Science World articles from May 2008

Science World archives from May 2008

It's a bird! It's a plane!(PHYSICAL/AERODYNAMICS)(birds as models in designing airplanes)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Why don't airplanes fly by flapping their wings? After all, that's how birds, bats, and insects do it. Their flexible wings allow them to pull off gravity-defying maneuvers that a fixed-wing plane could never...

Shark alert.(GRAPH IT/SHARKS)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Beachgoers often have this question swimming through their heads: How many people die from shark attacks each year? In 2007, the worldwide total was one--the lowest in 20 years. Despite the low death toll, shark...

Budding scientists.(LIFE/PLANTS)(Project BudBurst)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... Calling all scientists--and that means you. Project BudBurst is recruiting thousands of everyday people across the United States, including kids, to protect the planet. Participants choose a particular plant growing in their area and observe...

Get some fresher air.(EARTH/ENVIRONMENT)(outdoor recreation)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you while away your summer indoors, playing video games or chatting online, you're not alone. A new study has found that fewer people are getting out and enjoying nature. The percent of people camping,...

Grand gusher.(GRAPH IT/RIVERS)(flooding the Grand Canyon to restore its ecosystem)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last March, billions of gallons of water swept through the Grand Canyon. The deluge wasn't an act of nature, but a planned flood designed to restore the canyon's eroding ecosystem. Natural flooding of the...

Virtual science.(PHYSICAL/COMPUTERS)(teaching frog anatomy using a computer program called V-Frog)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... A new computer program has hopped its way into classrooms across the country. The program, called V-Frog, gives a virtual simulation of frog anatomy. Students can learn a lot about the internal structure of their own bodies by dissecting the...

Numbers in the news.(SCIENCE NEWS)(trivia)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... 445,000,000 years old is the age of the oldest known horseshoe crab fossil. Still swimming in oceans today, these creatures have changed little since the time of the dinosaurs. 268,000 different seed samples are now being stored in the...

Digging up adventure: is archaeology as packed with adventure as the movies make it seem? Find out from a real-life Indiana Jones.(EARTH: ARCHAEOLOGY)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Outfitted with his trademark leather jacket, fedora hat, and bullwhip, Indiana Jones doesn't look much like your average archaeologist. On the big screen, "Indy" tracks down some of history's most famed and elusive...

Under the big top: discover the science that helps circus performers survive daredevil stunts.(PHYSICAL: FORCES AND MOTION)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the center ring, an acrobat soars through the air, flips end over end, and lands on another performer's shoulders. More than three stories up, a man pedals a wobbly bike across a wire that's less than 2.5...

Hands-on science: no lab required: after reading "Under the Big Top" (p. 12), try this activity to learn how the correct angle helps high flying circus performers safely stick their landings.
May 12, 2008... (No Lab Required) (PREDICT) Do you think a circus performer will fly farther if shot from a cannon at a steep angle, or a less-inclined one? (MATERIALS) paint stir stick * small block roughly 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) tall *...

Horse power: for thousands of years, people have bred horses to meet their needs. In the process, they've also altered human history.(LIFE: GENETICS)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was 1775, and the British were about to invade the Boston area. Settlers decided to hang lanterns from a church tower to warn one another of the troops' method of approach: "One if by land, two if by sea." On the...

Ready, set, go? China hopes its plan for a green Olympic Games will come out a winner.(EARTH: ENVIRONMENT)
May 12, 2008... According to Chinese beliefs, the number eight is lucky. So on 08/08/08 at 8:08 p.m., international athletes will gather in Beijing, China, for the start of the Summer Olympic Games. There, athletes will strive to break world records and bring...

I want that job! Want to design environmentally friendly buildings? Become a "green" architect.(CAREERS)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... What's a green architect? A green architect designs buildings in ways that minimize the structures' impact on the environment. For example, a building may have a "green roof," on which plants grow. This type of roof helps keep the building...

Model builder.(Careers)(green architect Casey Boss of KieranTimberlake Associates)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... Casey Boss is a green architect for the Philadelphia firm KieranTimberlake Associates. "It's important to me to incorporate green initiatives into my work and my life," Boss says. Most buildings suck up natural resources and contribute to...

Freak fracture.(GROSS OUT)(Eduardo Da Silva's tibia injury)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OUCH! Looks like soccer star Eduardo Da Silva, 25, will be sidelined until next season. This photo captures the moment--on February 23--when the striker (right) on the British team Arsenal broke two bones, his tibia...

Mystery photo.(YOU CAN DO IT)
May 12, 2008... WHAT'S THIS? Hint: These offer protection even on cloudy days. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Why do we have fingerprints?(YOU CAN DO IT)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... Fingerprints are known for helping detectives track down criminals. No two people have the same exact fingerprints; therefore, prints make for an easy identification system. But these little ridges actually serve a bigger purpose: They help you...

Tease your brain.(YOU CAN DO IT)(math problem)(Brief article)
May 12, 2008... Ellen is planning a barbecue to celebrate the end of the school year. The store sells hot dogs in packs of 12, buns in packs of eight, and paper plates in packs of 25. Ellen plans to serve one hot clog per plate. What are the fewest packages of...

Explain this!(YOU CAN DO IT)
May 12, 2008... Cat-ching a wave?

science News.(CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING)(tests and exercises)
May 12, 2008... 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. Planes that mimic birds' flying feats are more efficient than fixed-wing planes because ...

Travel with Indy.(MAPPING SKILLS)
May 12, 2008... In "Digging Up Adventure" (p. 8), you learned that real-life archaeologists don't travel as often as Indiana Jones. In the movies, the audience tracks the fictional archaeologist's far-flung adventures by watching a red line move across a map....

Balancinq acts.(HANDS-ON ACTIVITY)(using experiments in teaching balance)
May 12, 2008... After reading "Under the Big Top" (p. 12), set up the following activity stations. Then, have students try each activity to learn more about balance. STATION 1: Set a desk near a wall and place a card with the following instructions...