All Stories
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Pythagoras and the Ratios: A Math Adventure by Julie Ellis
A boy’s quest to tune a pan flute and a lyre illustrates some of the many uses of mathematical ratios. (Ages 9 – 12) PYTHAGORAS AND THE RATIOS: A MATH ADVENTURE BY JULIE ELLIS Charlesbridge, 2010, 32 p., $16.95.
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Looking Closely Around the Pond by Frank Serafini
Young readers can guess what will be revealed in close-up photos of pond life, then learn about the plants and animals shown. (Ages 4 – 7) LOOKING CLOSELY AROUND THE POND BY FRANK SERAFINI Kids Can Press, 2010, 40 p., $16.95.
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The Circulatory Story by Mary K. Corcoran
Humor pulses through this detailed exploration of how blood moves through the body. (Ages 9 – 12) THE CIRCULATORY STORY BY MARY K. CORCORAN Charlesbridge, 2010, 41 p., $17.95.
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Letters
ET, stay home Your excellent editorial in the April 24 issue of Science News (“An intelligent ET would probably just stay home”) explained the most obvious reasons for the unlikelihood of an extraterrestrial message, let alone visitors. Additional obstacles worth mention are 1) the gigantic retro-rockets, parachutes and heat shields required for braking a super-speeding […]
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Obama adviser weighs ‘the rightful place of science’
Obama adviser weighs ‘the rightful place of science’ by Eric S. Lander ERIC S. LANDER “Science drives the innovation that provides productivity and growth for the future economy, and it also adds to our quality of life in many ways.” Len Rubenstein In an address to scientists attending the 2010 meeting of the American Association […]
- Space
Herschel telescope unveils icy debris ringing sunlike stars
New infrared images may reveal analogues of the solar system’s Kuiper belt.
- Life
Genome from a bottle
Cells switch species when given synthetic DNA, an advance that could lead to designer organisms.
- Physics
Some ‘ball lightning’ reports may be hallucinations
Magnetic fields generated by real bolts could trigger visual effects in the brain.
- Earth
BP’s estimate of spill rate is way low, engineer suggests
“It’s not rocket science.” That’s how a Purdue University mechanical engineer described his calculations of startling amounts of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico from fissures in heavily damaged piping at a BP drill site. During a May 19 science briefing convened by a House subcommittee, Steve Wereley walked members of Congress through his use of particle image velocimetry to explain how he and other engineers track changes in video images of gases or liquids to estimate the volumes billowing before their eyes.
- Chemistry
Exposure of moms-to-be to hormone-mimicking chemical may affect kids years later
In mice, BPA can cause pregnancy complications that can also trigger later metabolic effects in both moms and grown male offspring.
- Humans
Young scientists and engineers get inspired
As I walked around the convention center in San Jose, Calif., last week talking with students at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, I was struck by how many of the projects were inspired by something personal. These young scientists noticed that something was wrong, and then—here’s the best part—they actually tried to fix it.
- Space
Matter beats out antimatter in experimental echo of creation
A larger-than-expected imbalance could presage major physics breakthroughs.
