Education

Everyone knows by now President Obama loves his BlackBerry! Well, hold onto your hats. There's a new gadget in town and it is targeting the younger generation!

"Billy, don't touch the grill." Two seconds later... "Billy! What did I tell you? Don't touch the grill!" Two seconds later... "Waaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!" Yeah. Billy touched the grill. It's difficult to get things through to kids when it comes to safety. But this game may just give parents a fighting chance.

Remember the days of your youth when you had to compete in the annual science fair? I do. And this kit sparked a few recollections from my past--and why I never really liked science fairs...

The words "DNA extraction" and "toy" seem incongruous to me. Yet here it is--a kit that allows children to sample DNA... and do stuff with it.

In the interest of having something to do, I guess, researchers at Ohio State University found that pets can provide support, companionship, and stress relief for college students who live with their pets. Now more than ever, college students need whatever help they can get to overcome the stresses encountered on the bridge from home to career. Better dogs than drugs.

I'm sometimes amazed at what qualifies to be a toy. For example, I wouldn't put a chainsaw--yes, a real chainsaw--in the toy category. Nor would I list surgical rip spreaders among the list of items that I would let a kid play with. But somehow, the DIY Blood Type Testing Kit slides into the toy arena--with interesting results.

The Astro-Blaster Collision Accelerator simulates the destruction of a star. I, for one, like the idea of being able to blow up a stellar object with something that can fit in my pocket...

Toy robots have come a long way since the wind-up tin-toy that would clunk along the floor with sparks erupting from the "guns" in it's chest. The Erector Spykee The Spy Robot is a great example of a toy that can also be used for practical applications around the house--or for taunting certain pets...

Research continues the search for efficient solar powered vehicles. While it may be many years before a viable solar charging system becomes a reality, toys benefit from the data. And this little car is a great example of education meets fun...

Magnetic acceleration could redefine weaponry and space travel. And while none of us has the multi-million dollars necessary to actually mess around with one of these things, we can afford a pint-sized example of what they do in the form of the Abong Magnetic Accelerator Kit.

In keeping with those all too life-like dolls that wet and cry for mama to change them, Patent# US 6863536, also known as the Endoscopic Tutorial System with a Bleeding Complication, is like a horror movie that simulates blood and guts at the expense of the viewer. Read on, but keep your distance, as there is a new and very crazy sort-of doctor in town.

The Esquel Group is a Chinese company whose mission involves a great deal more than just the manufacture of premium cotton shirts. Its powers that be have made a serious commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable growth on the Chinese mainland. Read on for more “green” details.

Chinese scientists claim that they have discovered the world's largest dinosaur fossil site in the eastern province of Shandong. This is a most interesting development for a country that up until recently has been a relative latecomer to the field of archaeology. Read on for more details.

 A new solution that makes books affordable to college students, saves their cash and the environment. Textbooks aren't cheap, whether you buy new or used and sharing with a friend creates logistical issues that tears relationships apart. Now, you can rent your books through Book Renter.

I recently wrote about Offbeat Guides, which fell a bit flat on our expectations of customization. But now Dorling Kindersley Travel gets in right by bringing personalization to their custom travel guides.

Chemistry can be a tough subject for students more interested in games and girls, which makes "The Periodic Table: Learning Basic Chemistry through Moe" a bright idea indeed. Which element do you love the most?

I always thought that high school started too early in the morning. It was hard waking up so early in the day, especially when I had been studying late the night before. A new study says that delaying school start times by just one hour improves sleep in teens and decreases their chances of getting into an auto accident.

Tokyo's subway system is the envy of the world, thanks in part to the millions of thoughtful passengers who ride the trains each day. Not everyone is doing their part, however, so a  monthly "Manner Poster" campaign has been instituted to remind city commuters to be on their best behavior.

A strange, long-necked, waddling herbivore with enormous arms and claws that once waddled across China has been formally named Suzhousaurus by a team of Chinese and American paleontologists. Its full name is Suzhousaurus megatherioides, which translates from Chinese into “giant sloth-like reptile from Suzhou.” Read on for details, but avoid eating green things until finished.