What did you learn this week? Let us know in the comments or at education@ngs.org.

This week, we learned …

… crosswalk buttons are just one example of “placebo buttons” that don’t actually do anything.

• Do you think “placebo buttons” are helpful to pedestrians? Why or why not?
• Do some tests in your neighborhood! Does pressing a crosswalk button really hasten a red light?
• Video: How do placebos impact our decision-making?

 

… fish pee may help save coral reefs, and a fisherman found a 75-pound pearl in a giant clam.

• What would you do if you found a 75-pound pearl? Would your answer change if it was a 75-pound diamond? Why?
• Study Guide: How does the power of poop fuel the circle of life in the ocean?

 

… Uganda may be the best place to be a refugee.

• Would you change U.S. policy to make it more welcoming to refugees? Why or why not? If yes, how?
• Map: Take a look at Africa and navigate where refugees to Uganda may emigrate from.

 

… how designers and scientists are using bees to map microbes.

• What are some other ways you might map a neighborhood’s microbial residents?
• Study Guide: How have microbes helped trace human migration?

 

… college won’t train you for a job. It will make you a better person.

• What is a job or major you are considering? How does it balance interest and difficulty?
• Do you think there is a difference between “college education” and “workforce development”? Why or why not?
• PDF: How does the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards prepare students for the challenges of both colleges and careers?

 

… all about the science of farts. No, really.

• How much space does a fart take in your body? This is the first in a series of “Science Questions from a Toddler.” What are some other toddler-ready science queries? Can you answer them?
• Video: How do fish use farts to communicate?

 

… a tiny relative of the jelly just shut down the Jellystone Yellowstone River.

• Would you shut down a popular tourist area in your region if a parasite was threatening a species of fish? Why or why not?
• Would you shut down a popular tourist area in your region if a parasite was threatening a species of insect? Why or why not? Would it make a difference if the insect was a mosquito or a butterfly?
• Photo Study Guide: How do bloodthirsty parasites drink up?

 

… how South Africa’s first black female pilot is helping other African women take off.

• What are some other “untraditional” jobs for women?
• Study Guide: How have women contributed to male-dominated fields such as physics and math?

 

… the world’s biggest record collection—more than six million albums—might become a public archive.

• Besides vinyl records, what are some other ways to listen to recorded music?
• Do you think of recorded music in terms of individual songs or collections of songs, such as playlists or albums? Why?
• Educator Spotlight: How can music education engage a local community?

 

… a brief history of chairs. It’s more fascinating than you think.

• Think of different chair types—folding chairs, desks, office chairs, benches, thrones. What do they signify? Could one be replaced by another?
• Video: What if, in the future, a chair could morph its shape to fit your own unique body so it is truly comfortable?