neil degrasse tyson - WKTV Journal

Students learn through exploring at the Grand Rapids Public Museum's Science Tuesdays. — Students learn through exploring at the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Science Tuesdays.

As astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson makes his way to Grand Rapids this month, the Grand Rapids Public Museum sets the mood with a number of family activities in March all centered around science.

This week, the GRPM hosts its annual celebration of engineering week with school groups participating in an integrative Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics experience featuring activities from science and engineering. The week culminates in a public day Saturday, March 5.

“Basically all the stations that the school groups go through during the week are available for the public on that Saturday,” said the museum’s Marketing Manager Christie Bender.

Saturday’s programming focuses on STEM applications to create real world solutions to human problems and needs. Stations include creating underwater submersibles, design bridges, exams biomedical devices, manipulate robots, experiment with water systems and create concrete cookies using household ingredients.

“There are also special audience interactive events on the fifth where they can help drive an underwater rover that is in Florida waters from the Museum’s Theater,” Bender said. Underwater researcher and scientist Chris Olstad,and Grand Valley State University Professor Mark Gleason will be hosting live presentations at 10:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. from thirty feet below the water’s surface in Florida waters.

The GRPM also will be continuing its new, ongoing program Science Tuesdays, focusing on Zoology for the month of March. Stations will include hands-on activities, microscopes, animal x-rays, honey bee information and live animals every week. Today and March 8, animals from the John Ball Zoo will be at the GRPM from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Blandford Nature Center will bring in animals on March 15 and 22 from noon to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. Dr. Rebecca Vincent will have animals from noon to 4 p.m. March 29 and she is also scheduled to be the guest speaker at 6 p.m. that day. Vincent will discuss wildlife rehabilitation. Presentations are free with general admission.

Also this month, the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association with the GRPM will be hosting the Winter Star Party March 11 and 12 at the Cascade Recreation Park, 3810 Thornapple River Dr. SE. The program is from 7:30 – 9 p.m. both days.

GRAAA members will have telescopes set up to allow public viewing of the crescent moon, Jupiter and various other sky features visible only during winter and early spring. During warm weather season, these features are below the horizon making them unable to be seen. Those attending this event are encouraged to dress for cold weather and to bring flashlights, binoculars and telescopes if available.

This event is weather dependent and will only take place if the sky is clear. Status updates will be posted on the GRAAA website, graaa.org.

For more information on these events, upcoming exhibitions or other activities at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, visit grpm.org. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is located at 272 Pearl St. SW.

Neil deGrasse Tyson comes of Grand Rapids March 21. He will be at DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. SW.

Joy Tatum said she decided Leap Day is a great day for her daughter's birthday. "It makes it more special," she said. "She is unique. So, IÕm happy." (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat) — Joy Tatum said she decided Leap Day is a great day for her daughter’s birthday. “It makes it more special,” she said. “She is unique. So, I’m happy.” (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma and Victoria Mullen

The chances of being born on Feb. 29 are about 1 in 1,461. So for brand-spanking-new Grand Rapids-area babies, Skylar Tyler, Luke VanWoerkom, and Riley Ann Schiefla, the odds were in their favor this year.

They join the ranks of a very exclusive club – no joke, there is the Honor Society of Leap Year Babies – today.

“It makes it more special,” said Joy Tatum in an article recently posted at Spectrum Health’s HealthBeat.

Just for the record, there are about 187,000 people who were born on what many call Leap Day, Feb. 29, which occurs only once every four years. Although according to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who took to Twitter to debunk Leap Day naming, the day is not about leaping anywhere. “The calendar is simply, and abruptly, catching up with Earth’s orbit,” according to Tyson’s tweet.

We’re fans of Neil’s just like the next guy, but geeze, what a wet blanket.

Actually it takes the earth 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds to go around the sun. In order to even out the calendar, a day was added every four years. Otherwise our calendar would be off by about 25 years every 100.

The VanWoerkoms said they plan to let Luke choose the day he celebrates his birthday. They might even celebrate two days - from Feb. 28 to March 1- in years when his birthdate is not on the calendar. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat) — The VanWoerkoms said they plan to let Luke choose the day he celebrates his birthday. They might even celebrate two days – from Feb. 28 to March 1- in years when his birthdate is not on the calendar. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)

Most Leap Day babies end up celebrating their birthdays on Feb. 28 or March 1, when there isn’t a Feb. 29. Existential crisis? Only if they let it be. Well, truth be told, sometimes they don’t have a choice. Birth certificates and most government agencies like Social Security use February 29 for those born on Leap Day, but leaplings occasionally encounter bureaucratic difficulties using their true birth dates. Some computerized drop-down menus don’t include February 29.

And you thought your life was confusing.

On the plus side, Leap Day babies have an awful lot of freedom with their birthday. Some may choose to strictly adhere to Feb. 29, while others elect to melt in with the crowd with Feb. 28 or March 1. Tatum said her family plans to celebrate Skylar’s birthday on March 1. We’ll have to ask Skylar how she feels about that when she’s old enough to have an opinion. By then, she’ll be either 8 or 2. Or maybe 4 or 1, depending on how precocious she turns out to be.

Aside from these fun facts, what can leaplings look forward to throughout their special lives? Here are but a few of the emotional and psychological benefits:

Leaplings may be buffered from the emotional pressure of aging one year at a time. Instead, they’re reminded only every four years. (But we must take into account petty annoyances, which we address below.)
Some may choose to take advantage of this quirk in time and celebrate their birthdays on both February 28 and March 1 in off-leap years. More cake and ice cream. And maybe more presents, too.
Others make the most of a fabulous thing and pull out all the stops, throwing an amazing party every four years on their real birthdays. One leapling’s parents rented a pony for her when she turned 4 on her first real birthday. And for her 16th birthday, her parents sent a limo to pick her up from school.
Having a Feb. 29 birthday is a great conversation-starter at parties, on first dates, while waiting in line, etc.

Holly Mercer and her husband laughed about the chance they would have a Leap Day baby. "I said, 'Oh, that will never happen,'" she recalled. "I always go late." (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat) — Holly Mercer and her husband laughed about the chance they would have a Leap Day baby. “I said, ‘Oh, that will never happen,'” she recalled. “I always go late.” (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)

On the minus side, there are way too many documented cases of tasteless jokes by well-meaning friends, such as gifts of coloring books and crayons on a leapling’s “real” birthday; being told they look old for their age (e.g., 24, or 6). Etc. In our opinion, these stunts are merely displays of ill-concealed envy.

In a society that makes such a big deal about celebrating birthdays, there are bound to be casualties. Birthdays that carry social weight, like Bar Mitzvahs and Quinceaneras, which are coming-of-age celebrations for boys and girls, respectively, may not be considered as significant if they don’t fall on the actual birthdate. Milestones like 18 or 21 can be just as frustrating.

But life isn’t easy for any of us, and this shouldn’t scare any baby away from being born on Leap Day.

Thankfully, our three little leaplings won’t have to worry about any of these things for a few years. For now, let’s just welcome these little cutie pies into the world and wish them all the best. Being a leapling can be enormous fun, and that’s what we hope for Skylar, Luke and Riley Ann.