You wake up in the morning, open the curtains, take a shower, have your morning coffee and bagel, and you head out to your car or another type of transportation. You arrive at your place of employment and start work. Rewind if you will, how did these events take place? Did you wake up on your own, or did you have an alarm clock? Did you jump in the lake or is the shower you took located inside your home? How are your coffee and bagel made? How does your car operate? At work, how do you accomplish your tasks?
Every day of our lives we use science and technology to survive, from waking up to going to sleep. Science deals in many expect of our lives, the oceans, to Earth, to farms, to life, to the stars and beyond. Without science, humans would not be living the life they lead today, nor would we understand the world and each other.
November 10th is World Science Day for Peace and Development, AKA World Science Day. The annual celebration is by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The point of this day is to highlight the critical role science has in our lives and for everyone to discuss scientific issues.
Per UNESCO, having science connected to society helps citizens become informed of any developments in science. Along with educating the public on how fragile the planet is and assisting societies to become sustainable.
The aspirations of World Science Day for Peace and Development are:
- To enhance the public knowledge of the role science has for a peaceful and sustainable society.
- To promote solidarity in the share of science among countries.
- To revive the commitment to use science to benefit societies.
- To raise support for scientific endeavors
- To attract attention to the challenges of science.
The day is for everyone of all ages. From government officials to students in grade schools. From the elderly to the young. UNESCO is encouraging everyone to organize an event or activity. UNESCO will have two discussions. The first discussion is, Cracking the code: girls’ and women’s education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The point of the discussion is to support and encourage more girls’ and women to become involved in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The second discussion is a debate on Robots: Ethical or Unethical? The debate on robots is by Permanent Delegation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to UNESCO. Issues they will discuss are changes caused by robots and the ethical dilemmas that can arise.
Some Events Happening:
- On November 6th, Agham Youth UP Manila, among others, in the Philippines, will host a scientific discussion on global understanding, environment and technology at UP Diliman College of Science.
- On November 7th to November 10th, Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is having SciTech Days. Students of all ages will interact with displays from careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
- On November 9th, the New York Irish Center will have a World Science Day Workshop. There will be plenty for children to do and learn.
- On November 10th, in the United Kingdom, Busy Bees Nursery will experiment with scientific methods and materials, with their students.
- On November 10th, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois, will have a Welcome to the Universe. A 30-minute presentation on Pleiades star cluster, Andromeda galaxy and much more.
- On November 10th, The Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois will have a Brain Scoopin. The event teaches the observer how a specimen is prepared and is stream live via YouTube.
- On November 10th, the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford, Illinois, will explore the Anthropology of Survival. People will learn how early Hominids to pre-Colombian Native Americans used science to survive.
Is your school, town or museum doing anything for World Science Day for Peace and Development? Parents and guardians, are you doing anything special with your child(ren) for World Science Day for Peace and Development? Share your events with the hashtag #WSDPD on social media.