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In the world of educational programming for children, there are the old standbys, and then there are the new innovators. And both definitely have their place, teaching generations of children the ins and outs of basic science. Whether it's understanding the forces behind rain or the ecosystem of the pond in the backyard, science programming has always been one of the most captivating aspects of television's educational entertainment for youngsters. And as the world that we live in gets more and more wired and there are more things to learn about, it is nice to know that some of the basics are still there to enjoy on satellite TV.

Alongside your classic programs like "Sesame Street" which mention science from time to time, there are some new innovators out there in the field that are doing things in more exciting ways. Right now, the most anticipated program that teaches both science and technology to a younger generation is called "SciGirls," and it does a whole lot more than just let you know the wonders of the universe and your own backyard.

Before the program "SciGirls" started to air on PBS, the troubling fact about educational programming for children in the world of science is that most of it was more geared towards boys. And while there is nothing wrong with providing comprehensive overviews of science for both boys and girls, sometimes girls were not pictured as the frontrunners in the world of science. Even the big television hosts have typically been male, and the trouble with this approach to science-based education is that girls have sometimes been left behind.

But with "SciGirls" so popular on satellite TV, it's been incredible to see the ratings go sky-high. Another reason that this young nature show seems interesting is that it features more regular-seeming students, rather than television or movie actors who happen to be teenagers. This authenticity is really exciting because apparently your children are going to be more interested in seeing things with actual kids who are their peers or seem like their older siblings, rather than some from-the-script actor you might catch on a teen drama in a couple of years.

And the science on "SciGirls" is some of the most accurate and well-chosen in all of the world of satellite TV. With so much focus now on the latest technology or just jumping right to computers and other science/technology innovations, it is nice to see a show that manages to balance that sort of information with more of the classic science approaches. Whether you're learning about physics through figuring out how to get a gigantic puppet constructed for a parade or digging around in the local pond while finding out new and exciting facts about turtles, the girls of "SciGirls" are actually out there doing.

But there's more to this exciting new science and nature show than simply this. What really matters is that in a world where you're less likely to see a chemistry set as a present and more likely to have your child plopped down in front of an HDTV for hours, it's nice to know that there are still ways of inspiring children to put down the video games and do something more constructive for a change.

Unexplainable Store Review - Sound Science or New Age Mumbo-Jumbo?

The Unexplainable Store has become one of the leading sellers of brainwave entrainment audio recordings. While there is sound science (no pun intended!) behind the proposition that sound frequencies can affect mental states, the claims being made for what can be achieved with this technology are becoming quite far-fetched. In its attempts to appeal to a wide array of New Age interests, the Unexplainable Store risks subjugating science to mythology and outright superstition.

Scientific Means to Unscientific Ends?

The science behind audio brainwave entrainment is well established. Using either binaural beats, monaural beats, or the most effective method, isochronic tones, listeners of MP3 or CD recordings can encourage their brains to operate at the frequencies corresponding to different states of consciousness. In certain cases, there are clear benefits from doing this. For example, people who struggle to get a good night's sleep can benefit tremendously from inducing the Delta waves associated with deep, dreamless sleep - the state in which cellular repair takes place at a genetic level, and in which growth hormones are released. And Theta waves have been linked in numerous studies to enhanced learning, memory, and creativity. So far, so good.

If the Unexplainable Store limited itself strictly to products for which there is a strong, research-based rationale, we would have little reason to question the store's credibility. But the Unexplainable Store - as a commercial offshoot of a website focused on the paranormal - targets consumers with interests in psychic phenomena, UFOs, the spirit world, and a host of other "fringe" activities well beyond the purview of conventional science. And this inevitably sets up a tension between the store's claims to scientific underpinnings and its stated goals.

From Science to Mumbo-Jumbo?

A perfect example of this tension is provided by the store's recent marketing focus on the year 2012, and what some people think is going to happen in that year. We are told that this might be the end of civilization as we know it; that all the major religions have been predicting a final reckoning or major upheaval. Now, how this sort of end-times nonsense is supposed to be squared with the science of brainwave entrainment is beyond me. Clearly, we have left science very far behind. But that's not all. Wasn't the store paying any attention to the recent fuss about the "Rapture" that was predicted to occur early in 2011? Didn't they see how ridiculous these claims were? Why on earth would one want to risk a successful site's credibility by venturing down that same path?

More fundamentally, the tension between science and nonsense is omnipresent throughout the Unexplainable Store's product lineup. Most scientists would have a hard time finding any objective, verifiable truth in such activities as remote viewing, ESP, shaman consciousness, or past-life regression. Of course, one could retort that science is inherently limited in the exploration of the inner realms, since such highly subjective and personal experiences are not susceptible of testing in a laboratory setting. If I have a lucid dream one night that turns out to have accurate predictive value, I don't care that men in white coats can't duplicate my result in a college student on another continent.

The Limits of The Scientific Method

For professional scientists, phenomena that cannot be explained by science are automatically illegitimate. The existence of God is perhaps the best example: the world's leading atheists tend to be prominent scientists, who find divine intervention completely unnecessary in the evolution of life and consciousness. But for those of us who are not professional scientists, should we limit ourselves to beliefs and activities that only scientists would endorse? Is it O.K. for us to be unscientific?

I think the Unexplainable Store needs to make it clear that science has its uses and also has its limitations. Instead of a tension between science and the paranormal, we could say that we will gladly use science as far as it will take us, but we refuse to stop seeking truths and experiences beyond that point. The scientists will just have to catch up later!