This post is part of Mashable’s ongoing series The Women Fixing STEM, which highlights trailblazing women in science, tech, engineering, and math, as well as initiatives and organizations working to close the industries’ gender gaps.
Learning shouldn’t stop after school ends, and the women of YouTube’s STEM channels prove that.
These aren’t the boring science lessons that you had to sit through in stuffy high school classrooms or massive college lecture halls. There are no tests, no grades, and no assignments. You will, however, need a sense of curiosity and a love for all things science.
If you’re driven by a desire to learn new things, check out these six women who are making STEM more accessible.
After noticing the lack of female students in computer science, computing and ITC teacher Carrie Anne Philbin decided to start making educational videos about coding. Her channel Geek Gurl Diaries includes tutorials and interviews with inspirational women in STEM. Since creating Geek Gurl Diaries, Philbin has become the Director of Education at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, where she creates learning resources for people interested in learning programming.
“By exposing students to the range of creative and exciting scientific careers in technology,” she says on her website, “they may discover an interest in a field they had previously dismissed.”
Dianna Cowern hosts a PBS digital series called Physics Girl, where she experiments with zero-gravity and DIY electric trains. With a background in physics from MIT and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cowern is driven by educating the curious. Her channel covers a wide variety of topics from explaining what stretching does for the body to demonstrating the theory behind vortexes.
Have you ever wished you could know the backstory behind museum artifacts? YouTuber Emiliy Graslie’s channel dives into what goes on behind the scenes at The Field Museum in Chicago.
As the “Chief Curiosity Correspondent,” Graslie tries to explain why natural history museums are so important to society. Her channel has it all, from exploring the origins of a rare bird specimen donated to the museum by a murderer to showing her viewers why the museum keeps a rusty car door in its collection.
Have you ever wondered what happens to astronaut poop? Or how NASA managed to take pictures of Neil Armstrong on the moon? Ami Shira Teitel has the answers. As a Spaceflight historian and author, the self-proclaimed “space history nerd” runs a channel dedicated to explaining the history of humans in space.
“If there is a link to the past to any modern mission,” she says in her channel trailer, “I will find it and I will talk about the roots of it.”
Alex Dainis is a PhD candidate at Stanford University and runs a YouTube channel inspired by her love of genetics. She interviews fellow scientists, unpacks complicated theories so that someone without a science degree can understand them, and even answers questions about her program.
She also shows her viewers what it’s like to be a grad school student, from giving video lab tours to discussing the logistical nightmares that researchers face when conducting experiments.
Buying beauty products can be an overwhelming experience — in addition to figuring out what looks good, you have to decipher the ingredients, too. Trina Espinoza’s channel breaks down the complicated chemicals that fill the labels of your favorite products. From pointing out what you should look for in sunscreen to explaining how the heck micellar water works, Espinoza’s channel helps you understand exactly what you’re putting on your face.
As Espinoza says in her channel trailer, “I believe you shouldn’t need a PhD in chemistry to understand what’s in your beauty products.”
These are just a few women breaking down STEM topics on YouTube. Research shows that seeing women in STEM careers encourages girls to pursue learning about those topics — and right now women hold only a quarter of STEM jobs.
Beyond inspiring young viewers, these STEM YouTubers are encouraging them to be lifelong learners.
Betty White has been a household name since the 1950s — from her early work on a five-and-a-half-hours-a-day, six-days-a-week live variety show and her first sitcom Life with Elizabeth, to subsequent supporting and starring roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, among many others. But she reached full pop icon status after her unexpected and racy turn on Comedy Central’s Roast of William Shatner, those Snickers commercials, and, in the crowning achievement, her gig as host of Saturday Night Live in May 2010.
In a new PBS special, Betty White: First Lady of Television, White’s agent Jeff Witjas recounts how he pushed White to do some projects that people wouldn’t have expected of her, including that roast. The popular NBC sketch comedy series wasn’t even on their radar, though, until a fan started a Facebook petition, and SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels took notice.
In an exclusive clip above, Witjas says White, then 88 years old, rehearsed “vigorously all week,” but then on Thursday she gave him a look he’s “never seen before” and said, “Never again.”
“Maybe I pushed her a little too far and a little too much, because I was pushing her out of her comfort zone,” he explains.” And then she said it, she looked [at me], went right back into the regular Betty White after she said it.”
White goes on to explain how she does get stage fright, but it’s not always a bad thing. “It’s a lifesaver because the panic that sets in, you have to [counteract] and you have to get a handle on it in order to do what you’re doing,” White, now 96, says. “So the stage fright is what puts the edge, I think, on a performance.”
Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
“I can’t believe Betty did SNL and at that age,” says Ryan Reynolds, who played her grandson in The Proposal. “And not only did SNL at that age but took the ball and knocked it so far out of the park.”
Audiences took notice, as did the television academy; she won her fifth primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her work. (White has 21 total primetime nominations, plus a Daytime Emmy Award, another daytime nomination, and a Lifetime Achievement honor.)
The special, from the Pioneers of Television team, was filmed periodically over the course of 10 years. In it, she also talks about how she refused to remove black tap dancer Arthur Duncan from her talk show in the 1950s after audiences in the south complained. She also discusses meeting her husband, game show host Allen Ludden, and his death, and she explains her long love affair with animals and wildlife.
Betty White: First Woman of Television, premiering Tuesday on PBS (check your local listings for time), also features former costars and friends including Carl Reiner, Valerie Bertinelli, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tina Fey.
At the Women in the World Summit in New York, Harvey Weinstein accusers Asia Argento and Ambra Battilana Gutierrez discuss the ramifications of the #MeToo movement and the importance of keeping the conversation alive. (April 13) AP
Italian actress/director Asia Argento reportedly paid actor Jimmy Bennett $380,000 after he accused her of sexually assaulting him just a few months after his 17th birthday, when she was 37, according to the New York Times.
The two first bonded when he starred with her in the independent film “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,” which was filmed in Knoxville in 2003, when Bennett was 7 years old and Argento was 28.
Bennett is now 22, and Argento is 42.
Bennett reportedly took action against Argento after she became a leader in the #MeToo movement and accused prominent film producer Harvey Weinstein of repeated sexual abuse that she claims began when Weinstein raped her during the 1997 Cannes Film Festival when she was 21.
Argento co-wrote and directed “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,” in which she stars as a drug-addled prostitute and Bennett plays her son, Jeremiah. In the film, Argento’s character has her son dress as a girl and pretend to be her little sister. Her son is also raped by her boyfriend, played by Jeremy Renner, and spends three years in a Christian cult led by his grandfather, played by Peter Fonda.
Twin actors Dylan and Cole Sprouse play an older Jeremiah in the film.
The movie was filmed in Knoxville in late September and early October 2003. Downtown Knoxville is featured prominently in the movie, which was also shot at various other locations in Knoxville and Farragut. The movie, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in 2004, also stars Jeremy Sisto, Ben Foster, Marilyn Manson and Winona Ryder in an uncredited role.
According to documents obtained by the Times, “Jimmy’s impression of (his situation with Argento) was that a mother-son relationship had blossomed from their experience on set” of the Knoxville-filmed movie.
After appearing in “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,” Bennett starred in such major films as “Hostage” (with Bruce Willis), the 2005 remake of “The Amityville Horror” (with Ryan Reynolds), “Firewall” (with Harrison Ford), “Poseidon” (with Josh Lucas and Kurt Russell) and “Orphan.”
The documents obtained by the Times assert that Bennett’s career was derailed after his 2013 sexual encounter with Argento in a California hotel room, which “hindered Mr. Bennett’s work and income and threatened his mental health.” Bennett’s notice of intent to sue asked for $3.5 million to compensate for distress, lost wages and assault and battery, the Times reported, noting that he made more than $2.7 million in the five years before the alleged assault and then dropped to an average of $60,000 a year.
One of the documents states that Argento invited Bennett to her room at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California, on May 9, 2013, gave the 17-year-old alcohol, kissed him, undressed him, performed oral sex on him had intercourse with him. Later that day she posted a photo of the two of them on her Instagram account and said, it was the “happiest day of my life.”
But according to the claim reported by the Times, Bennett felt “confused,” “mortified” and “disgusted” on his way home after the encounter.
Last November, a month after Argento’s accusation against Weinstein became public, Bennett’s lawyer filed his notice of intent to sue to Richard Hofstetter, who was representing both Argento and her boyfriend, celebrity chef/TV personality Anthony Bourdain.
34-year-old Shanann Watts, her unborn child and her two daughters, 4-year-old Bella Watts and 3-year-old Celeste Watts, were honored at a candlelight vigil outside their family home in Frederick, Colo. on Friday, Aug. 17. Mikaela Rodenbaugh
GREELEY — Christopher Lee Watts, the Frederick man accused of killing his wife and two daughters, faces five counts of first-degree murder and four other felony charges filed by the Weld County District Attorney’s Office.
The district attorney’s office on Monday formally charged Watts with three counts of first-degree murder after deliberation for the deaths of Shanann, Celeste and Bella Watts, along with two counts of first-degree murder for causing the death of a person under the age of 12 while being in a position of trust. He also faces one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased body.
The complaint says mother and wife Shanann Watts “died as a result of the unlawful termination of the pregnancy.”
Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke refused to answer most questions about the case, including whether his office would seek the death penalty, during a press conference held Monday afternoon.
“Way to early to have that conversation,” Rourke said about the possibility of pursuing the death penalty for Christopher Watts.
Rourke said investigators believe Bella and Celeste died on either Aug. 12 or 13, and that they know Shanann Watts had returned from a work trip on Aug. 13.
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Shanann Watts’ father, Frank Rzucek, spoke briefly during Monday’s news conference, thanking the community and law enforcement for its outpouring of support.
“Keep the prayers coming for our family,” Rzucek said.
Christopher Watts, 33, was arrested late Wednesday. Police said Shanann Watts was found dead in a shallow grave on property owned by Anadarko Petroleum, one of the state’s largest oil and gas drillers, where Christopher Watts worked as an operator. Investigators found what they believe are the bodies of 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste nearby on Thursday.
Court documents filed Friday by the defense, which were obtained by 9News and shared with the Coloradoan, suggest Bella and Celeste may have been strangled and confirmed their bodies were found in an oil well filled with crude oil. They had been submerged for four days.
Rourke said his office filed a motion to unseal the arrest affidavit for Christoper Watts after filing formal charges Monday afternoon. The motion was granted by 19th Judicial District Judge Marcelo Kopcow prior to the 4 p.m. press conference.
The judge said in the order he would not tell the medical examiner’s office involved in the case how to do its job.
Autopsies were completed Friday on Shanann, Bella and Celeste Watts. The cause of their deaths has not been made public.
Weld County prosecutors said Watts was jailed in protective custody. He is scheduled to appear in court at 10 a.m. Tuesday to be advised of charges levied against him.
Hollie Arnold won Paralympic gold in the F46 event in Rio
British javelin thrower Hollie Arnold completed a clean sweep of major titles by winning gold at the World Para-athletics European Championships.
It was one of seven medals for GB on the first night of action in Berlin.
Arnold, 24, claimed her first European title having won Commonwealth gold in the F46 event earlier this year to add to her world and Paralympic successes.
“I’m so happy to have all the titles now but this is just a stepping stone,” said the Welsh athlete.
“I wasn’t expecting to compete at the Europeans because my event is not normally in so this is a bonus.
“The event got taken out in Swansea in 2014 so coming here I thought ‘I’m here, why not enjoy it?’ and try and get the crowd going and just go for it.”
Arnold threw a championship record of 40.15m to finish over seven metres clear of the rest of the field, but she never threatened her world record of 43.02.
Britain’s other gold went to wheelchair racer Harri Jenkins, who beat the only other competitor in the T34 100m final.
The Welshman, who has also played wheelchair basketball at under-23 level for GB, has seen a number of his rivals reclassified but said he was concentrating on getting the win.
“There has been a lot of movement of athletes in my class so I just wanted to go out there and do my thing,” he said.
“I was going in hoping for gold and I have come away with it in the end so I am really happy.
“This week is going to be a good learning curve for me for the future, with hopefully the world championships next year and going forward to Tokyo.”
Elsewhere there were silvers for teenagers Luke Nuttall (1500m T46) and Zak Skinner (Long Jump T13) as well as for David Devine (1500m T13) and Ali Smith (400m T38) while Laura Sugar won bronze in the women’s 100m T64.
Three years after the release of their first Supernatural parody, the sister comedy duo of Hilly and Hannah Hindi have gifted the Supernatural family with another star-filled video. While the last spoof was set to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” this one tackles a slightly more fitting tune: the Ghostbusters theme song. And with that song as its guide, the parody delivers more cameos than anyone could possibly ask for.
Death delivering pizza? You got it! Poor, poor Adam STILL hanging out in the cage in Hell? Done! And of course, Supernatural stars Misha Collins, Jared Padalecki, and Jensen Ackles all make appearances as well. (Collins even brings yet another accent to the party!)
In terms of story, the parody hits on many of the beloved series’ highlights from over the years, including but not limited to Dean’s scream in “Phantom Traveler,” the unforgettable talking teddy bear, and the magic of “Changing Channels.”
The pair belted out the 1965 classics “Drive My Car” and “Help!” and even stopped by Penny Lane in the latest edition of “Carpool Karaoke.” Time
Want more Macca?
Well, James Corden has heard your prayers. On Monday, the “Late Late Show” host is airing a supersized edition of his “Carpool Karaoke” with Sir Paul McCartney, which is already one of the late-night show’s most popular segments with more than 30 million views on YouTube since late June.
“Carpool Karaoke: When Corden Met McCartney Live From Liverpool” (CBS, 8 ET/PT) adds roughly 20 minutes of previously unseen material to their jaunt, in which McCartney gives Corden a tour of his hometown. Along the way, he peppers their ride with charming anecdotes about The Beatles and his solo career, including what he thinks of the “Paul is dead” fan theories (“We just kind of let it go,” he says) and why he’s the only one barefoot on the “Abbey Road” album cover (he wore sandals that day because it was hot and decided to take them off).
He also recounts how he spent nine days in a Japanese prison in 1980 for packing marijuana in his bag, and once pretended to be someone else when a fan asked whether he was McCartney. (“I said, ‘No, but I wish I had his money!’ “)
In addition to visiting his childhood home and singing an emotional rendition of “Let It Be” that left Corden in tears (both included in the original “Carpool” segment), McCartney also pulled over to pose with statues of the Fab Four and amusingly photo-bomb fans.
The majority of the new footage is taken from McCartney’s surprise gig at a local pub. Added live performances include a jaunty “Lady Madonna,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “I Wanna Be Your Man” and, of course, “Drive My Car.”
McCartney recently announced additional North American dates on his Freshen Up tour this fall, timed to the release of his new album “Egypt Station,” out Sept. 7.
The video, set to M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls,” shows girls be-bopping through the school in oversized T-shirts and short shorts. The bad girls are sent to a classroom labeled “dress code violators,” where a female teacher punishes them by forcing them to repeat the phrase, “I will not wear athletic shorts.”
But the most offensive thing may be that it was shown ONLY to girls.
Boys didn’t get any kind of primer on what appropriate dress is at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas.
Seniors Catherine Moring and Nicole Hollowell had a problem with that. They asked a teacher to send them the video and Moring posted it on Twitter, according to ABC’s WFAA.
Today my school was shown this video. So sad how ONLY girls are shown as the violators. I understand why my school has a dresscode, but what about the boys who wear shorts, or show their shoulders? It’s 2018…Why are we still over-sexualizing teen girls? pic.twitter.com/fCXymYAIEG
Hollowell pointed out to WFAA the irony of the video.
“They were zooming in on girls’ legs in the video. They were showing up-close (shots) of the girls in shorts. They were doing this at the same time saying shorts were too sexual to be worn at school.”
An apology over the video that ‘absolutely missed the mark’
The day after the video was shown to almost 3,000 students, Marcus High School principal Will Skelton apologized.
Usually, a fashion show is held during student orientation that demonstrates what to wear and what not to wear according to the student dress code. But campus construction prevented that this school year.
“We believed a video would be a good way to replace the fashion show, but this video absolutely missed the mark.
“Please accept my sincere apology for not ensuring our video achieved its intended purpose – to remind ALL students of our dress code expectations.”
Pierre Gasly made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso last year
French driver Pierre Gasly will replace the departing Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull next season, the Formula 1 team have announced.
The 22-year-old, who drives for Red Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso, will line up alongside Max Verstappen.
Australian Ricciardo will leave for Renault at the end of this season.
“This incredible opportunity is another step forward in my ambition to win grands prix and compete for world championships,” said Gasly.
He only made his F1 debut at the Malaysian Grand Prix last October, but has scored 26 points for Toro Rosso this year, with a best finish of fourth in Bahrain.
Red Bull have struggled for consistency this year, but have won three races – two by Ricciardo and one by Verstappen.
“Red Bull has always looked to fight for championships or victories and that’s what I want,” added Gasly.
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