That is rather ODD...

These observations are things I have learned from our Oddities genre of programming:

1. One can identify if a piece of "freak" taxidermy is real by feeling for seam lines
2. It's not surprising for people into taxidermy & articulating to be vegetarians
3. A Taphophile is someone who is passionate about cemeteries (e.g. gravestones)

Do you know what else is odd and very cool? The cast of Oddities and Oddities San Francisco are going to meet in person – true story! Here are some pictures of when the Executive Producer (Josh Berkley) and I went to Obscura and met everyone.

Producer's Take: Mars Landing 2012

As NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory prepares for and executes one of the most complex Mars missions ever, SCIENCE is excited to bring you coverage of this prolific event on Monday, August 6th @ 10:00pm e/p.

If all goes according to plan — and that's a BIG if — scientists aim to discover whether or not Mars has, or ever had, the chemical building blocks to support life. In case you can't tell by a large portion of our programming dedicated to space, we geek out over this kind of stuff! 

Using a combination of field reporting, hosted interviews and informed news updates, Mars Landing 2012 will focus exclusively on the science and technology involved in bringing this mission to life. The show will feature scientists, technicians and big picture thinkers — those who have dedicated their careers and passion to this project.

Our hosts will be on location at the Jet Propulsion Lab in the hours after the Curiosity rover touches down on the surface of Mars. History will be made on August 6th, whether the landing mission is successful or not, and SCIENCE will be there with a full crew to provide coverage.

Check out this sneak peek of Mars Landing 2012. And don't forget to watch on Monday at 10PM e/p!

 

 

 

Oh, How I Love You, Dearest Space Shuttle(s)

There are few things as fuel-guzzling and taxpayer-spending as the shuttle, and there are few things in life that excite me as much as the shuttle!

I got up early this morning in anticipation of the shuttle fly-by, simply giddy. And nervous that I might miss any of the action. At Discovery we got two really good views of it flying over, including this awesome shot my co-worker got.

Putting my passion for the shuttle program into words is difficult. You know the way some people reaction to jewelry or famous people? That’s what the shuttle is to me – it’s my superstar, my special shiny something. I cry when it launches, I cry when it lands – but they’re tears of joy, shear pride. Like a giant, clunky, atmosphere-scorched baby that can’t fly without booster rockets.

What Really Goes on at The Science Channel Office (Meme)

You may have seen this meme going around the interwebs lately. We here at the Science Channel had to jump on board the meme train and give you a real look inside our office -- and what people think of our jobs.

Yes, all of these photos are real Science employees who graciously provided their faces (and sometimes their desks) for your amusement.

Amy Enchelmeyer
Social Media Strategist
SCIENCE

Shooting a Pilot: Stuff You Should Know!

I first heard about Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant from the Stuff You Should Know podcast when two of my coworkers were watching the Alien Hand Syndrome video in their office. It had been a long day for me, and their hysterical laughter was frankly grating my nerves. I stomped into the office, asked what in the world was going on, they introduced me to Josh & Chuck...and it changed my life.

Now a year and a half later, I find myself back in my old hometown of Atlanta, GA to shoot the Stuff You Should Know pilot episode. That's right, we think it's time for their own TV show. Some creative minds went out on a limb and wrote a script. After many incarnations and some help from the great production crew at School of Humans, it's all coming to fruition.

Want to know what went on down there? Here's a peek at what we were up to:

The Chunk is Coming!

Friday's are a wonderful thing, especially when you're preparing for the biggest special of the year: Punkin Chunkin in all it's glory, simplicity and complexity. We plan for it almost all year long. It's a phenomenon around the halls of SCIENCE. The network's main color is bright orange. What color are pumpkins? Coincidence? I think not.

So, what did we work on today for The Chunk? The Talent — travel, accommodations, food, shooting schedules. And just for the record, I am exceptionally excited about this year's hosts.

What else is nice about Fridays? I feel entitled to overdose on dark chocolate. It's not that I don't indulge during the week, but there's something about Friday that takes over. Resistance is indeed futile. A few of my coworkers and I have a basket in between our desks, where we exclusively put chocolate. Nothing else shall be allowed in the basket.

It's brainfood, I'm convinced.

Lindsey Foster
Coordinating Producer
SCIENCE