Science World articles from January 2002

Science World archives from January 2002

Disease stalks Afghan refugees. (Life News).
January 21, 2002... In the U.S., winter can be tough on health: Cold weather brings a barrage of runny noses, nagging coughs, and occasionally the flu, or influenza, an illness marked by fever and body aches. Fortunately for most Americans, common winter ailments...

Super-croc. (Earth News).(jawbone fossil)
January 21, 2002... Paleontologist (fossil hunter) Paul Sereno had never seen anything like it: a 1.8 meter (6 foot)-long jawbone with 100 bone-crushing teeth and a toilet-bowl-size snout. Sereno discovered the 110-million-year-old fossil (an organism's preserved...

Bike or scooter? (Freeze Frame).(hybrid vehicle)
January 21, 2002... What do you get when you cross a mountain bike with a snowboard and a scooter? The hybrid machine (below) dubbed the Diggler by inventor Rob Fruechtenicht. Ride it down mountain trails like a bike or a snowboard--either way, it offers an...

Towering inferno: from a 40-story apartment building in Houston to the World Trade Center in New York City, firefighters wield high-tech tools to battle monster flames. (Physical/Tech Science: Firefighting * Pressure Laws).(Cover Story)
January 21, 2002... At 4:15 a.m. on October 13, giant flames burst through a fourth-floor window in Four Leaf Towers, a 40-story residential high-rise in Houston, Texas. Within minutes, the blaze spread uncontrollably, devouring furniture, ceilings, and walls....

Awareness: judging others: how we form first impressions.
January 21, 2002... WE ALL HAVE FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF SOMEONE WE JUST MET. BUT WHY? Why do we form an opinion about someone without really knowing anything about him or her--aside perhaps from a few remarks or readily observable traits? The answer is related...

Snowboard superstar. (Physical Science: Newton's Law of Motion).(Leslee Olson)
January 21, 2002... Leslee Olson's idea of a good time is to strap herself onto a snowboard and rocket down a snow-caked mountain at speeds over 73 kilometers (45 miles per hour). Whoa! Is she kidding? Not at all. "It feels so natural and it's fun," says the Bend,...

Does my gas cause global warming? Belches and flatulence are harmless, right? Wrong! When cattle and sheep burp and pass gas, the entire planet reels. (Earth Science: Global Warming * Methane Gas).
January 21, 2002... HERE'S WHY: LIVESTOCK GAS IS HIGH IN METHANE, a colorless, odorless gas. Methane is also a potent, greenhouse gas, and once spewed into the atmosphere, it absorbs heat radiating from Earth's surface (see SW 9/3/01). That's why methane is a...

Gross out? (You Can Do It).(tattoos)
January 21, 2002... Patriotism is the latest fashion rage, and this 27-year, old Floridian has tattooed his forehead to make sure it never goes out of style. Ouch! "The pain would be phenomenally intense" says Tami Jo Urban, a Michigan-based tattoo artist. ...

Science in the news quiz.
January 21, 2002... Directions: Read the late-breaking science news stories in our Science News section on pages 4 to 6. Then test your knowledge by answering the questions below. Circle the correct letter. 1. Afghan refugees are prone to infectious diseases...

Fire safety quiz: think you know fire safety? Take this quiz and find out. (Check Your Knowledge).
January 21, 2002... 1. If there is a fire in an oven, you should a. open the oven door and call for help. b. turn off the heat, close the oven door, and call for help. c. pour water into the oven. 2. Check smoke detectors once a month and change...

How a cow chows. (Chart -- Reading Activity).(how the digestive system of a cow works)
January 21, 2002... Ruminants (such as cows, sheep, goats, giraffes, moose, antelope, caribou, and deer) grow robust even though they eat hay and grass--foods they can't digest without a little help. A cow would die of starvation if it weren't for the billions of...

Special report: news flash.(how American children are raising money to help Afghan children)
January 21, 2002... American children and teens have raised more than $1.5 million for Afghan children. Included in the first shipment mailed on December 10: 1,500 winter tents; 1,685 winter jackets; and 10,000 gift parcels containing items such as hats, socks,...