Can you explain science with seven everyday items? We're looking for some creative minds to explain how a part of the human body works, or how a process occurs in it, in two minutes or less. No fancy equipment is needed, either--a smartphone camera will do. For inspiration, take a gander at this sample video, made by our interns Isha Soni and Mollie Bloudoff-Indelicato. I love the way they used the stress ball off my desk.
Philip Yam is the managing editor of ScientificAmerican.com, responsible for the overall news content online. He began working at the magazine in 1989, first as a copyeditor and then as a features editor specializing in physics. He is the author of The Pathological Protein: Mad Cow, Chronic Wasting and Other Prion Diseases.