Science Projects | Science Buddies Blog (Page 52)

A Wolf Story in California

January 12, 2012 10:44 AM

News of a lone wolf roaming through California made SF Gate headlines today. The gray wolf's movements are being monitored, but according to reports, the nearest companion is hundreds of miles away—the other direction. Why is this wolf wandering alone—and away from the nearest known female (and the potential of creating a pack)? Students interested in patterns of animal movement—or wolf behavior—can learn more by using available radio telemetry wolf movement… Read more

Green Tiles: Renewable Energy One Step at a Time

January 11, 2012 9:14 AM

Pavegen's research into green technology, sustainable energy sources, and clean, renewable energy alternatives led to the development of Pavegen tiles—and an exploration of the potential offered by kinetic energy harvesting. Image: Pavegen, used with permission. The 2012 Olympic Games are being held in London, England, this summer. It's an event for which athletes spend years preparing and training. For competitors, the quest to bring home the gold is a driving force, but for… Read more

Looking Back: Science in 2011

January 3, 2012 6:23 AM

A look back at science news from 2011 opens up exciting angles for student research and investigation. Despite the exacting nature of "science" and the scientist's quest for cut and dried, statistically sound results, science is constantly changing. There are always new questions being asked and new answers being found, engineered, or developed. New research, new findings, new accidents, and new discoveries happen every day. This spirit of "what if" and "what next" and "why not" makes… Read more

Staff Picks: Top Project Ideas from 2011

December 28, 2011 11:48 AM

The staff of scientists, editors, and writers at Science Buddies work throughout the year to develop exciting new Project Ideas that encourage and enable hands-on student exploration of inspiring areas of science and cutting-edge topics of research. We have more than 1000 Project Ideas for K-12 students in our library of free science, technology, engineering, and math Project Ideas. As the year winds down, we asked our staff to pick their favorites from the Project Ideas introduced in 2011 and… Read more

Today in Science History: snakes!

December 21, 2011 11:45 AM

Born on December 21, 1883: Laurence Monroe Klauber, a herpetologist who was particularly interested in rattlesnakes. Snakes appear in many different locations, including tucked away inside warm, dark caves. While winter weather may keep you indoors, you can learn more about cave formation and the ecosystems that live within by reading the Speleology: Counting Formations in a Local Cave geology Project Idea (and watching the Dragonfly TV video segment). (Science Buddies Geology Project… Read more

Turn Your Pencil Into a Dimmer Switch

December 19, 2011 12:05 PM

Put holiday lights and pencils to use in this introductory circuits and electronics project! If the holidays are in force in your house during the days of December, you might just have materials lying around that could shed a bit (or less) light on some fundamental principles involved in working with electricity and simple circuits. The Sliding Light: How to Make a Dimmer Switch Project Idea is a fun and hands-on electronics project that lets you explore what happens when you increase or… Read more

The "Science" of Giving

December 15, 2011 1:06 PM

(Editorial note: the following fun science giving suggestions and selections are from one Science Buddies science mom and do not represent official endorsements by Science Buddies, with the exception of the Science Buddies Kits. Many of these gift ideas are related to Project Idesas in the Science Buddies library, however, and we've provided links to those projects where possible.) With a bit of creative thinking, you can inject your holiday gift giving with a bit of extra science energy.… Read more

Mom of Two Emerging Video Game Designers

December 12, 2011 9:35 AM

Got students who are interested in video games? There's science and engineering to be discovered and leveraged—even as they rack up points and level up! The December 2011 issue of the Science Buddies newsletter focused on video and computer game design projects. The National STEM Video Game Challenge is underway! Deadline for entries: March 12, 2012. More information and guidelines... I remember when one of my boys wanted to be a firefighter. That may well be a rite of passage for… Read more

Pumpkin Seed Puzzle

November 23, 2011 8:25 AM

By Kim Mullin With Thanksgiving this week, you might even be counting on pumpkin pie after dinner, at least once! If the baker in your house is using fresh pumpkin, it's a perfect time for young scientists to turn pumpkin guts into a scientific investigation. Image: Wikipedia Pumpkins seem to be everywhere in the fall, and with good reason. Fall is when pumpkins turn ripe, so we eat them (mmm, pie!) and use them for decorations. If you've ever opened up a pumpkin, you know… Read more

Can You Harvest the Moon?

November 18, 2011 8:32 AM

By Kim Mullin The large Harvest Moon is a full moon different from all others in the year. It is followed each year by another "different" moon, the Hunter's Moon. Source: Wikiepedia. Although most of us don't live on farms, harvest is something we think about in the fall. We decorate with pumpkins, gourds, and multi-colored corn when we celebrate fall holidays. And, in the United States, many of us eat a hearty meal on Thanksgiving Day to commemorate the Pilgrims' first… Read more

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