Science World articles from September 2001

Science World archives from September 2001

Dino-mite discoveries. (Life News).(dinosaur fossils discovered in China and Egypt)
September 3, 2001... * If you thought Jurassic Park III was awesome, get a load of two recent dino finds that have scientists screaming--for joy, that is. Jumbo Was Here A beast as big as 15 jumbo elephants? That's right: Paralititan stromeri may have been...

Caffeine Kick. (Graph It).(caffeine in soft drinks)
September 3, 2001... Wake up and smell the... soft drink? Every day millions of U.S. teens rely on soda for a quick energy boost. Why? Nearly 70 percent of all soft drinks made in the U.S. contain caffeine, a natural stimulant extracted from more than 60 plant...

Phantom Torso. (Physical News).(radiation research on International Space Station)
September 3, 2001... Wanted: Volunteer on board the International Space Station (ISS). Sound cool? Here's the job description: Expose your body to potentially deadly doses of radiation--invisible energy waves emitted by the sun, stars, and galaxies. ...

Need a toe? (Freeze Frame).(mummy discovered with prosthetic toe)
September 3, 2001... Last year in a tomb at Thebes-West--capital of ancient Egypt--archaeologists unearthed the mummified remains of a 50-year-old woman (who lived between 1550 and 700 B.C.). Strapped on her right foot in place of a big toe: a woodblock, carved to...

Exploding lake. (Earth News).(Lake Nyos)
September 3, 2001... Back in 1986, a deadly geyser of carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) gas erupted from Lake Nyos in Cameroon, Africa. Odorless gas--enough to fill 10 football stadiums--wafted into neighboring villages, suffocating 1,700 people and thousands of...

Sneaker alarm. (Short Takes).(electronic alarm for shoes)(Brief Article)
September 3, 2001... You've heard car alarms that warn would-be thieves: "Step away from the vehicle!" Now your shoes can enjoy the same security. BBC International of Boca Raton, Florida, has developed a loudspeaker and motion-detection device to implant in...

Unforgettable smell. (Short Takes).(research on sense of smell)
September 3, 2001... Ever caught wind of a rotten egg? It's a smell most brains can't forget. Now scientist Ronald Davis at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, is one step closer to understanding why. Davis probed fly brains and found a cluster of 1,500...

Deadly snake hunt. (Life Science: Snakes * Venom * Anatomy)(Cover Story).(venomous snakes)
September 3, 2001... "Cobra! Cobra!" A woman's screams pierce the hot night in a tiny village in Myanmar, formerly Burma. An American snake expert--the first scientist ever to survey all reptiles in this isolated region--happens to be in the village in his quest...

Meet the Elapids: Of 18 snake families, this one's the most lethal. Talk about a vicious bunch! (ScienceWorld Miniposter).
September 3, 2001... DEATH ADDER Unlike other elapids, this stocky Australian snake has long-hinged fangs that fold back against the roof of the mouth within a sheath of skin. At night, the snake wriggles its tail like a little worm to lure small animals within...

Smashing physics. (Physical Science: Forces And Motion).(physics of tennis)
September 3, 2001... What makes Venus Williams a mighty force in tennis? Hard-hitting strokes, a searing 127-mph serve, and physics! At 21, the tennis powerhouse has nabbed 17 championship titles--Sports Illustrated crowned her 2000 Sportswoman of the Year. But...

Global warming: cloud patrol. (Earth Science: Global Warning * Clouds).
September 3, 2001... Maybe you never give them a thought, but without clouds almost all life couldn't exist. On any given day, clouds--made of tiny water droplets or ice crystals--cover nearly one third of Earth's surface. Their job: to reflect the sun's...

Gross out? (You Can Do It).(avoiding athlete's foot)
September 3, 2001... You may think "Yeccchhh!" But athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is a common skin infection. The fungus that causes athlete's foot thrives in warm and moist environments--by swimming pools and on locker-room shower floors, for example. And a sweaty,...

Science in the news quiz.
September 3, 2001... Directions: Read the late-breaking science news stories in our Science News section on pages 4-7. Then test your knowledge by answering the questions below. Circle the correct letter. 1. A humerus is a. an upper arm bone. ...

Classifying species. (Chart Reading Skills).
September 3, 2001... When Joe Slowinski found the Burmese spitting cobra, he suspected it was a new species because it didn't look like other spitting cobras. He studied the snake's scales, jaws, teeth, fangs, and overall appearance, and found that he had indeed...

Cloud categories. (Hands-On Activity).
September 3, 2001... Clouds are categorized by their height in the troposphere (atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface) and their appearance. The three basic categories are low-, middle-, and high-level clouds. Clouds at different altitudes don't just look...

The Beat Goes On.(heart transplants)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... In a heart-stopping science milestone, doctors implanted the world's first self-contained artificial heart in a dying man last July. Unlike earlier artificial hearts, which kept patients bedridden and wired to fridge-size power sources, the new...

Crocs united.(nature twins)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... The Samut Prakarn crocodile farm near Bangkok, Thailand, sent out some baby announcement last June: Twin crocodiles hatched, 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in length, 70 grams (2.5 ounces) in weight, with two heads, eight legs, two tails... and...

Teen Birthrates Plummet.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... The number of teens giving birth in the U.S. has plunged to its lowest level in 60 years, according to a recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In 1999, 50 babies were born for every 1,000 girls between ages 15 and 19. That...

Saturn's dirty dozen.(satellites)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Using new technology on aging telescopes, astronomers have found 12 new moons orbiting Saturn. Electronic-scanning technology detects ultraviolet light--short, high-frequency light waves invisible to the naked eye--emitted by space objects. The...

Heavy load.(over packing)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Your overloaded backpack can trigger severe back pain. Teens who lug around more than 15 percent of their body weight can strain muscles for life, claims a study by physical therapy professor Shelley Goodgold at Simmons College in Boston. Why?...

Sweet-Tooth Gene.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Wonder why you prefer a fudge brownie for dinner to spaghetti and meatballs, or can't resist grabbing those last few M&Ms? Maybe you should blame your sweet tooth on your genes (hereditary material in cells). Scientists at Mount Sinai School of...

Hot wheels.(driving under the sun)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... How do you drive from Chicago to Los Angeles without spending one cent on gas? Students at the University of Missouri have a bright idea: Solar Miner III, a battery-charged car fueled by nothing but the sun's rays. The vehicle is one of 28 cars...

Food fright?(health news)
September 17, 2001... Burgers, fries, and soda may be cheap, tasty, and convenient--but can they sabotage your health? I like to eat at Wendy's, McDonald's, and Burger King," says 18-year-old James Ross of Kyle, Texas. "If I'm real hungry I'll go to...

Spiking soda.(health news)
September 17, 2001... Does caffeine add flavor--or just addict you? Why add caffeine to soda? Soft-drink makers say the chemical helps balance out soda's sweet flavor. But scientist Roland Griffiths has another theory: Caffeine has addictive properties that may...

Fast-food Lab.
September 17, 2001... Hungry for a science project? Fast food to the rescue... GRAB BAG: 1. Do you crave salted pretzels more than unsalted ones? 2. Pick three brands of potato chips: Which is the greasiest? 3. Which part of your tongue is most...

Where's the Beef?(science)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Want a meaty science project? Cut the mustard and make a plan! Each second, Americans are gobbling down about 550 hot dogs, according to Nathan's hot dog makers in Brooklyn, N.Y. That adds up to 19 billion wieners each year! Ever wonder...

Eat and Report.(science)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... Edible hints to tables, graphs, and charts. One weekend you feel like you give new meaning to the term couch potato--how about mashed potato? You're embedded in the sofa all day, buried under food wrappers, too sluggish even to click the TV...

Tables, Charts, and Graphs.(science)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... To make a data table: 1. Draw a data table as shown below. 2. Give your table a title that identifies your variables ("My Week's Intake of Nutrients"). 3. Label the column on the left as the independent variable (Nutrient)....

Explain This!(ostriches)(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... What's with the nose rings on these ostriches? Explain This Farmers placed nose rings on these ostriches to prevent the birds from damaging their own skin--they can't pick and scratch with the nose.

TEASE YOUR BRAIN.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2001... How many triangles can you find in the diagram? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tease Your Brain 1 triangle 24 4 triangles 12 9 triangles 2 total 88

GROSS OUT?(grasshopper self-defense)
September 17, 2001... Bad food + vomit = good self-defense! The grasshopper species Schistocerca emarginata eats foul-smelling skunk bush, then vomits to prevent being swallowed by predators like the green anole lizard. "Grasshoppers are like jelly doughtnuts," says...

SCIENCE PROJECT SURVIVAL GUIDE.
September 17, 2001... Designing and Conducting Experiments [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] National Science Education Standards Grades 5-8, 9-12: evidence, models, and explanations * abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry * understanding about scientific...

Food Label Know-how.
September 17, 2001... Name: -- The nutritional facts on a food label can help you make wise choices to maintain a healthful diet. Study the food label to the right to answer the questions below. Start here. The serving size reflects the suggested amount of...

Science in the News Quiz.
September 17, 2001... Name: -- Directions: Read the late-breaking science news stories in our Science News section on pages 4-6. Then, test your knowledge by answering the questions below. Circle the correct letter. 1. The aorta a. is the heart's...