Adam Ruben, PhD
Writer, Comedian, and Molecular Biologist
Saturday, September 11, 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center
2nd Floor (West Room)
4805 Edgemoor Lane
Bethesda, MD [map] [directions]
(Bethesda Metro station)
FREE admission – Everyone welcome, members and non-members
October 18: "It Came From the Science Fair" by Adam Ruben,
is now online for viewing on You Tube: https://youtu.be/9H-pPCPvAMg
What are the most
common mistakes kids make when preparing projects for
science fairs? What can we learn from these events about
the way science is taught and understood? And can we all
please agree, once and for all, that science has learned all
it needs to learn from measuring classmates' heart rates
before and after playing video games? In this talk,
scientist/comedian Adam Ruben will share some of the most
bizarre, most inadvisable, least scientifically rigorous
science projects he's judged and talk about their
implications for the future of science education.
Adam Ruben is a writer, comedian, and molecular biologist. He has performed stand-up comedy and told stories on stage for more than 20 years. Adam has appeared on The Food Network, The Travel Channel, The Weather Channel, Discovery International, Netflix, and NPR. He currently hosts The Science Channel shows Outrageous Acts of Science and What on Earth? and is a writer for the Emmy-nominated PBS KIDS show Elinor Wonders Why. Adam is the author of two books, Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School (Random House, 2010) and Pinball Wizards: Jackpots, Drains, and the Cult of the Silver Ball (Chicago Review Press, 2017), and writes the monthly science humor column "Experimental Error" in the otherwise respectable journal Science.
Message to Current and Prospective NCAS Members
In response to the economic hardship and other uncertainties that our members may be facing, in 2020 NCAS automatically extended by one year all memberships that expire in 2020 or later. Payment will be accepted for new memberships as well as renewals for 2019 and before: new and renewed will have a bonus year added. Each life member may sponsor a new one-year membership at no charge. (Double life memberships may sponsor two.) Send your sponsored member's name and contact information to ncas@ncas.org. This offer will continue until further notice.
Shermer and Swiss
Magician/skeptic (and NCAS co-founder) Jamy Ian Swiss
discussed his book, The Conjuror’s Conundrum, with
Michael Shermer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
September PhACT
Lecture
Our skeptical neighbors to the
north, the Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking
(PhACT), will host their next online event on Saturday,
September 18 at 2 PM ET. Steven Novella, MD will discuss
the various aspects of the "clean eating" fad, from avoiding
GMOs, processed food, and the villain food of the week, to
claims for antioxidants, superfoods, and miracle diets.
Event details at http://www.phact.org/meetings.
Speaking of PhACT Yours truly, NCAS President Scott Snell (pictured at back left), enjoyed PhACT's hospitality at their annual picnic in Fort Washington State Park on Saturday, July 24. PhACT members joined me in a toast to science, which had allowed us to safely gather for the occasion. (Little did we know that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant would be forcing caution onto social events just a matter of days later.)
AmazonSmile:
Thanks to our members who are supporting NCAS!
When shopping at smile.amazon.com, you'll find
the same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping
experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that a
portion of the purchase price (0.5%) goes to NCAS! It's
simple and automatic, and it doesn't cost you anything!
AmazonSmile's disbursements to NCAS in the second quarter of
2021 came to $24.84, meaning that nearly $5000 of purchases
were designated in support of NCAS. (As an example of how
NCAS can put that money to good use, it's more than enough
to cover an hour of a Montgomery County lecture room
rental.)
Thanks again to our members who have chosen to support NCAS!
For more information:
https://press.aboutamazon.com/
Shadow Light
Some members and contacts of NCAS receive a postal notification of this and every new monthly Shadow of a Doubt. The Shadow Light postcard announces the monthly lecture and highlights of the electronic Shadow of a Doubt, which is available online at ncas.org/p/shadow.html. NCAS thereby reduces Shadow production and postage costs. To further reduce costs, members and contacts can opt out of postal notification altogether, while continuing to receive Shadow of a Doubt via e-mail. To opt out, send us an e-mail at ncas@ncas.org.
Time to Renew?
Be sure to check your renewal date above your postal address on the Shadow Light postcard. Send any queries to ncas@ncas.org. Use the online membership form to renew.
