It’s Monday so I still want to talk science but today, I want to be a little less specific than usual and a little less actual science related and more engaging science related television related. With the finale of the Mythbusters having come and gone, I’ve been thinking about science related shows. We actually watch or have watched a number of them. We had Mr. Wizard, Bill Nye, and Beakman. My kids had reruns and the Mythbusters. My youngest boy watches How It’s Made quite often but it isn’t the same thing.
It feels like there’s a void now – at least on television – and it makes me sad. Those kids science shows encouraged a love of the scientific method and experimentation. I know some adults who could still use a refresher – especially where causation and correlation is concerned. We watch a lot of the Science Channel – NASA’s Unexplained Files and most especially Outrageous Acts of Science – but it doesn’t actually feel the same. My kids end up watching their science online more often than not and there are perils and pitfalls there as not all YouTube videos are trustworthy but who doesn’t want to see what a ball of molten copper or nickle does to anything?
There is one season of Bill Nye The Science Guy on Netflix that we’ve watched and we’re waiting for more but there is an enormous void now and I hope someone comes along to fill it up. There are a few geared more for adults but not so much the kids and that’s who we need to focus on!
My favorite when I was younger was Bill Nye but Mythbusters took that spot when they premiered. It seems my youngest shares my preference – Nye and Busters both. My oldest son preferred Beakman’s World (probably because he was a little sillier). We need more smart TV that’s geared for kids and tweens – if they’re going to watch the idiot box, then put something a little more engaging on it!
Queen of my Geekdom 