Every budding engineer must study advanced mathematics in college or earlier, and to some the prospect is less than exciting. Otherwise capable students might steer clear of science and engineering altogether, just to spare themselves the multi-variable calculus.

Math-aversion has reached epidemic levels in America – recent studies rank the U.S. at the bottom of the developed world when it comes to proficiency in mathematics.

So how can teachers hope to foster enthusiasm for numbers in such an environment? That’s the question driving the Museum of Mathematics (also known as MoMath), a new repository of mathematical delights slated to open in Manhattan next year.

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Tags: Activities, Mathematics, Museums

Would you like your silly putty to be able to stick to the fridge, eat magnets, and creepily ooze without your assistance? If so, you should definitely check out this DIY activity from Instructables.

Silly putty was invented by accident when James Wright, a Scottish engineer working for General Electric, mixed silicone oil with boric acid in an attempt to make artificial rubber. By 1949 the bouncing putty was packaged and sold as a toy, and was met with instant popularity.

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Filed under: Chemical, e-News, Materials | 3 Comments »

Tags: Activities, Chemical, Materials