Great piece on NPR this morning... new research using old technology leading to advances that may drastically improve life for many people. 

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/12/135598390/mind-reading-technology-turns-thought-into-action

It is called ECog and refers to using electrocorticography to monitor electrical signals in the brain. New science research is leading then very close to enabling computers to just about “read minds” and thus enable people who have lost mobility or speech to move or speak again simply by thinking. The  ultimate results of this technology are potentially mind boggling, and of interest, of course, not only to the health industry but also to the military. Imagine a pilot of a jet fighter being able to control the functions of his plane by simply thinking! 

We live in an age where technology is advancing at a break neck pace. Increases in the knowledge of humanity move not in a linear fashion but rather geometrically. Each advance increases not only the speed with which we reach the next stage, but also the number of directions in which our scientific and technological knowledge increase. Imagine the centuries it took to move from stone tools to steel, from simple levers to the great machines of the 19th and 20th centuries. Now remember that the Wright brothers first flew in a heavier than air machine barely 100 years ago and then look at what we have today. More recently, remember the first computers entered the marketplace only recently in the grand scheme and yet today they are inescapable and changing our world. And the pace of change is rapidly increasing.

So it is vital that our children be prepared for this brave new world. They will see things we cannot even begin to imagine, and much of it will be based in science and technology. Implanting in them a love of science, and a fearless curiosity about technology is crucial to our future success.

Elementary aged children have minds like little sponges, soaking up everything around them. So it is vital that what we place around them be what we want them to absorb. In schools across the country, teachers and administrators, challenged by budget shortfalls, have a difficult time showing children the excitement inherent in science and technology. But science assemblies and enrichment programs are tailor made for this very purpose! A science assembly featuring simple physics may awaken a life long love. A science assembly  exploring simple chemistry may open doors to future careers. A visit from Ben Franklin or Thomas Edison may lead to the worlds next great breakthrough invention. The possibilities are limitless!

We all know kids need a break from regular class time, and there is no denying the fun factor with a juggler or a ventriloquist, but the same entertainment value may be achieved with a science assembly but with the added benefit of enhancing and helping to move forward the very curriculum students are in school to learn.

As we approach the end of this school year it is a great time to explore how you will help your children better prepare for a brave new world during the coming year. A science assembly may be one of the nicest and most important things you can do for them!