Too Much Information

Does curiosity kill the . . . classroom?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. A-B-C-D…but your kid has no interest! What was fun yesterday is a big YAWN today!  Jenny Wang from Rutgers University and colleagues wondered what level of knowledge sparks children’s curiosity. They

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Blockheads

Are the building blocks for math skills… literal building blocks? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.  Luis builds a tower. Kim builds a town. Rosie crashes in, and it all falls down! Building blocks are great for preschoolers playing pretend, but do they REALLY teach

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Muddy Boots

You kids better not track that mud into the house! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science…remembering something my mother used to say. Or more like, yell! But science asks: Could dirt actually be GOOD for you? Marja Roslund from the University of Helsinki, Finland and

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Loud Learning

BEEP BEEP! HONK HONK!  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.  The damage from vehicle emissions to our environment is obvious. But what about noise pollution’s toll on US? Enter Maria Foraster and colleagues from the IS Global Research Institute in Spain.  They examined the effects

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Hey Siri

Alexa, play “Baby Shark.” Alexa, PLAY “BABY SHARK”! ALEXA?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Kids can get pretty chatty with Alexa and Siri – even though they’re just “virtual assistants!” How does that affect the way they talk to REAL people?  Enter Alexis Hiniker

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Too Much Information

Does curiosity kill the . . . classroom?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. A-B-C-D…but your kid has no interest! What was fun yesterday is a big YAWN today!  Jenny Wang from Rutgers University and colleagues wondered what level of knowledge sparks children’s curiosity. They

Continue reading

Blockheads

Disordered building blocks of different colors

Are the building blocks for math skills… literal building blocks? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Luis builds a tower. Kim builds a town. Rosie crashes in, and it all falls down! Building blocks are great for preschoolers playing pretend, but do they REALLY teach

Continue reading

Muddy Boots

Feet of two people wearing raining boots jumping in the mud

You kids better not track that mud into the house! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science…remembering something my mother used to say. Or more like, yell! But science asks: Could dirt actually be GOOD for you? Marja Roslund from the University of Helsinki, Finland, and

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Sweet Tooth

Assorted candies in bowls.

Think YOUR sweet tooth gets you in trouble? That’s nothing compared to Hansel and Gretel! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Birthday cake! Juice boxes! Froot Loops! Kids LOVE sugar! But just how much — and WHY? Sara Petty and her team at University of

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Little Champs

How do kids have so much BLEEPING energy? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Young children can scream and run around all day. It’s like they have enough energy to be Olympic athletes… But could they really? Anthony Birat and colleagues at Clermont-Auvergne University decided

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