Science World articles from November 2008

Science World archives from November 2008

Massive memory.(LIFE/ANIMAL BEHAVIOR)(elephants)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For elephants, a good memory is key to survival. Scientists studying the animals in Tanzania's Tarangire National Park found that elephant clans, or collections of close family rely on the knowledge of their elder...

Power walk.(PHYSICAL/TECHNOLOGY)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] People who have lost the use of their legs and must rely on wheelchairs to get around may soon have another option. A new robotic suit called ReWalk could allow people who have become paralyzed to walk again with...

Hot stuff.(GRAPH IT/PLANTS)
November 10, 2008... People who like their salsa fiery hot can thank an insect-fungus tag team for giving chili peppers their extra kick. Scientists recently found that a type of fungus enters chili peppers through tiny holes made by insects feeding on the pepper's...

Fiery island.(EARTH/VOLCANOES)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hawaii is known for its monster waves and sunny beaches. But for Earth scientists, the main attraction is a volcano called Kilauea. The volcano has been spewing lava for the past 25 years. When the molten rock...

Pickled squid.(GRAPH IT/CHEMISTRY)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For 200 years, natural-history museums have preserved various organisms in alcohol. But that will soon change. "Alcohol turns the specimens brown and causes them to sink," says Elizabeth Musteen, a project manager at...

Fallen arch.(EARTH/WEATHERING)(Utah's Arches National Park )
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The wildlife in Utah's Arches National Park must have gotten quite a scare when a massive rock formation called the Wall Arch crashed to the ground. The arch, once the 12th-largest in the park, stood 10 meters (33...

Numbers in the news.(SCIENCE NEWS)
November 10, 2008... 1.600,000 kilograms is the size of the largest boulder found on the Pacific island of Tonga. Scientists think a mega-tsunami may have deposited the house-size chunks of coral reef on the island. 8.500 years ago, humans started eating milk...

Sports go high tech: check out four innovations that could revolutionize sports.(PHYSICAL: INVENTIONS)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GOOD POINTE For 350 years, ballerinas have worn the same kind of pointe shoe, which allows them to gracefully pirouette and leap across the stage, all while on tiptoe. Despite pointe shoes' elegant appearance,...

I want that job! As a sports scientist, Bill Sands helps athletes train to win big.(CAREERS)
November 10, 2008... WHERE DD YOU WORK? I am the head of biomechanics and engineering for the Coaching and Sport Sciences division of the United States Olympic Committee. I work with Olympic athletes. But universities and professional athletic teams also...

Organic food: fact or fiction: what's the story behind organic foods? Take this quiz to find out how much you really know about what you're eating.(EARTH: SOILS)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ORGANICS QUIZ 1. Organic farming is better for the environment. True False 2. For a food to be labeled organic, it must meet the government's quality standards. True False 3. The organic foods...

Making the cut: as plastic surgery becomes more accepted, experts warn teens of the risks involved.(LIFE: BODY SYSTEMS)(Cover story)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stephanie Kuleba was a cheerleader and honors student who hoped to become a doctor. But like many teens, the 18-year-old Florida girl was not completely satisfied with her looks. She decided to undergo plastic...

Wild pets: is owning an exotic pet a wild idea or a beastly problem?(LIFE: WILDLIFE)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Looking for the perfect pet? Most people pick traditional four-footed friends, such as a cat or a dog. Others are tempted to go for one that's more exotic. With everything from squirrel-like Australian sugar gliders...

Meet your match.(nuts & bolts)
November 10, 2008... "If you're thinking about getting a pet, a good place to start is the local shelter, where you'll find dogs, cats, and smaller animals such as hamsters who need good homes," says Beth Preiss of The Humane Society. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

It's your choice.
November 10, 2008... 1. Selling small turtles is illegal in the U.S. because (A) they carry a bacteria called Salmonella. (B) they are difficult to care for. (C) the animals may bite children. (D) owners often release them into the wild. 2....

Waste not, not want: kids turn electronic waste into treasure.(EARTH: RECYCLING)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Old computers are getting a second life after undergoing a makeover in Alex Lin's makeshift repair room in his family's basement. The restored computers are now in the hands of Sri Lankan students whose school was...

Eat smart, don't gobble: how to feast festively and sensibly on Turkey Day.(HEALTH: NUTRITION)
November 10, 2008... Turkey and gravy, sweet potato souffle, cornbread stuffing, and pumpkin pie! The tasty temptations of Thanksgiving meal are enough to make even sensible diners gorge to a sickly state. Experts say the average American consumes between 3,000 and...

Teen science-investigators: three teens' remarkable research projects help reveal the science behind drug abuse and addiction.(HEADS UP: REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY)(Kapil Ramachandran, Ethan Guinn and Shelby Raye )
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Volunteering in a hospital in Texas, 17-year-old Kapil Ramachandran saw a patient admitted for an overdose of narcotics and alcohol. "What would possibly drive someone to inflict so much pain on themselves and their...

Ear puffs?(GROSS OUT)(cauliflower ears)
November 10, 2008... Boxers, wrestlers, and martial artists beware! A few rounds of ear-busting smackdowns can result in this deformity. Known as cauliflower ear, these ears' puffy appearances aren't due to overindulgence on the white-flower vegetable. They're the...

Protect yourself: rates of infection for sexually transmitted diseases among teens ape on the rise. Find out how you can avoid becoming another statistic.(LIFE: DISEASES)
November 10, 2008... Earlier this year, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed a shocking statistic--one out of four teenage girls in the United States has a sexually transmitted disease (STD). That translates into 3.2 million girls...

What's this?(MYSTERY PHOTO)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Benjamin Franklin wanted this, not the bald eagle, to be the national symbol. Mystery Photo: turkey

Tease your brain.(YOU CAN DO IT)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Two centipedes go shopping for new shoes. They figure together they'll need 38 pairs of shoes to cover all their feet. If one centipede has eight feet more than the other, how many feet does each centipede have? ...

Explain this!(YOU CAN DO IT)(Absolutely Ridiculous Burger)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Super-Sized? ANSWER The chef at Mallie's Sports Grill & Bar in Southgate, Michigan, grilled up the world's biggest burger earlier this year. Mallie's appropriately named "Absolutely Ridiculous Burger"...

Why do people throw up when they are sick?(ASK ScienceWorld)
November 10, 2008... People can throw up for many reasons. Sometimes it's because they feel dizzy from riding in a car or on a merry-go-round. Other times it's because they have eaten food that contains bacteria or viruses. Some of these viruses can cause...

Teen science-investigators.(Kapil Ramachandran, Ethan Guinn, and Shelby Raye)
November 10, 2008... Dear Teacher: Every day around the world, scientists are working hard to find answers to unsolved questions. Their discoveries and research provide inspiring examples of the power of science to change the world. But when the scientists...

Lesson plan and worksheet.
November 10, 2008... NATIONAL STANDARDS Science (NSES, NRC): Life Science; Science in Personal and Social Perspectives BEFORE READING * Discuss what scientific researchers do; ask students about the role teens might play in scientific investigation....

Trends in teen drug use.(GRAPHING SKILLS WORKSHEET)
November 10, 2008... Collecting, graphing, and analyzing data are key parts of scientific research and reporting. Study the line graph below to analyze national trends in teen drug use from 1996 to 2007. Then answer the questions that follow. [GRAPHIC OMITTED]...

Science news.(CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING)
November 10, 2008... Name: -- 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. Elephants live in collections of close family groups called --. (A) troops...

Dog dollars and sense.(CHART-READING SKILL)(Statistical data)
November 10, 2008... Name: -- In "Wild Pets," page 16, you read how pet owners have to make informed choices when considering owning an exotic animal. Another part of being a responsible pet owner is an awareness of all the costs involved with raising a kitty...