Flu Trends Around the World

Google has developed a tool that can yield surprisingly accurate results sooner than the CDC:
- click "Learn More" on the page link below to get an explanation of what's going on here.

http://www.google.org/flutrends/

(Note: The site is google.ORG, not .COM!)

Would it be a fun learning exercise to have your class make guesses as to the terms that might indicate some kind of trend?
How might some one be misled if they didn't understand the data or have enough data amassed to make certain conclusions?
What type of people in various careers would use this? Medical, Sociology, Statisticians, Mathematicians, Scientists, the list goes on...

Interesting stuff!

Math and Girls

I listen to Science Friday and enjoy the lively discussions led by Ira Flatow. On September 21st, 2007 he hosted a discussion with women mathematicians. There's an interview with Danica McKellar - author and actress; a story of how young women from the US competed in China and came away from gold, silver and bronze medals; and other compelling conversations regarding the US crisis in educating our young.

What I found particularly interesting was the spirited conversation with his first guest Danica McKellar. You might remember her as "Winnie" from the TV show "The Wonder Years". Well, now she has majored in Math at UCLA and published a book: Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle-School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail

To listen to the recorded broadcast using WIndows Media Player click here.

Click here to go to the specific ScienceFriday page where you can:

• Listen to the original radiocast - click one of the audio players in the Archived Audio box off to the right of the page.
• Link to Amazon and order Danica's book.
• Find links to other Math resources.
• Learn more about the guests.

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