Science Buddies Blog (Page 89)

The Call of the Crystal Radio

February 1, 2013 10:00 AM

Ask an engineer if she has ever built a crystal radio, and chances are you will get a story—one with all the makings of a classic when it comes to garage engineering and adolescence. Students often build a crystal radio as a first step in engineering and electronics—or as a middle school science fair project. If they have questions or need assistance troubleshooting their "set," they may be lucky enough to get assistance from Rick Marz, a seasoned engineer with an enduring affinity… Read more

BLASTing Flu Season Frenzy: A Bioinformatics Perspective

January 28, 2013 9:50 AM

Did you get the flu shot? This year's flu season started early and with a vengeance. How effective is the vaccine against the influenza making the rounds? Using an online bioinformatics tool, students can analyze flu data from previous years and make their own predictions. Image: BigstockFlu season data offers students the chance to use bionformatics tools like BLAST.This year's flu season is proving to be one of the worst in the last decade. Outbreak of the flu has been reported in most… Read more

Yearly Migration of the Monarchs

January 14, 2013 11:00 AM

Parts of California play host each year to migrating masses of monarch butterflies that pass a number of months in protected groves, inspiring and astounding naturalists of all ages. The science behind butterfly migration is especially fascinating when you take into account that most butterflies live less than two months! Image: Kenneth Dwain Harrelson Yearly butterfly migration provides opportunity for a… Read more

Science in a Flash: Turn Milk into Plastic!

January 9, 2013 10:39 AM

Try this quick and easy way to introduce kids to chemical reactions and polymers. One Science Buddies mom even used it for spur-of-the moment entertainment at a slumber party! Simple household kitchen ingredients and materials let one science mom create a spur-of-the-moment science exploration for a group of early risers at a slumber party. The kitchen chemistry science activity this mom did involves polymers. For another family science investigation of polymers, see "Putty Science:… Read more

A Look Back at 2012 on the Science Buddies Blog

January 3, 2013 4:30 PM

As the 2013 science fair season gets underway, get inspired by what's possible for student science—and science at home—with a recap of last year's posts about science projects, science news, and family science. The New Year is underway, and even during the semester break, many students are working with zest, determination, and curiosity on their science fair projects. As we welcome in 2013 and the coming months of the science fair season, here is a brief look back at a few of our… Read more

Encouraging and Inspiring Female Student Engineers

December 17, 2012 10:30 AM

While "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day" is officially celebrated in February, helping girls understand the creative world of engineering is important all year long. If you love to innovate, imagine, build, tinker, solve problems, or make things, engineering might be just the right area for you—or your student! Too Young to Be an Engineer?Have you heard of Becky Schroeder, a teenage inventor who wanted to find a better way to do her homework while waiting in a dark car. Becky's story… Read more

Blindfolds On: Designing Video Games for the Visually Impaired

December 6, 2012 10:15 AM

Two students in LA took an audible cue from the community for their fourth-grade science project and designed a sound-based video game. Their first video game design project gave them an inside look into how games are designed, built, and tested to meet the needs of various audiences. For their fourth-grade science project, Zach and Talia created a video game called Blong. Their game, reminiscent of Pong, was designed with special attention to sound cues so that it can be played by a wide… Read more

Robot Engineering: Tapping the Artist within the Bot

December 4, 2012 9:46 AM

When it comes to customizing robots, the spirit of innovation is alive and well in afterschool programs around the country. Extracurricular engineering and robotics clubs may provide a welcome outlet and important mentoring for students. From brainstorming designs to nuts and bolts building to learning how to integrate servo motors and computer programming, robotics projects capitalize on a student's love of tinkering—with the possibility of a clear reward in the end, a bot that does… Read more

Artificial Intelligence and Cancer Diagnosis: Meet the 2012 Google Science Fair Winner

November 28, 2012 11:28 AM

According to senior Brittany Wenger, programming computers to think for themselves in the name of science may change the face of cancer diagnosis. Using cloud technology to both share data and feed her program, Wenger's Google Science Fair project blends computer science and medicine to create a powerful resource for the medical community—and an inspiration for other young programmers. "The Google Science Fair has provided me with a platform to share my research with the world. I am… Read more

When the Moon Is Full (Or Seems to Be)

November 7, 2012 11:21 AM

Last month's interest in goblins and ghouls has faded, but you can spice up November classroom and family science discussions with a blend of astronomy and a fitting 'trick' of the eye in preparation for this month's full moon! From astronomy projects to tests of human perception, the changing faces of the moon invites student science exploration. Students curious about the full moon illusion can learn more about afterimages in the "Are Your Eyes Playing Tricks on You? Discover the… Read more

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