So the other day I was walking up the creek in my backyard with my son and he asked me, "Dad how do we know if the creek water is clean?"

That’s nothing – I explained 6.5 years of research in 45 minutes at my dissertation defense.  Explained probably isn't the right word...how about "bored to tears".
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I came across this interesting interview of Bill Nye (the Science Guy) and thought it should be shared.  I remember meeting Bill Nye at a Congressional Briefing on STEM education a few years ago and was struck with his passion. 

The thickness of a single sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers.  So is the width of a human hair....

BBC news is reporting on a new type of research that may get aboard the International Space Station in 2013.  This Russian-led endeavor would try to use the vacuum of space to create ultra-pure crystals.  We can't do this on Earth because, unlike a perfect vacuum, there is always something hanging out that will lead to an impurity in the crystal.

Check out the piece in this week's Chemical and Engineering News about a lab explosion at Texas Tech.

 

He believed that the compound was safe when “wet,” so he added some hexane and—wearing safety goggles but working at a bench in the middle of the lab, with no blast shield —“very gently, very, very gently” used a pestle to try to break up the chunks.

Vice President Biden and Secretary Chu will be speaking today about a new report showing how ARRA funds have benefited science and technology.  It should be pretty interesting.

Are you a graduate level scientist or engineer looking for a way to burst into the DC policy scene?  There is no better opportunity than serving as a National Academies Science and Technology Policy Fellow.  As a 2009 graduate, I can attest that an Academies S&T Fellowship will provide you a courtside seat into the inner workings of Congress and other lawmaking bodies.  Fellows get to directly work with the people that influence policy decisions while developing their research skills in new and exciting ways.  Whether you’re looking for a career transition into science policy, or just want a taste of what DC has to offer, the Academies Fellowship can provide either.  
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The Earth and Moon from 114 million miles:

 

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