To have got to the age of 37 and I'm learning things from a 9 year old?

[Gertrudeisgerman]

DS2 (9) has just told me why the sewer system was introduced. Previously, tap water from the Thames contained human waste so they introduced sewers. I had no idea. They are currently introducing a new sewer system in London too, which according to DS2 'looks nice but won't stay like that for long.'

Why am I learning this stuff from a 9 year old? AIBU to be masters level educated but know fuck all about basic stuff like this?

We live in Yorkshire. I don't know how the child knows so much about the Thames anyway.

But this is definitely an upside of having DC's. Relearning stuff and watching informative children's programmes like 'Come Outside'

Nina and the neurons is great! I did Neuroscience and I found it good for consolidating what I knew!

Oo fellow geek! I did neuroscience too

Yes! Really? To counterbalance the sewage lesson I gave them a quick lesson on action potentials and the synaptic cleft. DS2 was very 'meh'

I know a bit about this from reading history and Victorian stuff - for pleasure. Although I did a History A-Level. I don't have a degree. I think it just depends on what areas you've focused on. No-one can know everything.

The stuff about London sewer systems I never learnt about at school but there have been loads of programmes on in the last few years that are really interesting. Bazelgette is fascinating

Gertrude: Yes, Come Outside was amazing. Learnt a lot from that. In fact, they did one on the sewage system, iirc.

Also learnt quite a bit from Horrible Histories!

Am glad the OP's child is learning about the introduction of the sewage systems. It has always struck me as odd that they didn't teach about it in schools - it was one of the great achievements of the 19th century.

What's your MSc in OP? Am not sure why you think having an MSc means you should have learned something about sewerage systems along the way. I have an MA - I know fuck all about painting.

Hebbian theory is probably taught in pre-school now . Perhaps something a little more challenging like neurofibrillary tangles might do it .

Romans had aqueducts that provided water into cities, but not much sewage systems for getting waste out.
The London system was very impressive, but used a lot of water. This cured a lot of diseases and the system was replicated across the planet. This has caused problems in much of the world that has a lot less water. Had London developed waste drop toilets that do not use water, the world's water usage would be much lower.

The Byzantines had sewers. I believe Justinian 1 organised it, so 6th century!

OP, I wonder that you never wondered why sewer systems were invented. What did you think they were for?

And you are on a self- imposed Google break? Are you worried your inquiring mind might go out of control?

P.s. I refuse to read Jane Eyre or any of that Bronte stuff coz I'm from the sarf.

The ancient romans had sewerage systems?

When I was in Split in Croatia, you could still see the drain covers, some of which were installed when the palace was built (4th C?). I think Rome has also got original drain covers in some parts.

Robert Harris's book "Pompeii" describes the eruption of Vesuvius through the eyes of an engineer who works on the sewage system, and realises that there are problems coming when things start to go awry. Likewise, Lindsey Davis's book "Three Hands in the Fountain" has a reasonably humorous look at Roman gumshoe, Falco, (time of Emperor Vespasian) investigating body parts being found in the Roman sewer.

The Romans built to last, and were very inventive engineers (and I sound like a pedantic bore - sorry).

OP why are you on a self imposed google ban?
Btw cholera hit the north quite hard mid 19th century due to lack of sewers.

I learnt about the introduction of the UK sewerage system in GCSE history. I think it was part of a module about the history of health or medicine. Cholera was rampant in Victorian Britain before the link between sewage getting into drinking water and catching cholera was proven.

But there's so much stuff out there, it's impossible for anyone to know everything. I don't think I'd describe the history of sanitation as basic stuff everyone should know either.

Hillfarmer thanks for the psychoanalysis

I didn't really know why sewage systems are invented, I knew they were there but I just thought they were a load of tunnels to take waste away to a magic poo storage place the sea. I haven't given it much thought.

The self imposed google ban is because I keep googling things and then getting off track. For example, I googled why avocado is good for the brain and ended up spending an hour looking at foods that look like the organ they are good for e.g. tomatoes are good for the heart, they resemble the heart. Walnuts are good for the brain. They resemble the brain. And I have actually forgotten why an avocado is good for the brain. That kind of issue.

I literally taught this topic to my yr9 group yesterday morning using the excellent "Come Outside" episode

My teen asked me what an encyclopaedia was a couple of years ago. I was about to be shocked when I realised that the Internet's been around her whole life so knowing what one was wasn't strange. She'd seen the Friends episode where Joey feels stupid compared to his friends and buys one book from a set of encyclopaedias as he can't afford the whole set.

My dc did about it in History way before science curriculum.
We took them to the sewage street at the Museum in Manchester.
It had realistic smells too, the kids loved it

Floisme Tomatoes can almost double their lycopene (an antioxidant) if stored at room temperature for a week or two. This beneficial chemical transformation won't happen under 10 degrees C.
A recent study at Manchester University showed that after including a daily dose of 55g of concentrated tomato puree over 3 months increased sunburn protection by 33% in the women monitored. It is also looking as if it can reduce the damage to DNA which is responsible for ageing.

Now you can impress your DC! (Courtesty of James Wong, "How to eat better" which is currently my favourite book and I thoroughly recommend it).

I have a brother who has autism, so he has had various special interests over the years of which he has taught me a whole lot. At the moment it's lifts and elevators - I now know more about lifts than I have ever wanted to know in my life

Would be better if my English was more clear!

YY to "do you know". We have it on during snack time as a treat sometimes. Every single time we watch it I find myself telling my friends what I learned in school that day. They respond with " but you are the teacher!"

DSis and I sometimes sing the Horrible Histories Kings and Queens song to annoy her DH!

My 10 yo really impressed a man with a telescope at a star-gazing event with her knowledge about Uranus. He asked if she'd learned about it at school and was quite surprised when she said no, Horrible Histories