Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in ‘Barbie’ / Credit: Justin Tallis / AFP / Getty Images
So you bought a pink jumpsuit, dug up a Peaches and Cream doll, and booked movie tickets.
If you are not yet completely familiar with Barbie dolls, universe has put together a Barbie-and-Rockers-themed mixtape that compiles some of our favorite scientific coverage of the controversial plastic toy.
Is it a play toy or a collector’s item?
universe We asked the Museum of Victoria how three 1990s Barbie dolls got into the museum’s collection. The answer may surprise you.
read: Toy Story: How Three Barbie Dolls Ended Up in a Victorian Museum’s Toy Collection
barbie chemistry
But as it turns out, collecting Barbie dolls poses a special problem for museums. Because the plastic of Barbie doll is easy to deteriorate. Italian researchers have used analytical chemistry to unlock the secrets of the polymer cocktail used to make the dolls.
read: Plastic Crafts: What are Barbie dolls made of?
The science behind the Barbie doll controversy
Since the doll’s debut in 1959, Barbie has been at the center of a seemingly endless series of concerns and conflicts.
universe Barbie commentators and podcasters open up toy boxes to find a treasure trove of research on the effects of dolls on body image, gender stereotypes, career orientation, cybersecurity, and even toxic chemicals.
read: Barbie: Shine brighter with the science of the world’s most famous doll
listen: Think Pink: The Science of Barbie
Does playing with Barbie doll affect a child’s body image?
Perhaps you want to enjoy one of the many new Margot Robbie as Barbie special edition dolls, but worry that the doll will have a negative impact.
In this video universe We ask expert Dr. Zari Yeager to explain body image and mental health research, and where Barbie dolls fit in.
clock: barbie doll and body image
petra stock
Petra Stock has a degree in environmental engineering and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Melbourne. She previously worked as a climate and energy analyst.
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