Tomorrow's Science Heroes?

An anonymous reader writes "As a kid I was (and still am) heavily influenced by Carl Sagan, and a little later by Stephen Hawking. Now as I have started a family with two kids, currently age 5 and 2, I am wondering who out there is popularizing science. Currently, my wife and I can get the kids excited about the world around them, but I'd like to find someone inspiring from outside the family as they get older. Sure, we'll always have 'Cosmos,' but are there any contemporaries who are trying to bring science into the public view in such a fun and intriguing way? Someone the kids can look up to and be inspired by? Where is the next Science Hero?"

Comments

Re:Sorry, No.

[melikamp]

Religion and Science are 100% incompatible. Religion = "I Believe", Science = "I can show/demonstrate/repeat".

This is exactly the kind of a dumb-ass comment that prevents a dialog from happening. I suggest that you start by re-reading all Dawkins just to make sure that he never says anything even remotely resembling your... I can only describe it as a cognitive equivalent of a premature ejaculation.

Re:Mythbusters does it

[syousef]

They teach the heart of the Scientific Method and show it as being FUN. Test the hypothesis - then retest it, just like Jaime and Adam do every episode.

I realise this will be modded down but it has to be said - the Mythbusters are a horrible, horrible influence. They demonstrate the misuse and sloppy application of the scientific method, and how to jump to a generalised conclusion based on insufficient evidence. Many if not most of their shows should end with "insufficient data", not "busted", "proven" and "plausible".

They are good entertainment value if you like to see wild ideas tested or see things blown up, but I honestly believe that introducing kids to such sloppy science does more harm than good.

Now watch me get modded down by fans of all things blown up.