Science Buddies Blog (Page 112)

A Better Cup of Tea

January 27, 2010 9:05 AM

While I do cook my pasta the amount of time noted on the box (which may or may not be necessary), I'm one of the laziest sorts of tea drinkers. I drink dozens of cups of tea a day, and each time I follow the same highly unscientific, though orderly, process: I grab my cup. I grab a tea bag (from the "tea drawer"). I grab my sweetener (there are science fair project ideas on that, too!). I rip open the tea bag and drop it in my cup. I rip open my sweetener and dump it in.… Read more

Pasta Efficiency

January 19, 2010 8:44 AM

Is pasta on the menu? If you are considering spaghetti and sauce, you may find yourself staring at the pot...waiting for the water to boil. It's best to bring the water to a boil first, right? And it's best to use the amount of water noted on the box, right? What happens if you cook with less water? What happens if you put the pasta in with the water at the start? What happens if you use hot water rather than cold water? What happens if you use a different kind of… Read more

The Golden State Star Party - III

January 18, 2010 8:52 AM

The Golden State Star Party - III Photo: Kenneth Hess, 2009. Specs: Stack of 17 images, 85 minutes total exposure time on a Nikon D3. The telescope was an Astro-Physics 155mm f7 StarFire EDF Triplet Apochromatic Refractor. [View full-size image.] I wrote earlier about my trek to the northeastern corner of California to attend the Golden State Star Party, as well as the process of taking deep-space images. In this final installment in the Golden State Star Party series, I… Read more

Tracking the Sun

January 15, 2010 12:32 PM

A new science fair project idea on the Science Buddies website caught my eye today because the apparatus shown in the photograph looks like a most amazing piece of sculptural scrap art. In fact, the "Helio Tracker" shown in the Build Your Own Helio Tracker--a Self-powered Mechanical Sunflower that Turns with the Sun abbreviated project idea demonstrates an ingenious and forward-thinking approach to the challenges of going green. The principles of phototropism tell… Read more

In the Wake of Shake

January 13, 2010 9:03 AM

While smaller US earthquakes made recent news, like the 6.5 magnitude shake in Northern California that was felt up into central Oregon, the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck near Port-au-Prince, Haiti yesterday, has brought earthquakes into the foreground of national news and media reports - and thus in the awareness of students. According to reports, the quake in Haiti, an area where earthquakes are not common, was the strongest in 200 years. The world map of earthquakes in the last 7… Read more

Lab Notebooks

January 6, 2010 10:42 PM

Journals and log books are used by researchers and writers in almost every field. To make note of "what we do as we do it," we keep a record. To ensure we don't forget what happened on this day, we jot down a quick note. To remind ourselves later of the affect of this agent on that substance, we document. A quick look at samples from the over 13,000 pages recorded (often in reverse, mirror-image cursive) by Leonardo Da Vinci shows the range of materials that can appear in a notebook -… Read more

A Healthy New Year

December 29, 2009 8:13 AM

In a blink, the hustle and bustle of December holidays has passed, and the close of the year and the start of the new year is upon us. Do you have "goals" for the New Year? Are you hoping to do more of "this" or more of "that"? The first of January is notoriously a day of making resolutions to help guide the year as it begins to unfold. While resolutions run the gamut from serious to playful, getting in shape is a resolution many share. A casual poll of friends and family members may turn… Read more

Double Cookie Duty

December 15, 2009 2:42 PM

Image by Geraldine, via Wikipedia Commons Earlier this month I looked through the Science Buddies' library of Project Ideas for cooking projects that seemed perfect for the holidays, for winter break, and even for snow days when young scientists and their parents may be cooped up indoors. With two kids of my own, I thought some lab-time in the kitchen might be fun. I realized this week that I may have missed a great project! This is one that I know will be a hit in… Read more

Scientist's Pick: Worth a Smile

December 1, 2009 8:41 AM

Note: This month's "Scientist's Pick" is from Science Buddies' lead staff scientist, Sandra Slutz. Did you miss last month's "Scientist's Pick" write-up? Do you speak Ollie? ~ Science Buddies' Editorial Staff Project: That's a Real Smile! ...or is it? Scientist: Sandra Slutz Science Buddies' Difficulty Level: 5-7 Maybe it's the fact that the holiday season is starting, or maybe it's the funny antics of my toddler - but either way I've been noticing people's smiles. And the truth… Read more

The Holiday Kitchen: A Hands-On Lab

November 30, 2009 10:07 AM

As post-Halloween sugar highs ebb and trick-or-treat stashes wane, the days of pre-packaged, ready-to-eat treats give way to the smells of freshly-baked bread, pies, cakes, gingerbreads, and a variety of other family favorites. Indeed, as the year winds down and the days shorten, the kitchen can become an epicenter of activity. With classroom potlucks, family dinners, and a string of potential holiday gatherings dotting the calendar for November and December, the making and… Read more

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