Science World articles from January 2006

Science World archives from January 2006

Shark tale.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Most scientists have long believed that great white sharks rarely swim far from the coastal waters where they live. Marine biologist Ramon Bonfil of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York City suspected otherwise. So while...

Spinning wheels.(Nissan's Pivo)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... A quirky car puts a new spin on driving. Nissan's Pivo has a passenger compartment that can rotate 360 degrees. Why the pivoting cabin? Instead of straining their necks to get a clear view while backing up, drivers can rotate the cabin and...

Final frontier.(space probe to Pluto)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... This January, NASA scientists plan to launch a revolutionary space probe. New Horizons is set to become the first spacecraft to pass by Pluto, the only planet in the solar system yet to be studied close-up. Because Pluto is the farthest...

Butterfly beauty.(color secret)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Scientists are creating a new makeup that mimics the shimmer of butterfly wings. To imitate the dazzling color, researchers studied the blue morpho butterfly, Morpho rhetenor (MOR-foh REH-teh-nor). The key to the butterfly's vibrant blue hue is...

Spider secrets.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... In what sounds like a scene from Jurassic Park, a scientist has discovered 20-million-year-old droplets of spider blood. The droplets--and the spider that shed them--are preserved in amber (hardened tree sap, or resin). This is the first...

Sweet burst.(chewing gum)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Popping gum into your mouth could soon do more than freshen your breath. That's because a Japanese company has developed chewing gum that makes your skin smell sweet. How can a chewy treat perfume your skin? The new gum from Kanebo Foods...

Paw prints: how scientists use DNA to learn about the past, present, and future of dog breeds.
January 16, 2006... What's a bagel? If you answered ring-shaped bread, you re only partly correct. A bagel is also a type of dog--a cross between a basset hound and a beagle. This mixed-breed dog with floppy ears and short legs may not be prized as a...

Ben Franklin's workshop: celebrating a lifetime of invention.(Benjamin Franklin)
January 16, 2006... Get out your party hat! January 17 marks the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin. You may have read about the scientist's most famous experiment: During a thunderstorm in 1752, Franklin flew a kite with a metal key attached to its string. The...

NASA: what's next? How future astronauts will travel to the moon and beyond.(Cover Story)
January 16, 2006... Ever since he was 9 years old, John Connolly has been a little "spacey." That was back in 1969, when the Apollo 11 space mission took astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin to the moon--and Connolly fell in love with space...

Hands-on science (no lab required).(air thrust)
January 16, 2006... PREDICT: Would an air-filled balloon have more thrust (force that causes an object to move forward) if its air escapes from a small or a large opening? MATERIALS: * 2 chairs * meter stick * yarn (4.5 meters, or 15 feet) scissors *...

Name that element! Which element on the periodic table helps play tricks with birthday candles, colors plants green, and soothes achy stomachs? Follow these eight clues to sleuth the identity of this element. Then, turn the page to test your chemistry IQ.
January 16, 2006... CLUE 1 FIELD OF GREENS Like most elements, the mystery element is usually found combined with other elements in a compound. One compound formed by the mystery element is essential to all green plants. The element--a metal--is central...

Pop-eyes.(physiology)
January 16, 2006... Don't even bother challenging Kimberly Goodman, from Chicago, Illinois, to a staring contest. She'll win hands-down. Goodman can pop her eyeballs a whopping 11 millimeters (0.43 inches) beyond her eye sockets. That's a world record. If you...

Hangman?(tricks behind somersault)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWERS This teen may look as if he's flying, but he's actually in the middle of showing off a somersault. To lift off the sandy beach in Varna, Bulgaria, the acrobatic teen used his leg muscles to spring...

Tease your brain.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Look at the two piles of number blocks. Can you rearrange the blocks to make the sum of each pile equal? Rule: You can only exchange one block from one pile with another block from the other pile. ANSWERS Swap the 12 from the pile on...

Lesson plans.(Directory)
January 16, 2006... Science News Resources For more information related to this issue's news stories, check out the following Web sites: Shark Tale To learn more about Dr. Ramon Bonfil's work on great white sharks, visit this Web site:...

Science news.
January 16, 2006... DIRECTIONS: Read the Science News section on pages 4 to 7. Then, test your knowledge by filling in the letter of the correct answer below. 1. Scientists used to think that great white sharks (A) migrate during the winter. (B) stay...

Invent it!(gadgets)
January 16, 2006... In "Ben Franklin's Workshop" (p. 12), you learned that the scientist created many simple, yet useful inventions. Here's a challenge: Follow the steps below to come up with a design for an easy-to-use and helpful gadget. Then, present your...

It's elemental!(vocabulary builder)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... DIRECTIONS: First, read "Name That Element!" (p. 18). Then, solve the clues below to complete this crossword puzzle. To spell out the bonus words, unscramble the letters in parentheses. ACROSS 1. Thew two most abundant elements...

Benjamin Franklin: in search of a better world.
January 16, 2006... World premiere in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center This engaging and memorable exhibition conveys the original genius, wit and imagination of Benjamin Franklin, who celebrates his 300th birthday on January 17, 2006. Our most...