Science Buddies Blog (Page 111)

March 9, 2010 11:51 AM

A "lost" science fair project report arrived at Science Buddies today. The project was apparently found loose in the US mail system somewhere in the postal routing process. Surprisingly, the person that found it didn't simply toss it in the recycling but looked closely enough at the report to realize it is a student's work and that the student was working on a Science Buddies project idea. The report was forwarded to us here at Science Buddies. The report is based on the Science Buddies… Read more

The "Tilt" of Time

March 3, 2010 8:52 AM

We know the immediate and visible devastation earthquakes can cause, and last month, after the earthquake in Haiti, we posted a set of projects that offer good background material and talking points for discussion of earthquakes and plate tectonics. What students may not realize is that the impact of a big shake does more than cause structural damage. In fact, an earthquake can alter the tilt of the Earth to such a degree that the length of time in a "day" changes. The change is very… Read more

Lip Balm Science

March 2, 2010 11:20 AM

Have you ever noticed how many kinds and brands and flavors of lip balm appear in the cosmetics department at your favorite store? Why are there so many variations? Which one do you like most? Why do you like it? What kinds of differences do you notice between types? It might surprise you to discover that lip balm is something you can make at home. In fact, just like mixing up a batch of cookies, making lip balm follows a basic recipe. And, just as there are many recipes for cookies and… Read more

Scientist's Pick: No Pain, Lots of Game

March 1, 2010 8:58 AM

Note: This month's "Scientist's Pick" is from Science Buddies' staff scientist, Kristin Strong. Kristin presented this project to the Science Buddies' team in February. It's got an icy, winter theme! ~ Science Buddies' Editorial Staff Project: No Pain, Lots of Game Scientist: Kristin Strong Science Buddies' Difficulty Level: 4 My favorite project of recent ones I've worked on is the Science Buddies project, No Pain, Lots of Game, a project that looks at the relationship between video… Read more

A Strong Hypothesis

February 23, 2010 9:23 AM

"If _____[I do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen." Sound familiar? It should. This formulaic approach to making a statement about what you "think" will happen is the basis of most science fair projects and much scientific exploration. Following the scientific method, we come up with a question that we want to answer, we do some initial research, and then before we set out to answer the question by performing an experiment and observing what happens, we first clearly identify… Read more

Science Mom Uncovers Science in Gelatin Dessert

February 22, 2010 5:44 PM

"Science Mom" Courtney Corda appeared live on View from the Bay today to demonstrate the way enzymes and proteins interact when you mix various fruits with gelatin. For Courtney, the kitchen is the perfect place for parents to get hands-on with kids about science and can be a wonderful way to explore chemistry and to relate scientific principles to everyday activities. Which Fruits Can Ruin Your Gelatin Dessert? (Science Buddies' Difficulty Level: 4-6) Read more

Giving Yourself the Best Chance for Success

February 18, 2010 10:39 AM

Yesterday on the Science Buddies Blog, we talked about examples from the science community where scientists are misbehaving. From distorted findings to misrepresentation of data, recent science news abounds with stories of poor behavior among professional scientists. While projects can and do sometimes fail, sometimes end up quite different than planned, and sometimes present findings that don't match initial hypotheses, you can give yourself the best chance for success by planning… Read more

Putting Things in Perspective: Honest Science

February 17, 2010 10:23 AM

In recent months, the news has been riddled with stories about professional scientists behaving poorly. In November 2009, a hacker pirated and circulated hundreds of email messages that spawned what has become known as "Climategate,", a scandal which allegedly involves the systematic and deliberate misrepresentation of statistical data regarding global warming. On the heels of Climategate, the British medical journal Lancet this month retracted a scientific paper because of fraudulent data… Read more

You Know, the Whatchamacallit.

February 11, 2010 10:03 AM

Over time, the words we use to describe principles, tendencies, and objects specific to one field of study or another become commonplace and universal. But those names and labels originated somewhere, often with a single scientist faced with a finding or discovery or problem and the question: What do I call it? Do you know why a quark is a quark? This post on the etymology of terms in Physics is a good read and full of interesting trivia. (Plus, you really have to love the great photo of… Read more

Familial Fingerprints

February 9, 2010 12:35 PM

There are two birthdays coming up in my house, two boys who thought it would be funny to wrap their births (quite symmetrically) right around Valentine's Day so that the middle of February will always be a conglomeration of treats and presents for them. Despite the fact that they are siblings, they probably don't think too much (yet) about the ways in which that shows up in their appearance, likes, dislikes, and personalities. That several years separate them is maybe more… Read more

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