Current Science, a Weekly Reader publication articles from February 2007

Current Science, a Weekly Reader publication archives from February 2007

Sci-triv game: have fun learning about science!
February 9, 2007... Want to play a game of science trivia? See how many points you can win by correctly answering the questions below. To find your score, give yourself 10 points each time you get the first question right, 20 points for each second question,...

Who knew.(igloos)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... DYER ISLAND, South Africa--Just 15 minutes after Wilfred Chivell finished building a little fiberglass igloo, two homeowners laid claim to it. The homeowners were a pair of African penguins, and the igloo is one of many that conservationists...

Target: Earth? The Apophis asteroid might hit Earth in 2036. How can it be stopped?(EARTH)
February 9, 2007... If you're a fan of the Stargate SG- 1 TV series, the name Apophis probably sends shivers down your spine. Apophis is the cruel archenemy of the SG-1 team. The writers of the series took the name from an equally bad demon in ancient Egyptian...

Fuel for thought.(PHYSICAL)(ethanol)
February 9, 2007... Consuming alcohol while driving can land a driver in jail, but what if the car is doing the drinking? Cars may soon be doing just that, running almost entirely on a type of alcohol called ethanol. Many scientists and environmentalists agree...

Germ warfare: why did teenage boy leave hospital sicker than when he entered?(HEALTH)
February 9, 2007... Raymond Wagner III considers himself lucky to be alive. Four years ago, he broke his arm while sledding on Christmas Eve. Taken to a hospital for surgery to repair the break, he was home in time for Christmas. In the days that followed,...

Psych out: do psychic sleuths help solve crimes in real life the way they do on TV?(LIFE)
February 9, 2007... Allison DuBois is an attractive blond psychic who regularly helps the Phoenix police department. She shares information about crimes that come to her supernaturally, and often unbidden, as vivid mental images. TV viewers know her as the lead...

Dark energy is ancient.(space)
February 9, 2007... BALTIMORE -- Like Darth Vader, modern astronomers have turned to the dark side, but for good, not evil. In November, a team of U.S. astronomers reported finding evidence that dark energy existed in the universe at least 9 billion years ago. ...

Students design: gyroscope bike.(physical)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... HANOVER, N.H. -- Four engineering students at Dartmouth College have put a new spin on bicycle design. They've invented a bike that helps kids avoid falling and scraping their knees while learning how to tide. Their invention, the Gyrobike, won...

Violins' secret solved?(technology)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- For centuries, musicians and instrument makers have tried to decipher the secret of the famed Stradivarius and Guarneri violins. Made by Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) and Giuseppe Guameri del Gesu (1698-1744) in...

Seafood guide.(DISCOVERIES)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... ENJOY Arctic Char (farmed) Catfish (U.S. farmed) Clams (farmed) Cod: Pacific (longline-caught from Alaska) Crab: Dungeness, Snow (Canada), Stone Halibut: Pacific Herring: Atlantic/Sardines Lobster....

Fisheries face global collapse.(life)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- The clock is ticking for the world's fish. Almost one in three species of sea life caught for food has been depleted, according to a new report. If present trends continue, a total collapse of the ocean's fisheries will...

Hawaiian teen is top scientist.(Nolan Kamitaki)
February 9, 2007... HILO, Hawaii -- Arsenic is a deadly poison, so Nolan Kamitaki couldn't help but be concerned when he learned that the soil on the Big Island of Hawaii is contaminated with the substance. Nolan (pictured at right) decided to investigate the...

Blow-dryer nixes nits.(health)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... SALT LAKE CITY, Utah--Dale Clayton could soon reap the benefits of doing a lousy job. He has invented a blow-dryer that successfully delouses human hair. As many as 12 million Americans are infested with head lice every year, according to...

Bend your mind.(OPTRICKS)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Four dots are arranged in a square. Start at the upper left dot and draw three straight lines so that you end up where you began. Each line must pass through one or more dots, and every dot should have a line going through it. ...

Mystery photos.(OPTRICKS)
February 9, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Top: bricks and mortar, Middle: mushrooms, Bottom: broom

Whatizit?(OPTRICKS)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... These are microscopic flakes of magnesium silicate, a common metamorphic mineral that is mined in Montana, Texas and Vermont. It is used in makeup, talcum powder, paper, and chalk and as a food additive. What is its familiar name? ...