at home experiments Archives - High Touch High Tech

The Epic Hidden History of Maraschino Cherries

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
International Cherry Pit Spitting Day
July 3^rd!

Here in the glory days of summer, one of the best things about an already stellar season is the abundance of fruit, especially the abundance of CHERRIES! Enjoyed right across the world from The U.S. to Japan, this beloved fruit has a flavor that is welcome in almost any confection you can imagine, from ice cream to sweet liqueurs. The finest cherries of the harvest sell from upscale Japanese fruit retailers for 350 dollars a box. Cherryheads can even participate in the National Cherry Festival in Traverse, Michigan, which attracts half a million people a year, or test their skills at the International Cherry Pit-Spitting Contest, also in Michigan. (The world record for a spit pit is 30.6 meters, by the way!)

It is true that cherries are an iconic and beloved fruit, so much so that they have given rise to colloquial sayings such as “the cherry on top,” which makes the red cherry garnish on top of sweet treats a metaphor for the final flourish that perfects something. But where did that famous bright red cherry on top come from? The story of the Maraschino cherry that completes the world’s deserts, and makes its cocktails extra tasty, is actually an epic story of persistence and devotion that spans seven generations! Since 1823, the Luxardo family of Italy have put their name on the world’s most highly regarded brand of Maraschino cherries, still lovingly produced by the clan from blossom to bottle.

If it sounds strange to you that the bright red (or green) Maraschino cherries available at the supermarket, which are known to be bathed in 20^th century concoctions such as sulfur dioxide, high fructose corn syrup, red dye # 40, and potassium sorbate, are so highly regarded, you are thinking of the wrong Maraschino cherry. Cordials and preserves made of the Marasca cherry had been popular in Europe for thousands of years, but it was Girolamo Luxardo and his wife Maria who perfected the first version that was sold widely as a brand in 1823. The original Luxardo recipe that continues to the present day boasts that “No thickening agents of any type and no preservatives are used, and the dark red color is all natural.” Cocktail and café culture around the world was just beginning to evolve in the 19^th century, and the Luxardo company became the world’s pre-eminent cherry on top from that time forward. Sadly, 4 of the 5 Luxardo heirs were killed in WWII bombings, and the sole survivor escaped to Northern Italy with one single Marasca cherry sapling to continue the brand. As that one sapling was slowly growing into the new Luxardo orchards, however, the post-war ethos of “better living through chemistry” had intervened and the mass produced, dye-infused version that we now know as Maraschinos took hold around the world. Originally invented in the 1920’s as a cheaper version of Luxardo Maraschinos, the bright red, sugar-impregnated Maraschinos commonly bought today are really only chemically enhanced knockoffs of a much healthier, and by all accounts much more delicious, original recipe. For an interesting cherry’s-eye-view at how much the technological world has changed in 200 years, have a look at the videos below about how the two dueling Maraschinos are produced, preferably while enjoying a seasonal bowl of the fresh stuff (and maybe spitting a pit or two)!

If the idea of testing your skill at launching cherry pits
across the room sounds like a fun summertime challenge, look no further than our
Catapult at-home experiment! Check out the lesson plan below, grab your
supplies, and start experimenting with lift, force, gravity and more!

Catapult Lesson Plan: https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Catapult_EOTD_May%206th.pdf

Sources:

How 350 dollar per box Japanese Cherries are Grown:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjWajrNcT0A

The National Cherry Festival in Traverse, MI:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-LhcQIbqts

The International Cherry Pit Spitting Contest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrfOppxKTwc

The Creation of Luxardo Maraschinos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFONeb7bNH4

How Conventional Maraschinos are made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1brsg7h6gQ

Gourmet Mixology with Luxardo Cherries:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNSMVA4tTpU

Never Underestimate a Catfish

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
National Catfish Day
June 25^th!

When you hear the word “catfish” it may bring up different associations in your mind. For many of us, “catfish” refers to an internet scam where a person is lured in by a fake dating profile and then targeted for money. If you are a Southerner, catfish refers to a delicious food served battered and deep fried, always with a side of French fries and a sweet tea. When you look at how versatile and widespread actual Catfish, Siluriformes, are, it seems perfectly appropriate that there are so many associations attached to their name. Sometimes underestimated as gross bottom feeders (they have been known to nibble on dead bodies) or a cheap trash fish, in reality, catfish boast a dinosaur-era lineage, a worldwide range, impressive adaptability, AND the biggest freshwater fish in the world, the Mekong Giant Catfish, Pangasianodon Gigas. There is even a species that can “walk” on land. Underestimate the humble catfish at your own peril, because not only are they tough, but they are everywhere, and they are BIG! (And yes, even the biggest ones are said to be delicious.)

Of course, we at High Touch High Tech would NEVER condone eating a Mekong Giant Catfish, because they are critically endangered. Catfish are known to get exceptionally large, with the Wels Catfish in Europe reaching 8 feet and the Piraiba of the Amazon reaching 7 feet. However, the Mekong Catfish is considered King of All Catfish because it is the largest catfish in the world, with one caught in 2005 tipping the scales at 646 pounds and measuring 9 feet! This incredible catch means that the Mekong Giant Catfish is the largest freshwater fish ever recorded.

Although catfish species can be found in rivers, lakes,
marine environments, sometimes even on land, and are hugely popular with
aquarium keepers in homes all over the world, the Mekong Giant Catfish has
sadly not fared well in the last few decades.
The Mekong Giant Catfish was once seen regularly in its home, the
massive Mekong River in Southeast Asia, but now scientists report they are
lucky to get a sighting once a year. The
bounteous Mekong River supported these enormous fish easily in the past,
because the river itself, which flows through six nations in Asia, is spacious
and full of diverse fish and plant species.
But the Mekong Catfish is a highly migratory species, and in recent
decades, dams and development along the river have especially affected its favored
spawning ground. Fortunately, scientists
like Zeb Hogan are committed to tracking and understanding the exact habitat
needs of the Giant Mekong Catfish, and are working with locals to support and
protect the precious Mekong Catfish. Check out Dr. Hogan’s efforts in the link
below and be sure to wish your local catfish a happy Catfish Day on June 25th!

If learning about unique aquatic species gets you excited, check
out our Sea Urchin Symmetry at-home experiment. Review the lesson linked below,
grab your supplies, and start exploring!

Sea Urchin Symmetry Lesson Plan: https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/EOTD_Sea_Urchin_Symmetry_Lesson.pdf

Sources:

Impressive Catfish Facts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaCQ4ZAsAgc

The Biggest Catfish Ever Caught All Around the World:
https://largest.org/animals/catfish/

Dr. Hogan’s Conservation Efforts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JvRyYyMoA8

Tracking the Spawn of Mekong Catfish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIBv6yJcVKE

An Excellent Documentary on Life along the Mekong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AqvJaHk-N4

National Hollerin’ Day!

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
National Hollerin’ Day
June 19^th

Image Source: https://www.carolinaxroads.com/2020/01/spiveys-corner.html

OORAH! If you instantly heard the distinctive sound of the US Marine battle cry in your head as you read that word, you know the power of a strong, powerful shout. Gentle face-to-face spoken communication is a wonderful thing, but there’s definitely something to be said for a full-throated holler so loud that it leaves rolling echoes behind to prove its point. People across times and cultures have woven the art of hollering into not only their fearsome military battle cries but into their day to day lives. Prior to the advent of phones (and cups attached by strings), communicating long distances was a problem that all humans faced. You might have heard of the Pony Express or Carrier Pigeon as examples of people’s ingenious solutions for long distance communication, but for sheer usefulness, how about the good ol’ fashioned Southern-style holler?

Image Sources:
(Upper Left) https://www.clintonnc.com/news/10470/hollerin-goes-quiet
(Upper Middle) https://www.clintonnc.com/news/10470/hollerin-goes-quiet
(Upper Right) https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-to-win-a-hollerin-contest
(Main) https://www.fayobserver.com/article/20161102/NEWS/311029828

On the surface, giving a good holler seems like something mindless, but the “Hollerin’ Capital of the World” in Spivey’s Corner, North Carolina would like to assure you it’s not. As one champion hollerer of the “National Hollerin’ Contest,” once held annually in Spivey’s Corner, explains, a holler is a controlled sound that rural people used to communicate before the era of phones. Thought to have originated in West Africa and then brought over by enslaved people, Southern-style hollers vary between individuals, but they are designed as a pattern of sounds that send a distinct message. The best hollers have a rhythm and modulation that creates an echo and can be heard up to a mile away!

In addition, there are four basic categories of holler. There are functional hollers designed for
calling up and down between a house and a field to ask for things like water or
food. There are hollers designed to pass
a certain message, such as to announce oneself on a neighbor’s land. An especially important type is the distress
holler, to be used only in case of emergency or if someone finds themselves
lost. Last, there is the expressive
holler, which gives voice to the hollerer’s particular feelings at the moment. If you’re in a place where a few hollers here
and there won’t disturb anybody, why not celebrate National Hollerin’ Day with
an expressive holler of your own? You
might be surprised how far your voice can carry!

If you are feeling the “call” to holler, then we invite you
to try our Paper Cup & String Phone at-home experiment. See if your holler
will carry all the way to the other end of the string! Learn about vibrations
and how sounds carry! Grab your supplies & check out the lesson plan linked
below:

Lesson Plan:
https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Paper-Cup-String-REV-7-20-2020.pdf

Sources:

The Story of Hollerin’ and the National Hollerin’ Contest in Spivey’s Corner: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-to-win-a-hollerin-contest

Some Champions of Hollerin’ explain the Art:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r0ThUN2YKs

Old Timer Leonard Emanuel tells the story of Hollerin’ in his Community and provides some expressive examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvY4i4TeHiQ

Everybody Loves Flip-Flops

Join High Touch High Tech in Celebrating
National Flip-Flop Day
June 11th!

Modern-day fashionistas may disparage flip-flops, and some doctors warn against wearing them constantly. But aside from a few objections, the archaeological and historical record both testify to the fact that humans the world over have been rocking flip-flops and sandals, flip-flops’ close relatives, since before civilization even began. The basic design of flip-flops and sandals, a sole covering held on to the foot with a rope or strap, is much older than the earliest known closed-toe leather shoes. The oldest sandals on earth were found in Fort Rock, Oregon in the 1930’s. Made of woven sagebrush ropes, the oldest Fort Rock Sandals date from about 13,000 years ago!

Another culture that had no problem with the flip-flop as fashion was the Ancient Egyptians, whose preferred style was anchored between the first and second toe just as modern people wear today. Many Ancient Egyptian sandals were made of humble woven papyrus, or more upmarket leather, but they also could be covered in gold and gems depending on the status of the wearer. It is said that the Pharaoh of Egypt even had a servant who did nothing but carry his sandals until needed. The Ancient Greeks were huge fans of the sandal, and so were the Romans, although their designs often involved more straps and foot coverage than the minimalistic flip flop design that Ancient Egyptians and present-day people appreciate.

With such a wealth of ancient footwear to draw from, which design and time period gave us the flip flop we use today? Look no further than Japan. Japanese traditional footwear has long been adapted towards the easy-on, easy-off design people prize in contemporary flip- flops. Japanese homes often had floors covered in delicate reed tatami mats that could be easily damaged by shoes, and so an abundance of flip-flop-like designs emerged, including the geta and the zori. After WW2, Japan’s decimated economy still held a large reserve of rubber from the Southeast Asian nations that Japan had attempted to colonize during the war. Japanese manufacturing began to build back by using the rubber to create mass-produced zori, and thus the flip-flop as we know it was born. Originally marketed as “Jandals,” a combination of “Japan” and “Sandals,” as the shoes gained popularity in the West, some time in the 1960’s they came to be called “flip-flops” for the ubiquitous sound they make when they strike the heel.

So go ahead and rock your flip-flops for National Flip-Flop
Day this June 11^th! If anyone
criticizes your toes as they catch the breeze, just remind them that flip-flops
are one of the oldest human designs still in wide use. It is said that a great
design is timeless, and in the case of flip-flops, that is definitely true!

So, grab your flip-flops and head to the beach for this week’s at-home experiment! Put your toes in the sand as you make sand observations and seashell imprints! Check out our lesson plan, collect your materials and investigate cool coastal science…all while sporting your favorite flip-flops!

Lesson Plan: https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/EOTD_Sand_Seashells_Lesson.pdf

Sources:

The Great Flip-Flop Fashion Debate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijEmTr9jdtM

The Fort Rock Sandals:
https://pages.uoregon.edu/connolly/FRsandals.htm

Worldwide use of Sandals through Cultures and Times: http://historyofsandals.blogspot.com/2010/10/egyptian-sandals_22.html

Introduction to Japanese Traditional Footwear:
https://www.japan-zone.com/culture/footwear.shtml

The Japanese Zori Industry and the Modern Flip-flop:
https://www.heddels.com/2018/04/history-flip-flop/

What is Sound?

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
Build a Musical Instrument Day
May 22^nd!

Close your eyes for a moment and listen to your environment. What sounds do you hear? Unless you are in the quietest place on earth, Stratfield Labs’ special Anechoic Chamber, your ears will easily tune to even the little sounds in your environment, and even little sounds can have big effects on us. When a sound is unpleasant to our ears, we call it noise. When it is sweet and pleasing, we call it notes, or music. Sounds are so much a part of our life that we don’t often think about the incredible process that gets sounds from their source to our brains, and the influence that certain sounds can have on us. So, what is a sound, anyway? And how does sound affect our imaginations, health, and moods?

All sounds are made the same way: they are vibrations. A vibration is when something moves back and forth incredibly fast, faster even than our eyes can see. These vibrations transmit from the object to the surrounding particles in the air. A vibrating object causes the air molecules around it to vibrate in the same way as it is vibrating. Then those air molecules cause the next air molecules to vibrate the same way, and so on and so on — all the way up to your eardrum, which is a membrane made to catch vibrations and pass them through the intricate anatomy of the ear. When they reach your ear, they are translated into electrical signals that can be understood by your brain. Sound is, basically, a vibration that travels across the air in a wave-like pattern, until it touches us with its energy right in our ear!

How many waves a sound vibration has in a given period is known as its frequency. Higher frequency sounds pack in many waves, while lower frequency sounds have less. Although still experimental and theoretical at this stage, there is some fascinating work from many different fields of science that indicate sound frequency and vibration may have great potential to benefit humanity. One of the greatest scientists of all time, Nikola Tesla, famously said that “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” Among his many projects, for example, was one to turn vibrations into electricity that could be easily shared across the world. Scientists on the frontier of sound as medicine, such as Dr. Lee Bartel, are even indicating that certain frequencies of sound, especially 40 HZ, may stimulate the fading neurons of Alzheimer’s patients into better function over time. There is even evidence that certain sound frequencies may destroy cancer cells.

Although the potential of sound to impact things like global
energy and human health are just beginning to be understood, it’s a fact that
the vibrations of sound can have a powerful impact on our well-being. Just think of a time that a loved one’s voice
touched your heart, or a song on the radio changed your day from a bad one to a
good one.

If you want to explore the amazing world of sounds, vibrations, and frequencies for yourself, check out our at-home Harmonica experiment and make some good vibrations with your own home-made instrument!

Harmonica Lesson Plan:
https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Harmonica-REV-6-28-2018.pdf

Harmonica Tutorial Video:
https://youtu.be/drRSYw-p5fo

Sources:

Stratfield Labs Anechoic Chamber, the quietest place on
earth: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earths-quietest-place-will-drive-you-crazy-in-45-minutes-180948160/

Classic Bill Nye the Science Guy Video on Sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwRi_N6Nq8E

An Introduction to Nikola Tesla:
https://www.theteslaproject.org/the-man

Possibilities in Sound as Medicine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZgzsQh0Dw

Resonant Frequencies as a Possible Treatment for Cancer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w0_kazbb_U

Space…the final frontier

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
Space Day
May 7^th!

Space…The final frontier! We all remember these immortal words spoken by Captain Kirk, of the starship Enterprise. It was on a fictional 5-year mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before. These are such strong words, that have inspired a generation of people to seek interest in space exploration.

The space age started in 1957 with the launch of the Russian satellite, Sputnik. The world’s first satellite was the size of a beach ball, weighed only 183.9 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit Earth. That launch ushered in new political, military, technological, and scientific developments. While the Sputnik launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and the Great Space Race.

In response to
this “Sputnik moment,” the U.S. government undertook
several policy actions, including the establishment of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA), enhancement of research funding, and reformation of
science and technology being taught at schools.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

NASA
launched the Mercury, Apollo, and space shuttle programs over the next 20
years. The United States lead the world in space exploration and achievements.

In 2002,
SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp) was founded by Elon Musk. SpaceX
is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services
company. SpaceX’s goal is to reduce
space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. SpaceX manufactures the Falcon 9 and Falcon
Heavy launch vehicles, several rocket engines, Dragon cargo and crew
spacecraft, and Starlink satellites. SpaceX is on a mission to Mars, along
with NASA.

Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster served as the payload for the February 2018 Falcon Heavy test flight and became an artificial satellite of the Sun. “Starman”, a mannequin dressed in a spacesuit, occupies the driver’s seat!

National Space Day is dedicated to the extraordinary achievements, benefits and opportunities in the exploration and use of space. This day is designed to stimulate interest in space.

Space,
also called outer space, refers to the void that exists between the Earth’s
upper atmosphere and other celestial bodies such as planets in the known and
unknown universe. While the term space might make it seem like the vast expanse
of the universe beyond the Earth’s atmosphere is empty, it is in fact, not
empty at all. Space is full of different forms of radiation and lots of debris
from the formation of our solar system. Some of this debris is in the form of
meteors, comets, and asteroids.

So, on
this Space Day, be sure to let your imaginations soar, and tap into your own
space curiosity.

While you’re
at it, tap into your inner-astronaut and learn more about Space with this week’s
at-home experiment, Space Case. See the stars twinkle and the universe expand
with simple materials and our easy-to-follow lesson plan.

Space
Case: https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Space%20Case_EOTD_May%208th.pdf

Garlic is a Superhero

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
National Garlic Day
April 19^th

While
not actually an Avenger, Wonder Woman or Batman, garlic does have so many
health benefits, that it deserves to be considered a superhero. It might
as well be wearing a cape!

When
we first encounter garlic, it really does not have much of a smell, that is
until you cut into it, slice it, or crush it! Once crushed or sliced the odor
is extraordinarily strong. When we cut into a garlic bulb, thio-sulfinite
compounds in the garlic turn into allicin. Allicin is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal,
it is believed to lower bad cholesterol by inhibiting enzyme growth in liver
cells, and it helps nitric oxide release in the blood vessels relaxing them and
lowering pressure.

This improvement in blood pressure can help ease the strain on the heart, making garlic a very heart-healthy choice. Garlic’s antibacterial properties also makes it a great treatment for acne and cold sores, as well as general health. On top of all that, garlic also contains a ton of vitamins and minerals, including manganese, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, calcium, beta-carotene, and Vitamin C. Garlic is a true superhero!

Garlic is a species in the onion family, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, scallions, shallots, leeks, chives, Welsh onions, and Chinese onions. It is native to Central Asia and Northeastern Iran and has long been a common seasoning worldwide, with a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use.

Sumerians
(2600–2100 BC) (the indigenous peoples of Southern Mesopotamia) were actively
utilizing garlic for its healing qualities and are believed to have brought
garlic to China. From China, it later spread to Japan and Korea.

In
ancient China, garlic was one of the most used remedies for many ailments since
2700 BC. Then, owing to its healing and stimulating effects, garlic was
recommended to those who suffer from depression.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Fishkuai must be eaten together with garlic and onion. When mushrooms and vegetables are added, it is called gold and jadekuai (jingao yukuai). This has the medicinal properties of stimulating the appetite and the functions of the large intestine.

In ancient Indian medicine, garlic was a valuable remedy used as a tonic to cure a lack of appetite, common weakness, cough, skin disease, rheumatism, and hemorrhoids. In the Vedas (the most ancient Hindu scriptures) garlic was mentioned among other medicinal plants. Indian priests were the first physicians and pharmacists to utilize garlic.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Mini stone grinders used for mixing Traditional Medicines.
This can be used to smash Garlic, Ginger etc.,

Archaeologists
have even discovered garlic bulbs in the pyramids of Egypt. Ancient Egyptians
were known for their healing skills, preparations, and remedies.

The
Ancient Israelis made use of garlic as an appetite stimulator, to avoid
starvation. They also used garlic as a blood pressure enhancer, body heater,
parasite-killer, and more! The Talmud, the book of Judaism, prescribes a meal
with garlic every Friday.

The
Ancient Greeks also valued garlic although those who had eaten garlic were
forbidden entry into the temples. Perhaps due to their stinky breath! During
the archeological excavations in the Knossos Palace on the Greek island of
Crete, garlic bulbs were discovered dating from 1850–1400 BC. Early Greek army
leaders fed their army garlic before major battles. It is an interesting fact
that while nowadays some athletes take a wide spectrum of dangerous performance
enhancing drugs, Greek Olympic athletes ate garlic to ensure a good score!

According
to Theophrastus (370–285 BC), the Greeks offered gifts to their Gods consisting
of garlic bulbs. In his works, Hippocrates (459–370 BC) mentioned garlic as a
remedy against intestinal parasites. He recommended garlic for regulating the
menstrual cycle and to fight against seasickness. He also recommended garlic as
a remedy against snakebite (for that purpose they drank a mixture of garlic and
wine) and against a mad dog’s bite (for that purpose they applied garlic on the
wound directly).

For
thousands of years humanity has used garlic to enhance the flavor of food as
well as for medicinal purposes. Although pungent and somewhat unpleasant to
smell, Garlic’s positive health benefits are undeniable. Have you had your
daily dose?

So, as we celebrate National Garlic Day this April 19th, let us know the superhero role Garlic plays in your life!

And since Garlic has such a recognizable smell, we invite you to participate in this week’s At-home Experiment, Smelling Bee! See if you can determine which scent belongs to its corresponding food item! Check out the lesson plan below, grab your supplies, and start smelling!

Lesson Plan:
https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Smelling-Bee-REV%204-14-2021.pdf

The Hidden Life of Mushrooms

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
Mushroom Day
April 14^th!

In a soup, they’re a pleasure. On pizza, a game-changer. Grilled on a bun, they are a vegetarian’s best friend. Mushrooms are one of mother earth’s tastiest foods, but did you know they could also… SAVE THE WORLD? Researchers like Paul Stamets are teaching the truth about mushrooms, and the more we learn, the more it seems that mushrooms are like a swiss army knife of amazing functions! They are an essential, if invisible part of every plant’s growth. They have cancer-destroying properties, and they even give bees the strength they need to pollinate crops.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Mycelial Mat

Mushroom expert Paul Stamets has made the fungus among us his life’s work, revealing that mushrooms are so much more than the “fruiting body” that we purchase in a store. The hidden part of any mushroom is what’s known as the Mycelium, a massive underground network of tiny fungal threads that permeate practically all soil. In fact, even a few cubic inches of soil contain miles of Mycelial threads. These threads do important chemical work, secreting enzymes and compounds that allow them to digest nutrients and grow, but also serve as food for the countless multitudes of tiny invertebrates in the soil. In this way, Mycelium is essential for soil health and the healthy growth of plants, especially their roots. A Mycelial mat of one single fungus can spread for miles, linking its aboveground “community” in a network full of nutrients, moisture, and protection as it goes. The largest known Mycelial mat is the Armillaria in Oregon. It is one fungal organism that spreads for 3.7 miles, weighs 35,000 tons, and is thought to be 8,000 years old! The hidden side of mushrooms is so nourishing, connective, and helpful that it has been characterized as “nature’s internet.”

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Mycelium Threads

The Mycelium may be one reason that mushrooms are so packed with compounds that have been shown to have immune-stimulating, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial compounds. Ancient cultures the world over have long revered medicinal mushrooms, from the prized Lingzhi mushroom of Chinese Medicine to the powerful healer called Agarikon, identified by Ancient Greek doctor Dioscorides. Paul Stamets intriguingly points out a reason why: in humans, our stomachs are on the inside, and secrete compounds and enzymes to help us digest and use nutrients. The “stomach” of mycelium is on the outside, in the soil where they lay. Over 650 million years of evolution, Mycelium and its diverse fruiting bodies have adapted to release compounds that keep away harmful bacteria and toxins, allowing them to digest the soil in peace and health. Their adaptation is a treasure that provides us with mushrooms like Turkey Tail, which has been shown to have strong anti-cancer properties, or Cordyceps, which aids in circulation and heart health.

It’s not just humans who benefit from mushrooms. Research is still ongoing, but it has been
observed that Bees also use certain kinds of mushrooms to stay healthy. In a strong, undisturbed old-growth
ecosystem, mushrooms flourish in many places, as do bees. Currently, Bees are
under attack from pesticides, mites, and viruses that, if unchecked, could end
up spelling doom for our entire agricultural system. Stamets noticed that Bees seemed to love to
congregate on certain kinds of low-to-the ground mushrooms, and on further
research found that the protective, anti-microbial compounds in mushrooms
spelled better health for the bees. He
is formulating a “Mycelial Honey” that Bees can eat and share with their hive,
thus assisting their survival in this toxic modern world! In Science, it is always assumed that there
is more “under the surface” of phenomena we see, and mushrooms and Mycelium are
an excellent example of the bustling, vibrant life that happens right under our
feet.

And with so many varieties of mushrooms, we thought it would be
fun to capture prints of various mushrooms to examine and compare their
“footprint”. Take a look at our Fungi Prints at-home experiment and see if you
recognize any of the fungus among us! Lesson plan and tutorial video links
below:

Lesson Plan:
https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Fungi-Prints-Experiment.pdf

Tutorial Video:
https://youtu.be/xxlRswPbgCs

Sources:

Paul Stamets TED Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5frPV58tY

How Fungi Changed My View of the World, a documentary by Stephen
Axford: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYunPJQWZ1o

Medical Research into Cancer and Mushrooms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn7wLIm1SJA

Zoo Lover’s Day!

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating
Zoo Lover’s Day
April 8^th

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Blank Park Zoo – Des Moines, Iowa

The Kitchens of Zoos – otherwise known as Commissaries – are some of the busiest kitchens in the world and serve a VERY demanding clientele!

Ever had to cook a dinner for a large number of guests? And if some are vegetarian? Maybe some need low sodium? Some are on a raw food diet? Only paleo for others? Lovingly catering to hundreds of different species’ exact needs is second nature at the major zoos of the world. Feeding the amazing animals in zoo collections is truly a 24/7 job! Animals take no holidays and preparing food for hundreds of species at a time usually requires preparation day and night, not to mention enormous freezer and storage capacity. Plus, ALL the food is 100% restaurant grade, the same as you get at your favorite dining spot!

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Zoo de Barcelona – Aviary’s Kitchen

A Zoo Commissary is run with precision, receiving shipments by night and preparing enormous quantities of fresh food by day. One single elephant in the Cleveland Zoo, for example, eats 100 to 400 pounds of food each day. Because animals are precious and many are endangered, they are fed with constant attention to their nutritional needs and their overall health. Food in zoo commissaries is restaurant grade, but it is also prepped with the same attention to hygiene and cleanliness as any restaurant. Cutting corners on any animal’s food, whether it is a Lowland Gorilla or a Desert Jerboa, could have huge consequences for the animal, and therefore cutting corners or stretching the food budget in any way is just not done. The Cleveland Zoo splashes out one million dollars every year to feed their treasured residents!

Keepers at the San Diego Zoo (and every major zoo) are fiercely dedicated to their charges, and so every day in San Diego, meals are carefully prepped for 800 different species, 3,000 animals in total. Food, whether it be fruit, insect, hay, or a whole carcass, is often left in the enclosure for the animal to forage as they please. On a very special day, like a birthday or holiday, sometimes the beloved animals are directed to special treats made just for them. From a watermelon “cake” for a tortoise to frozen “shrimpsicles” for big cats, watching healthy, happy animals devour their treats is surely something that makes every zookeeper’s day! Why not treat yourself this Zoo Day, and watch some happy noshing animals for yourself?

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Zola the pygmy hippo calf turned 1 and enjoyed her birthday “cake” at the Lowry Park Zoo. (Photo Credit: Lowry Park Zoo)

If you’re a fan of zoo animals like we are, check out some
of our zoo animal related at-home experiments! Communicate like a whale with
echolocation, rattle like a snake, or even hibernate like a bear! See links
below for lesson plans and more!

Echolocation: https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/EOTD_Echolocation_Lesson.pdf

Snake Rattle: https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/EOTD_Snake_Rattle_Lesson.pdf

Hibernation Den: https://sciencemadefun.net/downloads/Edible_Hibernation_Den.pdf

Article Sources:

A 50 year old Tortoise birthday party:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIYabM4IqUQ

Big Cats cooling off:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlwCG7r4saw

Christmas Treats at the Zoo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omJ_izb9puA

Halloween Pumpkins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWwaqMyc3PQ

And of course, Valentine’s Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuQURtxiuuI

How the Zoo Commissary works in Cincinnati:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyHytMwDjzs

Zoo Commissary in San Diego:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeEUViBbvpo

Live Long & Prosper

Join High Touch High Tech in celebrating,
Live Long and Prosper Day
March 26^th

If you were ever a fan of Start Trek, the phrase, “Live Long and
Prosper” is a familiar one. Often spoken by Starship Enterprise’s resident Vulcan
and scientist, driven strictly by logic, Mr. Spock. As we celebrate this
special day and meaningful phrase, we take a look at the pop culture icon that
is Mr. Spock, but also the history behind the sentiment and the long-lasting
impact of these simple words.

The greeting, “Live Long and Prosper” is an abbreviated version of
a traditional Jewish religious blessing. It is translated from the Vulcan
language phrase, ‘dif-tor heh smusma‘, which was so uttered in Star
Trek: The Motion Picture. The phrase echoes the Hebrew ‘Shalom aleichem’
and the Arabic ‘Salaam alaykum’, which roughly translate as ‘peace be upon
you’.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Leonard Nimoy’s hand demonstrating the Vulcan Salute

In the
Star Trek television series, the phrase was the spoken greeting/blessing that
accompanied the hand gesture called the Vulcan Salute.

In his 1975 autobiography, I am not Spock, Leonard Nimoy, who was Jewish, wrote that he based the Vulcan Salute on the Priestly blessing performed by Jewish Kohanim with both hands, thumb to thumb in this same position, representing the Hebrew letter Shin (ש), which has three upward strokes similar to the position of the thumb and fingers in the gesture. The letter Shin here stands for El Shaddai, meaning “Almighty God”, as well as for Shalom. Nimoy wrote that when he was a child, his grandfather took him to an Orthodox synagogue, where he saw the blessing performed and was impressed by it.

Due to its popularity and impact on pop culture, the Vulcan Salute became a permanent fixture in written language with a dedicated Unicode Standard (U+1F596 🖖) and emoji symbol. The emoji’s American English short name is “vulcan salute” with keywords “finger”, “hand”, “spock”, and “vulcan”.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Terry W. Virts from ISS

The White
House referenced the Vulcan Salute in its statement on Leonard Nimoy’s death,
calling it “the universal sign for ‘Live long and prosper'”. The
following day, NASA astronaut Terry W. Virts posted a photo on
his twitter feed from the International Space Station (ISS) showing
the Salute as the ISS passed over Nimoy’s birthplace of Boston,
Massachusetts.

Because of
their common theme of space exploration, NASA has had perhaps the most
intimate connection with Star Trek of any government agency.
NASA even has a section of its website dedicated to the relationship between
NASA & Star Trek. On the 50th anniversary of the show’s final episode, NASA
published an article detailing 50 years
of NASA and Star Trek connections!

The first NASA space shuttle was called the Enterprise named after the Star Fleet’s most famous Starship in response to a letter-writing campaign from fans of the television show. The Star Trek cast and crew even visited NASA’s Dryden (now Armstrong) Research Center for a photo opportunity when the Enterprise was rolled out.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Star Trek Cast with Enterprise Space Shuttle

Many Americans have been inspired to become astronauts after watching Star Trek, and some astronauts have even made guest appearances on the show. The casting of African American actress Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura broadcast a powerful message about the position of minorities and women during the height of the civil rights movement; Nichols even actively recruited a diverse crew of new astronauts in real life, including Guion Bluford (the first African American astronaut), Sally Ride (the first female American astronaut), Judith Resnick and Ronald McNair. Mae Jemison was inspired to become the first African American woman in space, and later Jemison became the first real astronaut to appear in a role on Star Trek when she played Lt. Palmer in 1993.

In his
article, The Science of Star Trek, NASA scientist David Allen Batchelor
explores various features of Star Trek according to how
scientifically accurate or inaccurate they are, and comments upon the feasibility
of the show’s inventions. In some cases, these inventions had already been
achieved!

Immediately
following Leonard Nimoy’s death on February 27, 2015, there were many tributes
shared by those who were inspired by his achievements both on and off the
television and movie screen. U.S. Representative Adam B. Schiff submitted his personal tribute
to Mr. Spock which can be found in the official congressional record.

Therefore,
in the words of the beloved Mr. Spock, “Live Long & Prosper”!

Whether
your love of space is limited to the fictional world of Star Trek or the
real-life exploration of space & the final frontier, try this week’s
at-home experiment and make your very own STEM Satellite! Find the lesson plan
and supply list below.

STEM
Satellite Lesson Plan:

STEM Satellite Download

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pictures with us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HighTouchHighTechScienceMadeFun