Science Buddies Blog

July 30, 2015 8:30 AM

Explore atmospheric pressure by making and drinking from a very long straw in this week's science activity spotlight. Can a straw be too tall? Can you use a really tall straw? Your straw needs to be long enough to reach both the liquid you are drinking and your mouth, so it generally needs to be just a bit taller than the cup. Most straws are about the same size. There are some bigger ones, of course, that match up to larger cups you might order in a… Read more

Exploring 10,000 Steps a Day with Student Science

July 28, 2015 10:41 AM

Take a science project look at the benefits of walking, the idea of 10,000 steps a day, and the current fitness tracker trend. There are numerous variables students might explore and compare in custom science projects that look at health and human behavior. 10,000 steps a day. That's a rule of thumb widely passed around as the number of steps an average, healthy adult should target as a baseline for activity each day. The source of this number dates back to a 1960's Japanese… Read more

Supporting Girls Doing Science

July 24, 2015 2:00 PM

Science Buddies is working hard to excite girls about STEM—one science project at a time. Science Buddies was excited to be on hand in Washington D.C. this week alongside companies like EMC and Cisco as part of Women's Policy, Inc.'s Third Annual STEM Fair and Reception. With more than 16 million visitors a year and more than 1,100 free project ideas for student science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) exploration, Science Buddies is a… Read more

Make a Lemon Battery

July 24, 2015 7:00 AM

Explore electricity with a homemade battery in this week's science activity spotlight. Ever wondered how a battery works to store and generate electricity? With a lemon, a penny, some plastic coated paper clips, and aluminum foil, you can make a fruit-powered battery and really see how the process works! What kinds of materials conduct electricity? What about a lemon makes it capable of producing electricity? The power from a lemon isn't going to be… Read more

Make Your Berries Last Longer with Aloe?

July 20, 2015 4:00 PM

Making food last longer can cut down on waste and cost. Is there an easy way to lengthen the life of berries at home? Experiment to find out with a plant biology project. Photos: "Strawberries for sale at Mahabaleshwar" and "Aloe Vera", Wikimedia Commons Leaves from the aloe vera plant are often used to help soothe a sunburn, but the gel in the plant's leaves also has anti-fungal properties. If aloe can be used as an anti-fungal against certain kinds of fungus, can the plant (or aloe… Read more

Program Summer with Cool Computer Code

July 17, 2015 7:00 AM

Looking for ways to challenge your students this summer? Infuse summer downtime with fun opportunities to experiment with computer programming and coding. Experimenting with Scratch or another programming language, kids can dive into coding and create fun video games and apps. Each new project is a stepping stone to the next one! A Minecraft book caught the eye of one of my kids as we were leaving the book store recently. Usually, my kids don't glance… Read more

Popsicle Trusses

July 14, 2015 4:19 PM

Does the shape beams make when they come together make a difference in their strength? Beams in civil engineering have an important role to play in ensuring a building or bridge stands up, supports the weight it should, and doesn't bend or collapse under normal use. In this week's family science project, students and families use popsicle sticks and binder clips to investigate the relationship between the shape of trusses in a building and their strength. Popsicle Stick Trusses:… Read more

Historic New Horizons Flyby of Pluto

July 14, 2015 8:33 AM

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, launched in 2006, made astronomy history today as it flew by Pluto, camera at the ready—and scientists around the world watching and waiting for early pictures of the dwarf planet and its moons. Photo: Pluto. NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute After nine years in space and having traveled more than three billion miles, New Horizons is the first spacecraft from Earth to reach Pluto. Its historic… Read more

Make a Microscope from your Cell Phone

July 13, 2015 1:35 PM

Is there a cast-off cell phone in a drawer somewhere in your house? If so, you might be able to give it new life by turning it into a handheld microscope. For inspiration, see Cellphone Microscope, part of a pair of Science-hack Your Phone posts for student science exploration. For full DIY science project details, see Picture This: Building a Cell Phone Microscope. Science, technology, engineering, and math doesn't always happen in a lab! See how you can innovate functional… Read more

Sale in the Science Buddies Store!

July 10, 2015 1:00 AM

Are you looking for fun science projects to do this summer? Science kits from the Science Buddies Store bring all the specialty items you need to your door in one convenient box. Take 25% off in the Science Buddies Store now through July 15, 2015. The time to bring science home has never been better! Check out some of our top picks for summer science exploration: Squishy Circuits Kit (see it in action) Bristlebot Kit (see it in action) Spherification Kit (see it in action) Magic… Read more

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