Science Projects | Science Buddies Blog (Page 31)

Taste Test: Do You have the Papillae of a Supertaster?

August 13, 2014 7:00 AM

Are you a picky eater? Maybe there is a scientific reason for your reluctance to eat certain foods even if you know they are good for you. If you are going to a casual family gathering this summer or have friends over, you might be able to have some tongue-dyeing taste-testing fun in the name of science! Above: With an easy and colorful science experiment, you can see if you are a super taster. Be sure to have a magnifying glass on hand! Chartreuse pants and a flashy orange shirt? Your… Read more

Now Playing: The Perseid Meteor Showers

August 7, 2014 10:00 AM

Stay up late, or get up really, really early to catch nature's annual fireworks display. Students and families can extend Perseids fun with a hands-on science exploration of parallax. How far away are the things we see in the sky? By Kim Mullin Each August, a much-anticipated nighttime show plays live in our skies: the Perseid meteor showers. This annual event offers you the year's best opportunity to see meteors streaking across the sky, so long as you are willing to be awake well… Read more

Pizza Box Solar Oven: Weekly Science Activity

July 31, 2014 7:59 AM

In this week's spotlight: an energy-focused family science activity that doubles as an alternative energy experiment and a recycling project. Using a pizza box (or other shipping box), foil, a few other readily available materials, and the power of the sun, you can make a functional solar-powered oven. Cooking will take longer than in a kitchen appliance, but with some planning, you can cook a meal or prepare a campsite batch of s'mores with your own homemade solar oven! How does a solar… Read more

Holey Porous Rock Science!

July 30, 2014 9:30 AM

Examining rocks can be a springboard for a fun family science exploration. With different kinds of dried beans, plastic cups, and water, kids can model rocks and observe the way different sized particles in rocks affect how much water a rock can hold. By Kim Mullin What do rocks and sponges have in common? Rocks may be hard, and sponges may be soft, but both have pockets of empty space. Surprised? It may be easier to see the pockets in sponges since most sponges are covered with… Read more

Crash Testing Calculators: Product Engineering and the Road to Improved Durability

July 25, 2014 8:00 AM

Finding ways to improve a product often means breaking it first and then brainstorming ways to make the product better so that it will last longer. Students can experiment with the engineering design process—and the ways in which engineers design and test new solutions—by trying to improve the durability of a simple handheld device. Making a calculator ironclad might make it harder to break, but would a customer like the new-and-improved version? Above: A device may show… Read more

Melting Ice: Weekly Science Activity

July 24, 2014 9:00 AM

In this week's spotlight: a chemistry family science experiment that explores how different substances may lower the freezing point of ice. By adding sand, sugar, and salt (separately) to ice, students observe how long it takes the ice to melt. Do any of these substances make the ice melt more quickly than it does by itself? In this family science activity, you can find out—and find out why. Follow this experiment up with the Science Buddies activity on making homemade ice cream for a… Read more

Drinking Up Water Science During a Drought

July 22, 2014 12:00 PM

For families living in drought conditions, careful monitoring of water usage is especially important. With hands-on science and engineering projects, students can investigate water-saving strategies and science and engineering related to water conservation. Above: The effect of drought can be seen in the above photo of Folsom Lake. Image: California Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey. Remember "Ring around the rosie" and "Rain, rain, go away"? Familiar with the "jinx… Read more

From Parking Space to Parklet: Civil Engineering and City Planning

July 18, 2014 12:00 PM

Civil engineers work on all kinds of construction projects that help shape communities and cities and help solve problems and challenges in those areas. Sometimes, those challenges involve reconfiguring existing space in unexpected new ways, like turning parking places into parklets. These little green pockets of social space provide interesting challenges and opportunities for engineers, designers, and planners. With software from Autodesk and a fun Digital STEAM Workshop challenge, students… Read more

Pharmacist: A Science Career in Patient Health Care

July 15, 2014 8:00 AM

As the number of medications, both over-the-counter and prescribed, continues to rise, pharmacists play an increasingly powerful role in helping ensure patient wellbeing, safety, and quality of life. Is the medication you were prescribed safe for you? Beyond an apple a day, feeling better may require advice from a pharmacist! Whether you need an antibiotic to help fight an infection, powerful cough syrup, insulin, or another doctor-ordered medication, when it is time to pick up your… Read more

Seeing Is (Not Always) Believing!

July 11, 2014 8:00 AM

Visual illusions and other optical puzzles are fun for families to share and explore. With hands-on science projects and activities, students can create and test their own visual illusions. For more advanced exploration, a new electronics science project guides students in creating a mesmerizing infinity mirror that invites viewers to gaze into a seemingly infinite tunnel lit by a series of lights. Image: Wikipedia. How many triangles appear in the image above? The correct answer… Read more

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