July 2011 Archives

Eastern White Pines are among the types of conifers included in recent reports of widespread tree loss that may be linked to the commercial herbicide IImprelis. Image: Wikipedia.

Sometimes, becoming more environmentally-friendly is a one-step-forwards, two-steps-backwards process, a reality that can be both frustrating and costly, despite good intentions. In the case of recent widespread reports of dying conifers like Norway Spruces and White Pines, the "cost" of using an approved and environmentally-conscious herbicide may be measured out in tree loss.

Tree problems around the country have been linked to the use of an herbicide called Imprelis. Manufactured by DuPont and sold for commercial use by landscapers, Imprelis was released onto the market last October in the U.S. (excepting New York and California) with a "conditional" seal of approval from the Environmental Protection Agency. The herbicide, which contains a single active ingredient, is marketed by DuPont as an environmentally-friendly approach to treating a common gardener's gremlin—broadleaf weeds like dandelion and clover.

Unfortunately, despite all the testing prior to its release, the effects of Imprelis are not limited to pesky weeds. Approximately six months after landscapers began using the product, some varieties of conifers (plants that produce seed cones, like pine trees), have been turning up in various states of decline, from browning to outright dying. Tree owners and landscapers alike are up in arms over the unforeseen problem, and landscapers have been put in the position of replacing and paying for lost trees.

Up a Tree

According to the New York Times' coverage of the story, "Imprelis went through about 400 trials, including tests on conifers, and performed without problems, according to experts at DuPont and at the EPA." It sounds like a lot of testing, but even so, the article notes that while the EPA approved the product, the 23 months of review they conducted before giving their "conditional" thumbs up wasn't enough to conclusively determine the product safe.

Investigations into the cause of the tree problems is ongoing, and there are suggestions that problems could be related to methods of application, quantity, the preparation of the herbicide for use, or even the effects of the herbicide coming into contact with other products. Getting to the root of the problem could take a long time—and a lot of research.

While DuPont has reportedly suggested that many of these trees may return to health, the sad reality for affected tree-owners right now is what seemed like an environmentally-conscious choice...has turned out to be a bad one.

Making Connections

For students, the fate of conifers and other trees with shallow root systems that have come into contact with Imprelis offers a real-world look at both the importance and the challenge of testing&madash;and the need to test in a variety of conditions. Change one variable, and the entire outcome can change, a reality that can make it difficult to know for sure that a new chemical is safe for a specific use and safe over time and with repeated use.

For gardeners, landscapers, and those interested in plant biology, exploring issues of plant survival and heartiness also involves understanding what "else" is in the area and what impact plants or other agents in the soil have upon one another.

The following two Project Ideas allow students to conduct investigations that can be revealing in terms of plant health. These projects may also offer insight into the kinds of investigatory work that will be involved in trying to determine why Imprelis turned out to be detrimental to conifers—when it had appeared to be safe.

• Toxic Trees: Just How Toxic is That Black Walnut Tree?: In this project, students can explore the effect of the Black Walnut Tree on tomato plants to get a firsthand look at the importance of taking all member of a local ecosystem into consideration when planting.
• Weeds Be Gone! Experiment with Factors that Affect Roundup® Weed Killer: Experiment with the impact of altering two variables related to using an herbicide containing glyphosate—dose and application method, or "how much" and "how."
  

(Note: Imprelis labeling and instructional information contains warnings about proper disposal of clippings from treated areas. Clippings are not safe for compost.)

It's a strange reality when you realize that bacteria can be beautiful.
One Science Buddies' Science Mom finds art at the Exploratorium.

The photo above shows a portion of one of the two Winogradsky bacterial panels at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

A few weeks ago, we moved from a quick stop at Crissy Fields (and an unplanned ocean dunk for one) across the street to the Exploratorium for a few hours of mesmerizing hands-on science exploration. Our small ad-hoc group of seven to eleven year olds found plenty of tactile demonstrations that generated the expected "oohs and aahs." As I wandered around, following the lead of the youngest science explorer—who was stopping at every station—I, too, got excited by the range of projects and the power and exhilaration that letting kids actively and informally "do it" brings.

I snapped many phone photos that afternoon, and as I admired different displays and activities, a number of Science Buddies Project Ideas came to mind that I knew could extend the hands-on experience to further discussion and exploration either in the classroom or at home.

Unexpected Wall Art

One exhibit that really fascinated me was a set of "pictures" hanging on the wall. I am always on the lookout for ways in which art and science intersect, and that Science Buddies stresses and encourages students to explore science as it relates to hobbies and areas of personal interest is an approach I really like. So when I rounded a corner and saw a wall of abstract art—a display of bacteria and light—I was immediately captivated.

The art itself occupied two large, fully-enclosed, wall-mounted Winogradsky Panels, each filled with bacteria-laden mud that had taken on impressionistic shapes in a spectrum of colors, including reds, greens, and golds. From afar, you see a piece of "art"—not millions of bacterial organisms. In reality, this display is a version of a Winogradsky Column, an experiment which enables students to observe and investigate the growth of a microbial community and the influence of oxygen and light.

Studying the super-sized Winogradsky Panel exhibit at the Exploratorium, observers are immediately able to see role of light on the microbes. There are sections of the display where a small panel has been used to block the light, and when you lift that panel, you find that the bacteria has not grown underneath in the dark. That the display also spotlights the natural "beauty" of bacteria is possibly an unintentional off-shoot—and beauty if in the eye of the beholder—but the display looks much like something that might hang on a gallery wall.

Making Connections

For students, the principles that lie within the layers of a Winogradsky Column are ones that can shed new light—and new color—on an understanding of microbes, biosystems, and photosynthetic bacteria. The following Science Buddies Project Ideas can get you started:

• Students bent on exploring bacteria can learn more about communities and the interconnectedness of microbial organisms by building a mini biosphere that acts as a Winogradsky Column in the Growing a Soil Menagerie geology project. Using these biospheres, students can observe how various agents balance or disrupt microbial communities.
• Students intrigued by the "color" of mud panel (or column) "art" can learn more about the characteristics of bacterial colonies, and the ways in which chromogenesis (or color) can be used as a way to characterize and distinguish between bacterium, in the Science Buddies's guide to Interpreting Plates.
• Students can assess biodiversity by analyzing plates and categorizing microbes that form in different locations in the Germ Invasion microbiology project.
• Students interested in biotechnology can explore the "color" of bacteria from a completely different angle in Bacterial Transformation Efficiency.

Photo: Screenshot from FIFA headline coverage of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup outcome.

The U.S. Women's Soccer Team didn't win in the finals of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup on Sunday against Japan, but for women's "football" fans, getting to the finals was an excellent show for the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking leaders. Fans of the team, including those with roommate connections like our own Product Design Engineer, were buoyed last week when then U.S. topped France to earn a coveted spot in the finals for the first time since 1999.

The U.S. team lost the tight match with Japan 3-1 after a penalty-kick shootout. Despite the loss, two of the women's team were singled out for individual contributions. AbbyWambach was named the second-best player in the World Cup and awarded the Silver Ball. She also took home the Bronze Boot, her four goals positioning her as the third leading scorer in the games and setting a U.S. record for career world cup goals. Teammate Hope Solo took home the Golden Glove as top goalkeeper and the Bronze Ball for third-best player.

For fans of the sport, there are plenty of soccer science angles to explore! With a bit of research and planning, you might turn a head-butt into a winning science project. Or, you might just find the science you need to perfect your own kicking angles in one of these sports science projects:

• Geometry of Goal-Scoring*
• Playing the Angles: The Physics of Balls Bouncing Off of Surfaces*

(Soccer not your sport? You can find other exciting sports-related project ideas in the Sports Science area of our Project Ideas directory.)

The choice between standing and sitting might be as important as choosing to eat better or exercise more.

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(Image is excerpted from the larger infographic series created by Medical Billing And Coding.)

Are you sitting down as you read this?

Maybe you shouldn't be. Maybe you should stand up while you finish reading this post. In fact, I stopped in drafting this piece... to stand up. It's true. It seemed wrong to sit down while writing a piece about the power of standing up! So I stood up. But then I couldn't easily reach my keyboard to type. I'm industrious, however... so I scrounged around my office space and found a box that seemed about the right height and a large plastic lid I could put on top of the box so that I had ample room for my keyboard and mouse. So here I am, standing up... typing. Granted, my monitor is a bit too low in this scenario. I may have to look into elevating it. A stack of already-read or just-in-case reference books might just do the trick.

So why am I standing up?

Because recent reports suggest that all that "sitting" we do in a regular day could be shortening our lives in measurable—and frightening—ways. At the very least, sitting down for six or more hours a day reportedly increases the risk of heart attack by more than 50%.

An infographic that has been making rounds on the Internet recently might have you think twice about how much time you spend sitting at a desk, on the couch, in restaurants, in a car, at a computer, or just hanging out with friends. We all know the phrase couch potato, but when you weigh the statistics in the series of images that make up the "Sitting is Killing You" campaign, you might find the scales tipping in favor of... standing up.

Still sitting?

You're not alone. The stats suggest that on average, we sit more than 9 hours a day.

The Nitty Gritty on Sitting Down

The infographic puts a grim face on the numbers, but if you poke around, you'll turn up other stories of people who now stand up (when they used to sit down). For example, in an article in a popular men's magazine, the staff admitted that they, too, are standing up more because the studies done comparing sitting and standing... are staggering. Here's how one writer summarized the findings: "it doesn't matter how much you exercise or how well you eat. If you sit most of the day, your risk of leaving this world clutching your chest—whether you're a man or women—as much as doubles."

Click the image above to view the full infographic from Medical Billing And Coding.

Converting a sit-down mentality to a stand-up one involves some obvious changes but also might require a bit of creative thinking. For example, many office jobs (including mine) involve sitting most of the workday at a desk. The stand-up alternative takes the shape of "standup desks," apparently already popular in many health-conscious offices. But chucking the office chair and standing up for six or more hours a day? Doesn't it make your feet/legs/back hurt? Doesn't the floor beneath you, the shoes you wear, and even the ergonomics of how your computer monitor and keyboard is positioned relative to your height, all suddenly come into play as variables that before were minimized by sitting down? Doesn't posture become a new and different problem? What happens if you stand with your legs this way or that way?

There are definitely new elements to explore and avenues to research. Still... maybe you should stand up. At least stand up and walk down the hall. Taking more breaks, in fact, and just getting up and moving around before you return to your desk and chair might be a good starting point—even if you aren't ready to chuck the chair.

From the Couch

How much time do you spend sitting in a desk at school? Watching tv? Playing handheld video games? Do you sit down in the coffee shop or bakery? Have you ever thought about standing at the taller "counter" instead of using the chair?
Go on. Add it all up and then factor in the reality that it's summer, and despite the extra opportunity that gives you to be outdoors and exploring favorite pastimes or sports, you might find that you sit down even more with summer's slower-paced, kick-back schedule.

So what can you do?

You might start by figuring out "what" you spend your "sitting" time doing. Can you stand up and do the same thing? Talk on the phone? Check. Play mobile games? Check. Eat lunch? Check. Read your newest manga? Check. You might be surprised to discover that when you really think about it, you can stand up and do many of the things you enjoy. (I'm surprised that I'm still standing here as I type this blog post!)

You might even be able to make a compelling case for playing Wii a bit more than playing your handheld device, particularly if, like most of us, you stand up while you play your Wii games. (Tip: don't sit down when it's not your turn. Just stand to the side.)

Making Connection

When I first saw a write-up about sitting down in Mashable and then studied the infographic series, it seemed to me like there might be room in this issue for interesting and health-conscious student-based inquiry.

After looking over the series of poster-style graphics, our lead staff scientist, Sandra, confirmed that even without dealing with mortality, there are angles that might be explored in student science investigations. For example:

• One of the graphics talks about the "angle" of the body during sitting and how sitting at various angles exerts different levels of force on the spine. A student could explore this by building a biomechanical model for testing, similar to the model of the knee at the heart of the Deep Knee Bends: Measuring Knee Stress with a Mechanical Model project.

• Track individual movements over a period of time by keeping a journal that documents how much time you normally "sit" or "stand" over a 2-week period. Use a stop watch and start timing your sitting intervals each day, giving yourself not only a look at how much time you spend sitting doing certain kinds of on-your-rear activities, but also how much cumulative time you spend letting your butt muscles coast. (Tip: look up gluteal amnesia.) After analyzing your patterns and your own numbers, spend time brainstorming simple (and low-cost or no-cost) changes you can make to increase the amount of time you spend standing. Then put those changes in place over two weeks, again tracking your time spent sitting.

• Conduct a similar tracking experiment with people of varying ages, in varying situations, or among your peers. Could you get a group of teachers to participate tracking time spent sitting and standing? Can you follow up your data tracking by having participants evaluate how they "felt" (both physically and emotionally) during the weeks in which they were making more deliberate "stand up" choices? Are there changes that can be implemented schoolwide, for instance, that could help build better "stand up" behaviors and a more health-conscious approach? (Think about it... everyone wants students off the couch at home but puts them in chairs for much of the day at school.)

• Think about the power of a "visual" approach to presenting materials like this. Is it more effective than presenting data in a written or oral report? Taking this kind of data and turning it into a video or computer application is another approach you might consider. Using a programming environment like Scratch, how might you create an interactive display of materials designed to encourage people to "stand up"? For a similar project that takes heart-health as a premise for developing a Scratch application, see the Save a Life! Teach Hands-Only^TM CPR project.
  

Surprisingly Easy

I'm going to sit down now. Did I feel strange standing up typing this piece? A bit. Was I really aware of how it felt to be "standing"? Yes. Did I wonder about posture, about shifting my weight one way and another, about whether standing with feet apart or even spread might be better or worse? Yes. Was I comfortable standing? It wasn't bad, really. Did my makeshift keyboard platform work? Yes. Could my stand up system use some tweaking? Yes. (The large plastic lid I was using wasn't totally enough space to make my mouse easy to use next to the keyboard). Did the monitor being low cause a problem? It was better once I realized it has a tilt mechanism, so I was able to swivel it "up," which gave me a better angle on the screen. Did I sort of "get used to standing up" during the span of time it took to draft this piece? Absolutely. Total time spent standing that I would otherwise have spent sitting... around an hour. Will I stand up again? You bet!

Will you?

Mikaela May, student at Crowley High School, Crowley Texas, with her award winning project.

Asking Questions

People who buy roses often want to know what steps they can take to make them last longer. Many florists provide a packet that can be added to the water in a vase to help flowers stay fresh. Do those packets really work? What about baby aspirin? What about copper pennies? (Or are those for snails?)

There are many "common wisdom" strategies out there that promise to be "the" key to helping your blooms last longer than if you just brought them home, put them in a vase of water, and left them alone. What Mikaela wanted to know was whether or not commercially available "preservation" packets work—and, if so, why.

"Sweet" Flowers?

Mikaela's initial study focused specifically on the use of sugars in preservation solutions. As she worked on designing the various phases of her inquiry and then performing her trials, Mikaela used the Science Buddies Project Guide to help keep her on track. She won numerous awards and honors for Phase I and Phase II of her project, and she isn't finished yet. Phase III of her study is underway!

To find out more about Mikaela's project and her "blooming" success at a number of fairs, check out her Science Buddies in Action success story.