LNC Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 For middle school/high school interested in engineering and/or pre med? Popular Science Popular Mechanics Scientific American something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 We subscribed to Popular Science for a year. While the articles are great, the advertisements at the back were a little, uh, suspect. Can you go to a bookstore or newsstand to look at issues in person? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Well, I have loved Popular Science in the past. However, their advertising in the back leaves something to be desired...many p*rn type ads though generally a tiny modicum of clothing is used in the photo shoot. I haven't subscribed to Scientific American in a long time, so I'm not certain about them. These are about your only options for general science. We do get National Geographic and of course, besides cultural anthropology and archaeology, they cover a wide array of bio and environmental science as well as zoology and botany. If your student has a particular topic of interest such as space or flight, Astronomy Magazine, Smithsonian Air and Space magazine, etc. might be a good choice. Professional journals tend to be pretty heady reading, but my high schoolers do well with them in particular subjects. Eldest DS subscribes to a technical journal for computer programmers. Middle boy gets copies of articles from a local veterinarian...this is my zoology boy and he's also looking for something specific to Herps. Chances are there is one out there and unfortunately, the TA I contacted at MSU will probably hook him up with some old issues of something that features, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK SNAKES!!!!! But, again, these are really for the kid so passionate about that particular topic, they are willing to work hard to comprehend the technical/research aspects. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 We subscribed to Popular Science for a year. While the articles are great, the advertisements at the back were a little, uh, suspect. Can you go to a bookstore or newsstand to look at issues in person? Thanks for the heads up! That is creepy. I will go to a bookstore to lookat the ads. I wouldn't know which is better, content wise, bc I'm not well read in science. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Chem Matters from the American Chemical Society might be of interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Not strictly science, but for a budding engineer I'd get a subscription to MAKE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Discover Magazine is a good general science magazine. Scientific American is also very good, but the articles can be really technical and assume a fair amount of background science knowledge, may be pretty tough for a middle schooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jar7709 Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Dp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 For middle school/high school interested in engineering and/or pre med? Popular Science Popular Mechanics Scientific American something else? I would suggest American Scientist very strongly. It is closer to what Scientiic American was than Scientific American is these days -- it is detailed, accurate, informative, challenging. In the field I am most familiar with (neuroscience) I have been disappointed in Scientific American's writing/information. May I also suggest the Best American Science and Nature Writing series, edited by Tim Folger? It is a compilation of science articles, and is usually terrific. The 2012 edition should come out in December or January. Also, my favorite regular science writing is the Science section of the Economist magazine. -- all that is more at high school/adult level, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 Thanks. I'll look into American Scientist. We just subrscribed to the Economist, I didn't know know they had science articles. I would suggest American Scientist very strongly. It is closer to what Scientiic American was than Scientific American is these days -- it is detailed, accurate, informative, challenging. In the field I am most familiar with (neuroscience) I have been disappointed in Scientific American's writing/information. May I also suggest the Best American Science and Nature Writing series, edited by Tim Folger? It is a compilation of science articles, and is usually terrific. The 2012 edition should come out in December or January. Also, my favorite regular science writing is the Science section of the Economist magazine. -- all that is more at high school/adult level, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Great Girl switched from Scientific American to American Scientist at high school age when she got tired of SA being wrong about things she knew something about. Dh also looked at a subscription to Nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Thanks. I'll look into American Scientist. We just subrscribed to the Economist, I didn't know know they had science articles. oh, I am glad you have a subscription! The writing is excellent. They have a few science articles each week (in the print edition it is near the back, around the arts & books sections), and a quarterly Technology report that's worth keeping an eye out for. Great Girl switched from Scientific American to American Scientist at high school age when she got tired of SA being wrong about things she knew something about. Dh also looked at a subscription to Nature. Nature is good, and of course very technical. Is your DH a scientist, or familiar with Nature? It is written to the level of someone with post-grad experience in the sciences, I would say, though accessible to a bright enthusiast. The first section of Nature is more general, and the actual papers -- which are primary research -- are usually only really accessible to specialists. Also, oddly enough, the high-profile journals like Science and Nature tend to print more wrong science than less competitive journals, because the stakes are high to get the results in there and because they are drawn to flashy results (naturally). But I'd never put you off Nature, if you can afford a subscription. I would say that with Nature articles it's really helpful to read through and understand the figures/illustrations first, and then go over the body of the text carefully. Also, regarding original research papers, if you ever want one but don't have a subscription to the journal, the author will be happy to e-mail you a PDF -- one of the authors is usually listed as the contact person, and though some are busy and not prompt with e-mail, usually either the "corresponding author" (often a lab head) or the first author (usually, not always, less senior and less distracted) is very happy to get their work to anyone interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 No stem background for either parent! Son has type 1 diabetes and wants to work in the field: probably biomedical engineering bc he hates current continual glucose monitors. :) Or a pediatric endocrinologist. He excels in spatial skills, and does well in math and science oh, I am glad you have a subscription! The writing is excellent. They have a few science articles each week (in the print edition it is near the back, around the arts & books sections), and a quarterly Technology report that's worth keeping an eye out for. Nature is good, and of course very technical. Is your DH a scientist, or familiar with Nature? It is written to the level of someone with post-grad experience in the sciences, I would say, though accessible to a bright enthusiast. The first section of Nature is more general, and the actual papers -- which are primary research -- are usually only really accessible to specialists. Also, oddly enough, the high-profile journals like Science and Nature tend to print more wrong science than less competitive journals, because the stakes are high to get the results in there and because they are drawn to flashy results (naturally). But I'd never put you off Nature, if you can afford a subscription. I would say that with Nature articles it's really helpful to read through and understand the figures/illustrations first, and then go over the body of the text carefully. Also, regarding original research papers, if you ever want one but don't have a subscription to the journal, the author will be happy to e-mail you a PDF -- one of the authors is usually listed as the contact person, and though some are busy and not prompt with e-mail, usually either the "corresponding author" (often a lab head) or the first author (usually, not always, less senior and less distracted) is very happy to get their work to anyone interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 oh, I am glad you have a subscription! The writing is excellent. They have a few science articles each week (in the print edition it is near the back, around the arts & books sections), and a quarterly Technology report that's worth keeping an eye out for. Nature is good, and of course very technical. Is your DH a scientist, or familiar with Nature? It is written to the level of someone with post-grad experience in the sciences, I would say, though accessible to a bright enthusiast. The first section of Nature is more general, and the actual papers -- which are primary research -- are usually only really accessible to specialists. Also, oddly enough, the high-profile journals like Science and Nature tend to print more wrong science than less competitive journals, because the stakes are high to get the results in there and because they are drawn to flashy results (naturally). But I'd never put you off Nature, if you can afford a subscription. I would say that with Nature articles it's really helpful to read through and understand the figures/illustrations first, and then go over the body of the text carefully. Also, regarding original research papers, if you ever want one but don't have a subscription to the journal, the author will be happy to e-mail you a PDF -- one of the authors is usually listed as the contact person, and though some are busy and not prompt with e-mail, usually either the "corresponding author" (often a lab head) or the first author (usually, not always, less senior and less distracted) is very happy to get their work to anyone interested. Sorry, all dh told me is that he was looking at American Scientist and Nature for her, and decided on the former. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Sorry, all dh told me is that he was looking at American Scientist and Nature for her, and decided on the former. oh, I think that is good! I wanted to say that Nature is probably not useful for a good general science magazine -- the actual articles are totally inaccessible to the non-expert (as in, neuroscientist DH can't understand the cell biology papers, much less physics or chemistry) and the front matter, which is interesting and accessible to the educated non-specialist, doesn't seem worth the expense; but I was afraid it might sound condescending if y'all were scientists and thought it would suit. so: whoo-hoo American Scientist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 We also like New Scientist, though we take our subscription online rather than print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 oh, I think that is good! I wanted to say that Nature is probably not useful for a good general science magazine -- the actual articles are totally inaccessible to the non-expert (as in, neuroscientist DH can't understand the cell biology papers, much less physics or chemistry) and the front matter, which is interesting and accessible to the educated non-specialist, doesn't seem worth the expense; but I was afraid it might sound condescending if y'all were scientists and thought it would suit. so: whoo-hoo American Scientist! No worries - it's impossible to be condescending to me where science is involved; I find Ask to be about my challenge level. :D. Dh has a Ph.D. in a mathy field, and has a much better sense than I do about what's what in math and science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 My physicist/genius roommate at college loved Discovery magazine. Don't underestimate National Geographic, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tntgoodwin Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Wired? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 We get both Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, and I haven't found the ads to be an issue at all. I assume that people are talking about the classified-type ads in the back of the magazine, because there doesn't seem to be anything remotely offensive anywhere else in the magazine. I wonder if they have gotten tamer in the past year or so, because there don't seem to be any suggestive pictures or anything, and anything that's at all suggestive is phrased in such a way that it would go right over most kids' heads anyway. I really don't see any problem, but if you have any question about it, most libraries carry both titles, so you could check it out and see for yourself. I ordered our subscriptions from Amazon, and I think each magazine runs around $10 for a full year, so the price is definitely right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fgoodwin Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Sorry for the late post but I just came across this forum and this topic. I second the praises of American Scientist. I used to subscribe to the magazine back in the 80s and 90s. It was excellent then and I assume given the comments that it still is. It's published only six times a year but each issue was dense with solid science written at the level of an intelligent layperson. I cannot recommend it enough for kids and adults looking for a general science magazine w/o all the flash and dash of Discover or Popular Science. As someone else said, AmSci is indeed what SciAm used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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