As we wrap up 2008, I’m excited to report that we’ve added more than a hundred new videos to our ever-growing library of cool science videos and science fair project ideas. We are told that this science video library represents the most complete collection of science activities, experiment ideas and science demonstrations online to date. Thanks to everyone for your feedback and suggestions for future segments. I liked the e-mail that said, “Spangler videos are like Pringles… you can’t stop at just one.” Pour yourself another cup of coffee and dig in.
Bradley Mayhew is an amazing photographer and video editor who joined our creative team earlier this year. When he visited our video storage area on his first day on the job, he started to understand the true scope of managing this video archive. There are over 240 science segments dating back to 1990-1997 when I hosted the weekly Wonder Why? science segment on NBC’s News for Kids. Many of these segments can be seen on the Steve Spangler Science YouTube Channel under the classics category. Bradley also uncovered countless hours …
It looks like our Insta-Snow® or (Instant Snow as many people call it) is showing up on lots and lots of “Top Gift Ideas” lists that are prevalent on so many blogs. Just add water and the powder instantly erupts into amazing artificial snow that looks and feels like the real thing. Technically, it’s a superabsorbent polymer (if you really want to know), but it looks and feels like the real thing. It’s so realistic that it’s being used in indoor snowboarding parks and by special effects artists in movies. Once you start playing with the stuff, you just can’t put it down.
Here’s how it works… Just mix a cup of water with a scoop of Insta-Snow polymer and within seconds, the liquid turns into a solid and then erupts into a fluffy white, snow-like material (no mixing required). Watch in amazement as it instantly expands up to 100 times its original volume. It’s not sticky like the Insta-Snow imitations. UnIike real snow, Insta-Snow doesn’t melt, which makes …
Today’s customer service call-of-the-day focused on a product that we don’t even sell. The product in question is actually an imitation or knock-off of our popular Insta-Snow ® product, but no matter how much we tried to explain that she purchased an imitation of the real instant snow powder, she just didn’t understand. She continued to yell, “This is not snow… it’s goo… it’s slush… but it’s not snow!” After lending a listening ear, Lisa asked, “Does it say ‘Insta-Snow®‘ or licensed by Steve Spangler Science on the package?” “No,” she replied. “Well, let me send you a jar of the real stuff.”
The unfortunate thing is that this call is not an isolated incident. As Insta-Snow® (the original Instant Snow) grows in popularity, so does the number of companies who try to produce imitations that fall short in so many ways.
We might like to play the same game during the holidays… Guess which toy the kids will play with the most after everything has been ripped open and the house is a disaster. That’s the criteria we used in selecting this year’s Top 25 Holiday Gift Ideas from SteveSpanglerScience.com. If you’re looking for a toy or gift that makes the person receiving it say, “This is so cool!”, you can’t go wrong with anything on the list.
Fun Fly Stick
It’s an ingenious, battery-operated static electricity generator that allows you to float cool tinsel shapes on a cloud of electrons. Bring the family over for Christmas, pull that tinsel off the tree and get ready for the applause… it doesn’t get much better than this. Oh, and if you don’t want to tear apart the Christmas decorations, the Fun Fly Stick comes with five tinsel shapes that are ready to fly.
Spangler introduces Tim and Megan to Insta-Snow and "reverse helium"
The news anchors at Fox 4 News in Dallas wanted to see if I could find a few ways to make science fun on their Good Day show. Let’s see… I could show them pictures of my science project from 3rd grade… or discuss freezing point depression… or make it snow and change their voices. I’ll pick door number 3. As you’ll see in the video, we covered the interview counter with erupting Insta-Snow and allowed Tim and Megan to experience the “reverse helium” effect using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
As we wrap up 2008, I’m excited to report that we’ve added more than a hundred new videos to our ever-growing library of cool science videos and science fair project ideas. We are told that this science video library represents the most complete collection of science activities, experiment ideas and science demonstrations online to date. Thanks to everyone for your feedback and suggestions for future segments. I liked the e-mail that said, “Spangler videos are like Pringles… you can’t stop at just one.” Pour yourself another cup of coffee and dig in.
