Science Buddies Blog (Page 104)

Did You Do One of These Science Projects?

March 18, 2011 10:30 AM

Share Your Science Project Experience and Be Entered in Our iTunes GiveawayWe are giving away iTunes gift cards! Students who completed one of the projects below could win one of ten $50 iTunes gift cards! To enter our random drawing, students need to complete the following steps by March 21: Make sure you have a free Science Buddies account. (To register for a free Science… Read more

Programming a Logo

March 15, 2011 8:53 AM

With over 40,000 versions, MIT Media Lab's new logo is computer-driven design. You can see some of the permutations of the algorithmic logo in this video.As anyone interested in (or who dabbles in) computer programming knows, computer programs can be written to perform an infinite array of 'make-life-easier' or 'help-pass-the-time' tasks. Having spent more hours than I should probably admit carefully choosing my launch direction and pull-back strength and sending cute little chubby (albeit… Read more

Watch Science Mom on Mom's Homeroom

March 11, 2011 9:46 AM

Courtney Corda, AKA "Science Mom," appeared in a video segment (Episode 6) of Mom's Homeroom this week with a roundup of great tips for parents whose students are doing science projects or preparing for the school science fair. Walking a group of students through the Give It a Lift with a Lever physics project, Courtney explains that there are six kinds of "simple machines," the lever being one of them. The project, geared for grades 3-6, guides students through the building of a tabletop… Read more

Summer Science Programs

March 10, 2011 10:29 AM

Roller coasters? Pinball machine design? Model planes? Stop motion animation? Renewable energy? "Myth-busting" (putting those science stories to the test)? Video game programming? Kite flying? Greenhouse gardening? Cooking? Photography? Medicine? Animal care? Biochemistry? Architecture? Earthquake detection? Wind power? Geo-sciences? Aqueduct and river ways engineering? Robotics? Invisible ink and spies-like-us skills? When it comes to summer science, that's just the tip of the… Read more

DIY Musical Instruments

March 9, 2011 9:02 AM

[Note: The following list of projects appeared in the May 2010 Science Buddies Newsletter. To view the full newsletter, which was all about the science of music, click here. Parents, you'll find great at-home music science projects in that issue as well!] Sometimes, rolling up your sleeves and recreating the wheel really is the best way to understand from the inside out what is happening, how something works, and what the science at hand really means. Patience, ingenuity, and a DIY… Read more

A "Science Mom" Thumbs-Up Science Detectives Series

March 7, 2011 12:43 PM

One mom's view of the value of science-themed chapter books like Doyle and Fossey. Image source: screenshot from video trailer of The Case of the Terrible T. Rex. We love our math and our science and our computers in our house, and when we see a description of a coin launcher made from a toilet paper roll and a piece of leftover balloon, it sticks in our heads until we try it. (Of course, concerned about the relative weight of a coin flying through… Read more

Natalie Portman: A Winning Combination

March 4, 2011 3:42 PM

The President's comments aside, if the big screen is more your game than the Super Bowl, and if you go starry-eyed over the red-carpet, then you might have been watching last week as Natalie Portman (making style lists for her purple dress, as well) took home the golden statue for her lead role in Black Swan, a thriller with an obsessed ballerina, and a production of the classic Swan Lake, at its dark heart. You may not have seen Black Swan (rated R), but you probably know Portman's… Read more

Sorting Things Out with Paper Chromatography

March 2, 2011 9:04 AM

In the above image, the green color in a plant leaf has been separated into its various pigments using thin layer chromatography. You can see the bands of separate pigments, further distinguished by the change in color. Source: Wikipedia On our Facebook page, we've been tracking important dates in science history, including the birth dates of notable scientists, researchers, engineers, and mathematicians. If you're not already a member… Read more

pH Concerns for Hungarian Farmers

February 23, 2011 8:00 AM

Heavy metals left from red mud, the pH of soil, and other agricultural issues. The after-effects of Hungary's red mud disaster are still unknown. Concerns over the coming year's crops are high. (Image source: WHO/Roger Aertgeerts) Last October, we watched as "red sludge" (or "red mud," as it has come to be known) poured across Hungary, flooding local waterways and flowing steadily toward the Danube. Emergency crews raced to minimize the… Read more

A Video View of the Elements

February 21, 2011 10:58 AM

The deadline has passed for entering the Chemical Heritage Foundation's "It's Elemental" video contest, but voting is underway! In recognition of the2011 International Year of Chemistry, the Chemical Heritage Foundation invited students to submit videos about the elements of the periodic table. Click an element from the chart to see the videos students created—and to learn more about a specific element. You'll find video coverage of familiar and favorite elements, like Hydrogen,… Read more

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