlds since these organic molecules are found widespread in space, as well as water molecules. With trillions and trillions of other planets and galaxies out there, most scientists would find it difficult to Believe there isn't at least primitive single-celled or bacterial life out there! The chemistry is just too common and basic not to produce the pieces needed for simple life. Now intelligent life, who knows about that! 

Interesting Book on Quantum Computing - learn the basics

 Check out this book, titled Quantum Computing for the Quantum Curious. It is a good introduction for students into the quantum mechanics concepts and ideas, using minimal math, to understand what the next generation of quantum computers and other technologies are, how they work, and how they will be used in the world.