#23

To be fair, this is a nice basic language way of starting to explain it.

Which reminds me that I want this cool-looking book:

https://xkcd.com/thing-explainer/

1 Like
#24

It’s a lovely book - highly recommended.

1 Like
#25

*leaves thread*

4 Likes
#26

At that point you give the best scientific/technical explanation your knowledge allows until they either get bored and move on, or are confused but fascinated and their curiosity is piqued creating an interest that leads to an eventual career as a radiologist.

7 Likes
#27

The tactics take with my daughter when it comes science is to tell them the truth.

“its radiation going through your body, and bones block them, so the photo is the inversion of that!”

She’s 3.

3 Likes
#28

Yeah you just have to keep being full truth although eventually you can end up in some weird dead ends.

#29

My first thought too. Have a t-shirt with electrocuted Marv on, one of my faves to wheel out around now.

#30

Morbid cartoonist trying to tell children the sad truth that we carry our death inside of us.

I know two people who have been badly but nonfatally electrocuted, one via a screwdriver which resulted in splitting his finger like a banana skin, another in some kind of graffiti scenario which apparently felt like his ‘body being ripped apart by chainsaws’. Should have asked if the could see their skeletons

1 Like
#32

On a similar note, what’s the origin of birds/stars floating around someone’s head when they get hit by a frying pan/anvil?

#33

Have you never seen ‘stars’ (add therefore been mildly disorientated) when standing up too quickly? No idea about the birds thing, though.

#34

Yeah, yeah, but I wasn’t hit by a frying pan.

What came first? The phrase “seeing stars” or actual cartoon stars?

#35

High risk this. Before you know it you realise you don’t actually understand the science.

Whereas wizards are easy.

4 Likes
#36

Actually sniggered at this.

I mean - I’m actually with @sheeldz in that it’s best to try and explain to the best of your ability, but I love the idea of a parent going through the endless “why?” loop with their child and finally snapping and comming out with an exasperated “because… Wizards. Okay? A wizard did it.”

3 Likes
#37

The frying pan/anvil thing is just the exaggerated comic effect version innit. No idea about the linguistics.

#38

Have you ever been punched in the head? Because you do actually see stars, so I always assumed that’s where it came from. I remember it happening mid-ruck in a side street in Maidstone and having a weird moment of clarity and thinking “Ohhh! So that’s why they do it in cartoons!”

#39

my 4yo understands the idea of a cross being a symbol for death - she has been to a cemetery

#40

I’m actually with @sheeldz on this too because there is a very good cognitive reason for trying to explain the real science even though the small child wont understand consciously understand or process it

so, here’s a scientifically controlled lab experiment;

a group of people with no familiarity of the Chinese alphabet are shown 5 Chinese letters

two weeks later the group is split in to 2, a) & b)
both groups are shown the same image of 40 chinese word & letter symbols including the original 5 disperse randomly
group a) is asked which are the 5 symbols the saw two weeks ago. The results are always a chance - below chance outcome. Usually below chance.

group b) is asked which are your 5 favourite symbols. There is a stronger than 80% chance that each respondent in group b names the precise 5 symbols that they saw 2 weeks ago as their favourite

In other words, without being able to consciously or rationally process information we are always predisposed to being more positive & open to that information when it is repeated

thus, when explaining scientific principles to small children who obviously don’t understand them you are actually training them at an unconscious level to be positive to those concepts & ideas in the future & thus helping them to learn them when they are rationally able to process them

you are also introducing them to new language & sounds which is ALWAYS a good thing for mental development

good eh?

3 Likes
#41

My son just asked me about this :relaxed:

2 Likes
#42

Always thought it was meant to be like a lightbulb but the bonds are the filament.

#43

And, rather than dither over an answer, you linked him to this thread?

2 Likes