SeanChron | Backwood Brainiacs

I'm originally a farm boy from Nebraska and I'm here to tell y'all...National Geographic Channel's new series, Rocket City Rednecks, is hotter than Georgia asphalt. The series is the latest addition to a long list of 'redneck engineering' shows that features the creativity and craftsmanship of multi-talented design-build teams. Like many of its predecessors, Rain City Rednecks involves a whole lot of science, technology, engineering, and math.

The show is lead by real life rocket scientist Travis "Doc" Taylor and features a whole cast of good ole boys with science and engineering backgrounds. This isn't just main street science, its backwoods science and the boys really do have a blast in each episode. What sets Rocket City Rednecks apart from other similar shows is that many members of the team actually have advanced degrees...they really are rockets scientists. From a submarine and solar-powered bass fishing boat to moonshine rocket fuel and a junkyard Ironman, the rednecks are sure to keep you entertained. Will Rocket City Rednecks bring in a whole new crowd of folks into science and engineering? As Doc Taylor and the boys would say..."You bet your astronaut!"

NanoWatch | Girl Scout Science

Science couldn't get more main street than using Girl Scout Cookies as a prime material in research. A team of scientists at Rice University recently did just that. Lead by Dr. James Tour, a group of young researchers partnered with Girl Scout Troop 25080 to demonstrate that Girl Scout shortbread cookies could be turned into graphene (a new, incredibly strong nanomaterial that is only one carbon atom thick) quickly and easily. Given that a two inch square of pure graphene goes for $250, if you applied this rate to a full box of Girl Scout cookies...it would be worth about $15 billion. Prices for graphene are going down quickly though so you may want to order a couple extra boxes of cookies this year before - like the Girl Scout cookie season itself - the opportunity slips away. Read more on the Rice University website.