Science Makes Me Say: Can I Haz Sum Puppeez?
I am a sucker for adorable baby animals. I saw the video posted below and was reminded of the scientific reasons I, and so many others, may be drawn to baby animals. It's all because of SCIENCE! ... and a bit of sentimentality.
This is the first non-technical science essay I remember reading 20 years ago. Stephen J. Gould wrote about the evolutionary reasons for baby animals, including humans, for being so adorable. He creatively used the changes over time of Mickey Mouse's shape to illustrate the same changes, in reverse, in baby animals. Mickey changed from the rat-like character in Steamboat Willie to the baby-like mouse we see today. Baby birds and mammals start out with very rounded heads and big eyes and as they grow become less 'cute'. These features illicit care-giving in adults. After reading that essay I became enthralled by all science writers, bought books by Gould, David Quammen, E.O. Wilson, and many others. I saw that writing about science for a general audience can be complex, entertaining, understandable and educational. Science doesn't have to be dry. So now, as I face completing my dissertation, I look forward to writing articles for the popular press as much as I look forward to getting published in academic journals, if not more so.
Now, for that video of adorable puppies that make me want to "Adopt All The Puppeez!"
This is the first non-technical science essay I remember reading 20 years ago. Stephen J. Gould wrote about the evolutionary reasons for baby animals, including humans, for being so adorable. He creatively used the changes over time of Mickey Mouse's shape to illustrate the same changes, in reverse, in baby animals. Mickey changed from the rat-like character in Steamboat Willie to the baby-like mouse we see today. Baby birds and mammals start out with very rounded heads and big eyes and as they grow become less 'cute'. These features illicit care-giving in adults. After reading that essay I became enthralled by all science writers, bought books by Gould, David Quammen, E.O. Wilson, and many others. I saw that writing about science for a general audience can be complex, entertaining, understandable and educational. Science doesn't have to be dry. So now, as I face completing my dissertation, I look forward to writing articles for the popular press as much as I look forward to getting published in academic journals, if not more so.
Now, for that video of adorable puppies that make me want to "Adopt All The Puppeez!"
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