PLANET SCIENCE NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 01 Week ending Friday, 13th September 2002 It's not every day a new planet comes into existence in our solar system. But this week was different. Tuesday saw the launch into orbit of a startling new cosmic body: Planet Science. Planet Science is in many ways similar to Science Year (awwww - remember Science Year?) ... but it's new, improved, and has go-faster stripes on it. More on that in a moment, but first what all’s in store this week. • PLANETARY GOINGS-ON • WEBSITE – new name (and job available too) • BIRD BRAIN CHALLENGE – new online quiz • ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK – DIY hovercraft • SCIENCE LINE NEWS OF THE WORLD – itchy money • RWW – NASA Kids News • DR COMEDY and this week's prescription... • JOKES of the week WHAT PLANET ARE WE ON? If you’ve been following the unfolding story of Science Year’s official extension until 31st July next year, you’ll know that there’s been much brainstorming and scratching of heads as to what the new brand name should be, as ‘Year’ was obviously no longer appropriate. Very many thanks if you sent ideas in to us – all contributions went into our giant creative cauldron and were fully discussed by the team. A shortlist of three were eventually decided upon. And then at the last minute a surprise fourth candidate, ‘Planet Science’, entered the ring and won the day. So – hope you like it. We do. (The only drawback we’ve discovered is when you have to tell switchboard operators, "I’m calling from Planet Science". They do tend to snigger and alert Security. But they should get used to us soon…) PLANET SCIENCE is all about building on the achievements of Science Year, and so the Aims & Objectives of the project are similar to last year’s – just slightly more specific in certain respects, and with some shift of emphasis. You can read the full document here. >top WEBSITE CHANGES NAME You can still get to our site using our old Science Year address – but the official url has now changed to http://www.planet-science.com so that’s the one to bookmark. Check out the groovy new homepage – its cosmic man… PS if you REALLY love our website and are experienced in the technical side of website development and construction, you may be interested to know that we are looking for a new team member – look out for adverts over the coming week in the Guardian, New Media Age and Revolution… Please note though that the job does require extensive programming skills and technical webmastery… >top BIRD BRAIN BINOCULAR CHALLENGE Thanks to everyone who took part in the ‘How Science Works’ quiz on the website. The standard of entries was exceedingly high, so quite a number of names will be going into the prize draw. We’ll print the list of winners next week, and the prizes will be despatched forthwith. And as it’s ‘out with the old and in with the new’ on all fronts this week, we have a new quiz for you, the Bird Brain Challenge. As the name suggests, all the questions are bird-related and the prize is a very nifty set of binoculars, thanks to the generosity of our friends at the East Anglia Binocular Centre. We have six sets of binocs to give away, so if you think you know your pigeons from your penguins from your portable birdwatching hut, log on to the quiz here. >top ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK This week, make your own hovercraft! What you’ll need: • A balloon – not blown up (yet) • An old CD (e.g. free junk-mail ones) • A cotton reel • Blu-tak What to do: • Stretch the neck of the balloon over one end of the cotton reel - you should be able to blow up the balloon through the hole in the centre of the cotton reel. (But don’t do that yet…) • Attach the balloon+cotton-reel to the CD: stick a circle of blu-tak to the side of the cotton-reel that's not got the balloon on it (don't let the blu-tak block the hole in the centre of the reel). Then stick this around the hole in the centre of the CD. • Blow up the balloon (though the hole in the cotton reel) - difficult as you get a face-full of CD, but quite funny to watch others try though:-) • Finally, place the CD on a smooth flat surface and give it a gentle push… and off it goes (PS You can do it without the blu-tak and cotton reel - just push the neck of the balloon through the hole in the middle of the CD - but it doesn't work as well.) >top SCIENCE LINE’s NEWS OF THE WORLD – EURO-SCEPTIC SCIENCE? Another new feature which will be a regular item in the Planet Science Newsletter from this week forward is a look at the science behind one of the issues that’s been in the news during the past week. Science Line are the team trawling the tabloids and blitzing the broadsheets for good material, and they’ll be coming up with all the background info you’ll need to say wisely ‘Ah yes, and the reason for that is … X,Y,Z’ next time the topic is discussed in your class, office or staffroom… This week, it’s those ‘itchy Euro coins’. Lots of papers have been having fun with the fact that many people appear to be physically allergic to the coins, eg. ‘Tingle Currency’ – Daily Mirror, ‘Scientific Proof That The Euro Is Bad For You’ – Daily Mail etc. But unsurprisingly, there’s been little written on the science involved … However, it’s fascinating stuff to those of an enquiring mind and you can read all about it by clicking through to: http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/slup/CuttingEdge/ * * * * * * As ever, Science Line are standing by to answer any science-questions you may have as an individual – and it’s a totally free service. So there’s absolutely nothing to lose by contacting them next time you’re wondering eg. why the sky is blue, whether your cat is sleeps too much, or what makes day-glo colours glow…. The phone number is 0808 800 4000 (open 1pm - 7pm weekdays) and the website is http://www.sciencenet.org.uk. >top RECOMMENDED WEBSITE OF THE WEEK To stick with our planetary theme this week, our RWW is NASA’s Kids News site at: http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/News/ . As with many such sites aimed at younger people, is absolutely fine for adults too – and really easy to read, lots of pictures and a friendly tone of voice. This week’s features include the inside story on living and working onboard the International Space Station and a look at how Saturn got its distinctive ring. And, back down on Earth, why bottled ketchup does that thing whereby you get none – THUMP – none – THUMP – none – THUMP – and then a massive splodge four times more than you’d wanted. So, there’s something for everyone. Check it out! >top COMEDY CREATIVITY CHALLENGE... Following the commendably high standard of jokes entered in our last creativity challenge, our v sage humour-scientist, Dr Comedy, has returned to educate, illuminate and challenge once more with another of her foxy formulas. Today, another classic joke structure is put under the microscope. Over to you, Dr Comedy... "’99 Cigarettes’ is our subject today. No - not an encouragement to smoke (I am a doctor remember), but a formula game used by comedy improvisers to warm up their brains and get those comedy connections going. NB the resulting jokes needn’t involve cigarettes or pubs at all – but that’s where your creativity comes in… Anyway - it works like this: - 99 Cigarettes walk into a pub and the leader of the cigarettes asks for a pint of beer. - The barman says "I'm sorry this is a no smoking pub". - The cigarette leader replies - "Oh no - what a fag!" Another example: - 99 Cigarettes walk into a pub and the leader of the cigarettes asks for a pint of beer. - The barman says "Sorry, I've given up smoking." - The leader of the cigarettes replies "Well, this isn't a patch on the other pubs round here anyway!" And: - 99 Cigarettes walk into a pub and the leader of the cigarettes asks for a pint of beer. - The barman says "That'll be £2.99" - The leader of the cigarettes replies "Crikey! That's a lot to cough up!" As before, your challenge is to come up with a science-linked joke which adheres to the formula." And if you consult last week’s newsletter you will know that Dr Comedy marks entries on the following sorts of criteria – funniness, creativity, sticking to the scientific brief, mass appeal and originality. The prize as before is a funky filofax. Contenders, ready?! Send your entry to katie@planet-science.com . >top That’s all for this week. Hope you will stick with Planet Science as we attempt to reach the parts no science campaign has reached before. As ever, all comments and contributions are very welcome, so don’t be shy. Send them through to anne@planet-science.com . And have a great week!