Delightfully geeky beanies are the perfect headwear for scientists of the resistance
Heads up: There's a new protest hat in town and it's a must-have for science lovers.
After pussyhats became the go-to protest accessory at the Women's Marches in January, scientists were inspired to create their own symbolic beanies to wear to the March for Science on April 22 in D.C. and hundreds of other cities worldwide.
The beanies have a very geeky "resistor" design. They symbolically feature a battery, three resistors in a series, and a closed circuit made with white yarn. Resistors are used in electronics "to slow down the current from a source such as a battery" and prevent the items from breaking, the Stanford University microbiologist behind the design said in an online video.
And instead of pink, the hats will be green and blue to honor our good old planet Earth. 🌎
SEE ALSO: The geekiest signs from the 'Stand up for Science' rally
Not only is the design, created by Heidi Arjes, familiar to scientists, but it packs a powerful political message.
"The symbol for three resistors in a series, as any person whose taken physics knows, would increase the resistance," Arjes explained in the video. How appropriate for a protest, right!?
With the hopes of making her beanies as inclusive to the science community as possible, the talented knitter created several other designs, such as ones that represent a DNA double-helix, laboratory glassware, renewable energy, computers, and a heartbeat EKG.
And for those who live in areas that will be too hot to rep a beanie during late April, she's also created resistor knit headbands and armbands.
Arjes will be marching at a rally in San Fransisco, but with more than 425 other marches around the world, she's encouraging others to make their own hats as well.
To further spread the spunky science-wear trend, Arje's knitting blog Craftimism partnered with Project Thinking Cap to encourage knitters, crocheters, and sewers around the world to join in and send over hats for distribution at the D.C. march.
If you're interested in learning more, check out the March for Science (knitting and crafting) Facebook page and Craftimism for tutorials on how to knit and create your own awesome resistance items.
