Do you think kids don't pay attention these days? There could be some scientific evidence of that, as Don and Ya?l discuss in this Moment of Science. Don: Kids these days! They have no respect. They don't know the value of a dollar. They can't pay at...
The Spiderwick Chronicles, based on a best-selling novel for young people, has no doubt been eagerly awaited by the book's fans, which will most likely be pleased by the filmmakers' visualization of the story's many goblins, fairies, sprites and othe...
The movie 21 offers the appealing notion that success is just a matter of number crunching and calculation. Learn to count the cards in Las Vegas and you'll never struggle for money again. There's a catch: You have to be an exceptional MIT student. D...
Directed and co-written by Andy Tennant (Hitch), the sunken-treasure romance-adventure flick Fool's Gold revolves around a quest for the fabled Queen's Dowry: a boatload of gold and jewels meant to seal a royal marriage deal, that sank in the Caribbe...
Dear Annie: I have a question regarding the etiquette of using handicapped stalls in public restrooms. Are they to be used only by the handicapped, or is it OK for others to utilize them if there are no handicapped persons in the restroom? I often se...
Don: Yael, I'm going to take some vacation time so I can visit Chicago before it sinks and disappears. I mean, I'd like to see the Sears Tower and eat some deep-dish pizza before it goes. Yael: Relax, Don. Although Chicago is sinking, we're only talk...
If you're not already convinced that regular exercise is important to stay healthy, now there is yet another reason to break a sweat, especially if you're a woman: breast cancer. Several studies have linked exercise to lowering the risk of developing...
Mike: Hey, Amanda! How come you're wearing a suit? I've never seen you dressed so formally! Amanda: It's because I have a job interview this afternoon at the department store. I responded to a newspaper advertisement for a summer job by sending my re...
Public reaction to a recent proposal at Soochow University to rein in the number of appearances faculty members may make on talk shows was swift and negative. Various voices argued in favor of reasonable involvement by university instructors in polit...
Don: You know, Yael, wouldn't you say we do a pretty good job here at A Moment of Science? Yael: Of course I would, Don. D: Okay, but what if I told you that studies show that in general Americans do a pretty lousy job of estimating their skills, kno...
Speed Racer is an adaptation of the beloved 1960s Japanese anime classic. The movie visibly pushes the boundaries that separate animation and live action by creating moments of surprising beauty, often to striking effect. Speed Racer begins with a fa...
He speeds into battle in a fiery flash, laying waste to all challengers. That's not just Iron Man but the film's likely box-office outcome, too, as the summer's top hit. Movie studios and exhibitors are desperate for a hit, with 2008 attendance down...
Amid the shocking events that occurred on September 11th, one of the most startling was the sight of the collapse of the Twin Towers soon after hijacked planes hit them. In this Moment of Science we explain how and why the collapse occurred. Designed...
Mike: Hi, Amanda. What's that magazine you're reading? That's a humongous picture of Leehom Wang on the cover! Amanda: Oh, this is just one of the celebrity gossip rags I like to read. How else am I supposed to get the latest dirt on Taiwan's pop sta...
Don: I'm trying to write a poem to my sweetheart. Can you think of a good metaphor for love? Yael: How about hunger or thirst? D: I don't know about that. I was thinking something like love is a rose, except less clich. Y: You must be talking about a...
