Got Science?

I read an intriguing post at the Freakonomics blog and I couldn't help but post it here, because it truly is thought provoking.  It is simple enough- all it really says is that a bunch of 8-10-year-olds in the UK have conducted their own research and published it, the topic being bees.  If elementary-schoolers can conduct research in the UK, why don't us US kids do so as well?  Why doesn't every kid in the US have the opportunity, at least, to contribute to the scientific community by conducting some research- it would be a wonderful experience and kids would learn a lot more than if they stayed crammed in their classrooms and snoozing in the back (or in my case, the front) of the room.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Looking for a way to use those Thanksgiving leftovers without actually eating them?  Smear them on yourself!  Apparently, there are scientific reasons why leftovers like pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes may be better on your body than in.  Here's a challenge: can you pick them all out?

http://improbable.com/2010/11/27/smear-thanksgiving-leftover-food-on-your-body/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ImprobableResearch+(Improbable+Research) Which leads to http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/pumpkin-pie-facial-use-thanksgiving-leftovers-for-skin-care/19729777

Science vs. Literature

Sometimes, the lines between science and literature get a little fuzzy.  How?  Check these out: Literature as a graph and one that cracks me up: Fictional Physicists (the titles were slightly paraphrased).  What do you think?  Has science become literature or has literature become scientific?

And So It Begins...

Hi!

Back to school again!  The thrill at being back, the anxiety of that first day, the confusion of hundreds of kids trying to figure out where to go and what to do.... it's almost overwhelming.  A little too close to overwhelming, in my case.  But anyhow, I welcome you all to the world of blogging!  As a heads up, I will be busy, so there won't be as many posts... however, I will be keeping check on comments, the question box blog, and so forth, so feel free to read through past posts, post questions about science and high school (I am taking chemistry and physics) and learn!

Happy back to school everyone!

Pippin

Got Science?

Did anyone really think I'd stop blogging?  Not that anyone checks, judging by the stats...

Anyway, I've been waiting for some good topics to blog about to come along, and I've got them now! This summer, we'll be exploring Engineering and Technology! Whoopee!

Okay, celebrations aside,  let's get to work.  First, we have to figure out an essential question: what is an engineer, exactly? There's the stereotype of a guy working being a desk on some computer program, or all those people in BP who are still trying to find a way to plug the oil leak.  But engineers aren't just plugging oil leaks and designing computer programs (which, technically speaking, is the job of a computer programmer, anyway).  Engineers are behind any and everything that you can think of: your TV, the chair you're possibly sitting on, the AC that's keeping you cool in this hot weather, your food.... you name it, and there's an engineer that's involved with it.  They apply their knowledge of science and math (math is the language of science, if you didn't know that already) in order to solve problems and make society a better place.  They have to be able to invent and innovate technology to fit our growing needs and solve our problems while working under time and financial restraints.  Engineers often works in teams to achieve their goal.   While they aren't strictly science, they apply their knowledge of science and math to create things that are useful to society.  (Yes, they are truly that amazing.) They pave the way to a technological future.

There are many types of engineers, and I'll list a few here (with a bit of info, of course).  I'll also list some sites at the end of this post for you to check out.  If you don't like them, then just try googling engineering for kids or something like that to find a site that's right for you.

Civil Engineering: They are one of the more well-known engineers.  Civil engineers deal with design, and they are the ones that build structures and make sure they're safe for people.  That road you drove on to get to McDonald's? There's been a engineer or two who's help to make sure it's sturdy.  They also design structures such as bridges, dams, airports, power plants, tunnels, etc.  Here's something for you to look up that might be interesting: mag-lev trains.  Civil engineers have a hand in all of these structures and more.

Electrical and Computer Engineering: They have to learn how electricity works and apply it to their work. Light bulbs, robots, cell phones, sensors, all of those need wiring and electricity work, and that's where a handy-dandy electrical engineer comes in.  Computer engineers deal with computers, of course: the hardware, software, and also other things such as medical imaging.

Chemical Engineering:  Here's a lesser known engineer.  Chemical engineers deal with... you guessed it, chemicals!  They try to make sure that chemicals are safe (remember, chemicals aren't all bad- H20 is completely harmless and very necessary: water!) in the lab and when they're manufactured as well (and at all other times as well...)  Things that would have been made by chemical engineers include common household items like... you probably didn't guess it, shampoo!  Along with shampoo, there's petrochemicals (derived from oil), pharmaceutical chemicals (medicine), and nanotechnology that you might find chemical engineers involved with.

Mechanical Engineering:  Mechanical engineering is probably one of the broadest and oldest branches of engineering.  All those images of gears and other machinery that comes to mind with the word engineer?  Yeah, that's mechanical engineering.  They don't only deal with gears, though.  They are behind things such as rockets, cars, roller coasters, water guns, and so much more, but I'll leave that for you to figure out.

Biomedical Engineering:  Yeah, I think that you could guess what biomedical engineers do.   They develop technology to help save lives.  Some subcategories include rehab engineering (to help out the body when it fails, such as making fake limbs or pacemakers), biomaterials (creating non-toxic materials that the body won't reject, such as a fake bone), and medical imaging (CAT scans, x-rays, etc.)

Environment Engineer:  These engineers are out to save the world! As you can guess, they try to fix the environment.  They would work with issues such as waste water management, air quality management, and land remediation.  Such engineers also need good writing skills and other qualities to get all those big companies to listen while they explain that they're ruining the environment and how to make it better.  Tough job, eh?

Materials Science and Engineering (MSE):  These engineers deal with materials.  They try to make materials that have specific qualities.  For instance, say a biomedical engineer asked a MSE person for a type of material that would be lightweight, strong, and won't be rejected by the human body to create a bone.  A team of MSE engineers would try to either identify a material that can be used, or modify a material so that it will fit the criteria.

Industrial and Systems Engineer:   These engineers are like managers.  They oversee the process of production, and make sure that systems are efficient and cost-effective.  They'll learn about many branches of engineering, and analyze machines, facilities, and other aspects of production lines to make sure things are running smoothly and make improvements.  They are also likely to become a manager because of the nature of their job.

Okay, that's enough for today.  Here are some links (actually, one that links to many other links):

http://www.discoverengineering.org/  Click around!  This site has many good links that I have yet to explore, and I hope you do too!

Oops! Forgot my credits:  Thanks to all of my counselors at camp for teaching us about engineering!  And of course, now that I'm at the whole thanks-giving thing, thanks to the most wonderful science teacher of all, SunnyD, without whom this wouldn't be here.  And thanks to the best lit teacher ever, kokopelli1015!

Got Science?

First things first: here's a shocking link that has to do with the oil spill.  Basically, it'll show you the size of the oil spill if it happened over your town.  Check it out:
http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/

So the school year has winded down.  Thus, the end of the Question Box on my blog for this year.  However, look out for the Question Box next year!!  Here are the final questions' answers:

Why can milk come out your nose?  Let me illustrate why with a diagram (from here)

©2009 Northeast Georgia Cancer Specialists/ASTRO

If you look at the diagram, you can see that your mouth (oral cavity) is connected to the same passageway as your nose.  Milk comes out your nose mistakenly because it happens to go past your mouth and through your nose instead, probably because something forced it up, like laughter.  Simple, isn't it?

Next question: If I had to choose a science career, what would I choose?  Not that I would, oh, say, go into the science field.  After all, that would be totally unexpected (Verbal irony. Please do not take seriously).  Jokes aside, I don't really know.  Green guy mentioned becoming a brain surgeon, njguy becoming a zoologist, and toadrockz a pathologist/science teacher.  Becoming a science teacher would be fun, although I might accidentally drive Sunnyd nuts with questions about how to be a good science teacher.  Or, on the thread of zoologist, marine biology is pretty interesting too.  I spent half the school year in second grade learning about the ocean (and we went really deep, too!  We had to do a research paper and projects and we wrote a poem and made a play and posters.... oh, all those good memories.  Back to the present!)  and it was  really interesting.  However, I'm actually kind of hanging in between engineering/physics and medical school, when it comes to science careers.  Physics/engineering is a big interest of mine, but the human body is too- and arguably, I've been fascinated in the human body for much longer than I've ever been interested in physics, even though I've never actually been as mesmerized with it as physics.  What do you think?  Would you want to become, say, a science teacher, or a zoologist, or some other type of scientist?  Comments are welcome, it's always nice to hear someone else!

Pippin's Question Box

If you had to pick a science career, what would you choose?

Pippin's Question Box

Why is it possible for milk to come out your nose? Best

Got Science?

I know this is a little off topic, but I was just thinking about the possibility of civilizations before us and aliens. I know it's improbable for intelligent life to develop before us, but if it did happen, would there even be evidence? Take for instance, our society. We use all sorts of materials that last a loonnngg time, so people can dig up artifacts from, say, the Native Americans of long ago. However, everything that we've done is incredibly small compared to the Earth's history- we've only been around for, say, a million or so years while the Earth's been around for about 4.6 billion years (and correct me if I'm wrong). Also, even though the stuff we make may last a long time, I don't think that 500 million years from now, it would still be here. Even glass, which lasts a long time, will only last one million years: compare that to the dinosaurs of 200 million years ago. So if there was, say, really smart dinosaurs, would there be any evidence to prove it? Especially if those really smart dinosaurs were smart enough to dispose of their waste properly.

The answer to the question this week: quite simply, we can't tickle ourselves because it isn't a surprise. Our brain can anticipate our own movements (what a shocker), so when we tickle ourselves, we don't get that panicky feeling that causes the being-tickled reaction. After all, it's only yourself, so your brain doesn't raise a fuss.

Now, one last announcement: there MAY be a special luncheon or lab for the TOP TEN answerer's of the question box. Things considered: how many times you answered and the quality of your answers. When the final details of the special luncheon or lab are determined, then the list of winners will be compiled and posted on the blog- so keep on answering!

awesome_spectacular's comments: Great job this week- we got a lot of answers. The quality of the answers is way improving! About Pippin's comments on the aliens and stuff (way off topic!), I think that you're right about the glass lasting only about probably a million years. Not all resources last forever because some resources are renewal and others are non renewal (hint! hint! S.S.!) I feel that even the renewable stuff we make may last a really really long time, but I don't really think it could last forever. I guess I got off topic too! Anyway, you guys are doing a awesome job, so just keep answering!

Got Science?

I was just watching Bill Nye on the news, talking about the Gulf oil spill, and he started talking about how we need more of America's youth to go into concrete science, rather than economics or banking or whatnot. And so, I decided that now is a good time to truly discuss what the question box is about, as its purpose, I feel, is beginning to drown amongst the goodie bags, extra credit, and other frilly stuff.

The Question Box wasn't meant as a way for me to get rid of all of my Halloween candy, even if that's what it seems. Nor was it meant as a quick and easy way to boost your grades. It isn't even about the ultra-cool bulletin board that is now wallpapered in pictures and articles. It's about getting you interested in science, and hopefully swaying some of you to pursue science careers in the future. Science isn't boring, even if you fall asleep in science class. It's the field of curiosity, where you think of questions- and try to answer them. It's the field of creation, where our techno-people think of neat gadgets like the iPhone for the rest of us to enjoy. It's the field of solutions, where our greatest minds try to solve the problems of today, like BP's oil spill. I'm not saying that you have to become a scientist or engineer, but that it's not as boring as you think. In fact, here's how E. Robert Schulman put the purpose of science in his comical How to Write a Scientific Paper:

The purpose of science is to get paid for doing fun stuff if you're not a good enough programmer to write computer games for a living (Schulman et al. 1991).

While it's meant to be a joke, that's what scientists do: they research "stuff" that they want to find out, and they get paid for doing it. Just watch the Discovery Channel. Those people are getting paid for living an adventure! No one is more fun, or funny than the Myth Busters and all they do all day is experiment. Having someone pay you to sit around and ask questions is a wonderful career. Want to know why clouds break up? Or why people have a tendency to eat the ears off of marshmallow peeps first? Scientists are the ones who get paid to find the answer: they research the topic, come up with a guess to the answer, and try out their guess in a made up scenario, an experiment. Then, they try to figure out what just happened and whether or not they were right. But you don't need me to tell you this, this is what every science teacher is telling you! Hypothesis: I think people like to eat the ears of marshmallow peeps. Observation: watching people vote on my marshmallow peep poll. Data: The results of my poll (scroll down to see). Conclusion: it's either always or never, but rarely in between. This is what science teachers are constantly telling you, but it's simpler than they make it seem (sorry Sunnyd). This big vocabulary, observation, analysis, etc. is scaring people away from science, if you ask me. And that's what the question box is about: going back to the root of science so that we don't forget the essence of it. It's here to remind you that science is an explanation for simple things in life, facts about our world. And when we put facts together, we come up with all sorts of interesting stuff: the same concept of "convection" that makes the Earth's surface move makes our jello turn solid and makes heating up a house with an oven highly ineffective (Trust me, don't try it. It could cause your oven to break, like ours did). The same concept of gravity that makes the moon go 'round our heads makes apples fall to the ground. And when we try to use these concepts for ourselves, we make life easier: a fan helps cool your jello dessert in time for dinner, a fireplace heats up your house quickly and effectively (relatively speaking), gravity makes bungee jumping all the more thrilling... This is what science is about. And it is ultra-important to your life, my life, and the development of mankind.

That's also why you should do your science homework. :)

Tired out, are you? I'll keep the answer to this week's question brief, because I need to do my homework and I'm sure you do too. We need to sit upright on roller coasters because of G-forces. If we don't, all these G-forces won't be distributed evenly and parts of us would feel heavier than others. I'll come back to this topic later (hopefully) because I need to do more reading. Here are some links about roller coasters:http://www.rollercoasterking.com/thrill-experience/http://www.themeparkinsider.com/safety/http://fun.familyeducation.com/summer/safety/35168.htmlhttp://cec.chebucto.org/Co-Phys.html  And thanks to njguy for the neat video. I don't think I'll ever go on Kingda Ka- way too scary for me.

By the way, if you'd like to comment on anything, feel free to do so.