Was Einstein Wrong? Quantum weirdness defies special relativity Also in this issue: • Nanotube Radios for Microbots • Fighting the TB Pandemic • A Concise Guide to Renewable Power • How Learning Preserves New Brain Cells • Detecting Secret Nuclear Tests
Scientific American, the oldest continuously published magazine in the U.S., has been bringing its readers unique insights about developments in science and technology for more than 150 years.
Scientific American Mind - February/March 2009 - Volume 20 - Number 1 - The Serious Need for Play
Every parent has probably suffered from this type of near catastrophe. My husband and I realized--too late--that we had forgotten to pack toys and books to entertain our older daughter, then about five, during a long drive. Our guilt soon turned to amusement tinged with open admiration. She solved the problem her own way: her feet instantly became two friendly characters cavorting together across her mental stage, with her narrating out loud for our benefit.
The drive to play is strong. But who knew that goofing off as children could be so constructive when it comes to establishing the long-term mental health of adults? As Melinda Wenner writes in the cover story, "The Serious Need for Play," frolicking in unstructured free play (as opposed to planned and rules-based activities such as chess clubs or after-school sports teams) is particularly critical for youngsters. Imaginary play and tumbling around in the sort of mock battles that my parents used to call "roughhousing" are both key for children to successfully acquire social skills, reduce stress, improve cognition and develop problem-solving abilities. Grown-ups can benefit from play breaks, too. We just have to remember to set the stage for our own fun times.
Covering everything from fossilised dinosaurs to intelligent apes, this is an accessible guide to one of the most important scientific theories of all time. Burt Guttman assumes no prior scientific knowledge on the part of the reader, and explains each of the key ideas and concepts, including natural selection, genetics and the evolution of animal behaviour, in a lively and informative way. Looking ahead to the future of evolutionary theory, and assessing its possible implications for the way we understand morality, human nature and our place in the world, this book provides the perfect starting point for understanding what evolution is and why it matters.
The two fields of Geometric Modeling and Algebraic Geometry, though closely related, are traditionally represented by two almost disjoint scientific communities.
