That Would Explain the Zebra Fish Boom in Home Aquariums

Hey, zebra fish researchers: you've got a new set of admirers. The New York Times offers this Q&A with biologist Steven Farber, who in his spare time heads up a nonprofit group that brings zebra fish to inner-city classrooms in an attempt to teach kids about genetics and the scientific approach in general. Farber says the seven-year-old organization has been successful in capturing children's attention, and that zebra fish in particular have got kids "hooked." Recalling the first time he tried this, he says, "I was able to show live fish embryos. The kids could see organs forming. ... Afterward, the children said it was the best part of their day."