Splash Biography

Humans have only known about viruses since the late 19th century, but we share an intimate relationship with them going back to ancient times and distant eras. They're the bringers of disease and death, but they also give us beautiful patterns in tulips, help us fight off bacterial infection, and co-exist with us in our tissues, cells and even DNA. The goal for this course is to gain some level of understanding of them: 1. What are viruses? What makes them special? 2. Why do some viruses (like rabies and Ebola), cause horrific disease, while others (like the common cold and chicken pox) are just minor and annoying? 3. How do humans defend against them? Why do we have vaccines for only a limited number of viruses? Where are the drugs? Viruses are the focus, but we will touch upon virus-like things like viroids and prions!

Looking your best is art, but it's also science. It's ingrained in us: ancient Egyptians pioneered the use of eyeliner, perfumes, body oils and paints over 4,000 years ago. Our modern equivalents are enough to make entire business empires, be it from the actual products to the Instagram models who purchase them. But why do we feel the need to put pigments on our face? And, more importantly, what exactly are we putting on it? This course aims to get down to the science of it: 1. What does "good" makeup try to mimic? Is there a science behind beauty trends? 2. What goes into a beauty product? The chemicals, dyes, and preservatives in all their (Good? Bad?) glory. 3. How are these things tested and approved? Think of the bunnies!

Learn one of the most relaxing, practical and (surprisingly) easy crafting hobbies out there: crocheting. From scarves to blankets, from doilies to stuffed animals, there is a crochet project for every occasion and person. Alternatively called: "How to turn a ball of yarn into something useful, using a hook while watching Netflix." We will go over basic crochet stitches, how to read a crochet pattern, and begin on a beginner's project: a scarf!

From birth to death, vaccines follow us with every doctor visit, every trip to the pharmacy, and every winter flu season. But what is a vaccine? How does it get made? Most importantly, is it safe? Learn about what goes on behind every prick of a needle and why it is that doctors/government/parents make you go through it in the first place.

Approximately 2.5 million Americans die per year. What happens to them? Organ transplant? Donation to science? Typical funeral? Being shot into space? Learn about the many things that can happen to a corpse, from educating the next generation of doctors to being turned into diamonds.