PLANET SCIENCE NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 03 Stardate: 27th September 2002 Did you know you can choose to receive this weekly news update free by email? sign up here It's Friday, it's 5 o'clock... and it's time for another heady cocktail of news, activities, dates for your diary and comedy-to-go. This edition has an Earthly as well as Spacey theme to it, with Antarctica, sustainable development, earth tremors and all sorts of astronomy on the menu. And you'll never be stuck without a compass to find your way around it all again if you master this week's DIY make-and-do activity skills... Here's what's in store: 01. SCIENCE WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT - more teachers wanted 02. ANTARCTIC WAVES - amazing music-creation 03. MOUSES AT THE READY? Free tickets for the Earth Centre 04. WORLD SPACE WEEK - get involved 05. ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK - make your own compass 06. SCIENCE BEHIND THE NEWS - last week's UK earth tremor 07. RWW 1 – METEORITES FROM ANTARCTICA 08. RWW 2 - CLASSIFYING CRITTERS 09. SCI-COMEDY CREATIVITY CHALLENGE 10. JOKES OF THE WEEK - more from Emeritus Professor Tommy Cooper NON-SCIENCE TEACHERS - YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU First of all, a BIG thank you to all those teachers who put their name forward last week to help give feedback on our 'Science Where You Least Expect It' resources. But we still need more volunteers! Just to remind you of the background to all this, the 'Science Where You Least Expect It' teaching materials have been designed by ‘4 Science’ to explore science in all sorts of contexts across the whole curriculum. For example, students can look at DNA analysis in archaeology, the role of the media in science issues and the use of science on stage. Other subjects covered include geography, history, business studies, art, English (Lang and lit) and tourism. The assignments all fit in with the A level curriculum and can be used for coursework. All we need is some expert eyes to look over the materials. So if you teach a non-science subject and have contact with post-16 education, we'd like to hear from you. As an extra incentive, anyone who helps out will be sent at £25 CD voucher or book token - but we do think you'd enjoy the actual review work too...! ANTARCTIC WAVES And still on the topic of innovative cross-curricular work, we'd like to alert you a new educational CD-Rom called 'Antarctic Waves'. This is an amazingly creative piece of software which allows students to firstly explore the wildlife, sounds and current scientific research going on in the Antarctic (by games as well as other means), and secondly create Antarctically-inspired music... If by chance you were at the BA Festival in Leicester two weeks ago, you may have even had a go at it yourself, the demo room was buzzing!* The CD-Rom, which has been nominated for not one but two BAFTA Interactive Awards, was originally a spin-off of a science/music initiative by the British Antarctic Survey and the Philharmonia Orchestra with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Sir Peter had been commissioned to write a new 'Antarctic Symphony', and spent a month living and working with British Antarctic Survey scientists in December 1997. This collaboration worked really well, and as the BAS has a continuing commitment to education, they felt that they would like to pursue the idea and introduce young people too to Antarctic science through a creative process like making music. A partnership was then formed with creative multi-media experts 'Braunarts', and after two years in development, they have produced this groovy and most enjoyable interactive software. Music teachers throughout the UK will have received a direct mailing with details of how to claim a free copy of the CDRom. And the hope is that music teachers will work closely with science teachers to devise cross-curricular projects. So if you're a science (or geography) teacher and this sounds of interest - drop by the music department for an Antartic chat. If you'd like to order your own copy of the CD-Rom it's available for £39.20, with substantial discounts for multiple copies. Order online at http://www.mmtLtd.com . And you can find more information about the whole project at http://www.antarcticwaves.com. Overheard at the BA Festival: Johnny 'Think of a Number' Ball was amongst the visitors to the Antarctic Waves demo room, and was seemingly well impressed with the software. In fact he secured a copy of the CDRom for one of his relations, saying "My son-in-law's into music you know..." MOUSES AT THE READY Last week's speediest emailers to win the three family passes to the Magna Centre were Victoria Collings, Nicola Holmes, and J M Atkinson. Congratulations, and hope you all have a v v groovy day out at that amazing place. This week's generous venue is the Earth Centre, another fabulous place, which lies between Sheffield and Doncaster, and boasts it's "easy to get to, but hard to leave!" The Earth Centre is all about sustainable development - in other words continued human life with all our ever-advancing aspirations and addictions to home comforts BUT without causing (any more) damage to the planet... The centre features both indoor and outdoor exhibition areas, amazing buildings designed with sustainability in mind, gorgeous gardens of several sorts, a wetlands area, solar energy area, plus real live animals ... and of course some lovely cafes and a safe play area for kids. You can check it all out on their comprehensive website at http://www.earthcentre.org.uk. (It's a great site, but we found it took a while for everything to load, so as back up, their phone number is 01709 513933.) But never mind all that! If you want to win one of three family passes, get off your marks right NOW. Send an email to David Tasker on david@planet.science.com with 'I WANT AN EARTH CENTRE EXPERIENCE!" in the subject field and we'll be in touch with the winners asap. WORLD SPACE WEEK 2002 Did you know that the week of October 4-10 was officially assigned the status of annual 'World Space Week' by the UN in 1999? The aim of the week is to be be "a yearly celebration at international level of the contribution that space science and technology can make to the betterment of the human condition." In the UK, the Space Education Council are running all sorts of events around the country. But the point about World Space Week is that anyone, anywhere can run a World Space Week Event. They say, "The events can be large or small - what is important is that by concentrating them all in a short space of time, much more interest can be generated locally, nationally and internationally. Details of UK events for World Space Week 2002 can be found at http://www.secuk.org/spaceweek. But they're also keen for you to get involved in a hands-on way, setting up your own event, or just having a go at some space-related activities. If you're a teacher you may find their downloadable classroom resource pack helpful. It's got its Americanisms, even if you pick the ESA version, but the activities should work well for pupils in both primary and secondary classes. Try making a 3-D model of Saturn, photographing the nightsky, or relating the dimensions of a football pitch to the interplanetary dimensions of the solar system. For messy fun, check out 'Eggnaut - or Houston We May Have an Omelette' (or 'Omelet' as they put it - American, see). It's a technical challenge which may not be completely equivalent to pulling Apollo 13 back from the brink of disaster, but sounds like magic fun as a classroom activity. Or hey even a kitchen activity in your own home... For more details contact: Space Education Council - Tel/Fax 020 8974 8006 Email: office@secuk.org MEANWHILE - AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS WANTED If you're an amateur astronomer, fancy helping NASA out with something they're working on? Well, you know they have had funding issues lately... But seriously though, the giant US space agency are searching for backyard astronomers worldwide to monitor planets that pass between us and their parent stars. The research programme is called 'Transitsearch' and their website is at http://www.transitsearch.org. If this does sound like it's your cup of tea, have a read of this week's New Scientist first (p10) as they have a load more information than we have room for here... ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK: MAKE YOUR OWN COMPASS Excellent for anyone 8 and up... What you'll need: 1 sewing needle 1 small bar magnet - a piddly fridge magnet may even work if you're stuck 1 small round piece of cork (note: not an encouragement to drink, but a salami-style slice off a wine cork is, by chance, absolutely ideal for this!) 1 small glass or bowl full of water that you can float the compass in at the end. What to do: 1. Run the magnet over the eye-end of the needle sixty times - in the same direction each time. 2. Now stick the needle through the piece of cork. If you're using a slice of a wine cork, stick the need through the circular part from one rounded edge to the opposite. Perfect! 3. Place your compass in the water, and make sure there is no metal nearby (and no other compass either). The sharp end of the needle will swing around to point to magnetic North. What's going on: The Earth's magnetic field may be relatively weak, but it's enough to align iron and other para-magnetic substances within it - eg. your needle. By floating the needle, you allow it to orientate itself towards magnetic north. Check it out with a 'real' ie. paid-for compass. If you're supercool: You can use a piece of paper to float the needle on instead of using the cork. Put the paper onto the water surface first, then place the needle on top. If you are extra supercool it is said that you can use a type of paper that will become soggy and sink to the bottom, leaving just the needle on top supported by surface tension... SCIENCE BEHIND THE NEWS: DUDLEY DISASTER Were you awake? Did you feel the building moving and see the potplants shaking? Last week's earth tremor luckily was little more than quite an exciting talking point - but why would we in the UK have a tremor at all? After all, we're 'faultless', so to speak. If you don't know the answer ... don't worry, Science Line does. They've put the 'Dudley Disaster' under their news-microscope this week and you can read all about it at: http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/slup/CuttingEdge/Sep02/ And remember, Science Line can sort you out regarding any science-based questions you have, news-related or not, and it's a totally free service. Give them a ring on 0808 800 4000 or post a question on their site at http://www.sciencenet.org.uk. NB they won't do homework assignments though. RECOMMENDED WEBSITES OF THE WEEK Two this week. First of all for Space Lovers who are fascinated by Antarctica (and don't ever say these newsletters are not carefully themed...) METEORITES FROM ANTARCTICA at http://www-curator.jsc.nasa.gov/curator/antmet/antmet.htm basically does what it says on the tin. Antarctic meteorites are apparently of special interest to astronomers are they are in better condition than many that land elsewhere, and this site has the lowdown. Have a look.. CLASSIFYING CRITTERS meanwhile is for junior Darwins everywhere. As the name suggests this is from the US, but it's almost as good as something we could have produced here :) What it does is teach kids all about the classification of animals, by genus and species, by means of various challenges and quizzes. It's beautifully simple and the illustrations are lovely. It's at http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/critters/critters.html COMEDY CREATIVITY CHALLENGE Doctor Doctor - I keep thinking I'm funny Well, that's good, send your entries in and you could win a prize. Yes, Dr Comedy is back. She's been most impressed with the class's performance this term and she has a new challenge for you. This week, the formula she's focussing on is the classic 'Doctor Doctor' structure. She says, "This is a good one. You can think of this joke either way round, either think of the punch line first (use clichéd doctor responses or just think of a reply you might make) then think of the set-up line, OR think of the set-up line and try to find a funny punch line to go with it." Well-worn examples include the 2-liner: Doctor, Doctor, I keep thinking I'm a pair of curtains. Well, pull your self together! And the 3-liner: Doctor, Doctor I keep thinking I'm a dog. Sit on the couch and we will talk about it. But I'm not allowed up on the couch! … YOUR turn! As ever, points will be awarded for originality, funniness, clever use of format and - most crucially - the 'spannering-in' of scientific or technological concepts. Remember who your audience is, ie. other Planet Science newsletter readers. And remember who's awarding the prize - Dr Comedy. Who does like her science. The prize is again a funky filofax... Send your email to Katie Walsh on katie@planet-science.com. JOKES OF THE WEEK Well, he may have gone to that big comedy venue in the sky, but Tommy Cooper's jokes are still going strong, and they're considerably better than any of the ones we've been sent in this week. Which doesn't take much doing. Or in fact ANY doing. Come on, come on, even a rubbishy one would be a start! But in the meantime: here are another three of the best, just like that. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Just to say, thank you to everyone who's been in touch. Hope you've enjoyed this week's newsletter and if you have any contributions or ideas for future issues let us know. Send all such emails to Anne McNaught on anne@planet-science.com. And - have a great week!