STEMing the Holiday Feud

Welcome to the holiday season! Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, Solstice, Christmas, New Year, or a festive combination of the above, chances are you’ll be joining some group gatherings soon. The food? Likely delicious. The conversation? That’s another story, swinging from delightful to awkward to territories best left unmentioned. If you’re aiming to keep things light and engaging this year, consider adding a dash of science. Here are seven playful science topics to bring a spark of curiosity, fun, and (let’s be honest) a bit of geekiness to your holiday gatherings!

1. Which dish has the biggest collective genome? For example: Pumping Pie = Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) 0.26 Gb + Sugar (Saccharum officinarum) ~7.88 Gb + Eggs (Gallus gallus) ~1 Mb + Milk/Butter (Bos taurus) 2.7 Gb + Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) 1.06 Gb + Ginger (Zingiber officinale) 1.69 Gb + Wheat (Triticum aestivum) 16 Gb.
2. Which holiday treat requires the most chemical reactions to make? Is it cookies, candy canes, or grandma’s famous fruitcake? Talk through the chemistry happening in each recipe to learn science as well as family tips and tricks.
3. Which holiday spice has the most health benefits, ecosystem benefits, or coolest molecule shape? Spices will vary based on holiday and family traditions.
4. Which famous scientist would make the best dinner guest? Which one would bring the best side dish?
5. What’s the ideal holiday gift to send into space? Think about safety, durability, and the potential for unique and useful experiments.
6. If you had to assign a scientific name to yourself, what would it be? Remember to include both genus and species. Also, gauge your group and aim for humor rather than hurt feelings. If you’re unsure, consider a self-naming only rule!
7. Host a family debate on a hypothetical, holiday-themed scientific topic! If you’re celebrating Christmas, consider asking, “Which energy source would power Santa’s sleigh best if he didn’t have reindeer magic?” If you’re observing Bodhi Day, try the question, “If meditation could be measured scientifically, what would that measurement be?” (Our pick is ‘mindfulness particles per second’). Crafting these questions can be just as enjoyable as discovering the answers, leaving plenty of room for wacky and off-the-wall ideas!

Does your family skew more toward current events, spirited debate, and intellectual deep dives? There’s no shortage of great scientific advancements and innovations to discuss! Check out some of our popular posts about CRISPR-enabled breakthroughs, biotechnology’s role in addressing the world’s water crisis, biofuels, recent Nobel Prize discoveries, the link between diet and cancer, famous artist-scientists, physicist-biologists, plastic-eating microbes, and groundbreaking medical treatments.