High Touch High Tech of Hanoi, Vietnam is undertaking a large project where they will deliver hands-on and fun science programs to students from orphanages and low income families. This project will offer numerous science classes and camps to more than 1000 children in Hanoi and 4 nearby provinces. The purpose of such a project is to awaken kids’ passion and interest for science and enrich their personal development.
At the end of July High Touch High Tech of Chicago had the pleasure of teaching the students of Beacon House the difference between a bug and a spider. The students got to learn and have FUN while examining real bugs and even making a bug that they could eat!
Barb Karacic of Beacon House loved the program just as much as her students! Read her testimonial below.
Albert Einstein has long been considered a genius by the masses. He was a theoretical physicist, philosopher, author, and is perhaps the most influential scientists to ever live. In honor of this science icon and to say ‘Happy Birthday Einstein,” we thought we’d share one of our favorite archived e-news articles from March 2013!
Einstein has made great contributions to the scientific world, including the theory of relativity, the founding of relativistic cosmology, the prediction of the deflection of light by gravity, the quantum theory of atomic motion in solids, the zero-point energy concept, and the quantum theory of a monatomic gas which predicted Bose–Einstein condensation, to name a few of his scientific contributions.
Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics “for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.” He’s published more than 300 scientific works and over 150 non-scientific works. Einstein is considered the father of modern physics and is probably the most successful scientist there ever was.
But, you don’t have to be a physicist or an elite research scientist to take away from what Einstein had to offer. We don’t tap often enough into the words of wisdom Einstein shared with the world. From the simply stated to the profoundly put, there’s a lot we can take away from Einstein’s words.
Everyday brings a new opportunity to put his teachings to good use in our personal lives. In celebration of Albert Einstein’s birthday, we bring you 5 Amazing Lessons You Can Learn from Albert Einstein!
These quotes are just a few of our favorites that show how Einstein reached people all throughout walks of life – Do you have a favorite lesson from Albert Einstein? We want to know which of them resonates with you in your life!
Leave us your thoughts below – We always look forward to hearing what our readers have to say!
Delicious, beautiful, and bound to cause a headache.
The ice cream headache is one of the most common and most hated sources of headache. When you’re tucking into a delicious ice cream treat or slurping down a milkshake, the last thing you want is that stabbing pain in your skull from getting a little too enthusiastic with your eating. You get it, I get it, even Harvard students get it, which is why Harvard Medical School students have been inducing ice cream headaches in the lab in order to study them. As it turns out, ice cream headaches are a close cousin to migraines and people who have migraines are more likely to get brain freeze.
“The brain is one of the relatively important organs in the body, and it needs to be working all the time,” said study researcher Jorge Serrador. ”It’s fairly sensitive to temperature, so vasodilation [the widening of the blood vessels] might be moving warm blood inside tissue to make sure the brain stays warm.”
Harvard brought 13 research subjects into their labs and hooked them up to various brain monitoring devices. They gave the subjects ice-cold water to drink and told them to raise their hands when they felt the headache coming on and when it was going away. While studying the brain freeze victims, they noticed that the anterior cerebral artery expanded, letting in more blood and causing the pressure. When the artery constricted and reduced blood flow, the pain subsided. So, basically, an ice cream headache is the brain trying to deal with excess cold, much like 3D headaches are the brain trying to deal with excess input.
Check out our FUN at-home experiment to learn how to make your own ice cream!
Barack Obama and a personal childhood favorite, Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ welcomed a group of younger science and technology innovators to to the White House on Monday, as part of the President’s growing effort to promote innovation from all sides. President Obama has been pushing out tech initiatives consistently over the past couple weeks, bringing innovators to the White House for the State of the Union, bringing the Startup Act to Congress, and now, encouraging young inventors to show off their projects to him at the White House. He even helped shoot off a marshmallow cannon…yeah, we know…we wish there was a video of it.
“The young people I met today, the young people behind me — you guys inspire me. It’s young people like you that make me so confident that America’s best days are still to come. When you work and study and excel at what you’re doing in math and science, when you compete in something like this, you’re not just trying to win a prize today. You’re getting America in shape to win the future. You’re making sure we have the best, smartest, most skilled workers in the world, so that the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root right here. You’re making sure we’ll always be home to the most creative entrepreneurs, the most advanced science labs and universities. You’re making sure America will win the race to the future.
Unbelievable prodigies were honored by the President including:
We took special note as the President made a note to reporters and editors to “give this some attention.” The President continued his plea, saying, “This is the kind of stuff…what these young people are doing…that’s going to make a bigger difference in the life of our country in the long term than just about anything…we’ve got to emphasize how important this is.”
Amen, Mr. President.
Here’s another awesome photo of the President marveling at the marshmallow cannon:
Here’s a clip of Obama honoring these unbelievable youngsters who will most certainly become a valuable part of our future.
The Large Hadron Collider is a superstar in the physics world, if only because it’s one of the few physics tools that have crossed over into mainstream consciousness. Basically everyone is aware of the LHC, thanks to the comic books and pop-up children’s books and
the whole “it’s going to destroy the world!” furor that surrounded the launch of the LHC. Well, as it turns out, all those mini-big bangs may have yielded the ultimate discovery. The CERN team at the LHC is bringing in reporters to its Geneva, Switzerland, headquarters and are expected to announce the discovery of the Higgs boson, AKA the God Particle.
First postulated by Peter Higgs in 1964, the Higgs boson is the lynchpin to the unified theory of physics, which states that all matter is composed ultimately of the same subatomic materials organized in a different way. The Higgs boson, according to scientists and the current theory, is the reason why we have elements and materials and all the things we take for granted (because we are composed of them). The Higgs is the glue that holds together subatomic particles.
This may be the first real evidence of the Higgs boson, and it’s all thanks to the world-threatening LHC.
If you have ever wondered about the science behind your Thanksgiving Day Feast, this post is a must read to learn the fun facts behind triptophan, cranberry sauce, starches, fats, maize and more!
Ah, Thanksgiving. A day full of turkey, cranberries, pie, and, of course, SCIENCE! Thanksgiving is a classic American holiday when families gather around the dinner table. Along with providing an opportunity for family members to celebrate, this holiday also serves as the perfect occasion to impress others with these fun, holiday-themed science facts.
The True Culprit Behind The “Turkey-Day Coma”
For eons upon eons (or at least the past few decades), we’ve blamed post-Thanksgiving drowsiness on tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey meat. Is this really fair or should we be pointing our fingers somewhere else? Perhaps somewhere closer to our empty plates and full bellies? Tryptophan indeed is linked with drowsiness – that’s no myth. It’s a biochemical precursor to serotonin, which has a calming effect on the brain and body. And tryptophan is indeed found in turkey meat. It’s also present in chocolate, some fruits, dairy, red meat and eggs. However, tryptophan is almost certainly not the cause of the Turkey Day food coma. First of all, the levels of tryptophan that we ingest in even a Thanksgiving-sized portion of turkey is not all that much more than is found in what we eat on any other day. Plus tryptophan works best on an empty stomach, not a stuffed one! The real culprit? It’s probably a combination of your body working hard to digest a large meal and a fervent desire to put off doing the dishes!
From Sauce to Solid: The Science of Cranberries
“Slurp…plop!” Recognize that sound? You might if your family usually serves jellied cranberries on Thanksgiving. Cranberries have been known to help fight cancer and also contain antioxidants and nutrients that are beneficial to both dental and cardiovascular health as well as anti-aging properties. Cranberries can be served as a sauce – some like it runny; others like it wiggly; and still some like it firmly gelled. No matter which version you prefer, they all have the exact same ingredients – water, sugar and cranberries. So what makes one version turn into a gelatin while the other stays saucy? It all comes down to the cooking time & how it affects the natural pectin found in the cranberry. As they are cooked, the cranberries pop open, releasing pectin, which helps them stick together. Pectin is a natural polymer found in between plant’s cells and within the cell walls. It helps “glue” the plant cells together and keeps plant tissues firm. And in cooked cranberries it can help stick the cooked fruit together to form a solid jelly. Jellied cranberries are thick, like gelatin, and retain the shape of the mold in which it was placed, which might mean Aunt Sallie’s turkey mold or even the shape of a can. If you are looking at a way to please everyone at dinner by serving both gooey and jellied cranberries, head into the kitchen & discover the science of cranberries for yourself!
Super-Charged Spuds
Thanksgiving would not be the same without mashed potatoes. Not only do they go great with turkey and gravy, they conduct electricity too. Potatoes have hidden energy that can turn your thanksgiving side dish into a real, working battery! The potato battery is a type of electrochemical cell that demonstrates current electricity. An electrochemical cell converts chemical energy into electrical energy. In the potato battery, there is a transfer of electrons between a galvanized nail and copper wire that is inserted into the potato. The potato conducts electricity, keeping ions separate, so that the electrons in the copper wire are forced to move generating an electric current. It’s not enough power to shock you, but the potato can generate readings on electricity meters, make light bulbs glow and even power small digital clocks. You can super-charge your spuds this Thanksgiving by making your very own potato clock!
The “A-Maiz”ing Ear
We can’t talk about the traditional Thanksgiving meal without mentioning corn! Known as “maize” to Native Americans, the relationship between corn & Thanksgiving go all the way back to the first harvest time celebration feast in Plymouth. Whether in a creamy custard or casserole, corn dishes add a little more sweetness and richness to our decadent meal. Corn is grown on every continent except Antarctica and is by far, America’s number one field crop. Not only does it provide great nutritional benefits for us but it has many uses in our everyday life including corn starch, popcorn, corn syrup, corn plastics, and of course, ethanol. One bushel of corn can make 32 pounds of starch, 33 pounds of sweetener, 2.8 gallons of ethanol fuel and 1.6 pounds of corn oil. Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel, also known as biofuel, which is produced from the ears of the corn plant. Ethanol can power cars and also be used as cooking oil. Biofuel burns cleaner than gasoline, reducing air and water pollution. As you bite into that juicy ear of corn during your Turkey Day feast, use some of these facts to “a-maize” your dinner guests with the surprising versatility of plain old corn!
Get Saucy with Starches
Who doesn’t love soaking up the last bit of gravy on Thanksgiving? Sauces provide concentrated flavor in a thickened liquid form that compliments the rest of your meal. No matter if they’re salty, spicy, savory, or sweet, sauces make foods richer and more enjoyable! There are many ways to thicken sauces, but one of the most common ways is to use starches. Cooks have two choices in deciding how to thicken sauces with starches: they can use the starches from grains, or the starches from tubers and roots. The starch in grains like wheat, corn, and rice is different from the starch in roots and tubers like potatoes, tapioca, and arrowroot. To make your sauce or gravy you add the starch to the liquid. It sounds like a simple task – You just put it in, right? Wrong. Mixing starches & liquids can be a very tricky process. There are several methods to incorporate the two together, including mixing the starch first with a small amount of cold water, mixing the starch first with a bit of fat, or making a roux. By experimenting with different starches and liquids, you can watch the molecules go to work & discover which has the ultimate thickening power!
Perfecting Your Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is one of the staples of the Thanksgiving feast, having been linked to the holiday since that autumn eve more than 300 years ago. Pumpkin pie has even sparked the interest of archaeologists as a product derived from merging three distinct cultures together. This favorite holiday dessert is a combination of ingredients from Native American, European and African cultures – pumpkin, pastry crust and allspice- and represents a cultural mixing referred to as “creolization” by New World Scholars. Pumpkin pie not only attracts archeologists around the world but kitchen scientists as well. You can enjoy this dessert on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream, but either way the light & flaky crust is crucial in producing a perfect pumpkin pie. Making the dough light & flaky all comes down to the scientific makeup of the pie dough. When making pastry dough, large amounts of fat are used to coat and separate the flour particles from each other. You then add just enough water to make a dough. Since much of the starch in the flour is not in contact with any of the water, the resulting cooked dough is crumbly and flaky. If the pastry that surrounds the pumpkin mixture is heavy or chewy then that can affect how much you enjoy this thanksgiving finale. This holiday, experiment with different fats & temperatures to see which gives your pumpkin pie the best texture & taste. Who knows, with the help of a little science, you just might become your family’s pie master!
For many families, Thanksgiving Day is marked by special foods — and endless leftovers. If you’re on kitchen duty this November, put these food science skills to use & become a kitchen chemist with experiments like these!
Science is fun for the whole family. It can span the ages and intrigue the whole family. It will surprise you how well science gifts can be received, even grandfather’s and mothers in-law will like a science gift if you try giving science gifts this holiday season. With so many divisions of science, you ought to be able to find something that suits each person on your list–and sometimes, that hard-to-buy-for person can be the easiest one to buy a science gift for.
Science is fun for the whole family. It can span the ages and intrigue the whole family. It will surprise you how well science gifts can be received, even grandfather’s and mothers in-law will like a science gift if you try giving science gifts this holiday season. With so many divisions of science, you ought to be able to find something that suits each person on your list–and sometimes, that hard-to-buy-for person can be the easiest one to buy a science gift for.
Why Science?
Science is SO important, and too many people feel intimidated by it. I’ve made it a personal mission to promote sciences to homeschoolers, to encourage them to observe and question the natural world around them, to tell them that science is nothing to fear.
So why is science so important? Simple. Because it is all around us in the natural world we live in, and our technology, too, is becoming more and more complex, and in order for us, as adults, to make informed decisions, we need a solid understanding of science in order to interpret the scientific messages we received day-in and day-out..
Many of us have known for a very long time that our children, here in America, are being left behind by the other children of the world, due to an education deficit all across the board, but no subjects so significant as math and science. Thank goodness we’re waking up to the call for reform. President Obama announced recently the need for increased attention to math and science education, national organizations like STEM, have been promoting science education, as well as some celebrities like Adam Savage of the popular show, Mythbusters. Including science in your holiday gift-giving will help to get the ball rolling, but science is for every-day, and should be incorporated as a natural part of yours and your child’s lives.
Learn the many sub-divisions of Science & get great gift ideas for the science lover in your family in this great article Science For Christmas!
High Touch High Tech of Western North Carolina & Greenville / Spartanburg SC is proud to be this week’s MobiDeal Featured Deal of The Week! Now is the time to book your holiday party & get 50% off this week only! See below for more details:
Get more information by visiting High Touch High Tech of WNC online by clicking here.
You can also call 828.684.3192 for more details & to book today!
Science of the Sandwich: turn your favorite, triple-decker into a tower of nutritional power!
Here’s how not to build a sandwich: Start with wimpy white bread, smear on the mayo really thick, and then pile on an entire package plus a dozen individually wrapped slices cheese. Instead of a hero, you’ve got yourself a nutritional supervillain. The good news is, it’s simple to recast that sandwich. Here’s how to do it right, whether you want to ensure a nutritional lunch, additional muscle growth or just plain old good health.
THE BREAD
All great sandwiches start with great bread. The more nubs and nuggets you see–which indicate fiber content–the better. When shopping, select varieties whose ingredient lists start off with “whole-grain wheat” or “whole-wheat flour.” But know that “wheat flour” isn’t the same thing as “whole-wheat flour”–it’s the “whole” part that contributes the fiber. And don’t go just by color; some wheat breads made with refined white flour (wheat flour that’s been stripped of the coarse, fiber-rich kernel) are colored to look tike whole-wheat bread. Kaiser rolls, baguettes, focaccia, and most pitas (except whole-wheat pitas) are considered “white” bread. Even sourdough, rye and pumpernickel are often actually colored and flavored white-flour breads. A good benchmark is a nutritional score of at least two grams of fiber per slice. Whole-wheat breads may have a smidgen of fat, but not enough to worry about.
Smart bread choices include Freihofer’s Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat, Wonder 100% Whole Wheat, Nature’s Cupboard Natural l0-Grain, Arnold Country Wheat, and Rubschlager Danish Style Pumpernickel.
THE CHEESE
Most manufacturers of reduced-fat cheese have finally figured out how to make a product that maintains its classic flavor after the calories and fat have been minimized. More good news: Trimming the fat from these cheeses doesn’t keep them from remaining valuable sources of calcium that keep your bones strong and healthy.
Deli counter: Take a number at the deli counter, it’s worth waiting in line for the likes of Yarlsberg Light Swiss and Alpine Lace Swiss.
Prepackaged aisle: In the prepackaged-cheese aisle, check out Sargento Light Deli Style Sliced Provolone and Sargento Light Deli Style Sliced Swiss. Kraft makes a very serviceable fat-free American cheese product called (surprise!) Fat Free Singles. Kraft also makes Fat Free Swiss Singles, but the flavor seems indistinguishable from that of their American slices (the possibility exists, of course made of stone).
MEAT
With all the lean choices now available, why to heavily processed, high-fat deli meats oozing with nitrites? Roasted and smoked turkey breast, baked ham and lean roast beef are all better picks.
Just make sure to buy actual meat and not meat blends (baked ham versus ham luncheon meat, for example). The first place to go is the deli counter, where a guy in a white smock will actually weigh and cut the fresh chunks of meat for you into any thickness your heart desires.
For great deli-counter meats, try Healthy Choice Honey Maple Ham, Healthy Choice Honey Roasted and Smoked Turkey Breast, Healthy Choice Italian Style Roast Beef, Boarshead Ovengold Turkey, and Boarshead Baked Ham.
If you insist on shopping in the prepackaged-meat aisle, be careful: If it looks like it’s been preserved in hair gel, perhaps it’s a bit too processed. When you buy pure meat (such as turkey breast, ham carved from the bone, and roast beef), you can actually pull the slices apart with the “grain.”
Some tasty and healthy prepackaged-meat options are Healthy Choice Deli Traditions Garlic & Herb Roast Beef, Healthy Choice Deli Traditions Cooked Ham, Healthy Choice Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Variety Pack, Butterball Fat Free Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey Breast, and Butterball Fat Free Smoked Turkey Breast.
THE VEGETABLES
Sandwiches give you the perfect opportunity to sneak in a few of those five servings you’re supposed to eat each day. Start with dark-green lettuce (such as romaine or red leaf), and choose vine-ripened tomatoes for the most flavor. Great additions to any sandwich include roasted red peppers (from water-packed jars), bottled sweet and hot peppers, water-packed artichoke hearts, red-onion slices, fresh basil, fresh watercress leaves, fresh baby spinach leaves, shredded carrots, and even cucumber slices for extra water, fiber and bulk, a triad that increases satisfaction without increasing calories. In fact, one whole cup of vegetables has only 50 calories, but can be loaded with vitamins and minerals. Options include:
* 1 cup carrots–19,000 IU of vitamin A
* 1 tomato–138 mg potassium; lycopene
* 1 cup red peppers–282 mg vitamin C
* 1 cup spinach–245 mg calcium
THE SAUCE
If you’re a true mayonnaise lover, there’s no need to go without. Fat-free and reduced-fat varieties of mayonnaise and Miracle Whip can just as creamy and fat-laden as their oily counterparts. Besides the classic French’s yellow mustard, try country-style honey mustard or any of the gourmet varieties now available in most markets. Fortunately, plenty of healthy and tasty toppings are out there, although some of them can carry hefty amounts of sugar.
Fat-Free Sauces (two tablespoons)
* Salsa-
* Tomato-basil sauce-
* Fat-free Italian salad dressing-
* Black bean sauce-
* Light soy sauce-
* Teriyaki sauce-
* Hickory-smoked barbecue sauce-
QUICK TIP
To add zip to your fat-free mayo, mix in some cayenne pepper.
DODGE THESE BULLETS
Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip: At 11 grams of fat per tablespoon, mayonnaise should come with a prescription for Lipitor. Try fat-free varieties–or mustards, tomato sauces, steak sauces, soy or most Asian sauces.
Full-Fat Cheese: There’s no reason to buy full fat-cheese anymore, not when the reduced-fat selections taste just as good. However, because of their higher water content, fat-free varieties typically don’t melt as well, so keep an eye on the stove to prevent burning.
White Bread: Need we remind you that white bread is lacking in many nutrients? Ease the switch to whole grains by opting for whole-wheat bread before graduating to grainy, multigrain slices.
SUPER SIDES
Mayonnaise-Free Cole Slaw: Combine one cup of prepackaged cole slaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots) and a quarter-cup of ranch dressing.
Tropical Fruit Salad: Combine two cups of mixed fresh fruit (you can use any combination of cubed melon, papaya, mango, pineapple, berries and oranges).
Brown Rice/Black Bean Salad: Toss together one cup of cooked instant brown rice, one-third cup of canned black beans, two chopped green onions and two tablespoons of Italian salad dressing.
Discover more about National Sandwich Day on ABC News.com or read about the top 31 sandwiches in America
