Put a Little Science in Your Life

Brian Greeene, a physics professor at Columbia University and an author of a few popular science books, wrote an op-ed piece for the NYTimes arguing for a shift in science education away from the technical details to the big ideas. Science, he says, is more than just the little bits of technical knowledge, but is instead a perspective on the world, a way to explain the big questions of our time.

As the year finishes off, I hope that you'll continue to pursue science beyond the classroom. We have science to thank for almost every part of our modern lives, from the electronic gadgets we cherish to the medical advances extending our lifespans to the global warming crisis threatening to change our world forever. Your science teacher is just one source of information. Read books, magazines, newspapers, and websites, watch discovery channel, debate with your friends over important issues of the day.

Best of luck in the 8th grade and beyond.