Author: Science Made Fun!

The Physics of Alpine Skiing

Alpine Skiing: Where Physics, Physiology, and Performance Meet

Alpine skiing is a winter sport that blends athletic skill with physical laws. From gravity-driven acceleration to finely tuned body control, alpine skiing is a demonstration of physics in action.

Where Does Alpine Skiing Originate?

Alpine skiing originated in the mountainous regions of Europe, particularly the Alps, where skiing evolved from a practical mode of transportation into a competitive sport. Modern alpine skiing developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and became internationally organized soon after. The sport made its Olympic debut at the Winter Olympic Games in 1936.

Today, alpine skiing is practiced primarily at ski resorts equipped with chairlifts and gondolas, allowing skiers to repeatedly access steep terrain designed for both recreation and competition.

Physiological Effects of Alpine Skiing on the Body

Alpine skiing is a full-body workout with particularly strong benefits for:

  • Lower-body strength (quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals)
  • Core stability and postural control
  • Balance, coordination, and proprioception (awareness of the position and movement of the body)
  • Cardiovascular endurance

Research shows that skiing enhances muscular strength and neuromuscular coordination, which can improve overall functional fitness. While injuries, particularly to the knees, can occur, consistent and properly trained skiing supports long-term musculoskeletal health and postural control.

Physics Behind Alpine Skiing

Alpine skiing is governed by several foundational laws of physics, especially Newtonian mechanics and fluid dynamics.

1. Forces Acting on a Skier

The primary forces include:

  • Gravitational force pulling the skier downhill
  • Normal force from the snow surface
  • Frictional force between skis and snow
  • Air resistance (drag) opposing motion

The component of gravity pulling the skier downhill is given by:

Where: F=mg sin (a)

  • = mass of the skier
  • = acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²)
  • = slope angle

2. Air Drag and the Tuck Position

At high speeds, air resistance becomes the dominant limiting factor. Drag force is described by:

Where:

  • = drag coefficient (typically 0.4–1.0 for skiers)
  • = air density
  • = frontal area perpendicular to motion
  • = skier velocity

A skier in a deep crouched “tuck” position reduces both and , significantly lowering drag and allowing greater speeds.

3. Turning Physics and Centripetal Force

When carving turns, skiers experience centripetal acceleration:

Where:

  • = radius of the turn
  • = velocity along the turn

The angle of the skis relative to the slope (β) helps manage forces and maintain grip while resisting the outward pull during high-speed turns.

Does More Mass Mean Faster Skiing?

Greater mass can potentially lead to higher terminal velocity, but only under certain conditions.

  • A heavier skier experiences a larger gravitational force ()
  • However, air drag does not increase with mass, only with speed and body position
  • This means heavier skiers may accelerate slightly faster and reach higher speeds if technique and aerodynamics are equal

That said, strength, balance, reaction time, and technique are equally—if not more—important than mass alone.

Fastest Recorded Alpine Skiers

The fastest recorded speeds in alpine-style downhill skiing exceed 250 km/h (155 mph) in speed skiing disciplines. While exact body mass data of record-holding skiers is not consistently published, elite downhill racers tend to fall within a moderate mass range optimized for strength, power, and aerodynamic control, rather than higher body weight.

Are Women and Men Equally Capable in Alpine Skiing?

Yes, women and men are equally capable of elite alpine skiing, though performance differences arise from physiological averages, not capability.

Key factors:

  • Men, on average, have higher muscle mass and body mass, which may slightly increase downhill speed
  • Women often demonstrate excellent technical efficiency, balance, and aerodynamics
  • Equipment design, training methods, and course conditions play major roles in performance outcomes

When normalized for strength, technique, and aerodynamics, the same physical laws apply equally to all athletes, regardless of gender.

Alpine Skiing, Climate Change, and the Future

Climate change poses a growing challenge for alpine skiing. Rising global temperatures are expected to shorten winter seasons, reduce natural snowfall, and increase reliance on artificial snowmaking at resorts. This threatens not only recreational skiing but also competitive training pipelines and Olympic-level events.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists—One Slope at a Time

Alpine skiing is more than an exciting winter sport, it’s a living classroom where students can see physics, biology, and environmental science working together in real time. From Newton’s laws and aerodynamic drag to muscle coordination and climate science, skiing transforms abstract concepts into unforgettable experiences. At High Touch High Tech, we believe science is best learned by doing. That’s why our in-school, curriculum-based science field trips bring hands-on experiments and real-world connections directly into classrooms. Just like alpine skiing turns gravity and motion into thrilling performance, High Touch High Tech turns curiosity into discovery helping students understand how science shapes the world around them and inspires a lifelong love of science.

Citations & Further Reading

https://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/physics-of-skiing.html

Strong Bodies / Strong Minds

Strong Bodies, Strong Minds

Taking optimal care of our bodies includes adequate exercise as well as nutritious bioflavonoid abundant foods. Both have been shown to maintain and improve mental health as well as cognitive function.

Strong Bodies, Strong Minds — The Science of Movement, Nutrition & Brain Health

Taking optimal care of our bodies through regular exercise and a nutrient-rich diet doesn’t just improve physical strength, it fundamentally supports mental health and cognitive function as well. Extensive research has shown that regular physical activity enhances brain performance, improving memory, executive function, and processing speed across age groups, even with light-to-moderate intensity exercise. Physical activity boosts blood flow to the brain, increases neurotrophic factors, and reduces inflammation, all of which are linked to better cognition and mood regulation. PMC+1

Likewise, a diet rich in bioflavonoids and polyphenols, found in berries, cocoa, tea, citrus, and other plant foods, has been tied to improvements in memory, processing speed, and global cognitive performance, likely through mechanisms involving neuroplasticity and neuroprotection. PMC+1 Chronic intake of such nutrients has even been associated with higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key molecule involved in neuron growth and mental resilience. PMC

Together, movement and nutrition form a powerful synergy, supporting not only muscles and posture but also emotional well-being, attention, and lifelong brain health. This holistic approach aligns with High Touch High Tech’s philosophy: INSPIRE. EXPLORE. ENGAGE. ™

Through active lifestyles and mindful eating, we empower minds and bodies alike, helping students and adults thrive both on the slopes and in life. MDPI

Citations

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10557954/
https://innohealthmagazine.com/2024/research/strong-body-strong-mind-the-interconnection-of-physical-and-mental-health/

Are Memories Stored in the Heart?

Are Memories Really Stored in the Heart?

1. Memory Storage Is a Brain Function

Scientific research overwhelmingly shows that cognitive memory, the ability to encode, store, and retrieve past experiences is a function of the brain, not the heart. Structures like the hippocampus and amygdala play central roles in how memories are formed and shaped, especially emotional memories.

For example:

  • The hippocampus is crucial for forming and transferring new memories.
  • Emotional experiences influence memory encoding through interactions between the amygdala and memory circuits.

2. The Heart Does Not Store Cognitive Memories

There is no scientific evidence that the human heart stores factual memories (events, people, places, etc.) the way the brain does. Claims that “the heart stores memories” are not supported by established neuroscience. This includes so-called heart transplant memory transfer stories, which are anecdotal and not proven in controlled research.

3. The Heart’s Intrinsic Nervous System

The heart does contain its own intrinsic cardiac nervous system, sometimes called a “little brain in the heart,” made up of tens of thousands of neurons.
But this neural network does not function like the brain’s memory systems. Its role is to help regulate heart rhythms and communicate with the central nervous system — not to store autobiographical memories or learned information.

4. Physiological “Memory” vs. Cognitive Memory

The heart does show what scientists sometimes call physiological memory:

  • The electrical system of the heart can exhibit “memory” in how it responds to prior electrical activity (e.g., T-wave changes on an ECG after pacing).
  • The heart adapts structurally to chronic demands — such as thickening in response to high blood pressure — which is sometimes described metaphorically as a “memory” of past stress.

This is very different from cognitive memory stored in the brain.

5. Heart–Brain Communication Influences Memory

While the heart does not store memories, it influences memory and cognition through physiological signals to the brain:

  • Research shows that heartbeat timing affects how well words are remembered in experiments — memory performance varies depending on when during the cardiac cycle stimuli are presented.
  • People with greater awareness of their heartbeats (interoception) show stronger emotional responses and linked memory effects.
    These findings highlight how body states modulate brain processes, not that the heart stores memory itself.

While science tells us that memories are formed in the brain, it also shows us something equally powerful: experiences shape memory best when they are emotional, physical, and engaging. When students touch, experiment, question, and explore, they are activating the very brain systems responsible for long-term learning and curiosity. Science isn’t just something we read about it’s something we experience.

At High Touch High Tech, we believe that meaningful science memories are created through hands-on discovery. That’s why we bring interactive science programs directly into classrooms, transforming the school day into an in-school field trip. Our educators deliver exciting, standards-aligned experiments that spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and help students form lasting connections to science — the kind of memories that stay with them long after the lesson ends.

If you’re ready to give your students a science experience they’ll remember with both their heads and hearts, let High Touch High Tech bring the excitement of real-world science straight to your school. Contact us today to schedule an in-school field trip and turn learning into an unforgettable experience.

Citations

  1. Amygdala & hippocampus in emotional memory encoding
    Neuronal activity in both the amygdala and hippocampus enhances memory for emotional experiences — key evidence that memory is a brain function.
    Qasim, S. E. et al. Neuronal activity in the human amygdala and hippocampus enhances emotional memory encoding. Nat. Hum. Behav. (2023).
     https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01502-8 Nature
  2. Amygdala and memory interaction with other brain systems
    The amygdala modulates memory storage processes occurring in other regions like the hippocampus, especially for emotionally arousing events.
    McGaugh, J. L. et al. Involvement of the amygdala in memory storage: Interaction with other brain systems. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. (1996).
     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC33638/ PMC
  3. Review of emotional arousal and memory consolidation
    Stress hormones and amygdala activation influence long-term memory consolidation through interactions with other brain regions.
    Adrenal Stress Hormones and Enhanced Memory for Emotionally Arousing Experiences. NCBI Bookshelf.
     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK3907/ NCBI
  4. Cardiac timing influences memory encoding
    Heartbeat timing and afferent signals from the cardiovascular system can influence how word stimuli are remembered — showing heart–brain interactions in cognition.
    Garfinkel, S. N. et al. What the heart forgets: Cardiac timing influences memory for words. Psychophysiology (2013).
     https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4340570/ PMC

 Heart & Brain Communication (No Evidence Heart Stores Cognitive Memory)

  • Brain–heart communication
    There are extensive neural and autonomic links between the brain and heart, but this research describes communication, not cognitive memory storage in the heart.
    Brain–heart communication in health and diseases. PubMed.
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35217133/ PubMed
  • Scientific view on heart transplant memory stories
    Neuroscience does not support the idea that memories are stored in the heart; personality and memory are rooted in the brain, though the heart’s neural network can influence emotion.
    Do Heart Transplant Recipients Inherit Traits of the Donor? Dave Lewis.
     https://davelewis.org/do-heart-transplant-recipients-inherit-traits-of-the-donor/ Dave Lewis

 Optional (Context on Heart’s Intrinsic Nervous System)

The “Sleep Cycles” of Plants

Plants do not sleep in the way animals do, but they do follow highly regulated biological rhythms that determine when they grow, flower, and produce fruit. These rhythms are governed by environmental signals, especially light exposure and temperature, and are essential for plant survival and reproduction.

Understanding these plant “sleep cycles” helps explain why certain plants bloom only in specific seasons and why fruit trees like apples require winter cold before producing blossoms in spring.

Light as a Biological Clock for Plants

Plants rely on a biological timing system that responds to the daily cycle of light and darkness. This system allows plants to measure day length, anticipate seasonal change, and coordinate key developmental events.

The scientific term for this light-dependent timing mechanism is photoperiodism.

Photoperiodism allows plants to detect how long the night lasts, not just how much light they receive. Specialized pigments, most notably phytochromes, sense changes in light duration and trigger internal signals that regulate flowering and growth.

Photoperiods and Flowering Timing

Plants are commonly grouped into three categories based on how their flowering responds to day length:

 Short-Day Plants

These plants flower when nights are long and uninterrupted. They typically bloom in late summer or fall. Examples include chrysanthemums and poinsettias.

Description English: Flowers in snow. Pink Chrysanthemum sp. cultivars. Ukraine, VinnytsiaУкраїнська: Квіти в снігу. Хризантеми. Україна, Вінниця
Date 20 November 2022, 13:25:49
Source Own work
Author George Chernilevsky

 Long-Day Plants

These plants flower when nights are short, usually in late spring or early summer. Examples include spinach, lettuce, and wheat.

 Day-Neutral Plants

These plants are not sensitive to day length and instead flower based on age or environmental conditions such as temperature. Tomatoes and cucumbers fall into this category.

This light-based timing ensures that flowering and seed production occur during seasons most favorable for pollination and survival.

Darkness Matters More Than Light

One surprising scientific finding is that plants measure the length of darkness, not daylight. Even a brief interruption of darkness, such as exposure to artificial light, can prevent flowering in some photoperiod-sensitive species.

This sensitivity highlights how modern light pollution can influence plant behavior, altering flowering times and potentially disrupting ecosystems.

Cold as a Reset Button: Chilling Requirements

By George Chernilevsky – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71525171

In addition to light, many plants, especially woody perennials, require exposure to cold temperatures before they can resume growth in spring. This process prevents plants from blooming too early during temporary warm spells in winter.

The required exposure to cold is commonly measured in chilling hours.

Chilling Hours and Fruit Trees

Apple trees are a classic example of plants that depend on chilling hours. Most apple varieties require 500–1,500 hours of temperatures between approximately 32°F and 45°F (0–7°C) during winter dormancy.

Without sufficient chilling:

  • Buds may open unevenly or not at all
  • Flowering may be delayed or reduced
  • Fruit production can be poor or absent

Chilling requirements vary by species and cultivar, which is why certain apple varieties thrive in colder climates while others are bred for warmer regions.

Dormancy: A Plant’s Version of Rest

During winter dormancy, plants dramatically slow their metabolic activity. Growth halts, energy is conserved, and tissues become more resistant to cold damage. This dormancy period functions much like a biological “rest phase,” ensuring plants are synchronized with seasonal cycles.

Once chilling requirements are met and day length increases, hormonal changes signal the plant to exit dormancy and begin spring growth.

Why These Cycles Matter

Plant timing systems are essential for:

  • Successful reproduction
  • Synchronization with pollinators
  • Protection from frost damage
  • Reliable food production

As global climates change, mismatches between temperature patterns and photoperiod cues may increasingly affect plant health, crop yields, and ecosystem stability.

Conclusion: Plants Keep Time Too

Although plants do not sleep, they are anything but passive. Through sophisticated responses to light and temperature, plants maintain precise biological schedules that govern when they bloom, fruit, and grow. These plant “sleep cycles” are a powerful reminder that life on Earth, plant and animal alike, is deeply connected to the rhythms of our planet.

Understanding these rhythms gives us better tools to grow food, protect ecosystems, and appreciate the remarkable biology happening quietly all around us.

At High Touch High Tech, we love helping students discover that science is happening all around them, even in places they might not expect, like plants quietly responding to light and cold. By exploring concepts such as photoperiods, dormancy, and chilling hours, students gain a deeper understanding of how biology, chemistry, and environmental science intersect. Through our on-site, in-school field trips, we transform classrooms into living laboratories, bringing hands-on experiments and real-world science directly to students.

Citations

Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I. M., & Murphy, A. (2015). Plant Physiology and Development. Sinauer Associates. https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25772714M/Plant_Physiology_and_Developmen

  • Song, Y. H., Ito, S., & Imaizumi, T. (2013). Flowering time regulation: photoperiod- and temperature-sensing in leaves. Trends in Plant Science, 18(10), 575–583. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23790253/

Winter Solstice!

The Winter Solstice: The Science Behind the Shortest Day

Each year in late December, we experience a turning point in Earth’s journey around the Sun: the winter solstice. Often described as the “shortest day of the year,” the winter solstice marks a precise astronomical moment.

What Is the Winter Solstice?

The winter solstice occurs when Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible. At this moment, the Sun follows its lowest and shortest path across the sky, resulting in the fewest daylight hours of the entire year.

This isn’t caused by Earth being farther from the Sun, Earth is actually closest to the Sun in early January. Instead, the solstice happens because Earth is tilted about 23.5 degrees on its axis. That tilt controls how much sunlight each hemisphere receives throughout the year.

Why Is It the Shortest Day?

On the winter solstice:

  • The Sun rises at its southernmost point on the horizon
  • Solar noon is lower in the sky
  • Sunlight strikes the Northern Hemisphere at a more indirect angle

All of this reduces both the duration and intensity of sunlight we receive. In much of the continental United States, daylight lasts only about 9–10 hours on the solstice.

When Do We Start Gaining Daylight?

Here’s the hopeful part: the return of the light begins immediately after the winter solstice.

  • In the days following the solstice, daylight increases by about 1–2 minutes per day
  • By late January, the daily increase can approach 2–3 minutes per day
  • The rate continues to increase until around the spring equinox

Interestingly, the latest sunrise doesn’t occur exactly on the solstice, it happens a few days later. This is due to the way Earth’s elliptical orbit and axial tilt interact, a phenomenon known as the equation of time.

How Long Until the Summer Solstice?

From the winter solstice in late December, there are approximately 182 days until the summer solstice, which occurs around June 20–21.

That long arc from shortest day to longest day represents Earth slowly tipping the Northern Hemisphere back toward the Sun—bringing longer days, higher sun angles, and eventually summer warmth.

A Brief History of Solstice Celebrations

Long before modern astronomy, people noticed the solstice’s significance.

  • Ancient stone structures like Stonehenge align with solstice sunrises and sunsets
  • Roman celebrations such as Saturnalia honored the return of longer days
  • Norse cultures observed Yule, a festival centered on light, renewal, and survival

While the traditions varied, the shared theme was universal: the Sun’s return meant hope, food, and life.

High Touch High Tech offers programs demonstrating the Earth’s tilt, solar eclipses, and lunar eclipses through hand-on experiments. We will bring the laboratory to your school! Go to sciencemadefun.io to check for a location near you!

Citations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Earth’s seasons and axial tilt.
  • National Weather Service. Winter solstice and daylight changes.
  • Time and Date AS. Daylight length and solstice timing.
  • Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. Historical solstice observances.
  • Royal Museums Greenwich. Solstices and equinoxes explained.

Hibernation

“Dormice” by Kentish Plumber is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Hibernation: How Animals Power Down for Winter

It’s that time of year again—when animals retreat into dens, nests, and burrows to wait out the cold and darkness of winter. I always look forward to December 21st because the days finally start getting longer, bit by bit. But while many of us are craving more daylight, countless animals are preparing for the quiet, energy-saving state we call hibernation.

Most people know that bears hibernate, but what about foxes? Raccoons? Deer? Mice? Birds? Do all birds really fly south? And what actually happens inside an animal’s body during hibernation? Let’s explore.

What Exactly Is Hibernation?

According to a 2020 study by C. Frare, Cory T. Williams, and Kelly L. Drew titled Thermoregulation in hibernating mammals: The role of the thyroid hormone system, hibernation begins with a gradual decline in body temperature in early fall. As animals enter a state called torpor, they become physically and mentally less active.

One of the major players in this process?
The thyroid gland.

Thyroid hormones help regulate body temperature and metabolism in all mammals. During the transition to hibernation, these hormones shift to support extreme energy conservation.

In smaller mammals—such as mice and ground squirrels—hibernation involves periodic reductions in metabolic rate and body temperature from around October to March. They move between long periods of torpor and short periods of rewarming called interbout arousals, also known as euthermia.

Garst, Warren, 1922-2016, photographer

Why go through all this?
As Frare and colleagues explain, hibernation is an evolutionary strategy to conserve energy when food is scarce and temperatures drop.

Ectotherms vs. Endotherms: Who Can Hibernate?

In 2013, Fritz Geiser’s paper Hibernation described two broad physiological types of organisms:

Ectotherms

  • Low metabolic rates
  • Little or no insulation
  • Body temperature depends on environmental temperature
  • Includes most plants, reptiles, amphibians, and many insects

Ectotherms generally do NOT hibernate as mammals do. They often lack the internal heating ability to survive freezing temperatures… and many simply freeze to death.

Endotherms

  • High metabolic rates
  • Insulate themselves (fur, feathers, fat)
  • Can maintain body temperatures between 32–42°C
  • Includes most mammals, birds, some fishes, insects, and even flowering plants

Because maintaining body heat uses tons of energy—especially for smaller animals—many endotherms have evolved heterothermy, the ability to lower body temperature and metabolic rate, sometimes dramatically. This adaptation allows true hibernation.

During torpor, body temperature may drop to 0–20°C, heart rate and water loss decrease, and metabolism slows. Despite this, animals must still produce enough heat to prevent tissue damage.

“Dormice” by Kentish Plumber is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Examples of Heterothermy in Nature

Here are some fascinating species that use torpor or hibernation:

  • Mountain pygmy possum (Australian Alps)
    Hibernates among snow-covered boulder fields for 5–6 months.
  • Tawny frogmouth
    One of the largest birds known to enter torpor, especially at night or early morning.
  • Fat-tailed dunnart (Australia)
    A small marsupial found in arid regions that regularly uses torpor to conserve energy.

These strategies allow animals to survive seasons when food would otherwise be too scarce to support their high metabolic needs.

Why Not Just Sleep? Or Migrate?

Being alive burns energy—walking, digesting, and even sleeping. Birds can migrate to warmer areas, but for many small mammals, migrating long distances would take far more energy than they could afford.

Evolution has carved out hibernation as the perfect winter survival strategy:
save energy, slow everything down, and wait for better times.

And believe it or not, hibernation isn’t just for winter.

Summer Hibernation: Estivation

Some animals hibernate in summer, especially in extremely hot or dry environments.
This is called estivation.

Examples:

  • Certain species of tortoises
  • Some amphibians and insects
  • A few small mammals

These animals power down to avoid heat and dehydration instead of cold and hunger.

And some creatures enter daily torpor, a shorter, milder form of hibernation.
Bats are great examples—they can drop their body temperature for short periods to conserve energy.

Tortoise Hibernating Burrow

“Tortoise hibernation burrow” by U.S. Army Environmental Command is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Do Zoo Animals Hibernate?

It depends on the zoo.
Some facilities intentionally trigger hibernation by adjusting temperature and lighting.
Others keep animals awake year-round by providing consistent warmth and food, which removes the environmental cues that normally trigger hibernation.

How Animals Prepare for Hibernation

Preparation is everything.

  • Squirrels collect and store nuts.
  • Bears pack on fat reserves.
  • Some animals do both!
  • Many species rely heavily on photoperiod—the changing length of daylight—to know when winter is approaching.

Animals must build up enough energy reserves to survive months without food.

What Happens Inside the Body During Hibernation?

A lot changes:

Breathing

  • Drops by 50% or more
  • Some reptiles temporarily stop breathing entirely

Waste

  • Deep hibernators produce no feces
  • They do produce urea, but they’re able to recycle it internally
  • They prevent dehydration by extracting water from stored fat

The body becomes an energy-saving machine.

Hibernation: More Complex Than You Think

Hibernation isn’t just long sleep—it’s a dramatic, finely tuned physiological transformation. From thyroid hormones to torpor cycles, from possums in the Alps to birds in Australia, animals have evolved remarkable strategies to survive harsh seasons.

Next time winter settles in and the days grow short, remember that beneath the soil, inside hollow trees, and deep within snowy burrows, countless creatures are slowing their hearts, lowering their temperatures, and quietly waiting for spring.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8091518/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982213001310https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/hibernation.htm

The Importance of Trees part 4

High Touch High Tech would like to celebrate the importance of trees! Trees have many functions. One major one is that they provide habitat for 80 % of terrestrial biodiversity! Champion trees are determined by factors such as height and diameter and the champion titles are awarded to many species of tree. To learn all about this you could check out the website: https://www.americanforests.org/champion-trees/champion-trees-registry/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvfmoBhAwEiwAG2tqzCeucx870G8EmSA-OXPJOLXOSoRzVrLmS1n3rXgp5edKTnyUEIQMkRoCCfQQAvD_BwE. 

Today’s Champion tree is in Monroe County Florida. It is the Wild Banyantree or Ficus citrifolia. The trunk circumference on this Wild Banyontree is 244 inches and it reaches a height of 42 feet! The crown spread is 83 feet! 

Scientists of America

 Indigenous Americans have contributed in the field of science in numerous ways. Here are just a few of the many indigenous scientists to highlight.

Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte (June 1865-Sep.1915) was one of the first indigenous people and first indigenous woman to earn a medical degree! She worked diligently on public health reforms such as school hygiene, food sanitation, and combat tuberculosis.

Dr. K. Tsianina Lomamawaima was born in 1955. She researched indigenous studies, anthropology, history, and political science. She is currently a professor at Arizona State University! She wrote the book They Called it Prairie Light: The Story of Chilocco Indian School in 1994.

Dr, Leroy Little Bear went to the University of Utah in 1975. He up until 1977 was a researcher at the University of Lethbridge where he is the founding member of the Native American Studies Department. He has received awards such as the Officer Order of Canada and the Alberta Order of Excellence.

John Herrington, born 1958, served in the U. S, Navy and also was a mission specialist at NASA on the Endeavor space shuttle! He also did work in the Aquarius underwater laboratory simulating survival during extreme conditions.

Mary Golda Ross Aug 1908-April 2008) was an Aerospace Engineer who helped design planes and spacecraft. She was from the Cherokee Nation. She was a founding member of the Society of Women Engineers.

Feel free to follow any of the links below to learn more!

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/native-american-scientists-engineers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Tsianina_Lomawaima

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Herrington

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leroy_Little_Bear

Amazing Teachers Around the World

I suspect that almost everyone has a story of an amazing teacher who took the time to give them the extra support they needed in their life. Perhaps they still know that teacher today. Here are a few amazing teachers from around the world!

Maggie MacDonnell teaches in an Inuit community in Salluit. Salluit is a northern community in Quebec Canada. The area she works in has a high suicide rate, so she strives to bring hope to the community. She incorporates a project based on art and therapeutic methods. One project is called Student feeding Students where a group of students create a healthy snack for all the other students. Getting the students involved in the community helps with connection and gives a sense of purpose. A fellow teacher, Ian Cambell, said,” She is really an expert at having a more open learning environment.”
Another project MacDonnell is involved in is The Runners project where students have somewhat of a running club. She says, “When you run by yourself you go fast! When you run with others can go far.” She also says the students she works with are the true northern lights.

Michael Wamaya from Kibera Kenya is a ballet teacher. Micheal had to drop out of school when he was young due to financial hardship. However, he had a chance audition with a visiting Kenya Performance group that set him on a path to live in Nairobi and learn dance! He now teaches ballet to children and he’s very good at it. One community member said, “If you take your kids to Mike there is some future in that kid.” One parent has noticed how her daughter is more focused and organized since being in Mike’s class.
Mike believes ballet helps the children get their voice due to the confidence acquired through ballet training. Leonard Wawire, headmaster at valley View Academy, says that Mike has helped make education available to everyone in the area!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAufiNM3Aus

Salima Begum is from Pakistan. She received an education from a two-room private school with very little resources. That did not impede her love of learning!
Salima says,” Education is abroad concept that teaches a child humility, harmony, and love for others.”
Before Salima girls could not complete their education due to cultural roadblocks. Salima met with the community to create a solution for a way for girls to continue their education.
One problem in the community was the accumulation of garbage and debris in the streets. By working with the students and allowing them to come up with creative solutions they began creating compost and then fertilizer from the waste.
The classes are activity based. One student says, “’ Ma’ams classes are always fun and interesting, never boring, time flies by” Another says,” My parents brought me into the world, but my teacher has lifted me up and made me reach for the skies”

Tracy-Ann Hall is from Spanish Town Jamaica. She teaches automotive technology at Jonathan Grande High School. Most students are from the low-income bracket. Once they leave high school most students go directly to work. Once they have taken the automotive technology course they will be prepared to work for an established automotive business or begin one of their own. Hall acknowledges that there are students with different learning styles. She incorporates music in the class as well as field trips
She has lunchtime instructions where they catch up on current affairs. She tries to prepare them with skills that will get them ahead in life.
Daphne Clayton, the Chair of Governors, says “Here is a woman in a man’s world but
knows exactly what she was doing!”

Marie-Christine Ghanbari Jahromi majored in mathematics and sports at the University of Munster. She received the Future leader award at Africa’s Go FPEP in 2014. She operates a collaborative sports project helping students build self-esteem. She teaches students that keeping fit strengthens bodies and minds.
She works with refugee children in groups with the German students helping them learn different cultures and helps the refugee children integrate more easily into German society. This also makes it easier for them to learn faster.

Boya Yang is in Cumming China with a background in teaching as well as psychology.
Both parents were teachers. She uses a technique where she incorporates games so that students will find it easier to participate. She also makes sure to give time to each student individually. She feels in general that China’s education system focusses too much on exams. She hopes to work with other teachers to explore the psychological aspect of learning. She incorporates art drama and music. If the kids seem interested in something she sees that as an opportunity to incorporate learning alongside that interest. She even incorporates parents in the learning process. They too have been learning a lot!
Yang says she loves having the freedom to be innovative in her job!

There are many qualities that make a great teacher and from the examples here observation an innovation as well as focusing on each students learning style and needs plays a large part in being a successful and admired teacher. One exceptional teacher I remember is a Western Civilizations teacher in community college who was also head of the drama department. His classes were like one man shows where he acted out the history lesson with a powerful stage presence. It’s hard not to learn history when it is dramatized right before you!

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/these-10-inspirational-teachers-are-transforming-e/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDpF5cFmpvU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADA7CeUjKTE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADA7CeUjKTE