Tag Archives: science

Is there a future to the American dream?

Screen Shot 2016-06-22 at 6.54.10 AM

 

As we roll into the 4th of July a.k.a Independence Day, our minds are often on hot dogs and Fireworks. But what does America look like to us today and are we still capable of being dreamers?

 

The American Dream is a national concept of the US, the set of ideals (Democracy, Rights, Liberty, Opportunity, and Equality) which includes the opportunity for freedom, prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers.

The original definition of the American Dream as defined by James Truslow Adams in 1931 was: “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. ” The American Dream is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims that “all men are created equal” with the right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

 So the question is then do we still believe this? Do we still believe in this dream?

Brian David Johnson is a Professor of Practice in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University and is leading a team of faculty and students conducting research on the future of the American Dream. He invites you to participate in a study by responding to the question, What is the future of the American Dream? Your response to this question may be used in reports, presentations, or publications but your name will not be used. There are no foreseeable risks to your participation. They will not collect personal information on you and they will keep your response anonymous.

What kind of future do you want? What kind of future do you want to avoid? Join the conversation.

 

Visit our website: Laboratory5       Follow us on Twitter: @lab5     Become a fan on Facebook: Laboratory5
Contact Us at anytime – we’d love to hear from you

Disclosure: Laboratory5 Inc. is a contractor of Arizona State University and of the School for the Future of Innovation in Society.
Leave a comment

Summer Solstice

CELEBRATE SUMMER SOLSTICE

Celebrating Summer Solstice is a great way to connect kids with nature as Solstice highlights the transitions in nature. Crops are starting to grow, daylight is at its peak and the weather in most locations is inviting.

June Solstice: Longest and Shortest Day of the Year

Illustration image

 

Solstice is Monday, June 20, 2016 

A solstice happens when the sun’s zenith is at its furthest point from the equator. On the June solstice, it reaches its northernmost point and the Earth’s North Pole tilts directly towards the sun, at about 23.4 degrees. It’s also known as the northern solstice because it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere.

Meaning of Solstice

‘Solstice’ (Latin: ‘solstitium’) means ‘sun-stopping’. The point on the horizon where the sun appears to rise and set, stops and reverses direction after this day. On the solstice, the sun does not rise precisely in the east, but rises to the north of east and sets to the north of west, meaning it’s visible in the sky for a longer period of time.

Although the June solstice marks the first day of astronomical summer, it’s more common to use meteorological definitions of seasons, making the solstice midsummer.

Illustration image

Stonehenge in England. ©bigstockphoto.com/dubassy

Ideas to celebrate the MidSummer Solstice:

Eat local and seasonal foods – Visit a farmers market

Pick fresh flowers  – Swedish legend has it that if you pick seven kinds of flowers and put them under your pillow on Midsummer Eve, you will have wonderful dreams.

Have a Bonfire – According to old pagan traditions, the bonfires would to scare off witches and other evil creatures during the Solstice.

Learn more about Phenology – the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.

 

Leave a comment

Game of Clones

I had the privilege of working with Athena Aktipis to design a science communication tool as a way to explain to the public how cancer cheats. It’s called Game of Clones and while cancer is not fun nor funny I believe sharing information on why it is so hard to cure cancer inspires others to join this fight. Or as Athena explains it in her research on cancer shows us it is no longer about fighting cancer – it’s about learning to collaborate with cancer so we can use cancer clones as cooperative team players. If cancer cheats by changing the way business is done, by acting differently in every body it takes up residence in then we have to look at what can we learn from that? Here is a video on how the public game worked, followed by pictures at the public event.

Game of Clones Explanation from Biodesign Institute at ASU on Vimeo.

CloneWars Pic

Bio Cancer Tent

unspecified-8

 

If a ten year old had fun at this event and learned about how cancer cheats, they are better equipped. So that at a family event when Great Aunt Marge raises her fists and yells out “why can’t they cure cancer already?” The ten year old can explain it’s because cancer cheat. This is how we win our future . . . .

Leave a comment