Nerd Love Story: Kind of a fan letter to science.

Hi, my name’s Thea and I’m a nerd. Over time, I have used this blog to exercise some of my nerdular tendencies by conducting small, mostly foolish experiments such as the following:

• Lounge Off: Slanket Vs. Snuggie
• Plastic Six-pack Ring Decomposition
• And the best sparkling mineral water is…
• The soggy truth about Kinoki Detox Cleansing Foot Pads

And so it is with great excitement that I am participating in the #scimom blog project.

The funny part is that I married a self-described geek from a legitimately scientific family. He is responsible in one way or another for most of my “Nerd Alert” posts. One of my favorite things is when I go over to Spouse’s parents’ house and his dad – an accomplished researcher with a brain the size of a planet – says “let’s make an experiment.” Together we’ve explored cocktails, coins (did you ever notice how the head and tail sides are oriented top-to-bottom in different currencies? He did), tea, linoleum, canine intelligence and more.

I am truly happy that my daughter (currently 13 months old) may inherit this scientific legacy, and that it will be a regular and casual part of dinner and even pre-dinner conversation. It won’t come from my side of the family. As my own father said when I announced my intentions to procreate with Scientific Spouse, “maybe we’ll finally get someone in the family that’s good at math.”

I think the best thing I can teach her is “know your sources.” I want her to get her scientific information from scientists. People who have studied, conducted research, and had their conclusions adjudicated by their peers. This model works. It creates reliable data upon which one can make good decisions. Not, for example, hysterical vitriol spouted by people who’s primary professional qualification is the ability to get cameras to point at them. Yes, I’m talking to you, Hollywood. But don’t slink off so fast, Congress – you’re on my list, too.

I also want her to not be intimidated by those smartipants scientists. If I have my way, she’ll read the fine print, and not let anyone off the hook without examining their arguments, their data and – let’s be honest here – their funding.

Won’t someone invent a vaccine for bombast?

I sometimes almost forget that DC has such a rich scientific community. Popular wisdom has it that DC is a one-trick town or a one horse pony or whatever, and that politics is our only industry. As a DC native (yes, there is such a thing), I’ve been intrigued by how many industries and companies and legions of professionals are drawn to our little swamp on the Potomac like moths to a flame. Our primary product is – yes – bombast, with a side of bloviation, and every summer, like clockwork, just a pinch of seersucker.

The thing is, there is also a crapload of science here.

NIH is unraveling the mysteries of our bodies and health and disease, NASA is doing the same for our universe, NOAA for the planet, and the Smithsonian Institution has a hand in all of the research while fulfilling their mission “for the increase & diffusion of knowledge…” which means Just Giving It Away, making them the most incredible free resource know to man (in my humble opinion). Our area is also home to a burgeoning biotech industry, with TIGR, HGS… and I’m sure there are labs and facilities and all kinds of secret installations doing all sorts of wonderful things with aliens and tentacles and whatnot.

Some of the most exciting advances in medicine and technology are being developed within swabbing distance of the seat of political power. But the science keeps a comparatively low profile. I just love the idea that the people who are developing our bright future are living lives that are largely orthogonal to those who are making the rules.

Advances in science have already lengthened and improved our lives in ways unimaginable just a few years ago. And we’re facing some tough challenges – from climate change and energy needs, to space exploration, from HIV/AIDS and the myriad cancers (did I mention that cancer is an asshole yet in this post?) and other non-communicable diseases that plague us (btw, I work for Arogya World, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting non-communicable disease), to feats of engineering that will allow us to house and feed multitudes of those in need. It’s an incredible time in which we live, and it will only be eclipsed by our ever brighter future.

Somewhere nearby people are thinking about these issues. They’re taking apart these questions and others – dismantling them piece by piece, and finding the solutions. It’s like watching the most important Lego kit in the world in action. And my family has a front row seat.