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1. The Planet Science Whodunit
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 Who says it's less fun tracking down a villain second time around?
If you took part in the Planet Science Whodunit two years ago, you'll remember the case. James Bourne of Busted (RIP) had left his guitar backstage at a concert, thinking surely nobody would be so nefarious as to nick it while his back was turned ...
But his trust in human nature was sadly mistaken. Two hours later the guitar was gone, and one of five celebrity suspects must have 'dunit'. But which one?
Ms Dynamite? Zach Shaw? James Beattie? S-Club? Or Blazin' Squad?
Luckily there was plenty of evidence left at the crimescene which, when analysed, would definitively nail the evildoer.
Schools around the UK were invited to send for forensic evidence kits to analyse during their science lessons. In time, the criminal was indeed exposed, justice served, and prizes sent out to the winning teams.
 But such was the success of the project that many teachers have been in touch to ask whether there are more kits available so that they can run the Whodunit again. And this week's good news is yes, there are.
Edulab, the manufacturers, have created 1000 new kits, and made them available at a cost of £19 each (sorry we can't offer freebies this time). If you'd like one, give them a ring on 01366 385 777, or fax them on 01366 386 535. The £19 includes postage and packing, but they'll send it out as soon as they get your call and you can settle up when you've received it.*
All the online resources, including a pdf version of the Teachers Handbook, can be found at www.planet-science.com/whodunit (but so can all the details of who the guilty party was, so be careful what you show the students before they do their investigations).
Happy sleuthing!
* Fancy a free kit? Then scroll on down to Mouses at the Ready.
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2. Saturn, Venus and Mercury - stepping out together - TONIGHT
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 The moon's been looking good this week, but that's not all ...
If you look out at the NW horizon just after sunset tonight, the first three objects to appear in the twilight will be three planets huddled together: Saturn, Venus and Mercury. They'll be so close together that should be able to get them all in the field of view of a pair of binoculars.
Mercury in particular is usually very hard to find as it's extremely faint, so this is a good chance to see it.
It wont last long though as they will all 'follow the Sun' and quickly set over the horizon.
You can see an animation of what's to happen at: http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/ataglance/article_110_1.asp,
Many thanks to Dan Hillier or the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh for this top astro-tip-off!
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3. Activity: Rochelle Salt
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What’s that you say? “Never heard of her?”! It's not a girl, it’s a compound - and it’s great to use in crystal-growing competitions …
You will need:
- 2 small glass or plastic containers
- bicarbonate of Soda (available from supermarkets)
- cream of Tartar (available from supermarkets)
- a teaspoon
- a dessertspoon
- hot water
- a small bowl
- a small saucepan
- a funnel
- filter paper (or you can use a coffee filter)
What to do:
- Place one level teaspoonful of Bicarbonate of Soda in the container.
- Add 5 dessertspoonfuls (50 ml) of water and stir well (it won't dissolve completely though).
- Place the container in a bowl of hot water to aid the dissolving process.
- Add one level teaspoonful of Cream of Tartar to the container and stir until the bubbles subside.
- Repeat this procedure with two more level teaspoons of Cream of Tartar.
- Continue to stir the solution until the bubbles subside completely.
- Place the funnel in another container
- Put a filter paper in the funnel and pour in the contents of the container. Alternatively pour the contents into a tall narrow vessel and wait for the undissolved solid to settle. Then decant off the liquid.
- Pour the filtered liquid into the saucepan.
- Heat the liquid to reduce its volume by half and then return it to the container.
- Leave the container to cool and you will start to see the crystals forming ...
What's going on?
Chemically speaking, Bicarbonate of Soda is sodium bicarbonate and Cream of Tartar is potassium bitartrate. When they react together they form a double salt called potassium sodium tartrate or 'Rochelle salt' KNa(C4H4O6)·4H2O. This is also called 'Seignette salt' after Pierre Seignette, an apothecary of La Rochelle in France, who was the first to make it (c.1675).
The reaction is endothermic i.e. it takes in heat energy from the surroundings. You can feel the cooling effect if you place your hand around the container as you add the Cream of Tartar to the Bicarbonate of Soda.
The Rochelle salt crystallises out of the solution on cooling.
To grow a crystal, you first need to select a perfect example and use it as a 'seed crystal'. Larger crystals will form if the rate of cooling of the solution is slow. Also the solution should be left undisturbed for several days and preferably covered so that dust or other particles don't trigger crystallisation. Secondly take the seed crystal, tie cotton around it and suspend it in a saturated solution.
How to make a saturated solution of Rochelle salt? You need to redissolve the crystals. It will be helpful to know that about 60 g of Rochelle salt will dissolve in about 100 g of water at room temperature. As you warm the water, you can dissolve more Rochelle salt.
To see a picture of a Rochelle salt crystal see:
http://www.seawhy.com/xlrs.html
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4. Mouses at the Ready: for a Whodunit Kit
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 If you've read down this far, you'll know all about the Planet Science Whodunit and the forensic kits for schools.
For most people, the cost of such a kit will be a bargain £19 (we're robbin' ourselves!) but by way of an even BETTER bargain, we have five free kits to give away this week.
If you'd like one, send a note of your name, school, and address to planet-science.news@nesta.org.uk entitled WHODUNIT? The draw will take place at 5pm next Thursday.
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5. The Pembrokeshire Darwin Science Festival
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 Need some colour in your life?
If so, a trip to the Pembrokeshire Darwin Science Festival is what you need ...
Camouflage, glow-worms, foliage, pond life and other aspects of nature's palate will be explored in glorious technicolour throughout the week. And in addition to the presentations, oodles of activities are scheduled, from a nature photography workshop to a lesson in how to create dazzling, flyable kites out of recycled rubbish. You can also take part in The Big Experiment, and carry out your own scientific investigations into colour.
The week long event runs from July 2nd-8th, and you can read all about it at www.darwincentre.com/darwin.asp. To register for the Big Experiment, contact the centre on 01437 764222 or email: darwin@darwincentre.com
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6. What's that on your plate? This week: Mushrooms
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  Like icebergs, we only usually see the tip of them. And there's certainly more to mushrooms than meets the eye, as nutritionist Simone Baroke explains:
Unlike plants, mushrooms lack chlorophyll and don't get their energy from photosynthesis. Instead they are 'fungi' and they get their fuel by feasting on living or dead matter.
Mushrooms sold in supermarkets belong to the few edible types, which can easily be cultivated on bales of straw or some other growth medium. But many very tasty mushrooms, like the truffle, only grow in the wild because they depend on having a symbiotic relationship with living trees. The mushrooms help the trees' roots absorb soil minerals, while the trees, in return, feed their sugars to them. Over 90% of plants rely on fungi this way, and would do very poorly without them.
The bit that's chopped up and tossed onto pizzas represents only a tiny fraction of the whole mushroom, it's fruiting body. The main, unseen, part is made up of a microscopic network of thread-like roots, referred to as "mycelium", which can spread out over several square miles.
As for its crunchiness, a mushroom's cellular structure isn't reinforced by woody cellulose fibres like a plant's is, but by 'chitin', the same substance an insect's skeleton is made up of.
Nutritionally, mushrooms are equally remarkable - they contain vitamins D and B12, which cannot be found in plant-based foods. This makes them an essential part of a vegan diet (vegans being people who do not consume animal products at all). Research has shown that mushrooms may also protect against hormone-linked cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer.
For some inspiration on how to cook with different types of mushrooms, check out this great site: http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/Recipes/recipes.asp
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7. Winning Ways with Whiteboards
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 Here we go with another top web tip for getting the most from your interactive whiteboard, courtesy of ICT guru, Roger Frost.
This week, a site that demystifies the science and practice of distance-time graphs. Over to you Roger:
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9. The Winners' Enclosure
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 The winners of last week's draw to win a Buzzwire kit were:
Cornelia Ludaescher from Coventry
Sue Swan of The Herts and Essex High School, Bishop's Stortford.
Helen Godfrey of Melbourne CP School, Dover
Congratulations to all of your, your buzzzzzzwire will be sent out within the next few days.
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10. Jokes of the Week
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Q. Why did the golfer wear 2 pairs of trousers?
A. In case he got a hole in one!
Q. Why did the reporter walk into the ice cream shop?
A. Because he wanted a scoop
Q. What fish helps fix a piano?
A. A Tuna
Q. What is the strongest creature in the sea?
A. A Muscle
Q. What is the tallest building in any city?
A. A library, because it has so many stories!
Q. Why did the pupil eat her homework?
A. Because the teacher told her it was a piece of cake.
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Yep and that's all for this week, but if you have any contributions including GOOD JOKES for future newsletters please send them in to Anne McNaught on anne.mcnaught@nesta.org.uk.
Have a great week!
PS if you would like to unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time, just reply to this email with the word 'UNSUBSCRIBE' in the title.
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