Month: December 2010

Trouble Sticking With Your New Year’s Resolution In Previous Years? Science Says…Blame It On The Brain!

 

Willpower, like a bicep, can only exert itself so long before it gives out; it’s an extremely limited mental resource.

Given its limitations, New Year’s resolutions are exactly the wrong way to change our behavior. It makes no sense to try to quit smoking and lose weight at the same time, or to clean the apartment and give up wine in the same month. Instead, we should respect the feebleness of self-control, and spread our resolutions out over the entire year. Human routines are stubborn things, which helps explain why 88% of all resolutions end in failure, according to a 2007 survey of over 3,000 people conducted by the British psychologist Richard Wiseman. Bad habits are hard to break—and they’re impossible to break if we try to break them all at once.

Click Here to Find Out Simple Tricks That Can Help You Stay On Track!

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748703478704574612052322122442-lMyQjAxMTAwMDIwOTEyNDkyWj.html

After 75 Years, The Last Roll Of Kodak Kodachrome Film Will Be Developed Today

In 1935, George Eastman’s Kodak company introduced a color photograph film called Kodachrome.  For entire generations, Kodachrome was the only color film that they knew, and at one point there were 25 labs processing film around the world.  That’s before the day of digital cameras.  Since then, color film has been on the decline. One by one, the processing labs closed.  Kodak ended production of Kodachrome processing chemicals in 2009.  Now, the last rolls of Kodachrome film to be developed will be processed by Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas.

Kodachrome is going by the wayside.  For a lot of photographers, it’s still one of the best-looking, brightest-color film prints available, and that includes digital.  After all, nobody’s going to record a hit song and call it “Digital Camera.”  Fittingly, Dwayne’s Photo owner Dwayne Steinle will have the last roll to get processed sometime today.  Until then, people are making pilgrimages from around the world to tiny Parsons, on the Oklahoma-Kansas border, to get the last of their 35mm film developed

You can check out some of the most famous photos taken with Kodak Kodachrome in “The Kodachrome Project.” This album celebrates the legendary film over the past 75 years.

http://www.kodachromeproject.com/

Got the Winter Blues? Weather’s Effect on Mood Revealed

 

Does cold, dark weather get you down? Research explains how weather tends to affect people’s moods. New research into the connection between weather and moods has started to chip away at old myths as well as uncover some potentially powerful treatments for the winter blues. When it comes to how weather affects moods, people fit into one of four categories, according to new research. The cause of these categories is unknown, but it could be in our genes, our upbringing or even our diets.

To find out which category you fall into, click the link below!

http://news.discovery.com/human/winter-weather-mood-101220.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

Brrr…..it’s cold outside!

Image Source: Pixabay.com

With winter weather in full swing, we have heard a lot about the “wind chill factor”. What exactly is wind chill and how do you “factor” it in to the temperature? In basic terms, windchill is the temperature a person feels because of the wind. The movement of air increases heat loss by convection – similar to when you blow over a spoonful of hot soup! There is a special formula meteorologists use to calculate the wind chill. Check out this chart and figure out what the temperature really feels like in your neighborhood!

Image Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via Wikimedia Commons

 

The Tech Behind the XBOX 360 Kinect- Is it Science or Magic? *Hint- It’s Science!*

 

The new XBOX 360 Kinect is a game-changer when it comes to how we play our games. At first glance, Kinect looks like an overly wide webcam and indeed an RGB camera is one of its components. What sets Kinect apart is that it also incorporates a depth sensor and multi-directional microphone array to create a plethora of additional features and functionality. Where a camera can merely track movements in two dimensional space, Kinect can track movement in three dimensions and perform facial and voice recognition. Furthermore, Kinect connects to its base on a motorized pivot which allows for a certain degree of movement

The two stars of the show are the depth sensor and RGB camera. While we all might have an idea of how an ordinary camera works, the idea of a depth sensor is definitely out of the ordinary. The way the depth sensor works is by firing an infrared laser into the room and subsequently using an image sensor to gather information upon the reflection of the infrared beams. Data, including the amount of light reflected back as well as the time it takes the laser to return to Kinect, is compiled to compose a 3D map of the room. It’s very similar to a bat’s use of echolocation in navigating the environment despite having poor eyesight

When the depth sensor and RGB camera work together it allows Kinect to track up to six people passively and two people for actual motion analysis. In simpler terms it means that while it may be able to recognize six people at once it’s really only designed for two people to be playing games through it. When Kinect monitors two people and performs its motion analysis, it’s able to extract detailed information including recognition of up to 20 joints for each player right down to individual fingers in certain instances.

For more on the X-BOX Kinect- check out these stories online:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40077373/ns/technology_and_science-games/

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2010/nov10/11-03kinect.mspx

http://www.npr.org/2010/11/19/131447076/how-the-x-box-kinect-tracks-your-moves

Starry Starry Night: Our Expanding Universe

Image source: Pixabay.com

What are Galaxies?

Did you know that galaxies are the vast islands of stars filling space?  Our own spiral-shaped Milky Way, parts of which can be seen on clear nights streaking across the sky, contain hundreds of billions of stars.

Here Are 3  Fun Facts about Galaxies:

  1. The word ‘galaxy’ is derived from the Greek word galaxias which means “milky”, it is a reference to our own galaxy the Milky Way.
  2. There are potentially more than 170 billion galaxies in the observable universe. Some, called dwarf galaxies, are small with about 10 million stars, while others are huge containing an estimated 100 trillion stars.
  3. Based on shape astronomers have identified various kinds of galaxies including, elliptical galaxies, spiral galaxies, lenticular galaxies, and irregular galaxies.

Can you Identify These Galaxies??

  • Spiral galaxies are rotating flattened disk-shapes with at least two spiral arms of newer stars extending out from a central bulge of older stars. The dense molecular clouds of hydrogen gas and dust in the spiral arms of spiral galaxies are areas of intense star formation.
    See a sample image here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap031103.html
  • Barred spiral galaxies (like our Milky Way) contain a long bar in the middle with spiral arms coming off the ends. Around two-thirds of spiral galaxies contain a barred structure in their center.
    See a sample image here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap181009.html
  • Elliptical galaxies are a mass of stars bunched together in the shape of an elliptical disk.
    See a sample image here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060520.html
  • A lenticular galaxy is a type of galaxyintermediate between an elliptical and a spiral galaxy in classification schemes. It contains a large-scale disc but does not have large-scale spiral arms.
    See a sample image here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap020408.html
     
  • Irregular galaxies are any galaxy that has no obvious spiral or elliptical structure. Some irregular galaxies would have just formed that way while others are the result of other galaxy types crashing into each other.
    See a sample image here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180921.html

Join our HTHT @ Home Science Experiment to make your own Expanding Universe:
https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Space%20Case_EOTD_May%208th.pdf

Making & Recycling Paper At Home

Although thought of as an art, High Touch High Tech of South Florida uses this pulp recipe for paper-making science. You can use this activity not only to teach students how they can make their own recycled paper, but also teach students the value of recycling.

The following recipe & instructions come to us from High Touch High Tech of South Florida. Here’s how you do it!

To Get Started You’ll Need To Gather:

  • Either a blender or hand blender
  • Water source and measuring cup
  • 2 –  Full Sheets of Newspaper- Shredded
  • 1/2 – Cup of Flour
  • 12 –  Sheets of Toilet Paper
  • 2 –  Paper Towels
  • 1 –  Gallon Size Ziploc Bag
  • 1 –  Towel or felt to spread out wet paper for drying

Set up in an area where a wet mess will be easy to clean up. Probably outdoors would be best at first.

First, tear up & shred the newspaper into pieces. You will only need a couple sheets to get started, our recipe calls for 2 sheets of newspaper. If you are in the mood to mix it up a bit, you can use any type of papers with different textures, such as construction paper scraps, used computer paper, pages from old magazines etc. Colored paper is fun too! The more newspaper you use, the thicker and lumpier your resulting paper will be. We found construction paper gave us a fine, smooth paper that was flexible. Play around & find the mix you like best.

Add the shredded newspaper scraps into the blender, making sure you don’t over pack the blender.  Next, fill the blender with approximately four cups of water. First, turn the blender on & press the “puree” button for about 30 seconds.  This helps break down the paper quickly & helps eliminate clumps or large pieces.  Now you’re ready to blend on the “liquefy” setting for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the paper is no longer recognizable and looks “pulpy”. Watch your blender carefully as you don’t want to burn out the motor.

Once the pulp is ready, it is time to press out the excess moisture. Place your cloth towel,  laying flat in the bottom of the sink.  Pour the pulp directly into your cloth towel. Using the towel, squeeze out the excess water. Hint: the more water you remove at this step, the less time it takes to dry!  With all the excess moisture gone from the pulp, you are almost finished!

If you don’t plan to use your pulp right away, seal it in an airtight bag and store it in the freezer. Simply thaw the pulp when you are ready to use it. This recipe makes 1 batch of pulp, enough for one class or 20 kids.  To make paper, place a small amount onto a piece of aluminum foil. Place a piece of wax paper over the top of the pulp and use a small rolling pin to flatten or shape your paper. Use markers or water color paints to decorate your paper. Additonal ideas include: pull off pieces of the pulp (about the size of a walnut) and let the kids press it into small molds or shape it free form and let it dry.  The thicker the form, the longer it will take to dry.

Warning:  never dispose of paper pulp down the drain.

High Touch High Tech of South Florida uses this pulp recipe to teach paper-making science. You can use this activity not only to teach students how they can make their own recycled paper, but also teach students the value of recycling.  If you think up and perform an experiment with recycled paper, be sure to let us know.

For more information check out High Touch High Tech of SFL: http://www.sciencemadefunsfl.net/

 

The Science of Gingerbread- Science In Every Bite!

Image Source: Pixabay.com

 

Are you planning to make a gingerbread house this holiday season? Before you mix up that first batch of dough, think about the wonderful ways that building a house can teach science. Inside the kitchen, much more is going on than pouring and mixing – it’s science at work! How many gumdrops can a frosted cookie hold? Why do some recipes call for baking powder instead of baking soda? All these questions are answered at the yearly Science of Gingerbread exhibition at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana California.

For the last 10+ years, the museum has been working to educate and increase awareness, understanding and appreciation of science, math, and technology. This annual holiday exhibit features hands-on kitchen science activities, decorating demonstrations and has award-winning gingerbread houses on display. Who knew science could be so tasty?

You can find your own gingerbread recipe to experiment with at  http://www.discoverycube.org/programs.aspx?q=56&c=69  or Click on the link below to find out more on The Science of Gingerbread exhibit!

http://www.discoverycube.org/programs.aspx?q=69