Last month President Obama announced a new “Educate to Innovate” program, aimed at raising American K-12 students “…from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math over the next decade.”

While Obama’s new program will bring loads of new science programming to television shows like Sesame Street and the Discovery Channel, I just wonder if this $ is directed at the real issue – helping underserved youth and their families find ways to prioritize education and learning. Are kids from underserved communities really watching the Discovery Channel? (Read more…)

While home with the flu yesterday, I watched several episodes of Discovery Channel’s Cash Cab – the surprisingly entertaining show where unsuspecting New York cab riders are invited to participate in a quiz show (and win cash) while riding in a cab to their destination.

Almost every “ride” featured a basic science/health trivia question.  A sampling:

1. In 1953, scientists Watson and rick discovered that DNA takes what unique shape? (Read more…)