In which Alex enters the world of scientific debate.

[rivka]

At supper tonight, I was telling Michael about a new-to-us exhibit Alex and I wandered into at the Maryland Science Center: "Our Place in Space," which features an enormous spherical display screen which they use to display planetary images. (OMG that thing was so cool.)

Rivka: And we saw Saturn, and Pluto... Pluto is Alex's favorite planet. Right?
Alex: That's not a planet.
Michael and Rivka look at each other, shocked.
Rivka: Pluto isn't a planet?
Alex: Some people say it's a planet.
Rivka: But it isn't?
Alex: Some people say it is. Some people say it's a planet, and some people don't.
Rivka: Is Jupiter a planet?
Alex: Yes.
Rivka: Is Saturn a planet?
Alex: Yes.
Rivka: Is Neptune a planet?
Alex: Yes.
Rivka: Is Pluto a planet?
Alex: Some people say it's a planet, and some people don't.

We were completely dumbfounded until I remembered that a book we have out of the library, Planets Around the Sun, makes a brief reference to the Pluto controversy. Then we were only mostly dumbfounded. I can't believe that she retained that piece of information and pulled it into a completely different context.

Great. She's not even three years old yet, and we're going to have to be careful about taking her to cons, for fear that she'll get a beatdown from Athena Scalzi.


Edited to add: I checked Planets Around the Sun. It just says, "Some scientists think [Pluto] is too small to be a planet. But most people still call Pluto the ninth planet of our solar system." So what Alex said seems to have actually been her analysis, not a direct quote from the book. Whoa.

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Wait until she hears about the brontosaurus.

B

[rivka.livejournal.com]

We've already covered that (http://rivka.livejournal.com/383079.html), actually.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

That's so great. Elena can quote (in or out of context) huge passages from books she's only heard once or twice. It freaks me occasionally. She will totally be quoting me (from my worst moments) to strangers in the grocery store soon. :)

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

I wonder if kids, before they learn to read, just have to remember what they hear better--sort of as a survivial thing.

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is wild! It must have really resonated with her for some reason.

-J

[orangemike.livejournal.com]

Alex has been going to cons, I hope? This past weekend was our Kelly's 49th (she's 12, and went to her first at age five weeks or so).

[rivka.livejournal.com]

She's been to one con - Capclave, when she was six months old. Money's been a bit tight for anything else. Of course we hope to rectify this in the future.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

Yes, and since I keep reading about her here, I have the feeling that she would know me, of course, but she was just a baby when I met her in person.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Go Alex! That's pretty amazing.

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

This is a little of topic, but I really recommend Is Pluto a Planet?: A Historical Journey through the Solar System by David A. Weintraub. The first couple of chapters deal with different understandings of the solar system throughout history, and may not be as interestng to some as it was to me.

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

Too cool.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

DAMN smart kid!

[droewyn.livejournal.com]

I recommend having Alex listen to Christine Lavin's Planet X for more information on the controversy. Also because the idea of her singing that semi-technical song tickles me immensely.

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

Wow.

Just... wow.

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Richard says "That is one remarkably well-informed toddler!".