"Don't You Know Anything About the Physics of Gravity, Mommy?"

I was not a good science student, maybe lack of interest more than anything else...Ernie Kliengartner, my High School Biology teacher finally managed to cram a minimal understanding into my head.  In college, I worked my ass off in Bio102---I wanted the grade ya know...and I think the prof was generous, giving me a B-.

When my eldest son at five years old asked me, "Don't you know anything about the physics of gravity mommy?"  I knew without a doubt, he had a natural ability to comprehend scientific concepts that I do not.  I thought it was so cool when he, and later his younger brother, effortlessly grasped concepts that  required more effort--and years--for me to understand.  It still is cool--any adult who doesn't understand that learning/teaching is bi-directional, not dependent upon age, but on being open-minded; is not much of a "grown-up."


Ben Goldacre had a couple of great stories a while back on, "how often children are able to spot bullshit, and how often adults want to shut them up." check it out at Bad Science