Pokémon to the rescue! Of our environment?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Megan Callahan of the University of British Columbia realized something CURIOUS. Kids know more Pokémon species than real ones!
Enter Phylo, an educational card game about ecosystems. Phylo cards feature animals, plants and planetary events, both natural and human-caused. Winners create stable, biodiverse ecosystems while sabotaging their opponents. Fun!
To test it, over two-hundred university students were divided into three groups. One group played Phylo. Another played a similar genetics card game. The third watched a self-paced slideshow.
Results? According to surveys, playing Phylo increased the subjects’ species knowledge, positive emotions, and understanding of healthy ecosystems. They also donated more often to causes preventing WHOLE ecosystem DISASTERS.
Smarter green living? It’s in the cards, charizards.
Reference: Callahan, M.M., Echeverri, A., Ng, D. et al. Using the Phylo Card Game to advance biodiversity conservation in an era of Pokémon. Palgrave Commun 5, 79 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-019-0287-9