SCIENCE YEAR NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 42 Week ending Friday, 9th November 2001 This week we bring you: genetics and biodiversity, a Soviet Cosmonaut, a Numbervating enumerator … and why wood won't melt. And that's not all - for a start, when was the last time you had the chance to win a glow-in-the-dark make-it-yourself model of a buckminsterfullerene molecule? Hmmmm - thought not. But today we tell you how to go about it....Keep reading But first of all: ARE YOU UNDER 19? At the moment, this is our one and only Science Year newsletter – but we’re about to launch a new monthly E-zine, which will be aimed at those people who head straight for the Wired area. In other words, people who want more games, more amazing facts, more competitions, more prizes, more news about science and NO news about what’s happening in the world of science teachers! If that sounds like you, read on. The E-zine will be an emailed monthy mega-pack of science news, competitions, events, home experiments and activities with links to games, cool sites and other web-events and giveaways. If you've registered for a free Science Year kit through the website, you'll be sent it automatically, but you’ll also be able to sign up for the E-zine from next week … so watch this space for more details. The first E-zine will be zapped out in December. NOBEL QUIZ COMING UP But you don't have to wait for the E-zine to hit your inbox to take part in our fabulous new Nobel Prize PostBag competition... As you might know, this year is the centenary of the Nobel Prizes, and to celebrate the fact, the Royal Mail has produced a set of exceedingly groovy science-enabled stamps. There are six in the set, including a hologram stamp, a scratch 'n sniff stamp, and even a heat-sensitive stamp with a secret... Sets of these have been included in a compact 'PostBag' pack of experiments, self-revealing quizzes, wacky-fact postcards by Tim Hunkin and ideas for all sorts of amazing home experiments. Plus yes, the aforementioned glow-in-the-dark Bucky Ball self-assembly kit. We've got ten packs to give away, and all you have to do is prove you know your Nobel Prize from your elbow... Go to Quizzes and Competitions in our Wired section DID ADAM MEET EVE? This was the title of the first in the Science Year lecture series, which took place on Tuesday at Birmingham University. The lecturer was geneticist Professor Steve Jones, the author of books such as 'The Language of the Genes' and 'Almost Like a Whale'. He’s well-known as one of the UK’s top science communicators and is a regular on TV and radio, so perhaps not surprisingly his lecture booked out quicker than a Harry Potter premiere, and school groups travelled in to Birmingham from near and far. The lecture took the form of a evolutionary journey through human genetics across time and continents, which along the way brought in traditionally thorny issues such as cloning, race and even religion. As with each of the lectures, Professor Jones' talk was aimed at 16-19 year olds. And seemed to go down well... "It was fantastic " emailed A-level Biology student Heather Wale the following day, asking how to sign up for all the other lectures in the series asap. Whether or not you were at the lecture though, you can find book references and other resources on our site, whilst extracts of the transcript will be made available too just as soon as they’ve been typed up…you'll also find information on the other lectures in the series. If you'd like to attend any, get in quick - Professor Robert Winston's talk later this month is already fully booked. ALL IN THE IMAGINATION If it's famous science names you want and you're in London, here's a date for your diary: JOHN CAREY talks to LEWIS WOLPERT Wednesday 14 November 2001 at the New Theatre, King's College, Strand, London WC2 at 7pm. John Carey FRSL is Merton Professor of English at the University of Oxford, but might be even better known to you as the editor of the hugely engrossing 'Faber Book of Science'. Carey is fascinated by the likenesses and differences between the scientific and artistic imagination and will be interviewed on this and other topics by Lewis Wolpert. Lewis Wolpert himself is of course an eminent biologist and communicator of science, and he's one of only two people to have been elected a Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Literature. So it should be a good match! This major event has been jointly organised by the Royal Society and the Royal Society of Literature. Want a ticket? They're free and can be obtained by contacting Aosaf Afzal - tel: 020 7451 2576; email: public.programme@royalsoc.ac.uk GENETICS ON THE HOUSE Another one for those in London (but do send us information for events elsewhere - we'll feature them if we know about them). Anyway ... SciBAR. If you haven't heard of this pubside science initiative yet, here's the background. SciBar is a regular event organised by the British Association for the Advancement for Science, whereby a particular science-related subject can be discussed and debated in the relaxed environment of a central London winebar. You don't need an invitation to attend, and it's free except for the cost of your drinks ... And you don't have to contribute unless you want to. As they say "it's your regular pub debate just on a larger scale." The next session is called 'Designer Babies' - This season's must have? Here's what they say: Recent reports of a British couple's attempts to create a 'designer' baby to help save their terminally ill son have forced Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis to the forefront of public concern. Why shouldn't we specifically harvest embryos to help save siblings? Or are we just a few steps away from baby-farms where sex, colouring or even personality can all be selected? Ethicist Tor Lezemore will lead an informal discussion on the science behind the headlines and what the future poses for this highly emotive area of research over a few drinks at the next sciBAr. Time: 6:30pm Wednesday 21st November Place: Maddox Wine Bar, Lower Ground Floor, 12-14 Maddox St, Off Regent St, London. For more details: tel 020 7973 3052 or email sciBAr@the-ba.net SPACE CONFERENCE - HAPPENING SOONER THAN SOON! The 13th Annual National Student Space Conference takes place tomorrow and on Sunday (Nov 10-11) in the Dept of Physics of the University of Newcastle... They apologise for the very short notice, but want you to know that there are still a few places left - and it's going to be good! The guest speaker is cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who was a member of the first crew of the International Space Station, and is a veteran of hundreds of hours in space with the Space Shuttle and Mir. There are dozens of other industrial and educational experts involved in the conference, some giving talks, others exhibiting display about space and technology, others trying to recruit the young and enthusiastic! There are also various challenges with prizes attached, for activities from, building 'weightless' structures, designing houses for Mars and developing a new science spacecraft... Alongside the programme of talks, presentation and competitions will be an exhibition of both industrial and amateur organisations, a schools’ workshop, teachers’ forum and a galactastic social event. So if you're interested, get your space-skates on, and phone them on: 07050 660191, email them on: conference@uk.seds.org, or visit their website: www.spacebucket.net/conference ENGINEERING WINNERS Congratulations to all the prizewinners at the Apprentice of the Year Awards for SouthWest England last week. Over 50 apprentices were honoured, with Christopher Adams from Dorset winning the 1st Year Apprentice of the Year award and Peter Calleja-Gera of Gloucestershire (pictured) winning the Overall Apprentice of the Year Award. The presentations were made by Philippa Forrester who later revealed that TV presenting … is not a patch on engineering. "If I had my time again," she said, "I think I might embark on a career in engineering. The opportunities for young bright talented engineers in this country are fantastic, there is the potential to travel, to earn good money, but more significantly to really make a difference. To be able to sit back and look at a part of a car, a gadget in someone’s home, a life saving piece of medical equipment and know that you had a part to play." Music to the ears of the organisers who are campaigning to improve the public image of engineering in the UK… If you’re interested in finding out more about this yourself call 0800 282 167 or visit one of these websites: www.dfes.gov.uk/modapp/ or www.engc.org.uk GET WISED UP On a related topic, here's news of a booklet that may be of interest: WISE (Women Into Science and Engineering) has just published a brochure for young women that they'd like you to know about. It's called 'A Girl Like You', and it takes a look at the opportunities in science, engineering and technology, and includes quotes from young women. It also gives details of other useful WISE publications. The Autumn issue of the WISE Newsletter, aimed particularly at teachers, is also out now. To get copies of any of these, ring WISE on 020 7227 8421 or email them on wisecampaign@emta.org.uk MR NUMBERVATOR Also aimed particularly at teachers is news of mathematical mega-man, Mr Numbervator. If you've not heard of Mr Numbervator before, where have you been? He's the legendary character created and designed to teach numbers and maths in schools. (He's also a qualified OFSTED-commended experienced class teacher in Key Stage 1,2 and 3 and has previously won the 'Teacher of the Year' award.) The aim is to get essential skills and concepts of maths across in an imaginative and fun way that's accessible to all, and all of his Numbervating activities are rooted in the National Numeracy Framework. But that's not all. Mr Numbervator has been joined now by a newly created character called Dr Nosezit. The good Dr's aim is to help change attitudes to science with young people in Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 and offer support to parents helping to raise achievements in science and supporting the work of Science Year. The activities feature the human body and plants in innovative ways - eg. Body Bingo. He's also developed an action pack which links science, maths ... and football. This is designed to extend pupils' understanding of sports and maths and how they interact. Both Mr Numbervator and Dr Nosezit are available to do presentations in schools with classes, year groups (Years 4-7 though other groups possible by discussion) and Staff Inset. For more details, phone him on 020 8961 4382 or 07956 819838 or email him on mr_numbervator@hotmail.com FANCY A SPOT OF PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY? Thank you to everyone who's emailed us saying they'd be keen to review science books, plays, attractions, websites, DVDs, interstellar communications or anything else that may come up during Science Year ... We're still looking for reviewers so if you would like to be on our list, send an email to reviews@scienceyear.com Right now we need someone to review the John Adams Pinhole Photography set - partly because, you know, Christmas is coming etc, but mostly because we'll have a few to give away shortly. If you'd be interested in spending an afternoon creating a camera and taking a few pictures, get in touch and tell us in two sentences why you're the person for the (very enjoyable) job. We'll even post your results up on the website. And NB please hurry because we need to send this kit out before it mysteriously disappears out the office up someone's jumper... eyes keep darting towards it surrepticiously – it does look good from the box. NEW MEDIA COMPETITION- TWO WEEKS TO GO! Don't forget to visit the New Media site and check out their on-line Science Year competition for schools. There are only two more weeks left to sign up, and you have to be in it to win it (or to help set a new World Record!). For details on how to enter, visit www.new-media.co.uk/scienceyear/quiz_reg.asp Prizes include great ICT gear worth up to £2000, and the closing date for registering is 27th November. THIS WEEK'S HEAD-SCRATCHER Why can't you melt wood? That's the question we've selected from the Science Line files this week ... anyone know the answer? NB "It's chemistry innit?" is not an acceptable answer! If you don't know ... find the answer at: www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Chemistry/Original/c00027d.html And that's not all, if you go there, you can search through their files (new subscribers - you might want to check out last week's ace question, 'How many slices of bread could you toast in a lightning strike?' - a classic!) You can also pose Science Line any of your own science questions on the web, or if you prefer you can phone them on their free 0800 800 4000 number. The lines are open from 1pm - 7pm Monday to Saturday and they're waiting for your call so they can spread the science-word... The Science Line website homepage can be found at: www.sciencenet.org.uk RECOMMENDED WEBSITE OF THE WEEK Two this week... First the most ambitious site we've heard of for a while - or ever, perhaps! www.all-species.org is a new online project which aims to catalogue all life on Earth in the next 25 years. That's ALL life on Earth ... including all microbial life. This is a task of some magnitude, we already know about perhaps 1.5 million or 2 million life forms, but it’s reckoned that there could be five times as many out there, in there, and down there. And we've got all the easy ones now... Have a look at the site and let us know what you make of it (especially if you happen to be Professor Steve Jones!) And secondly, a recommendation from Karen, a science teacher from Stubbington, Hampshire, for a website for "games, science freaks and wonderous explanations of science concepts!!!!" www.rumpus.com She says, "Follow the science freak hot spot then choose a game and the science behind it gets explained at the end..." JOKE OF THE WEEK OK, we're still on limericks again because we received a few - but we may be back on the dodgy jokes next week – it’s up to you … This is the favourite – statistically speaking anyway - having been sent in by quite a few people: There was a young lady called Bright Whose speed was much faster than light She set out one day In a relative way And returned on the previous night ... and then there was this super-speedy penwomanship from Science Year’s very own Sophie Duncan: There once was an atom of flourine That wished it really was chlorine It got a reaction And changed a fraction But now it's become quite borine!! But the winner is ... 'Ron in the prep room' at Bishop Wand School science department! It goes like this: (Tribute to Isaac Newton) Old Isaac's well known it is said 'Cos an apple dropped down on his head, His calculus showed As thoughts freely flowed It was gravity falling like lead. ...and if you liked those, you'll love some others we found at http://www.aps.org/apsnews/11855.html Teacher tip: Mark Langford emailed to suggest that instead of limericks, haiku's might be more productive. He confesses "I find it very hard to write clean limericks, especially on a moment's notice. I often do haiku with my pupils instead. Most kids can have a stab at them because they don't need to rhyme or follow normal grammar rules. This is my favourite of the moment, because I'm doing reversible changes with my Year 6 class: WATER CYCLE HAIKU Seas evaporate, Condense to form clouds: rain falls Streams back to the sea ANY OTHER BUSINESS No other business... except to say as ever, please get in touch if you have any questions or contributions for us. Any teachers' enquiries should be sent to: sci.teach@scienceyear.com Any other news, contributions for the newsletter, jokes or web-related ideas to: anne.mcnaught@scienceyear.com Return to archive