Good Health and Well-Being, Ninth Grade, Human Biology & Health Science Projects (34 results)

Our metabolism changes as we get older, a sad fact of life that we cannot change. Old age affects our bodies in many ways. Changes in musculature, bone strength, energy, diet and breathing are some of the many ways we change as we age. You might notice that people often get out of breath when they are older and doing a physical activity. Why do some people feel out of breath, while others do not? Does this change correlate with age? Could this reflect a difference in lung capacity between… Read more

​​Walking may seem simple, but it is actually a carefully coordinated process involving balance, rhythm, and efficiency. The way we walk—our gait—changes depending on speed. At slower speeds, people tend to take shorter, more careful steps. At faster speeds, stride length usually increases and step frequency (cadence) rises to keep up. Biomechanics researchers study these patterns to understand how speed influences gait mechanics and stability, since walking is one of the most… Read more

One strategy you may have heard suggested for dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic is to let nature take its course and let COVID-19 infect enough of the population for us to reach the herd immunity threshold. Does this make sense as a public health strategy? You can explore this question scientifically using SimPandemic, a free online tool for modeling infectious disease outbreaks. Before you begin, you will need to know a bit about herd immunity. Herd immunity, sometimes called community… Read more

The way humans walk—our gait—is usually fairly symmetrical. Each step we take with the left foot is similar in length and timing to the step with the right foot. This symmetry makes walking efficient and reduces stress on the muscles and joints. But what happens when the body is challenged by an uneven load, such as carrying groceries in one hand or holding a backpack on one shoulder? Biomechanics research shows that unequal weight distribution can disrupt gait symmetry, forcing one… Read more