SuperScience articles from April 2007

SuperScience archives from April 2007

Happy Earth Day.
April 1, 2007... Earth Day is April 22. To help you celebrate, this issue of SuperScience is full of features that highlight issues affecting the planet--such as why gorillas are disappearing in Africa, and how a new fuel in race cars will help clean up the...

Corn power.(ethanol from corn)
April 1, 2007... The graph below shows how much corn in the U.S. is used to make ethanol fuel each year. Use the graph to answer the questions that follow. 1. In which year were the fewest bushels of corn used?-- 2. Approximately how many bushels of...

No-sweat bubble test.
April 1, 2007... (reading comprehension) DIRECTIONS: Read each question below, and then use the article "Vanishing Apes" (pp. 6-9) to determine the best answer. Fill in each correct bubble completely. 1. According to the article, which of the following...

Happy feet.(Life Science)
April 1, 2007... When little penguins at a zoo in New Zealand got sore feet, animal keepers found the perfect solution. Shoes! In the wild, little penguins spend most of their time swimming in search of food. But penguins that live at the International...

Super chomp.(Physical science)(Dunkleosteus terrelli)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... An ancient fish named Dunkleosteus terrelli (dunk-lee-OH-stee-us ter-REL-lee) was a terror in the seas. Scientists have crowned "the Dunk" the fish with the strongest bite ever. It had a chomp that could slice a shark in two. The 10 meter...

Planet hunt.(Earth Science)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... A new spacecraft is on a mission to find Earthlike planets outside our solar system. Until now, scientists could only detect large planets--at least five times the size of Earth--outside the solar system. The new craft, called COROT, will...

Blowing bubbles.(LIFE SCIENCE)(eating behavior of moles (mammals))(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Star-nosed moles rely on their star-shaped noses to locate snacks. Scientists recently discovered that the moles can even sniff out lunch while underwater. They are the first mammals (warm-blooded animals that can produce milk) known to be able...

The case of the hot chocolate: this month, learn about the greenhouse effect.(science mystery)
April 1, 2007... "What a great day to be outside," said Danielle. She dropped an empty soda can into a bulging trash bag. She and her friend Peter were celebrating Earth Day with their science class by picking up trash in a local park. "It is really warm...

Vanishing apes: gorillas in Africa are facing tough times. Can scientists help the apes survive?(life science)
April 1, 2007... Being a great ape isn't always so great. Gorillas--the largest of the great apes--are struggling to survive. The forests in Africa where the animals live are disappearing. And researchers have recently discovered another threat. A deadly...

Catch a cold: how does an infection spread?(hands-on)
April 1, 2007... THINK: Suppose one person has a cold. What can happen to people who come into contact with that person? PREDICT: Some illnesses, like colds, are caused by viruses. If a person infected with a cold virus comes into contact with another...

Cool science jobs.(careers)(Interview)
April 1, 2007... Who: Roman Dial Job: Rain-Forest Scientist I study the plants and animals that live in rain forests, or forests that receive more than 170 centimeters (67 inches) of rain a year. I work on ropes that are suspended within the forest's...

The race is on: cars in the Indy 500 rev up with a new fuel to protect the environment.(physical science)
April 1, 2007... Start your engines--your corn-powered engines, that is! For the first time, cars racing in the Indianapolis 500 this May will use a fuel made from plants such as corn and wheat to zoom around the track. Indy drivers are now filling up their...

Energy source: can you change chemical energy into another type of energy?(hands on)
April 1, 2007... THINK: How does the temperature of a car's engine change after it has been running? PREDICT: Fuels like gasoline contain chemical energy. Inside the car's engine, the fuel reacts with oxygen. That changes the chemical energy into heat...

Mystery photo.(the Back Page)(soccer ball)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... WHAT'S PICTURED IN THE MAGNIFYING LENS? TO FIND OUT, USE THESE HINTS (PLUS A DICTIONARY OR THE INTERNET). 1. In the past, it was made with an air-filled pig's bladder. 2. A standard-size one measures between 27 and 28 inches around. ...

You asked.(the Back Page)(yawning)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Q: When a person yawns, why do other people start yawning? A: Scientists aren't sure why yawns are so contagious. But recent research shows that even chimpanzees can "catch" a yawn from another sleepy chimp. Some scientists believe that...

Hidden words.(the Back Page)(Earth day)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Circle the words listed below in the puzzle. Then use the uncircled letters to spell out the Earth-Day fact. (Read the uncircied letters as they appear from left to right in each line.) ANSWERS Ebola: spelled across, first row; Force:...