Science World articles from September 2003

Science World archives from September 2003

The littlest chameleon.(Freeze Frame)
September 1, 2003... Last May, this teensy Elliot's chameleon (Chamaeleo ellioti) was born at the Oceanarium in Bournemouth, England. Unlike most reptiles, the chameleon--and its eight siblings--didn't arrive in eggs. The species is viviparous: Mothers give birth...

Snack attack!(Life/Nutrition)
September 1, 2003... Hooked on snacks? New research shows that U.S. teens eat between meals more often than ever. In fact, some studies suggest that the habit of nibbling small portions all day long--or grazing--is replacing the traditional daily three square...

Panda poo.(Short Take)
September 1, 2003... Like other bears, pandas are carnivores. But instead of chomping on meat, pandas feast on bamboo--even though their stomach acid can't digest plant cells (cellulose). Turns out, pandas' intestinal bacteria do the job, says Japanese scientist...

Safe-size snacks.(Science News)
September 1, 2003... Confused about healthy snacks potions? Keep these cues in mind next time you grab a bite: ABOUT I CUP: When scooping yogurt or pouring cereal, remember: a cup is the size of a baseball ABOUT 1/4 CUP: A quarter-cup serving of raisins or...

When do you snack?(Graph It!)
September 1, 2003... Of 2,000 Americans surveyed, 74 percent say they munch on an evening snack. How many people is that? (Hint: What's 74% of 2,000?) Study the bar graph below. How many people snack in the afternoon? In the morning? When do you snack?...

Working teen.
September 1, 2003... Hubble's two mirrors help cameras and instruments focus on light from space. Nine computers store data; an antenna beams data to and from Earth. And solar panels power the teenager.

Teen hubble.(Space/Telescopes)
September 1, 2003... It may not have zits or bad-hair days, but the Hubble Space Telescope officially a teen! Last spring, the spacecraft celebrated its 13th birthday in orbit 600 kilometers (375 miles) above Earth. Launched on April 24, 1990, Hubble was the...

Lost loot.(Earth/Archaeology)
September 1, 2003... In the aftermath of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, looters tore into Iraqi museums and historical sites. Stealing relics that date back 4,000 years to the civilizations of Babylon and Sumer, the thieves destroyed decades' worth of archaeological...

Stamping out SARS: scientists race to stop the spread of a mysterious disease.(Special report: health/viruses)
September 1, 2003... The hottest accessory to hit Asia last spring was the surgical facemask. But this was no fashion statement Chinese citizens sported masks to shield their lungs from a new and fast-spreading disease called SARS severe acute respiratory...

Animal action stars! Animals make amazing moves to nab their every meal.(Life science: biomechanics/muscles/respiration)(Cover Story)
September 1, 2003... What does this leaping bush baby have in common with a slithery snake or quivering jellyfish? From wild forests to deep oceans, these predators need physical prowess to capture and feed on other animals to survive. Much like an elite...

Gone with the wind: last spring, the most savage tornadoes in U.S. history blew away trees, cars, and houses.(Earth science: weather)
September 1, 2003... SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2003: Two Iowa teens crawl into a bathtub and grail on fin dear life as a tornado flings their house 8 meters (25 feet) into three sturdy maple trees. The boys climb out unhurt--from the hole where the kitchen wall used to be....

Storm chaser.(Earth science: weather)
September 1, 2003... NAME: Daphne Zaras JOB: Research meteorologist at the National Severe Storms Lab in Oklahoma WHAT DO YOU DO? I research and write computer programs that help improve weather forecasts. I also run a summer-school program for...

Name that element! Phew, this element stinks! Known for its sickening smell, it can chew through your clothes and eat away at the environment. Can you name that element? Grab a periodic table (flip the page) and follow these eight clues. Then test your "element IQ.".(Our Popular Mystery Returns!)
September 1, 2003... Clue 1 FOOL'S GOLD In pure form, this nonmetal element is a lemon yellow, odorless solid. But in nature it's found only in combination with other elements. Example: Along with iron, the mystery element forms the mineral pyrite--also...

No-lab hands-on science.
September 1, 2003... Check out these two classic hands-on experiments after you've read "Animal Action Stars!" (p. 10) and "Gone With the Wind" (p. 15). They're fun, easy, and foolproof! LUNG POWER In "Animal Action Stars!" you learned how oxygen helps...

What's with this love-fest?(Explain This!)
September 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Explain This: They're playing. Turns out, this Royal Bengali tigress feels a special bond with the piggies. Sai Mai, the 26-month-old large cat, was born in the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Chonburi province, 80 km (50...

Virus hunter.(Minds-On Science/Math)
September 1, 2003... Name: -- Epidemiology is the study of the origin, spread, and control of diseases. To monitor the spread of SARS, hospitals report new cases every day to epidemiologists (disease scientists). These scientists add up the total number of new...

Quiz.(Science In The News)
September 1, 2003... DIRECTIONS: Read the late-breaking news in our Science News section on pages 4 to 6. Then test your knowledge by answering the questions below. Circle the correct letter. 1. Female Elliot's chameleons are viviparous, which means they ...

Special delivery.(Freeze Frame)(Vanuatu opens underwater ost office)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... When the sleepy South Pacific republic of Vanuatu wanted to stamp itself on the map--and lure more tourists--it opened the world's first underwater post office. The fiberglass booth hunkers down on the seabed of Hideaway Island, a coral atoll...

Shape up!(Health/Graph It!)(school physical education)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... If you shun pushups or mile runs in gym class, you're not alone. Recent surveys show activity levels in and out of PE classes have nose-dived. Studies also claim that while most teens crave being physically fit, teen obesity rates have...

Planet shocker.(Earth/Space)(new planet Methuselah)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... The discovery of a planet 5,600 light-years from Earth has rocked scientists' long-held theories about the universe. Last summer, astronomers used images from the Hubble Space Telescope (see SW 9/1/03) to pinpoint a gas giant--a planet with a...

Fried fish?(Life/Ecosystems)(management of fisheries)
September 22, 2003... Fifty years ago, Earth's oceans were one gigantic aquarium, teeming with billions of huge fish like marlin, swordfish, and tuna. Now 90 percent of all large ocean fish have vanished, says a new study by biologist Boris Worm of Germany's...

Discover your science project: all you need to dream up a great science project is curiosity. Answer the questions below to spark your idea.(Science Project Success Guide)
September 22, 2003... 1 What excites you? Pick an idea that fascinates you. Love football, Ashanti, or your PC? Do you want to know which video game is toughest? Choose your favorite hobby or a question you've always wondered about. List three ideas here. ...

Where have all the gopher frogs gone? A scientist's froggy love led him to wonder why gopher frogs in one half of a local forest had disappeared.(Learn The Scientific Method)
September 22, 2003... Bruce Means graduated from kindergarten a long time ago, but he still likes to splatter in mud puddles and scour the woods for critters. One of the 62-year-old scientist's favorite haunts is the Apalachicola National Forest near his home in...

Do lost people really walk in circles? One inquisitive teen finds out.(Write A Procedure)
September 22, 2003... Last summer, 16-year-old Andrea Axtell read a riveting article in the papers: A family had wandered aimlessly in an Arizona desert after their car broke down. Family members said they felt as if they'd wandered in circles for hours before help...

Ready, set, squirt! How one inventor used charts and graphs to make a splash.(Organize The Findings)
September 22, 2003... By day, Lonnie Johnson worked as an aerospace engineer. By night, as his wife and kids slept, Johnson tinkered with inventions he hoped would radically improve people's lives. Late one weekend in his bathroom, Johnson experimented with a new...

Science in the news.(quiz)
September 22, 2003... Quiz Directions: Read the late-breaking news in our Science News section on pages 4 to 6. Then test your knowledge by answering the questions below. Circle the correct letter. 1 A coral atoll is a(n) A. human-placed reef. B....

Explain this!(Activities & Oddities)(21st Century Airships blimp)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... What's this flying object? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 21st Century Airships has been testing and perfecting this ball-like blimp since the mid-1990s. How is it better than traditional blimps? The Canadian company says the round shape makes...

Tease your brain.(Activities & Oddities)(Brief Article)
September 22, 2003... Can you use exactly three moves to flip the coins so that all three have the tails side up? A move consists of flipping two coins. No cheating: you can't flip the pair of outer coins three times. ANSWER Here's one solution. First Move:...

Eureka!(Hypothesis/Critical-Thinking Skills)(science project investigation of art preferences of left-handed people)
September 22, 2003... Name: Stumped for a science project idea? Look for inspiration in your other school subjects. Not convinced? Read how Lilia Villa found an idea in her art history class. Then dream up your own ideas from observations you've made in your...

Your guide to appetizing displays.(science projects)
September 22, 2003... TABLES, CHARTS, AND GRAPHS (1) Name: You've found a science project idea. You're ready to run experiments to test your hypothesis. But how do you keep track of your data? And how do you turn the collected information into something...