SuperScience articles from May 2005

SuperScience archives from May 2005

Lions' last roar?(newsblast)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Over the years, ranchers in the Tsavo (SAH-vo) region of East Africa have killed many lions. But the ranchers don't hunt the animals for food. So why are they killing them? Scientists have found that the area's shift from dry to wet seasons is...

Cow power.(newsblast)(biomass energy)
May 1, 2005... Fifteen hundred cows in Vermont aren't just producing milk, they're also generating electricity. How do they do it? With manure! Researchers have found that when the cow manure is heated, it produces a colorless, odorless gas called...

Smell this!(newsblast)(mosquitoes)
May 1, 2005... Do you get fewer mosquito bites than your friends? If so, your body may give off an odor thats tells pesky bloodsuckers to buzz off. According to scientists in England, all people produce odors that are attractive to mosquitoes. These odors...

Popsicle party.(newsblast)
May 1, 2005... The Popsicle is celebrating its 100th birthday! The frozen treat was invented in 1905 by an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson. One day Frank left a soda outside with a stick in it. That night, the temperature dropped below...

The case of the hair-raising tear: this month, learn about hair structure.(science mystery)(Short Story)
May 1, 2005... "How can I help you?" asked the hairdresser as she examined Alison's straight red hair. "I want my hair to be just like hers," said Alison, pointing to her friend Michelle who was getting her hair trimmed in the chair beside her. Like...

Fly like a hawk: skateboard legend Tony Hawk aims high.(physical science)
May 1, 2005... Look up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. It's... a Hawk! With a skateboard under his feet, Tony Hawk practically flies across the skate park. Every twist, turn, and jump looks effortless. "The Birdman," as he is often called, is training...

On the move: does an object's mass affect the way it travels?(hands-on)
May 1, 2005... YOU'LL NEED: * EMPTY MILK CARTON (QUART-SIZE) * A TEXTBOOK OR A SHOEBOX LID * SOUP CAN * 1 LARGE MARBLE * 1 SMALL MARBLE * METER STICK PROCEDURE: 1. Have your teacher cut off the top part of a milk carton....

Balancing act: how does your weight affect your balance?(hands-on)
May 1, 2005... THINK: Suppose you were sledding down a hill. Would you have better balance if you were lying down on the sled or if you were standing up? PREDICT: An object's center of mass is the point where the object's weight appears to be...

Feathery find: scientists discover that some dinosaurs sported feathers.(earth science)
May 1, 2005... For a fossil hunter searching for dinosaur remains, no place beats northeastern China's Liaoning (lyee-yow-ning) Province. That's because 130 million years ago, dinosaurs roaming the landscape were buried there in a blanket of sediment. Their...

Make a fossil: can you whip up a "fossil"?(hands-on)
May 1, 2005... THINK: Fossils are the remains of animals or plants that lived long ago. What are some types of fossils? PREDICT: Some fossils form when minerals replace bone and other materials. Which would best "fossilize" a bone: saltwater or tap...

Mystery photo.(the Back Page)
May 1, 2005... What's pictured in the magnifying lens? To find out, use these hints (plus a dictionary or the Internet!). 1. It is an invertebrate (an animal that has no backbone or spinal column). 2. It may feed on coral and shellfish such as...

You asked.(the Back Page)(skin)
May 1, 2005... Q. Why does the skin on your fingers get wrinkled in the water? A: The outer layer of your skin is covered with an oil called sebum (SEE-bum), which prevents water from getting in. When you take a long soak, the sebum gets washed away,...

Name game.(the Back Page)
May 1, 2005... Did you know that scientists use Greek and Latin words to create dinosaur names? The words they use often describe the dinosaur they are naming. The list on the right features some Latin and Greek words and their meanings. Use them to explain...

Scavenger hunt.(science)
May 1, 2005... Search the magazine to find the answer to part A of each question. Then search your brain to find the answer to part B! 1 a: What is a renewable resource? b: Name one renewable resource that is used in your classroom. 2 a: Compare...

No-sweat bubble test (reading comprehension).
May 1, 2005... DIRECTIONS: Read each question below, and then use the article "Fly Like A Hawk" (pp. 6-9) to determine the best answer. Fill in the correct bubble completely. 1. During an ollie, which force allows the skateboard to stick to Tony Hawk's...