Science Buddies Blog (Page 115)

The Golden State Star Party

September 2, 2009 10:09 AM

Photo: Kenneth Hess, 2009. Specs: Nikon D2x, 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye lens, 60 second unguided exposure at ISO 1600. I recently spent a new moon weekend with 350 amateur astronomers camped in a field near Adin, California, one of the darkest spots in the continental United States. Light pollution from outdoor lighting spoils the view from urban areas, and most of us are lucky to see anything but the brightest stars from where we live. I was expecting something special from this… Read more

The Size of GFP

August 26, 2009 10:02 AM

The Science Buddies library of science fair project ideas recently got a bit of glow and an unusual dose of "green" in the form of a new project that uses chromatography. The "green" in this case is "green florescent protein (GFP)," and the project uses a study of GFP to demonstrate "size-exclusion chromatography." Looking at the etymology of the word chromatography, you know that chromatography is related to color ... and to paper. The word derives from Greek words meaning "color" and "to… Read more

From Storyboard to Computer Design

August 20, 2009 12:22 PM

For today's students, the leap from playing video games to programming video games isn't necessarily a big one. Even elementary school students who enjoy filling some down-time with a favorite game can begin exploring the logic and sequencing involved in designing a video game. Before sitting down at a computer, encourage your students to work on mapping out a storyboard as they think through the premise (or plot) of their game. Who are the main characters? What is the goal? What kinds of… Read more

Science Buddies' First Teacher Webinar

August 17, 2009 9:16 AM

Join Science Buddies on August 30 for "Using Science Buddies for Success," a free one-hour webinar designed to introduce teachers to Science Buddies' resources and tools. As the 2009-2010 school year gets ready to kick into gear, now is the perfect time to learn more about how Science Buddies can be integrated in your classroom. Science Buddies is dedicated to creating engaging project ideas and resources that can help increase science enthusiasm, interest, and literacy in all grades. The… Read more

Pop Goes the Mentos®

August 13, 2009 7:08 AM

Did you see Aliens in the Attic? If so, you probably noticed that scientific concepts were skimming along the surface of the dialogue and underwriting the tactics the kids called upon as they matched wits with the quartet of aliens from Planet Zirkon. As the aliens' diplomatic guide book gets thrown out the window, gaming systems, cell phones, launchers, anti-gravity devices, static electricity machines, and high-tech joystick controls take center stage. And the Mentos® the kids'… Read more

Finding Your Way

July 21, 2009 9:46 PM

Which way does your house face? In which direction do you sleep? Your school is which direction from your house? Learning to read a pocket compass - a long-lost art? (Image: Wikipedia) If you don't know the answers, offhand, to those questions, you are likely not alone. We all know the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. And if you live on a coast and within view of the water, you can probably orient your sense of cardinal direction based on the water. Beyond… Read more

A New Name for 112

July 16, 2009 11:03 AM

When you're an element - even a "super-heavy" one - getting an official name and spot on the Periodic Table isn't easy. A chemical element, Element 112 was first fusion-created more than a decade ago but only recently found a spot on the table. It was originally known as eka-mercury but has since been going by the temporary name "Ununbium" with a symbol of UuB. The scientists who discovered Unumbium have proposed to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) that it be… Read more

Singing On Key or Off Key

July 14, 2009 11:32 AM

Michael Jackson, 1984, Wikimedia Commons If you can remember the first time the Moon Walk was performed on stage (and I don't mean anything related to Neil Armstrong) and know the words to "Billie Jean," "Thriller" and "Beat It" even if you haven't heard them in years, you might be of a certain age. Or not. Often hailed as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson's popularity spanned many decades. His death in June took the music… Read more

A Twist on Heart "Beat"

July 7, 2009 10:54 AM

CNN Health reported last week on a woman who saved her husband's life by using the rhythm and pacing of the Bee Gees 1977 classic "Staying Alive" as a metronome for performing CPR. With no prior CPR training, she kept the song in her head and performed chest compressions for 15 minutes until the paramedics arrived. Statistics show that 95% of people who suffer cardiac arrest die before reaching the hospital. Rapid chest compressions, however, can make a difference, as the woman… Read more

Science Buddies on Air

June 17, 2009 8:29 PM

In her appearance on The View from the Bay, Science Buddies Vice President, Courtney Corda, talks about the value of making science an everyday subject and topic of family discussion. Courtney encourages parents to approach science first and foremost by linking science and underlying scientific principles to an area of interest for their students and to engage students with hands-on activities and scientific projects. Courtney reminds viewers that fostering a love of science is important.… Read more

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