STEAM Saturday
Catching Up With Space, Time, and Non-Binary Nature
May 13, 2022

In this edition, we’re playing catch-up.

It’s been a while since I published a STEAM Saturday edition – the day gig certainly picked up the pace in 2023’s first quarter – so this one will have some links stretching back to February. Sometimes science news gets lost in the shuffle and grind, so I’m okay sharing them regardless of age.

As always, if you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited in future editions.

NASA – NASA Names Astronauts to Next Moon Mission, First Crew Under Artemis (Apr 3, 2023)
NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis.

Scientific American – Here’s Why Human Sex Is Not Binary (May 1, 2023)
Ova don’t make a woman, and sperm don’t make a man.

NBC News – Japanese company says moon lander unexpectedly accelerated and likely crashed (Apr 26, 2023)
If all had gone well, ispace would have been the first private business to pull off a lunar landing.

Science News – Mouse hair turns gray when certain stem cells get stuck (May 1, 2023)
Pigment-producing stem cells must keep moving and changing to give hair its natural color.

NASA – NASA’s Curiosity Finds Surprise Clues to Mars’ Watery Past (Feb 8, 2023)
Among other discoveries made by the rover, rippled rock textures suggest lakes existed in a region of ancient Mars that scientists expected to be drier.

Scientific American – Nuclear Waste Is Piling Up. Does the U.S. Have a Plan? (Mar 6, 2023)
We need a permanent national nuclear waste disposal site now, before the spent nuclear fuel stored in 35 states becomes unsafe.

NASA – NASA’s NuSTAR Telescope Reveals Hidden Light Shows on the Sun (Feb 9, 2023)
Some of the hottest spots in the Sun’s atmosphere appear in the telescope’s X-ray view.

Science News – Satellite data reveal nearly 20,000 previously unknown deep-sea mountains (Apr 30, 2023)
The find roughly doubles the number of known seamounts in Earth’s oceans.

Scientific American – Who Invented the Measurement of Time? (Apr 25, 2023)
The first timekeeping devices were probably natural materials lost to the ages, but the ancient Egyptians were the first to leave records of their timekeeping methods.

Be Smart – A PBS Digital Studios science show hosted by Dr. Joe Hanson (Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology).

Physics Girl – Hosted by Dianna Cowern, a science communicator and physics alumna from MIT, this show was part of PBS Digital Studios until 2020. She uses her platform to explore complex physics, astronomy, and science-related topics in simple terms.

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).

Brain Craft – Vanessa Hill (Master of Science Communication, Australian National University) talks about psychology, neuroscience, and why we act the way we do. Her series is part of the PBS Digital Studios family, and she has also contributed to research about the disproportionate amount of hateful comments directed towards women on YouTube.

Kyle Hill – Kyle Hill is a science educator with degrees in civil and environmental engineering and science communication. He previously hosted the popular Because Science YouTube series, but now runs The Facility.

Steve Mould – Steve Mould is a Master of Physics from the University of Oxford. He’s a British author and science communicator who hosts educational videos on his YouTube channel. He co-hosted ITV’s I Never Knew That About Britain alongside Paul Martin and Suzannah Lipscomb and previously appeared as a science expert on The Alan Titchmarsh Show, The One Show, and Blue Peter.

Johnny Harris – Johnny Harris makes videos about maps… and other things.

Becky Stern – Becky Stern is a maker living in NYC. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions!

Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.

Nostalgia Nerd – The Nostalgia Nerd has an addiction to nostalgia & things often categorized as “nerdy”. He talks about software, hardware, games, toys, programs, magazines, and other things from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, sometimes with a liberal amount of dry humor.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).

CGP Grey – CGP Grey is an American-Irish educational YouTuber, podcaster, and streamer who creates short explanatory videos on subjects including politics, geography, economics, history, and culture.

Not Just Bikes – Stories of great urban planning and urban experiences from the Netherlands and beyond. There are a lot of reasons why Dutch cities are so great; it’s not just bikes.

Nick Zammeti – A woodturner and artist based in the United Kingdom, Nick Zammeti thrives in funky and creative projects fueled by a healthy love of pop culture, especially Back to the Future.

Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun.

Ben’s Worx – Ben is a maker from Queensland, Australia who has always had an interest in woodworking. He makes all kinds of things from wood, metal, plastics, and epoxy resin, and loves to experiment in the name of entertainment.

Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.

Boylei Hobby Time – A hobbyist just trying to make fun things and inspire you to be creative.

David Bennett Piano – David Bennett is a pianist and music lover creating educational music videos about all things interesting in music and music theory.

Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.

Frank Howarth – A Portland, Oregon-based architect and woodworker, Frank Howarth uses stop-motion animation to demonstrate his design and building process for a variety of projects and art pieces.

Glen and Friends – Glen and Julie Powell of Toronto host this look into recipes from the Depression Era, including if those recipes still work or can be improved in the modern day. It’s a great look into history and how cooking is both science and art.

I Like To Make Stuff – Bob Clagett likes to make stuff, whether it be home renovations, fixing up a vintage car, or building an astromech droid.

Wendover Productions – Wendover Productions, run by filmmaker Sam Denby, is all about explaining how our world works. From travel, to economics, to geography, to marketing, and more, every video will leave you with a little better understanding of our world.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
Black History Month at NASA, Gender Bias in STEM, and Russian Submarines
February 11, 2023

In this edition, we have Black History Month, gender bias, nuclear submarines, Congressional Space Medals of Honor, and more.

Yes, gender bias is a real thing in STEM professions. Do everything you can to make it not reality.

NASA – Black History Month Image Gallery
NASA celebrates Black History Month by highlighting the accomplishments of astronauts, engineers, and staff. Each image takes you to a capsule summary and a full article about each person.

Science Insider – A TikToker who said she has a science PhD begged viewers to stop asking a man to ‘explain’ things she’s already explained (Dec 30, 2022)
A TikToker who says she’s a materials physicist is asking viewers to stop tagging science influencer Hank Green in her content.

The Drive – Rare Look At Nuclear Reactor Inside Russian Ballistic Missile Submarine (Jan 23, 2023)
Reactors inside nuclear-powered submarines are very sensitive pieces of equipment and it’s highly unusual for a navy to publicize them.

[Personal note: As a nuclear submarine veteran, I can still smell each of the pictures in this article. That memory never goes away.]

NASA – VP Awards Former NASA Astronauts Congressional Space Medal of Honor (Jan 31, 2023)
On behalf of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris awarded former NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken the Congressional Space Medal of Honor Tuesday for their bravery in NASA’s SpaceX Demonstration Mission-2 (Demo-2) to the International Space Station in 2020. Hurley and Behnken are the first recipients of the honor since 2006 and accepted the awards during a televised event in Washington.

Science News – The Kuiper Belt’s dwarf planet Quaoar hosts an impossible ring (Feb 8, 2023)
The ring lies outside a typical, mathematically determined distance from the small world.

Scientific American – New Exascale Supercomputer Can Do a Quintillion Calculations a Second (Feb 9, 2023)
New “exascale” supercomputers will bring breakthroughs in science. But the technology also exists to study nuclear weapons.

Science News – Physicists stored data in quantum holograms made of twisted light (Feb 7, 2023)
Particles of twisted light that have been entangled using quantum mechanics offer a new approach to dense and secure data storage.

Scientific American – A Common Antibiotic Could Prevent Deaths from Childbirth Complications (Feb 9, 2023)
One in three cases of maternal sepsis can be prevented with a single dose of antibiotic, a study in low- and middle-income countries shows.

Science News – Hominids used stone toolkits to butcher animals earlier than once thought (Feb 9, 2023)
The makers of these versatile implements, which enabled a well-rounded diet, remain a mystery.

Be Smart – A PBS Digital Studios science show hosted by Dr. Joe Hanson (Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology). 

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).

Ask a Mortician – Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, author, blogger, and YouTube personality known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. You got death questions, she’s got death answers. Ask a Mortician was suggested by Sue Kisenwether.

Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

CGP Grey – CGP Grey is an American-Irish educational YouTuber, podcaster, and streamer who creates short explanatory videos on subjects including politics, geography, economics, history, and culture.

Johnny Harris – Johnny Harris makes videos about maps… and other things.

Nick Zammeti – A woodturner and artist based in the United Kingdom, Nick Zammeti thrives in funky and creative projects fueled by a healthy love of pop culture, especially Back to the Future.

Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun.

Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.

laymonsterms – Denise Lhamon is an artist who presents history for short attention spans. She also takes commissions as Candy Cane Studios.

David Bennett Piano – David Bennett is a pianist and music lover creating educational music videos about all things interesting in music and music theory.

Smarter Every Day – Mechanical engineer and aerospace engineer Destin Sandlin explores the world using science in this series. He was one of three YouTube personalities chosen to conduct a one-on-one interview with President Barack Obama after his final State of the Union address. His secondary channel provides additional details and interviews to supplement his primary channel’s videos.

Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.

Glen and Friends – Glen and Julie Powell of Toronto host this look into recipes from the Depression Era, including if those recipes still work or can be improved in the modern day. It’s a great look into history and how cooking is both science and art.

Sam the Cooking Guy – Sam Zien is a Canadian-born television cook, restaurateur, and cookbook author Based in San Diego, California, his often-irreverent cooking channel on YouTube focuses on the simple fact that everyone can cook. He makes it easy and fun.

Wendover Productions – Wendover Productions, run by filmmaker Sam Denby, is all about explaining how our world works. From travel, to economics, to geography, to marketing, and more, every video will leave you with a little better understanding of our world.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
Artemis to the Moon
December 24, 2022

In this edition, we start with the Artemis program’s successful flight, bizarre creatures at the bottom of the ocean, and a major fusion breakthrough.

It has been a while since I published a STEAM Saturday, so there are a few more video links for you to peruse over the holidays. I hope you and yours have a safe and warm holiday season. See you next year.

NASA – Liftoff! NASA’s Artemis I Mega Rocket Launches Orion to Moon (Nov 16, 2022)
Following a successful launch of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world, the agency’s Orion spacecraft is on its way to the Moon as part of the Artemis program. Carrying an uncrewed Orion, SLS lifted off for its flight test debut at 1:47 a.m. EST Wednesday from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA – Splashdown! NASA’s Orion Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission (Dec 11, 2022)
NASA’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, at 9:40 a.m. PST Sunday after a record-breaking mission, traveling more than 1.4 million miles on a path around the Moon and returning safely to Earth, completing the Artemis I flight test.

Space.com – Spacesuited Snoopy doll floats in zero-g on moon-bound Artemis 1 mission (Nov 16, 2022)
“When NASA was identifying what the ZGI would be, it just seemed to make sense that it was Snoopy.”

Science Alert – A Host of Bizarre Creatures Has Been Found At The Bottom of The Ocean (Nov 4, 2022)
From fish on stilts to creatures of ooze, the strange denizens of the deep uncovered during investigations of two new marine parks located 2,500 kilometers (about 1,500 miles) off Australia’s western coast were a dream come true for researchers.

BBC – US scientists announce fusion energy breakthrough (Dec 12, 2022)
Physicists have pursued the technology for decades as it promises a potential source of near-limitless clean energy. On Tuesday researchers confirmed they have overcome a major barrier – producing more energy from a fusion experiment than was put in. But experts say there is still some way to go before fusion powers homes.

Scientific American – Nuclear Fusion Lab Achieves ‘Ignition’: What Does It Mean? (Dec 13, 2022)
Scientists at the world’s largest nuclear-fusion facility have achieved the phenomenon known as ignition—creating a nuclear reaction that generates more energy than it consumes.

NPR – J. Robert Oppenheimer’s security clearance was wrongly revoked, energy secretary says (Dec 17, 2022)
The Biden administration is reversing a 1954 decision that revoked J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, of his security clearance and ultimately ended his career as a physicist.

ScienceNews – The first planet found by the Kepler space telescope is doomed (Dec 19, 2022)
The first planet ever spotted by the Kepler space telescope is falling into its star. The planet has roughly 2.5 million years left before it faces a fiery death.

Physics Girl – Hosted by Dianna Cowern, a science communicator and physics alumna from MIT, this show was part of PBS Digital Studios until 2020. She uses her platform to explore complex physics, astronomy, and science-related topics in simple terms.

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).

Ask a Mortician – Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, author, blogger, and YouTube personality known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. You got death questions, she’s got death answers. Ask a Mortician was suggested by Sue Kisenwether.

Ceddar – Cheddar News feeds curiosity about what’s next with the latest in business news, culture, media, technology and innovation shaping our world tomorrow.

Becky Stern – Becky Stern is a maker living in NYC. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions!

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Not Just Bikes – Stories of great urban planning and urban experiences from the Netherlands and beyond. There are a lot of reasons why Dutch cities are so great; it’s not just bikes.

Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun.

Ben’s Worx – Ben is a maker from Queensland, Australia who has always had an interest in woodworking. He makes all kinds of things from wood, metal, plastics, and epoxy resin, and loves to experiment in the name of entertainment.

Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.

Boylei Hobby Time – A hobbyist just trying to make fun things and inspire you to be creative.

Defunctland – Defunctland is a YouTube series created by filmmaker Kevin Perjurer telling the stories of pop culture’s past. With a focus on theme parks and themed entertainment experiences, Kevin guides audiences through colorful, dramatic, and often surprising narratives of nostalgia, business, and creativity. A spin-off show named DefunctTV explores the history of children’s television entertainment.

8-bit Music Theory – This YouTuber loves music, video games, and analyzing and talking about music from video games. He promises that if you are a big nerd, you’ll love it too!

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).

Johnny Harris – Johnny Harris makes videos about maps… and other things.

Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.

Wendover Productions – Wendover Productions, run by filmmaker Sam Denby, is all about explaining how our world works. From travel, to economics, to geography, to marketing, and more, every video will leave you with a little better understanding of our world.

U Can Beat Video Games – U Can Beat Video Games is a YouTube channel for all of us! Have you ever wanted to get better at video games, but every video requires players to have superhuman abilities? On UCBVG, watch Kylo take on titles like Castlevania, Mega Man, or Zelda, and learn strategies that anyone can use for these games and more! UCBVG also discusses the history and technology behind these games during his tutorials.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
Mars Quakes and Loading Plant Vogtle
November 5, 2022

In this edition, Vogtle 3 gets loaded, climate change takes the stage at the United Nations, Mars quakes, and more.

Scientific American – The World Isn’t Adapting to Climate Change Quickly Enough, U.N. Says (Nov 3, 2022)
“The world is doing far too little to prepare for the impacts of a warming planet, even as climate-fueled storms, floods, heat waves and drought become more extreme. That’s the conclusion of the latest report from the U.N. Environment Programme, which finds that efforts to build defenses against climate change impacts—what’s known as adaptation—are not keeping up with the growing risks they pose to humanity.”

WABE (NPR) – Fuel load begins at Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle (Oct 14, 2022)
Workers have begun loading radioactive fuel into a new nuclear reactor in Georgia, utilities said Friday, putting the first new American nuclear reactor built in decades on a path to begin generating electricity in coming months.

[Note: Fuel load was completed successfully.]

Science News – Marsquakes hint that the planet might be volcanically active after all (Nov 3, 2022)
The finding, based on more than 1,000 quakes, suggests the planet isn’t geologically dead.

Scientific American – How to Inoculate against Midterm Misinformation Campaigns (Nov 2, 2022)
A New York University professor advocates “prebunking”—sounding the alarm before a conspiracy theory spreads too widely.

Science News – Deer-vehicle collisions spike when daylight saving time ends (Nov 2, 2022)
Year-round daylight saving time could keep tens of thousands of deer and dozens of people alive.

Be Smart – A PBS Digital Studios science show hosted by Dr. Joe Hanson (Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology). 

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research). 

Kyle Hill – Kyle Hill is a science educator with degrees in civil and environmental engineering and science communication. He previously hosted the popular Because Science YouTube series, but now runs The Facility.

Ask a Mortician – Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, author, blogger, and YouTube personality known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. You got death questions, she’s got death answers. Ask a Mortician was suggested by Sue Kisenwether.

Johnny Harris – Johnny Harris makes videos about maps… and other things.

Becky Stern – Becky Stern is a maker living in NYC. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions!

Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.

Nostalgia Nerd – The Nostalgia Nerd has an addiction to nostalgia & things often categorized as “nerdy”. He talks about software, hardware, games, toys, programs, magazines, and other things from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, sometimes with a liberal amount of dry humor.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Not Just Bikes – Stories of great urban planning and urban experiences from the Netherlands and beyond. There are a lot of reasons why Dutch cities are so great; it’s not just bikes.

Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun.

Ben’s Worx – Ben is a maker from Queensland, Australia who has always had an interest in woodworking. He makes all kinds of things from wood, metal, plastics, and epoxy resin, and loves to experiment in the name of entertainment.

Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.

Patrik Pietschmann – Patrik Pietschmann is a keyboard player, arranger, and programmer from Germany who creates piano arrangements of popular current soundtracks.

8-bit Music Theory – This YouTuber loves music, video games, and analyzing and talking about music from video games. He promises that if you are a big nerd, you’ll love it too!

Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.

Frank Howarth – A Portland, Oregon-based architect and woodworker, Frank Howarth uses stop-motion animation to demonstrate his design and building process for a variety of projects and art pieces.

I Like To Make Stuff – Bob Clagett likes to make stuff, whether it be home renovations, fixing up a vintage car, or building an astromech droid.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
Retinal Revival, Necrobotics, and Views From the JWST
August 27, 2022

In this edition, we learn about reviving human retinas after death, the art of reanimating spiders, views from the edge of the universe, and more. 

NASA – NASA’s Webb Reveals Cosmic Cliffs, Glittering Landscape of Star Birth (July 12, 2022)
A landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.

NASA – Webb Captures Stellar Gymnastics in The Cartwheel Galaxy (Aug 2, 2022)
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has peered into the chaos of the Cartwheel Galaxy, revealing new details about star formation and the galaxy’s central black hole.

Scientific American – Scientists Revive Human Retinas after Death (Aug 1, 2022)
Few biological facts seem as irrevocable as brain death. It has long been assumed that when we die, our neurons die with us. But a new study on the neuron-packed tissue of the eye is beginning to challenge that dogma. Restoring eye tissue postmortem could pave the way for reviving other types of brain tissue. 

Science News – Scientists turned dead spiders into robots (Aug 4, 2022)
In a new field dubbed “necrobotics,” researchers used dead arachnids to clutch objects

PBS – The Story Behind Earth’s Most Famous Photo | The Bigger Picture with Vincent Brown (Aug 23, 2022)
How did the “Blue Marble,” as it is now known, come to be? Host Vincent Brown learns just how extraordinary a technical feat it was for Apollo 17 astronauts to snap the photograph in 1972, and how early environmentalists hoped that an image of the whole Earth might spark a desire to protect our planet.

WIRED (UK) – Your Final Resting Place Could Be a Coffin Made of Mushrooms (Aug 26, 2022)
Loop wants to rebuild the world with ecological structures made of fungal mycelium. Its proof of concept? Living coffins.

The Science & Entertainment Exchange – The Science & Entertainment Exchange is a program of the National Academy of Sciences that provides entertainment industry professionals with access to top scientists and engineers to help bring the reality of cutting-edge science to creative and engaging storylines.

Be Smart – A PBS Digital Studios science show hosted by Dr. Joe Hanson (Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology). 

Cheddar News – Cheddar News feeds curiosity about what’s next with the latest in business news, culture, media, technology and innovation shaping our world tomorrow.

Nostalgia Nerd – The Nostalgia Nerd has an addiction to nostalgia & things often categorized as “nerdy”. He talks about software, hardware, games, toys, programs, magazines, and other things from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, sometimes with a liberal amount of dry humor.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Today I Found Out – Today I Found Out is a place to learn something new and interesting every day, brought to the internet by a host of various scientific contributors.

Nick Zammeti – A woodturner and artist based in the United Kingdom, Nick Zammeti thrives in funky and creative projects fueled by a healthy love of pop culture, especially Back to the Future.

Ben’s Worx – Ben is a maker from Queensland, Australia who has always had an interest in woodworking. He makes all kinds of things from wood, metal, plastics, and epoxy resin, and loves to experiment in the name of entertainment.

Alex Yard & Knuckles – Enjoy some video game music theory videos with Alex Yard.

Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.

This time, I’m showcasing Mark’s appearance on Hot Ones. Don’t worry… he still uses science. 

Frank Howarth – A Portland, Oregon-based architect and woodworker, Frank Howarth uses stop-motion animation to demonstrate his design and building process for a variety of projects and art pieces.

Wendover Productions – Wendover Productions, run by filmmaker Sam Denby, is all about explaining how our world works. From travel, to economics, to geography, to marketing, and more, every video will leave you with a little better understanding of our world.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
Peeing on Your Produce
July 2, 2022

In this edition, we see massive wind turbines, a hammerhead worm in Tennessee, bone loss in space, and… yes… fertilizing your crops with urine.

IFLScience – New Massive Offshore Wind Turbine Can Power A Home For 2 Days With A Single Spin (Jun 29, 2022)
A new offshore wind farm will utilize some absolutely massive turbines to produce power – so massive that just one spin will power the average home for two full days. The turbines have recently been improved from the best in the world to even more so, and the development will be the US’ first utility-scale wind farm.

Tennessee Valley Authority – Watch for Hammerhead Worms in Your Garden (Jul 1, 2022)
A 12 to 15-inch slimy flatworm with a weird half-moon head, and toxic skin sounds like we are describing a new variation of a Demogorgon from Stranger Things. Believe it or not, this creature is not just found in the Upside-Down, but in Knoxville, TN!

ScienceAlert – A Large-Scale Experiment Used Human Pee to Fertilize Crops. Here’s What Happened (Jun 23, 2022)
These days, peeing on your food plants may be considered a gross and wacky gardening hack, despite the practice having been proven beneficial for thousands of years. But our modern squeamishness has meant gardeners and farmers alike must resort to expensive fertilizers to provide their crops with the much-needed nutrients found free in our pee.

ScienceNews – Six months in space leads to a decade’s worth of long-term bone loss (Jun 30, 2022)
During space missions lasting six months or longer, astronauts can experience bone loss equivalent to two decades of aging. A year of recovery in Earth’s gravity rebuilds about half of that lost bone strength, researchers reported June 30 in Scientific Reports.

Science Daily – Ice Age wolf DNA reveals dogs trace ancestry to two separate wolf populations (Jun 29, 2022)
The Francis Crick Institute: An international group of geneticists and archaeologists has found that the ancestry of dogs can be traced to at least two populations of ancient wolves. The work moves us a step closer to uncovering the mystery of where dogs underwent domestication, one of the biggest unanswered questions about human prehistory.

The Science & Entertainment Exchange – The Science & Entertainment Exchange is a program of the National Academy of Sciences that provides entertainment industry professionals with access to top scientists and engineers to help bring the reality of cutting-edge science to creative and engaging storylines.

Jhnny Harris – Johnny Harris makes videos about maps… and other things.
[Note: This video is about human reproduction and male birth control. YouTube has limited it to age-verified accounts.]

Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.

Today I Found Out – Today I Found Out is a place to learn something new and interesting every day, brought to the internet by a host of various scientific contributors.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Nick Zammeti – A woodturner and artist based in the United Kingdom, Nick Zammeti thrives in funky and creative projects fueled by a healthy love of pop culture, especially Back to the Future.

Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun.

laymonsterms – Denise Lhamon is an artist who presents history for short attention spans. She also takes commissions as Candy Cane Studios.

Art Deco – All things art and art history, digital art exhibitions and art analysis and discussion!

8-bit Music Theory – This YouTuber loves music, video games, and analyzing and talking about music from video games. He promises that if you are a big nerd, you’ll love it too!

Smarter Every Day – Mechanical engineer and aerospace engineer Destin Sandlin explores the world using science in this series. He was one of three YouTube personalities chosen to conduct a one-on-one interview with President Barack Obama after his final State of the Union address. His secondary channel provides additional details and interviews to supplement his primary channel’s videos.

Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
The Hole at the Center of the Galaxy
June 4, 2022

In this edition, the big item is the black hole at the center of our galaxy.

NBC News – Black hole at center of Milky Way pictured for first time (May 12, 2022)
First-ever image released of the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, providing the first direct visual evidence of “the gentle giant” that lies at the center of our galaxy.

More on this in the videos below from Veritasium and Curiosity Stream.

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).

Curiosity Stream – John S. Hendricks, Founder of Discovery Communications, has spent his life seeking the answers to our most enduring questions and creating ways for television viewers across the globe to satisfy their curiosity. In 2015, Hendricks harnessed this passion to create Curiosity Stream, a streaming service meant to inspire ardent learners with the most curious minds of our time: visionaries in every major field of human endeavor, tackling the greatest challenges of our era.

The Science & Entertainment Exchange – The Science & Entertainment Exchange is a program of the National Academy of Sciences that provides entertainment industry professionals with access to top scientists and engineers to help bring the reality of cutting-edge science to creative and engaging storylines.

Steve Mould – Steve Mould is a Master of Physics from the University of Oxford. He’s a British author and science communicator who hosts educational videos on his YouTube channel. He co-hosted ITV’s I Never Knew That About Britain alongside Paul Martin and Suzannah Lipscomb and previously appeared as a science expert on The Alan Titchmarsh Show, The One Show, and Blue Peter.

Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Nick Zammeti – A woodturner and artist based in the United Kingdom, Nick Zammeti thrives in funky and creative projects fueled by a healthy love of pop culture, especially Back to the Future.

The Smugglers Room – Building something out of nothing with a Star Wars flair is the order of the day in the Smugglers Room.

8-bit Music Theory – This YouTuber loves music, video games, and analyzing and talking about music from video games. He promises that if you are a big nerd, you’ll love it too!

Frank Howarth – A Portland, Oregon-based architect and woodworker, Frank Howarth uses stop-motion animation to demonstrate his design and building process for a variety of projects and art pieces.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
The End of the iPod, Gender Bias in Parasites, and Underwater Spiders
May 14, 2022

In this edition, Apple ends the iPod, parasitology hides gender bias, and a spider hides underwater.

The end of the iPod holds special significance for me. Since the device and iTunes debuted, I have owned five generations of the music player. Two of those were stalwart companions on deployments when I was in the Navy, bringing me a slice of home with music, television episodes, and podcast novels.

It was those iPods that opened my eyes to what used to be Podiobooks.com, introducing me to the likes of Tee Morris, Philippa Ballantine, J.C. Hutchins, Nathan Lowell, Scott Sigler, and P.G. Holyfield. That was my springboard to writing for The ScapeCast and starting my journey with podcasting and writing.

There are a lot of fond memories in those bricks of glass and metal.

BBC – Apple to discontinue the iPod after 21 years (May 10, 2022)
Apple has announced it is discontinuing its music player, the iPod Touch, bringing to an end a device widely praised for revolutionizing how people listen to music.

Science.org – Do species names perpetuate gender bias in science? (May 10, 2022)
When it comes to christening parasites, men almost always get the honor.

ScienceDaily – Spider can hide underwater for 30 minutes (May 9, 2022)
A tropical spider species uses a ‘film’ of air to hide underwater from predators for as long as 30 minutes, according to new research.

Physics Girl – Hosted by Dianna Cowern, a science communicator and physics alumna from MIT, this show was part of PBS Digital Studios until 2020. She uses her platform to explore complex physics, astronomy, and science-related topics in simple terms.

Kyle Hill – Kyle Hill is a science educator with degrees in civil and environmental engineering and science communication. He previously hosted the popular Because Science YouTube series, but now runs The Facility.

Ask a Mortician – Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, author, blogger, and YouTube personality known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. You got death questions, she’s got death answers. Ask a Mortician was suggested by Sue Kisenwether. [S]

Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Shop Time – Peter Brown is a geek with a full set of power tools, and he uses that knowledge to experiment, craft, and have fun. [A]

The Smugglers Room – Building something out of nothing with a Star Wars flair is the order of the day in the Smugglers Room.

Ben’s Worx – Ben is a maker from Queensland, Australia who has always had an interest in woodworking. He makes all kinds of things from wood, metal, plastics, and epoxy resin, and loves to experiment in the name of entertainment.

Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.

8-bit Music Theory – This YouTuber loves music, video games, and analyzing and talking about music from video games. He promises that if you are a big nerd, you’ll love it too!

Smarter Every Day – Mechanical engineer and aerospace engineer Destin Sandlin explores the world using science in this series. He was one of three YouTube personalities chosen to conduct a one-on-one interview with President Barack Obama after his final State of the Union address. His secondary channel provides additional details and interviews to supplement his primary channel’s videos.

Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best-known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.

Emmymade – Whether it’s trying to figure out if it’s really worth it to wait a hundred hours for a batch of brownies, finding out what Ranch gummies or giant centipedes taste like, making mayonnaise from a vintage gadget, or tasting desserts and dishes from around the world, Emmy wants to learn about our world through food.

U Can Beat Video Games – U Can Beat Video Games is a YouTube channel for all of us! Have you ever wanted to get better at video games, but every video requires players to have superhuman abilities? On UCBVG, watch Kylo take on titles like Castlevania, Mega Man, or Zelda, and learn strategies that anyone can use for these games and more! UCBVG also discusses the history and technology behind these games during his tutorials.

Game Maker’s Toolkit (GMTK) – Game Maker’s Toolkit is a deep dive into game design, level design, and game production, hosted by Mark Brown.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimers: Any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk. The links and videos attached to this post were publicly available at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee of availability after publication.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

STEAM Saturday
Sunrise, Junk Science and Gender, and Global Supply Chains
April 23, 2022

In this edition, take a look at the sunrise across the world, junk science and gender, and global supply chains.

NASA – A Sunrise Across Our World (Apr 22, 2022)
Every 24 hours, the space station makes 16 orbits of Earth, traveling through 16 sunrises and sunsets. The full-resolution image can be found on NASA’s site.

Scientific American – How Junk Science is Being Used Against Trans Kids (Apr 8, 2022)
Researcher Jules Gill-Peterson (Ph.D., Rutgers University) has been studying the history of transgender kids for years. Here’s what you need to know.

Wall Street Journal – Why Global Supply Chains May Never Be the Same | A WSJ Documentary
Every day, millions of sailors, truck drivers, longshoremen, warehouse workers, and delivery drivers keep mountains of goods moving into stores and homes to meet consumers’ increasing expectations of convenience. But this complex movement of goods underpinning the global economy is far more vulnerable than many imagined.

Be Smart – A PBS Digital Studios science show hosted by Dr. Joe Hanson (Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology). 

Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research).

Becky Stern – Becky Stern is a maker living in NYC – making and sharing are her two biggest passions!

Jerry Rig Everything – Zack Nelson has used his love of repairing, simple explanations, and brief tutorials to help millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his ‘to-the-point’ style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world.

Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.

Jared Owen – Jared Owen uses 3D animations powered by Blender to explain how things work.

Nick Zammeti – A woodturner and artist based in the United Kingdom, Nick Zammeti thrives in funky and creative projects fueled by a healthy love of pop culture, especially Back to the Future. [A]

The Smugglers Room – Building something out of nothing with a Star Wars flair is the order of the day in the Smugglers Room.

Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.

Alex Yard & Knuckles – Enjoy some video game music theory videos with Alex Yard.

I Like To Make Stuff – Bob Clagett likes to make stuff, whether it be home renovations, fixing up a vintage car, or building an astromech droid.

Wendover Productions – Wendover Productions, run by filmmaker Sam Denby, is all about explaining how our world works. From travel to economics, geography, marketing, and more, every video will leave you with a little better understanding of our world.

If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. If your suggestion is used, your name will be credited.

Disclaimer: Please note that any sponsored content or advertising presented in videos and/or links highlighted in STEAM Saturday are not necessarily endorsed or supported by Creative Criticality. Pursue such content and offers at your own risk.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.

STEAM Saturday is a celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.