The purpose of this assignment is to develop your ability to read and write about science.
The assignment:
Each week you will find an science related article that is interesting to you. It can be about any topic, not just whatever we are studying in class. Then you will write a report which has these three parts:
1) Citation: Here you will put the name of the article, the author, and where you found it (for example, the New York Times or Science News for Kids).
2) A brief summary: Here you will summarize the article in one or two sentences. This is to give your readers (including me) a sense of what you have read.
3) Reflection: This is the biggest part of your report. I am interested in your response to the article. Please address the following questions in your reflection:
a) What did you think about the article? Did you like it or not? Why?
b) What interested you or surprised you about the article?
c) What questions do you have about what you read? What would you like to know more about what you’ve read?
Click here to find tons of science articles.
Your report is due Friday here on the blog.
The Orange Shagamuffins
15 years ago
Posts
26 comments:
An Icy Discovery on Mars, but Where’s the Water?
By Kenneth Chang
found in the New York Times
When we look at mars through a telescope or a picture and see the white at the northern plains it's ice.The scientists at NASA think that with all the moisture in the air it has to go somewhere at night but mars is not cooperating.
Personally i did not like the article that much because it was short and didn't have so many facts and it was mostly scientists talking about it.
What intrested me was that where would the water go at night because for us the moisture in the air makes dew in the morning.
The article left me with no questions about mars.
Weekly Science Article Reflection #1
I read the article Fast-Food Could Betray Criminals from the website http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7617142.stm. I found the topic of sweat fingerprints on metal being more reliable than residue fingerprints very interesting. The way the sweat fingerprints idea works is like this: the criminal eats fast food, which happens to be high in salt. Then the criminal sweats and touches a metal surface. Now the criminal has left a sweat fingerprint on that surface. The salt causes corrosion of the metal, and the higher in salt the sweat is the more corrosion. So after the crime has been committed, the police come along, see the corrosion of the metal surface, which produces a clearer fingerprint, and track down the criminal. Dr. John Bond puts it as, "So the sweaty fingerprint impression you leave when you touch a surface will be high in salt if you eat a lot of processed foods - the higher the salt, the better the corrosion of the metal." So far this theory has only been proven on metal that experienced high temperatures and the police have used this four times already. So sweat that is high in salt creates prints that are easier to collect on metal than those containing less salt residue, but not so much on other surfaces.
I thought the article was very interesting. I wonder if officials will be investigating this theory on other materials or if they already have. I believe that this method of tracking down criminals works really well, but I wonder, if a criminal reads this, will it make him shy away from fast-food? If criminals continue to eat fast food, this method of tracking down criminals will work really well, but if they stop, then this idea will come to no use. I wonder if Dr. John Bond, the creator of the method, stumbled upon the method, or if he worked really hard to develop the theory and prove it, but of course if he had stumbled upon it, he would have pondered the idea of how it came to be.
1-800-CALL-DAD is a new system for parents to find out if their teen's drivng is lacking while they are on the road.
It costs $99 a year for a bumper stick on the back that say's how's my driving? If someone report the bad driving, the system operator will notify parents withing 15 minutes.
I personally think it is stupid for $99 for a bumper sticker. And even if they are driving bad, that doesn't mean someone will report it. So, it is a waste of $99 a year.
Seabirds killed over food no auther named I found it in bbc news
The artical was about chicks dying from other birds or fell of cliff.
a) I liked it because it was very interesting and said about baby chicks and other things.
b) what surprised me that mother birds are away from baby chicks for a very long time and a lot of chicks died
c) My question is what birds took the chicks and are that species of birds going exstinkt
Almanac: Global Cooling May Be Under Way
Old Farmer's Almanac
http://www.wnbc.com/weather/17426207/detail.html
In this article it explains how global cooling has a chance of happening in the next fifty years. It also explains that Northern Texas has a possibility of getting snow in the next fifty years and the Ozarks of Southern New England will experience more snow. years it also predicts an active hurricane season in 2009 especially for Florida. Last year the Almanac correctly predicted an increased amount of snow in the North East.
A) In the article I read I enjoyed the elaboration on how this almanac can predict all of this weather activity going on or will happen. So I guess that is a yes I really enjoyed the article.
B) In the article I was surprised to hear Northern Texas has a possibility of snow fall. When I think of Texas I think of hot dry land.
C) When I was reading the article I had the question of what if all of the predictions come false. Or what if the become true. If they are true People in Florida should hear about it.
Tiniest serpent
No author
Found in science new for kids
I found the world’s smallest snake. It may look like a worm but it’s not. The one who discovered this fascinating creature is Blair Hedges of Pennsylvania State University he found the snake in Barbados. The snake is no longer then four inches long; it is almost as big as an average size computer mouse. The snake belongs to a group of snakes called threadsnakes. The new species does not look like a threadsnake but the DNA confirms
That it deserves a category of its own. Hedges has given the new snake a name after studding five different adult species (the name is Barbados threadsnake) the mother threadsnake gives birth to one egg at a time. So there you have it the smallest snake in the world.
My questions are how many are there in the wild and can they be found any were else in the world. Other wise I liked they article because it was interesting and cool.
Article Title: Yummy Bugs
Author: Science News for Kids
Where was it found: www.sciencenewsforkids.com
A Brief Summary: researchers and scientists have been interested in why some countries eat bugs on a daily bases and others are grossed out by them. The article compares insects to other foods that we eat and how much insects are healthier than regular meat we eat today.
Reflection: I thought the article was interesting. It definitely stood out from the other articles on the list because it was a very surprising topic and caught my eye. It surprised me that there is a restaurant open named “Bug Appetit” that makes food mostly out of insects. Zack Lemann (the chef) says that bugs “taste kind of nutty.” Something that I would like to further explore is what percentage of the world eats bugs with no problem v.s. the people who do not have a problem. Also another thought I am interested in is finding out how much protein is in an insect and how much protein is in meat we eat and compare the two percentages.
Innovative Hydrogen-Powered Car Created
No author found
www.ScienceDaily.com
This article is about a team of students from the University of Sunderland who came up with a hydrogen-powered car.
I liked this article. I am very interested in doing things that are good for the environment. I thought it was very detailed and easy to understand. I think having a car that runs on hydrogen is a great idea. Hydrogen is great for the environment, it is not a fossil fuel and it is very easy to manufacture.
I was drawn to the article because it was under “environment.” It is interesting that nobody thought of this idea until now. I also think it is cool how a group of college students came up with such a great idea. This idea could change the car industry business forever.
Some questions I still have are will all cars be hydrogen powered in the future?
I want to learn more about how you can put hydrogen into a car. I also would like to know what the comparison in price would be between a car running on hydrogen and a car running on gas.
No plant CO2 relief in warm world
By Richard Black
found on the BBC news website
This was a rather brief article about climate change. It discussed the dangers to our plant life on Earth.
The article was OK, but it didn't really go into detail about how this will effect the environment. It interested me because it said a little about the threats to our plant's ability to recycle CO2 because of rising temperatures. My question about the article is what exactly will happen to us if the plant's ability to photosynthesize becomes reduced? Will we need to replicate the ability and spend extensive resources on recycling it ourselves?
Discovery or doom? Collider stirs debate
By Alan Boyle
Science editor
MSNBC
Updated 5:03 p.m. ET, Mon., Sept. 8, 2008
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24556999/?GT1=43001
There is an atom-smasher at Europe's CERN research center. It will be started near Geneva. The results of the world’s most powerful particle smasher could cause black holes that could engulf Earth.
I think this is a good article I just am angry at the scientists for jeopardizing the earth. I also liked this article because we could all die if the collider fails. I think it is a big risk because they would find out how particles with no mass make matter. If they mess up we are all dead. I was surprised they took that risk. I was surprised by how big it is and how it works. I thought it was really cool because it is completely under ground. I would like to know the following questions:
1 How did you come up with the idea?
2 How did you build the collider?
3 How did you make the decision?
4 What are the results of the collider?
5 Did you find the Higgs boson?
Chemicals found in common plastics linked to heart disease.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/36488/title/Plastics_chemical_linked_to_heart_disease%2C_diabetes
Bisphenol A, which is found in many plastic materials may be linked to heart disease and liver problems. Scientists believe there are ups and downs to this discovery if the FDA wants to they can eliminate this product and maybe stop some heart diseases and liver problems. The bad news is that our system that we use to determine risk is way off. The FDA (food and drug administration) isn’t so sure about this discovery despite multiple tests proving it. I liked the article because it is an article about possible life changing developments. It wasn’t as interesting as I would like but it is a very important article. It was surprising that common plastic objects could be putting me at a higher risk level for heart disease. I still don’t really understand why the FDA wouldn’t consider this more.
Coolest Inventions of 2007
Time for kids article
A phone that brings the world to your fingertips. A robot that can see and recognize you. A dress that senses your mood and lets everyone know whether you are happy or sad. A machine that could help save your life. These are just a few of the recent gadgets, gizmos and bright ideas developed by inventors. Here are some of 2007's smartest inventions.
Mail and Grow
How do you make your garden grow? Just peel off the plastic film on these stamps and plant them in dirt! Issued by a Dutch company, TNT Post, the stamps contain real flower seeds.
Express Yourself
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, put on a Philips SKIN Probes outfit. The Bubelle dress uses sensors to pick up on your feelings. Lights in the dress change colors to match your mood.
Superphone
You've heard the hype. Guess what? It's true. The iPhone is no ordinary gadget. It's a handheld, walk-around computer. Its touchscreen helps users talk, hear music, watch video, use the Internet and more. More than 1.4 million iPhones have been sold.
City Wheels
Zoom, zoom, zoom. The City Car aims to change the way people travel in cities. The electric cars stack together like shopping carts. The system could save energy. Passengers pick up and return the cars at stations. The cars should be running in 2011.
Head in the Game
Relax, Mom! The HITS helmet records the location and force of impacts to a football player's head. The high-tech helmet sends data to a computer. A Web analysis helps parents and coaches see if a doctor is needed.
A Flying Robot
Birds do it. Bees do it. And now a toy does it too. FlyTech Dragonfly is the first remote-controlled toy to fly by flapping its wings instead of using a propeller. The dragonfly is sturdy yet ultralight, weighing just one ounce. It sells for $49.99.
Skintight Space Suit
Astronauts will soon be able to shed some poundsoof heavy gear, that is. The Bio-Suit is formfitting spacewear developed by MIT professor Dava Newman. It is lighter than today's bulky suits, and made of elastic materials that improve mobility.
This Robot Can See You
What sets Domo apart from run-of-the-mill robots? This machine has the ability to recognize people and react to its surroundings. Created by two scientists at MIT, Domo can hold objects, place a cup on a counter and grasp your hands when you touch its spring-loaded ones. Its human-like eyes can even see who's watching.
Transformers
High heels are not built for comfort. Now, in just three quick steps, towering high heels become comfy flats. Camileon Heels transform with just a tug, a click and a tuck. The unique design prevents the heel from collapsing or coming loose.
Good Blood
Scientists have developed a new machine that can convert anyone's blood to type O-negative. Only 7% of people have type O-negative blood. Those people are called universal donors, because their blood can be given to help people of any blood type. The blood converter is now being tested on humans.
Let It Rain
Even Mary Poppins would want to trade in her old parasol for this sleek new model. Shaped like a bat wing, the stylish Senz umbrella can withstand winds up to 70 miles per hour without flipping inside out! For $55, the Senz will have you singing in the rain.
Healing Hand
Even trained professionals find it hard to get CPR chest compressions right. Enter the CPR Glove, which was invented by three Canadian college students. The glove is embedded with sensors and chips that talk you through the proper CPR technique. The sensors measure the amount and frequency of pressure that is applied to the chest.
I think these inventions are really cool, But how about they make a 2008 edition hm????
I can't wait to see what we have this year...
I liked this article. I really think the robot that can see you and the robot that can fly is really cool. It was a long article but I liked it. The healing hand also really caught my eye.
1) How does the flying robot work?
2) how does the other robot see you?
Yummy Bugs
By Science News for Kids
www.sciencenewsforkids.com
In this article, scientists were surprised to find out that bugs were actually pretty healthy for you. They also talked about how a certain museum is now going to have a café that serves bugs as entrees.
The article was really long and it got kind of boring after a while, so I guess I could say it was alright. It kind of surprised me bugs were nutritious instead of just creepy crawlers that wandered the earth. I don’t really have any questions except, does the museum have any other restaurants? Because the idea of eating bugs still kind of freaks me out.
“Yummy Bugs”
Author not given
Science News for Kids
The article describes how people are eating more and more bugs as a replacement for poultry and beef. It’s cheaper, easier and better for the environment. This trend is growing in popularity, except for in America and Europe which are two of the most powerful and wealthy places on earth. We won’t eat bugs because it utterly repulses us.
I liked this article because the topic affects all of us and was easy to read and understand. What surprised me is how many people are farming and eating bugs and that they are better for you than other meats especially when they are younger like larva or caterpillars. Why don’t we just join the rest of the world and eat bugs? It might help our economy and the environment.
By The Skinless Wonder
Author: Mark Kinver
Title: Britain 'faces power cuts threat'
Location: BBC News
In this article it talks about how there is an energy gap. They are concerned that it will cost too much money to fix it.
I kind of liked this article. It was ok because it was a little boring to me. I think it was boring because I’m not that interested in the topic and I did not understand it all the way, but it was ok to read. It surprised me that they would have such a gap in energy and how it would cost money to fix it. I would like to know how much money it would cost to repair the gap in energy
The article that I chose is about astronomy in this article astronauts believe that they have discovered a star like sun astronauts are not sure if the star is a planet or another sun. The star discovered is estimated to be 7 to 12 times the size of Jupiter.
In this article there was a lot that surprised me. First, the astronauts stated that it would take 7 years to determine if the star was following earth and was a planet or staying in one place. The thing that surprised me the most was that astronauts have had this happen before twice. How come I haven’t heard of it happening before. To me this article was confusing . The confusing part of the article was the language the article used astronomy words which are big and confusing. I was disappointed to here that the last to discoveries of stars turned out to just be brown dwarfs. Hopefully that this star will turn out to be a new planet that we can study and learn about
Ajax555
What Do Astronauts Eat In Space? Can they grow food?
Cathy Jordan and Britt Scharringhausen
I searched for my article on Google and this is the website I came up with: http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=132
I read an article about what astronauts eat in space. They do not eat the astronaut ice cream that you find in stores. They eat just like us, with a fork, knife and spoon but their meals are in packages so that they don’t get moldy or grow bacteria.
I thought that the article that I read was okay. I liked it because it was very interesting and it was about a topic that pulled me in. I didn’t like it because there was not very much information and the article was kind of short. What interested me about the article was that astronauts eat the same stuff we do and in the same way. They eat granola bars, nuts, dehydrated macaroni and cheese and eggs (which they add water to), fruits, yogurts and meats treated with heat to kill bacteria and dried apricots and peaches which are dehydrated and eaten that way on the shuttle. They also use the same utensils; a fork, knife and spoon but they also have a little pair of scissors to cut their packaged meal open. Something that surprised me was that hot foods and crumby foods can be dangerous on the shuttle. Crumby foods can be dangerous because someone can get sick if by accident they inhale a crumb that has been floating around the cabin. Hot foods can be dangerous because if the float away and touch someone it can burn them. I would want to know more about how they treat the meat, fruits and yogurt so that they don’t have any bacteria or microbes. I would also like to know what the macaroni and cheese and eggs come in and how they add the water without making a mess or heating it up.
Ear Pain, Weight Gain
Science News for Kids
Did you know kids who get serious ear infections often have a chance of being obese later in life? It turns out that 3 out of 4 children develop an ear infection in the middle part of their ear by age 3. Scientists say that ear infections make kids crave fatty foods and fatty foods make you gain weight.
I think that the article scared me a little, because I always get swimmers ear and I think that counts as an ear infection. But its good to know because I never really knew that, its one of those random facts that’s in the back of your mind all the time.
I haven’t got my tonsils out and im glad because results say that people who have gotten their tonsils out gain more weight then people who haven’t. This article really explains why the US is so obese.
I wonder how often you have to have those ear infections to crave those fatty foods? And also why ear infections? Why not like stuffy noes?!
1) Citation: Here you will put the name of the article, the author, and where you found it (for example, the New York Times or Science News for Kids).
-The title of my article is Europe Plans Asteroid Sample Grab; by John Amos.
2) A brief summary: Here you will summarize the article in one or two sentences. This is to give your readers (including me) a sense of what you have read.
-The Europeans Space Agency is going to select a small asteroid to help learn how our universe evolved.
3) Reflection: This is the biggest part of your report. I am interested in your response to the article. Please address the following questions in your reflection:
a) What did you think about the article? Did you like it or not? Why?
b) What interested you or surprised you about the article?
c) What questions do you have about what you read? What would you like to know more about what you’ve read?
-I found the article very interesting because I really like to learn about space, and what might happen to our universe in the future, and how it evolved. I am surprised that they could find an asteroid that could tell them that out of all the asteroids in the universe. I don’t really have any questions, I thought the article explained it very well.
The name of the article that I read was called Living in Outer Space, By Douglas E. Richards. I found this article in the October 2008 issue of National Geographic Kids.
This article is about what scientists believe it will be like if we live on the moon in the future.
What I liked about this article was it had a lot of pictures and extra things like five moon facts and inventions that came from outer space. I also liked it was written in a way kids could understand. I was interested by this article because it was described in a way that made you think that you could be living on the moon in about 12 years. I was surprised that this wasn’t just a myth that might happen in the future but that it is very likely that people may one day live on the moon. It said that scientist have already started testing some of the things that may be used. I wonder if we are able to live on the moon in the future if anyone who is not a scientist could live there. In the last paragraph it said that scientists are also thinking of living on mars so I am wondering about that.
This was a great article and recommend that you read it.
ARTICLE NAME: Controversy Over Telescope Origin!!
FOUND: BBC News
In the article controversy over telescope origin, was basically about who the creator of the telescope had been and De Guilleuma had kept his theory that the inventor of the telescope was Juan Roget.
History Today (magazine company) had suggested that the telescope's inventor had been a maker that lived in Gerona,Spain, but the first refracting telescopes had shown-up in the Netherlands in 1608.
I personally enjoyed this article but it still leave's me wondering because its basically based on predicting and research that could be wrong. what got me interested in this article was that know one new for sure who had created it. many people claimed the telescope to be their own inventions but no one still knows for sure leave's with questions that i cant think of now but still have in my head.
How to Save Fish
By John Tirnyth Tierny
New York Times
science
This story was about how we can save our fish population and what solutions we have in order to do that. The main source idea of the article was how we should make our prices of fish higher when it’s a better fishing season and make hem lower when it’s not as good. That way you can make the same amount of money with less fish. Now this doesn't seem very reasonable for the people buying the fish but fish isn’t to popular of a food for people cooking at home. You only have it once in a while not every week. I liked the article because I think it made a lot of sense and was about worthy cause that no one really thinks about and that was part of the reason why I chose it. the part that was surprising to me was the solution to the problem because it seemed so simple and not as complicated as I expected it to be. I want to know more about the cause, it doesn't seem like something that’s getting very much attention or is being thought about. Everyone in the world is so caught up with gas prices or global warming and I guess haven't really stopped and thought about all the different causes in the world that are happening. I think the world should pay more attention to different causes that are happening around them.
Ear pain, weight gain.
By: It doesn’t say
Found: Science news for kids
Ear pain weight gain is about how kids that get ear infections more frequently are more likely than other kids to become obese.
I really liked this article. I think that it was well written and well put together. Also it was very factual and had great information about the topic. Something that surprised me about this article was the reason why that happens! It happens because when a child gets repeated ear infections they can damage their chorda tympani. It starts at the taste buds and sends messages to your brain about what you taste. When you have an ear infection you become extra sensitive about what you taste because of the feel of the fatty foods. They don’t taste better, but they want more of it. Another thing that surprised me was that if you get your tonsils removed it’s the same thing, you are more likely to become obese later in life. I would like to know more about how the scientists found out this information. Also I would want to know what even gave them the idea to find out more about this topic.
The article I chose was called Arctic Ice Retreat Misses Last Year’s Mark By Andrew C. Revkin I found it at the New York Times website under science. So the basic summary of this article is that the ice in the Atlantic is melting because there is not as much ice showing up in the graphs as much as last year. Also global warming has a part in this to. Now the ice is expanding. I like how he interviewed people and how he posted different ideas. I thought this was a good article to read because of how interesting it was. It was surprising that the ice is melting and how much it is and how it went down on the graph. I want to know more about why it is melting and was it is going to effect.
PURPLEMONKEY
In France, scientists created a 17-mile long atom smasher to reenact and prove the Big Bang theory.
The article was quite engaging and was full of amazing details. I was blown away when they said that they could make a machine called the “CERN Collider” push a proton beam close to the speed of light, whizzing 11,000 times a second around the 150 to 500 foot tunnel in the countryside on the French-Swiss border. The cost to build this jumbo machine was $4 billion! The thought that humans could create such a machine that could recreate the power of how the universe was created is mind-boggling.
However, after reading this article, I discovered a late breaking news article telling about how the “CERN Collider” malfunctioned within hours of its launch. A 30-ton transformer that cools part of the collider broke, forcing physicists to stop using the atom smasher just a day after starting it up last week.
At first it was disappointing to hear the news just hours after I started on this report. But after reading further, I discovered that even though they had to shut it down it’s still a great scientific accomplishment because it is the largest machine ever built by humans. "This is arguably the largest machine built by humankind, is incredibly complex, and involves components of varying ages and origins, so I'm not at all surprised to hear of some glitches," Steve Giddings, physics professor at University of California, Santa Barbara. "It's a real challenge requiring incredible talent, brain power and coordination to get it running."
A lot of people were relieved that the machine failed at the last minute because they were apprehensive that it would create “micro black holes and subatomic versions of collapsed stars whose gravity is so strong they can suck in planets and other stars.” I for one wanted this machine to launch. I hope they can somehow solve the glitch and get it up and running.
My question is, why would they consider making it if there was a possibility that it would destroy the earth? Another question I have is; can they fix it?
CERN's 17-Mile-Long Atom Smasher To Re-Enact 'Big Bang'
ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS | September 7, 2008 02:52 PM EST
Transformer glitch shuts down biggest atom smasher
By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, Associated Press Writer Thu Sep 18, 5:18 PM ET
Luv everyones sooo kool !!!!!
GREAT JOB PERIOD 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-CHRISSYBROWN08
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