Scientists at ECOCEAN are using pattern-recognition software developed for NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope program to recognize individual whale sharks, which are covered with small, white spots on a dark background similar to a starry night sky. I wrote a short news piece about it for the May/June 2007 issue of KNOW–The Science Magazine for Curious Kids.
This was a fun assignment — find out what local elementary schools and teachers are doing to teach philanthropy and community to their students. There were some great ideas, and the enthusiam behind the projects was truly inspirational! “Little kids can make a big difference,” ParentMap, December 2006
This short article, about newborn screening tests, was the second half of BabyMap’s Decision Digest column for the Fall/Winter 2006 issue. “Prenatal and newborn screening tests,” BabyMap, Fall/Winter 2006
This short article, about the pros and cons of various prenatal tests, was the first half of BabyMap’s Decision Digest column for the Fall/Winter 2006 issue. “Prenatal and newborn screening tests,” BabyMap, Fall/Winter 2006
Despite the not-so-glamorous subject matter, my short news piece for kids about San Francisco’s dog poop recycling looks great! You can check it out on page 5 of the Sept/Oct 2006 issue of KNOW–The Science Magazine for Curious Kids (published in Canada, for ages 6–9).
Here’s another somewhat controversial topic: should babies and young children take swimming lessons? The AAP says they’re not ready, but many parents (including myself) believe there are big benefits to starting early. “Should your baby swim?, ParentMap, July 2006
On May 14th, the UN sought to remind people that the Congo remains world’s deadliest catastrophe. The problem is, who in the world even knows that 1,200 people are dying there every day, or that three months ago the United Nations launched an appeal for $682 million to provide the needed water, food, medical assistance, shelter and protection? Yes, we’re
I enjoy doing these Decision Digest columns for BabyMap because I get to explore both sides of a controversial topic and then try to present an unbiased summary of all the pros and cons. So many of the questions we encounter as parents don’t have a “right” answer. We gather all the (often conflicting) information we can, and then we
Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was born in Ghana without the tibia in his right leg, leaving it deformed and useless. His father abandoned him. His mother was told to kill him. That is just what it means to be disabled in Ghana. Fortunately, his mother was strong, and raised Yeboah to have high expectations for himself, even if nobody else did. In
If you ever find yourself searching for inspiration about the feasibility of attempting to change the world, then you must read Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World, by Tracy Kidder. It is about the efforts of Dr. Farmer to bring health care to the poorest of the poor, mostly in