Critical Thinking Is Key

I’m Deyne, and welcome to Seriously Scientific! I wanted to share a little bit about the journey that led me here and why this site exists.

From Biotech to the Classroom

I’m originally from the UK, where I studied Biotechnology. After university, I spent several years working as an assistant in the Research and Development department of a large pharmaceutical company. It was an interesting time, but must admit, I became more than a little disillusioned with how science and capitalism sometimes combine in that environment. My goals and the company’s goals just didn’t align.

Needing a change, I travelled the world for a while before eventually settling in Vietnam. It was here that I found my real passion. For the past 12 years, I’ve been teaching secondary school science, and loving the challenge.

An Idea Born in the Classroom

This website really started because of my students. While teaching learners whose first language isn’t English (ESL), I often used classics like Bill Nye the Science Guy. These shows are fantastic for illustrating complex concepts clearly.

There was just one problem: the quality of the videos circulating online was mostly ‘potatoe’ due to the low resolution. But the students still loved them just as much as ‘we all did’ in the 90’s , so I decided to start upscaling and remastering them myself.

The Critical Thinking Challenge

Restoring the videos was just the beginning. As a teacher, I see firsthand how difficult it is for students today to develop critical thinking skills. They are constantly bombarded with information, misinformation, and endless distractions. It’s harder than ever to know what sources to trust.

Furthermore, I noticed a gap in how science is reported. A lot of science news is dense, filled with complicated jargon, and doesn’t easily relate to what we’re learning in the classroom. Students need to see science in action and understand how discoveries are made.

The Mission Today

The project grew from these needs. My goal is to preserve incredible educational resources while actively demonstrating how science progresses and making that progress understandable. This has evolved into a three-part mission:

• Remastering Classics: Restoring beloved science shows to high quality so they can be enjoyed by a new generation.
• Making Learning Interactive: Adding NGSS-aligned interactive lessons to the videos, designed to help students and serve as fun refreshers for everyone else.
• Accessible Science News: Bridging the gap between the classroom and the lab by explaining the latest breakthroughs in a way that is easier to understand.

The Seriously Scientific Approach to Science News

The Latest Science News section is central to fostering critical thinking. I am in no way claiming to be an expert on anything I post about. Just like everyone else, I am learning and exploring. This process is a key part of developing critical thinking. The goal is to make complex studies accessible to my students and everyone else, without sacrificing depth or rigor.

Crucially, every news article includes citations. These link directly to the original, peer-reviewed scientific papers where possible and other relevant sources. I strongly encourage everyone, from students to casual readers, to dive deeper by following these citations. They link to a wealth of excellent scientific knowledge. While I aim to make the explanations easier to digest, much more learning can be done by exploring these resources further.

You can read more about how I approach science journalism and the standards I uphold in my Editorial Guidelines and Standards.

This entire approach is built on a core belief of mine, captured perfectly by Rosalind Franklin:

“Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated.” – Rosalind Franklin

A Commitment to Accuracy

I put a great deal of effort into ensuring accuracy, so will always fact check before posting. However that’s still not always foolproof! So if you ever find anything that doesn’t seem quite accurate in the writing, or raises questions, please drop a comment on the article so I can review it.

Get In Touch

Seriously Scientific has a huge staff base of me, so it can be difficult to keep on top of things at times. As such, if you spot any bugs, have suggestions for new content, or want to request specific subtitles, please drop me a message via the contact form. I’m always glad to receive constructive feedback and will always do my best to follow up quickly.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the site!

As Bill Nye would say,

Science Rules!