Science World articles from May 2006

Science World archives from May 2006

Poo power.(pets' waste being converted to energy)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Scooping up dog droppings may soon have an added benefit. In San Francisco, California, people will be able to convert their pets' waste into energy. The garbage-collection company Norcal Waste is setting up collection carts and supplies...

Fancy flight.(monitor air pollution)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... This summer, a flock of pigeons will take to California's skies--to monitor air pollution. In August, Beatriz da Costa, an engineering professor at the University of California at Irvine, will release 20 pigeons fitted with tiny backpacks....

Bird flu spreads.(LIFE/VIRUSES)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... The disease known as "bird flu" is continuing to spread around the world. In February, scientists reported an outbreak of bird flu--also called avian influenza--in Africa. Scientists think the virus that causes bird flu may have hitched a...

Turning up the heat.(GRAPH IT/EARTH)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Record-breaking heat sounds like summer news. But records were smashed last winter when the contiguous 48 states in the U.S. experienced the warmest January ever measured. Surprisingly, there's no initial evidence that global warming...

Jungle surprise.(LIFE/CLASSIFICATION)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... On a recent expedition to the Foja Mountains in New Guinea, Indonesia, scientists made a startling discovery. The researchers stumbled upon a forest full of never before-seen animals, giant flowers, and rare wildlife. Within minutes of...

Speedy scoop.(new ice cream vending machine)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... The scoop on frozen treats: A new vending machine takes just 45 seconds to deliver freshly made ice cream in one of 96 flavor combinations. Traditionally, it can take hours to freeze a mixture of milk, sugar, and other ingredients into ice...

Worldly waves: major surf competitions rely on science to find the perfect waves.
May 8, 2006... From March through December this year, 44 pro suffers will vie for the top spot in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Men's World Championship Tour. In this annual series of 12 contests, the world's premier wave riders paddle out to...

Countdown to kaboom! how experts pack fireworks to create the ultimate light show.(Fourth of July)
May 8, 2006... The Fourth of July is just around the corner. To make sure your Independence Day celebration is a blast, expert pyro technicians are already busy planning dazzling fireworks displays that incorporate the latest colors and shimmery designs....

Scaly surprises: go behind the scenes of a museum exhibition to learn about scaly lizards and snakes.(LIFE REPTILES)
May 8, 2006... Darrel Frost has an animal-friendly office at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In one section of his office, the walls are lined with terraria holding lizards and snakes. Frost walks over to one of the glass enclosures...

Wheeee! Climb aboard Expedition Everest Disney's newest adventure ride.(Disney's Animal Kingdom)
May 8, 2006... Legend has it that a creature named the Yeti haunts the Himalaya Mountains in Asia. Just the mention of its name stirs fear among the villagers who live in the foothills. Nonetheless, you decide to explore the mountains, risking an encounter...

Pivotal move.(Francesco Totti injures his fibula)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... Ouch! In February, Francesco Totti was badly hurt in a bone-crushing play during a soccer match in Italy. Totti twisted his ankle so severely that he had to be rushed to the hospital. Totti was injured eleven minutes into the game, when an...

Explain this!(Activites & Oddities)
May 8, 2006... Swim Meet? Last August, the man in the photo swam through a sea of rubber ducks in Silverdale, Washington. He was helping to gather up the thousands of floating ducks after the town's annual Great Duck Race. Every year, residents can pay...

Tease your brain.(Activites & Oddities)
May 8, 2006... Draw three lines to connect each triangle with the rectangle that has the same number. Rule: Lines cannot cross each other or go outside of the green box. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Science news.
May 8, 2006... DIRECTIONS: Read the Science News section on pages 4 to 7. Then, test your knowledge by filling in the letters of the correct answers below. 1. The Norcal Waste device uses bacteria to turn dog waste into (A) hydrogen. (B) oxygen....

Surf's up.(wind affects surfing)(Brief article)
May 8, 2006... In "Worldly Waves" (p. 8), you learned that storms produce swells that eventually turn into surfing waves. The strength of the wind affects the height of waves. The map below shows wave heights around the Hawaiian Islands. Study the map to...

The great coaster challenge.(climbing hill)
May 8, 2006... In "WHEEEE!!!!" (p. 18), you learned how gravitational potential energy (GPE) and kinetic energy (KE) help a lift-hill coaster move along its track. Follow the rules below and use your imagination to design and create a coaster track. Your...