Science World articles from February 2009

Science World archives from February 2009

Give them a hand.(PHYSICAL/TECHNOLOGY)(i-Limb)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A revolutionary robotic hand is helping people get a grip on life. Other artificial hands just open and close, but the new i-Limb allows people to wrap their fingers around objects--from a soda-pop top to a pencil....

Air-powered car.(GRAPH IT/POLLUTION)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Air Car may look like a humorous clown car seen at the circus, but it's serious when it comes to energy efficiency. Unlike gas guzzlers on the road, the Air Car's engine is powered by compressed air. Using...

Tag, you're it.(LIFE-INSECTS)(radio-transmitters for bees)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's difficult to follow something as small as a bee. So to learn more about how and where these insects fly, scientists are using tracking devices that are even smaller. Each device is about the size of three to...

Surf's up.(LIFE/ANIMAL BEHAVIOR)(rat surfers)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This rat knows how to hang ten. Its owner, 14-year-old Boomer Hodel, has taught his two fearless pet rodents, Tofu and Fin, to ride waves on their very own mini surfboards. "Rats aren't a panicky pet," says Dr. Tye...

Flu finder.(GRAPH IT/VIRUSES)(Google Flu Trends)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Radar can track weather. Global positioning systems can track animals. But did you know that influenza, or the flu, can be tracked too--via the Internet? Flu is a virus (nonliving particle that invades and...

Monumental discovery.(EARTH/ARCHAEOLOGY)(discovery of a 4,300-year-old pyramid )
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, "you never know what the sands of Egypt may hide." Hawass and his team of scientists recently discovered a 4,300-year-old pyramid buried under 20 meters (65 feet) of...

Number in the news.(SCIENCE NEWS)
February 2, 2009... 310,000,000 years old is the age of a bug imprint found near a shopping mall in Massachusetts. It's the oldest fossil of a flying Insect found to date. 1,500 active volcanoes exist on Earth. Scientists are seeing if thermal imaging will...

Kings of the strings: the violin duo Nuttin' But Stringz breaks the mold to create a sound all their own.(PHYSICAL SOUND)(Tourie and Damien Escobar )(Cover story)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last fall, when brothers Tourie and Damien Escobar hit the stage of the TV show America's Got Talent, they surprised the judges and wowed the audience with their one-of-a-kind sound. This two-man violin band, dubbed...

Hands-on science.(how different sounds are made on stringed instruments)
February 2, 2009... (No Lab Required) After reading "Kings of the Strings" (p. 8), try this activity to learn how different sounds are made on stringed instruments. (PREDICT) How do the length and the thickness of a violin's strings affect the sounds it...

Cougar trackers: teens team up with wildlife biologists to learn about their wild cat neighbors.(LIFE HABITAT)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] A cougar nicknamed Jane lies sedated on the snow-covered ground while biologists, middle and high school students, and community volunteers crouch beside her. The 41 kilogram (90 pound) cat has led the group on a...

I want that job! Maureen MacGillivray is a functional apparel design scientist. It's her job to create clothing with a special purpose.(CAREERS)(Interview)
February 2, 2009... WHAT DOES A FUNCTIONAL APPAREL DESIGN SCIENTIST DO? Functional apparel design scientists develop clothing that will make wearers more comfortable. For instance, they study the human body and research fabrics and designs to create clothes...

The name game: scientists have a sense of humor--especially when it comes to naming new species.(LIFE CLASSIFICATION)
February 2, 2009... What do comedian Stephen Colbert, rocker Neil Young, and actress Angelina Jolie have in common? They all recently had a species of spider named after them. And they're not the only famous people to be honored in this way by scientists. ...

Attack of the jellyfish: recently, swarms of jellyfish have been growing larger--causing humans grief. Are people to blame for their surge?(EARTH OCEANS)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What would it take to temporarily halt operation of the largest power company in California? Jellyfish. Last October, pipes that pull in water from the ocean to cool two nuclear reactors run by PG&E Corp also sucked...

Environmental changes trigger jelly blooms.(nuts & bolts)(Table)
February 2, 2009... ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES TRIGGER JELLY BLOOMS Scientists think certain human-caused environmental stresses are behind the increase in jellyfish swarms. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT ON WHERE HAS STRESS ...

Bee charmer.(GROSS OUT)(Norm Gary )
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Norm Gary often finds himself covered from head to toe in bees. That's because Gary, a retired entomologist who specialized for 30 years in apiculture, or the study and management of honeybees, is a renowned bee...

Mystery photo.(YOU CAN DO IT)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT'S THIS? Hint: Pull this out to avoid precipitation--or too much sun. Answer: Umbrella

Explain this!(YOU CAN DO IT)( sQuba)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Scuba Driver? Answer This vehicle, called the sQuba, is part car and part submarine. It can be driven on dry land and also dive to depths of 10 meters (33 feet), Unlike a typical car, sQuba doesn't have a...

Why do we have eyebrows?(ASK ScienceWorld)
February 2, 2009... These little strips of hair actually serve a few purposes. Eyebrows act like mini rain gutters: When we sweat or are out in the rain, they help direct the water dripping down our foreheads off to the side of our faces. This prevents salty sweat...

Tease your brain.(YOU CAN DO IT)
February 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Six rats are on a circular track. One rat separates Dixie from Fritz. Rufus is between Mimi and Otis. Lucy is directly in front of Fritz. No rats separate Dixie and Otis, One rat separates Rufus and Fritz, and Rufus...

Tips for using Science World in the classroom.(Teacher to Teacher)
February 2, 2009... Melinda Mills, this teacher's edition's contributor, suggests: Once students have read this issue of Science World, extend their learning by introducing the term "scat" and its definition. Explain that scat, like animal tracks, provides useful...

Science news.(CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING)
February 2, 2009... DIRECTIONS: Read the Science News section on pages 3 to 7. Then, test your knowledge by filling in the letters of the correct answers below. 1. Wearers activate the i-Limb by means of --. (A) electric impulses produced when their...

What's that racket?(PHYSICAL/SOUND)(noise pollution in the ocean )
February 23, 2009... The ocean is a noisy place. Wind, waves, and weather naturally cause sounds underwater, but humans are also turning up the volume. Scientists worry that sea animals are having trouble hearing each other over this racket. Activities like...

Socket survey.(GRAPH IT/ENERGY)(incandescent light bulbs/compact fluorescent light bulbs )
February 23, 2009... It's lights out for energy-wasting bulbs. The United States will phase out incandescent light bulbs by 2014 in favor of more-efficient ones, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFIs). But a new survey by the lighting company SYLVANIA shows...

Sun powered slug.(LIFE/PHOTOSYNTHESIS)(sea slug or Elysia chlorotica)
February 23, 2009... The sea slug, Elysia chlorotica, looks like a leaf. But quirkier still, it acts like a leaf--capturing the sun's energy to make its own food. Now, scientists are on a quest to find out how a slug can run on solar power. Plants power-up by...

Still standing.(EARTH/EARTHQUAKES)(the Acropolis )
February 23, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After surviving 2,500 years despite war, extreme weather, and earthquakes, the Greek fortress known as the Acropolis is getting some special attention to make sure it will last for many centuries to come. Engineers...

Mammoth breakthrough.(GRAPH IT/FOSSILS)
February 23, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Woolly mammoths roamed Earth thousands of years ago during the last Ice Age. Even though the furry elephant-like creatures are now extinct, scientists are learning about mammoths from fossils and body parts frozen in...

Head over heels.(LIFE/ANIMAL BEHAVIOR)( Hair whorls of cows and horses)
February 23, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Look closely at a horse and you'll see a cowlick-like whorl of hair on its forehead. The direction the whorl turns can predict whether the animal is left- or right-hoofed, say researchers at the University of...

Numbers in the news.(SCIENCE NEWS)(Statistical data)
February 23, 2009... 4,000,000 times the mass of our sun is the new estimate of the size of the black hole believed to be at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 9,200-year-old teeth have revealed the diet of some ancient people in...

Cool runnings: teens and their teams of sled dogs compete for the title of Junior Iditarod champion.(LIFE: BODY SYSTEMS)(Jessica Klejka at the Junior Iditarod)
February 23, 2009... Every February since 1978, a crowd of spectators has gathered near the city of Anchorage, Alaska, to cheer dogsled teams in the final sprint of the Junior Iditarod. The first team to bound across the finish line last year was driven by...

The sky's the limit: this year marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo's telescope. See how astronomers' view of the night sky has changed since then.(PHYSICAL: ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM)
February 23, 2009... In the summer of 1609, philosopher and inventor Galileo Galilei made his first refracting telescope. Using two lenses, or pieces of curved glass, to bend and focus light, his instrument could magnify objects to three times their original size....

Hands-on science.( how radio telescopes gather radio waves)
February 23, 2009... (No Lab Required) After reading The Sky's the Limit (p.12) try this activity to learn how radio telescopes gather radio waves. PREDICT The 27 dish-shaped radio antennae that make up the Very Large Array move on tracks and tilt to...

Animal oceanographers: deep-diving creatures help scientists better understand climate change.(EARTH OCEANOGRAPHY)
February 23, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The barking of Northern elephant seals fills the salty air. Twice a year, thousands of the massive gray animals haul up onto the sand at Ano Nuevo, California. Marine biologist Daniel Costa and his team from the...

Stimulant addiction: stimulants, such as cocaine, present serious health risks--they can damage your brain and your body.(HEADS UP REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY)
February 23, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jeremy had always been popular in school. But when he was 13 years old, he began to change. Jeremy started worrying more about whether he was "cool" and if people liked him. "I became shy and introverted," says...

I want that job! Karen Henker is an interpretive park ranger. She helps visitors explore America's national parks.(CAREERS)(Interview)
February 23, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT DOES AN INTERPRETIVE PARK RANGER DO? An interpretive park ranger talks to the public about the park and helps people understand why it's special and how they can help take care of it. I work at the visitor's...

Sneak attack.(GROSS OUT)(golden orb-weaver )
February 23, 2009... Usually, spiders eat insects. Not so for a golden orb-weaver in Atheron, Australia: It nabbed a bird in a stealth attack. Orb-weavers, from the genus Nephila (nef-i-lah), live in tropical environments, including the Southern United States,...

What's this?(MYSTERY PHOTO)
February 23, 2009... WHAT'S THIS? John Chapman is the real name of the folk hero famous for spreading these across America. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWER Apple seed

Explain this!(YOU CAN DO IT)(Pacific lumpfish)(Brief article)
February 23, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fish Sticks? ANSWERS While it might look like a novelty toy, these are actually living fish that have attached themselves to underwater balloons. This display in Tokyo's Epson Aqua Stadium is of Pacific...

Tease your brain.(YOU CAN DO IT)
February 23, 2009... Below is a group of seven hexagons. Can you write the numbers 1 through 7--one number in each hexagon--so that the numbers in each line of three hexagons that go through the center add up to 12? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWER ...

Why do baby deer have spots on their bodies?(ASK SCHOLASTIC ScienceWorld)
February 23, 2009... It turns out that looking spotty in the wild is a good thing. The white spots on a fawn, or baby deer, look like blotches of sunlight shining through bushes. According to Rique Campa, a professor of wildlife ecology at Michigan State...

Tips for using Science World in the classroom.(Teacher to Teacher)
February 23, 2009... Kim Wiens, this teacher's edition's contributor, suggests: Classifying and summarizing information are two of the most significant learning strategies. Help students summarize and classify the information about telescopes by challenging them to...

Science news.(CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING)
February 23, 2009... DIRECTIONS: Read the Science News section on pages 3 to 7. Then, test your knowledge by filling in the letters of the correct answers below. 1. Which of the following is NOT one of the causes of increased ocean noise? (A) shipping...

Seal trails.(MAPPING SKILLS)
February 23, 2009... In "Animal Oceanographers" (pp. 16 and 17), you read that the tags attached to elephant seals give vital information about the areas of the ocean where the seals travel. The chart (right) gives location information for two tagged seals after...

Racer roster.(CHART-READING SKILLS)
February 23, 2009... In "Cool Runnings" (pp. 8-12), you read about teens who compete with their teams of sled dogs for the title of Junior Iditarod champion. Study the chart below of the 2009 competitors and then answer the questions that follow in complete...

Stimulant addiction.(SCHOLASTIC)
February 23, 2009... Dear Teacher: Despite the positive news of a decline in teen drug use, the use of stimulants, such as cocaine, is still at levels that raise concern. Results from the 2007 "Monitoring the Future" survey showed that 2.0 percent of...

What do you know about stimulants?(STUDENT WORKSHEET)
February 23, 2009... Answer the questions below to find out what you know about stimulants. 1. Stimulants are drugs that can temporarily increase energy and alertness. (A) True (B) False 2. Nicotine and cocaine are both stimulants. (A) True...