This is how to communicate science!

The Burke Museum did good with their opening day festivities for their new squid exhibit. Geoff Arnold visited the public squid dissection in Seattle, and returned with photos. We should all do more of this: not just talk about science, but get out there and get our hands dirty with our fellow citizens and show them really cool stuff. It sounds like they got a large crowd, too, with enthusiastic kids.

More like this

The Burke Museum is having some opening day festivities for their new exhibit, In Search of Giant Squid. They're having a public squid dissection, cephalopod poetry and art (not by, I don't think, but about) and various other entertaining and educational opportunities. True Pharyngula phans in the…
SETI Institute Engages the Public and Celebrates ScienceClick on images for larger view The cosmos can be mysteriously alluring to all -- from the young in age to the young at heart. In particular, space science and astrobiology fill us with wonder, amazement and awe -- but the scientists who work…
The following missive was slipped over my transom in the dead of night. It reveals a dark secret, a clandestine society that has been working for years to hide their origins and true purpose. It begins with a murder and wends its way through a series of codes that are, as it turns out, reducible…
I recently discovered this blog post from early January that mentions the USA Science and Engineering Festival. We would like to give a Shout out to Mary at The Open Helix Blog for her post on January 4th covering the science festival! Do you have a blog and would like to help us get the word out…

I was there, as promised. It was a close thing, dissecting that big Humboldt squid without shortening the noses of many future biologists.

Sorry I had to miss it. Glad they had a full house.
Yes, the Burke is a bit of am attic. Attics are wonderful places where much can be learned.

By Ken Mareld (not verified) on 23 Sep 2007 #permalink

I went to the exhibit opening (after seeing your previous post) with my three-year-old daughter. I agree that the dissection was excellent science communication. The crowd was very large and enthusiastic. Unfortunately, the exhibit was far less interesting than the dissection, because it was almost entirely posters, with just a few squid bits in jars.

On a not-entirely-unrelated note there is a Greek festival in Seattle this weekend. I will have dinner there tonight, sampling the calamari since I have squid on the mind now.

By James McCann (not verified) on 23 Sep 2007 #permalink

Sounds like it was real science too. Not just a fireworks palooza. Awesome.

Right on! Simple science: Questions begging for answers, followed by, "Ok, let's just go and take a look."

Followed by a few answers, lots of dashed preconceptions, and MANY MORE questions in a gloriously exponential climb. All the views from ANYWHERE on the slopes of Mt. Knowledge are sweet.

By Arnosium Upinarum (not verified) on 24 Sep 2007 #permalink

I was horrifed every time I heard this event advertised on public radio: "with live squid dissection."

No! Please don't be dissecting live squid! Can someone put my mind at ease?