I think it is incredibly important to encourage girls to get involved with science, engineering, math and technology (STEM). Looking just at the screen snap above, I would have laughed it off as a poor attempt at trying to appeal to girls. Then I sat and watched the full ad released by the European Commission as part of campaign to attract girls to STEM careers. Go ahead and watch it… I’ll wait.
Continue ReadingAs an avid Pixar fan who has seen all of the Pixar films so many times that I have the scripts memorized, I have been waiting, patiently, for Brave for some time now. I have savored every teaser trailer and stared in wonderment at the beautiful Scottish princess with the wild red hair and blue eyes who is determined to change her fate. So, does Brave live up to the hype? For the most part, yes. I had forgotten that Disney’s acquisition of Pixar allows Disney to put its princess stamp on a Pixar film, even if it muddles and otherwise awesome film.
Continue ReadingThe latest Pixar animated short La Luna, written and directed by Enrico Casarosa, is nothing short of a masterpiece. La Luna is the longest ever Pixar short at 7 minutes, and is featured at the beginning of Disney/Pixar’s Brave.There is a reason why this short has already been nominated for a 2012 Academy Award for Best Short Film, Animated and 2012 Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject. I am an astrophysicist by training, so its likely that anything with stars and the moon is generally to get acclaims from me, and while obviously not scientifically accurate, this story has the making of a legend.
Continue ReadingWe here at GeekMom are humming with excitement over the latest teaser image release showing Princess Merida sword playing with her father King Fergus.
Continue ReadingEver since becoming a writer for GeekMom, I’ve found that there are geeky gifts lurking around every corner, you just have to know YOUR geek. Read about some last minute suggestions for Father’s Day.
Continue ReadingTonight is the last time that any of us will be able to view the transit of Venus across the solar plane. The planets won’t be in such perfect alignment for another 105 years, so head outside and carefully watch the celestial bodies dance before your eyes.
Continue ReadingThe United States’ Landsat Earth observing program is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. This program has allowed scientists from all over the world to observe landscape changes on a massive scale through detailed photography of the Earth’s surface. To celebrate this historic anniversary, NASA is offering the chance for six lucky members of the American public to receive a chronicle of Landsat images from the past 40 years. Learn more about Landsat and enter NASA’s contest.
Continue ReadingStephen Pakbaz has been working on a Lego 1:20 scale model replica of the Mars Curiosity rover, currently on its way to the red planet aboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). Would you buy scientifically accurate models? Come support this cause.
Continue Reading1 in 8 women suffer infertility. 1 in 4 women suffer a miscarriage or infant loss. These women are still mothers, and I want you to know you aren’t forgotten.
Continue ReadingMaurice Sendak passed away today from complications of a recent stroke, at the age of 83. Sendak was one of the most acclaimed and important children’s book authors of the 20th century. Sendak was specifically known for more than a dozen picture books that he illustrated himself, the most famous being Where the Wild Things […]
Continue ReadingI’m guessing when you think of the Nation’s Capital, it’s likely your thoughts steer more towards politics and government, rather than science and engineering. Living in the DC area has always proved to be full of interesting places to visit and sights to see. I will admit that I take for granted the attractions of the […]
Continue ReadingIf you see a shooting star, do you stop and make a wish? No? You should, it’s fun! OK, OK … so a shooting star isn’t really a “star,” nor is it “shooting.” It is a meteorite burning up upon re-entry into the Earth atmosphere. (I suppose that’s not as romantic a description as a shooting […]
Continue ReadingThrowing a first birthday party is usually a festive affair, filled with balloons and cake and presents. When our first son turned one we centered the whole party around his favorite stuffed animal, a Paul Frank Monkey. We knew we wanted to do something different for our second son’s first birthday party, something that even […]
Continue Reading“Don’t be bored… Make Something!” This is Joey Hudy’s mantra. Joey first came to my (and most of the rest of the world’s) attention when he and President Obama shot a marshmallow cannon in the White House during the 2012 White House Science Fair. I even reported on a video about the incident shortly after […]
Continue ReadingMy three year old just brought his Lego car creations to life. How you might ask? The new Makego app for the iPhone or iPod Touch. Makego is available on the iTunes store for two dollars. Let your kids create a car, boat or truck, slip your device in and breathe life into their once […]
Continue ReadingWith the travel season right around the corner, I bet you are wondering how to keep your kids entertained during those long car rides. If you are like me, you know that movies and games on your iPad or iPhone are great ways for kids to pass the time. I’ve fallen in love with two […]
Continue ReadingThis week there have been a number of reviews for various baby products that we recommend for use. Since we are all moms here at GeekMom, a week would never be enough to cover all of the items that we found most useful in raising our babies. Below you will find 10 additional items that […]
Continue ReadingLast night between 7 pm and 8 pm EST, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center reported an X5 solar flare, one of the biggest of this incredibly active solar cycle. Solar flares are generally followed by coronal mass ejections (CME) that create a solar wind pushing ionized particles away from the sun where they can be caught by […]
Continue ReadingWhen mixing flour, egg, salt and water to make pasta, I’d guess the only math you consider is how many minutes you have left before the kids will be begging for dinner. I’d guess that you never really contemplated the mathematical beauty of that rigatoni or cavatappi that you are eating. Thats not the way […]
Continue ReadingSo are you going to watch for the red carpet fashions, the hilarious antics of host Billy Crystal or to find out which of the prospective films will be crowned Best Picture? There is one little girl that has done her research for the past two years, baby Sophia! She is the star of a […]
Continue Reading