Randomised Friday 28th November 2008 Issue 19
Thank Randomised it's Friday! This week, astronauts on the International Space Station managed to mend the machine that changes their wee into drinking water. This is important because they are planning to double the number of crew from three to six in 2009. The question we'd like to ask is... how did they know when it was broken? Eeuuuuuwwww. Worse than a bush tucker trial.
- Planet Picks - Planet Super Powers!
- Wot's Hot? - Free telescopes for secondary schools
- Gear Giveaway - Five November Flipsides
- Over 2U! - Stanley's Balloon Flute
- Winners - Blood Bath Shower Curtain
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1.Planet Picks - Planet Super Powers!
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KLINK! CLUNK! Who's coming? OH NO! ... they've got six arms. EEK!? It's the evil genius Doctor Octopus or Doc Ock!
Doctor Octopus
A massive dose of radiation joined four robotic arms to Doc Ock's body that he could control using his mind. The radiation turned him criminally insane. Is this science or a modern day fairytale?
 Radiation with enough energy to 'graft' robotic arms to Doc Ock's body would definitely make him ill and probably kill him - maybe not in hours but within weeks.
Can humans control artificial limbs with their mind?
Yes. Artificial muscles in modern 'bionic' limbs connect to the wearer's nerve endings and turn signals from the brain into movement. Already able to control your arms using your mind? Why not try creating bendy bones - Elastigirl's super power?
Tornado Man
Tornado Man (invented by St Mary's Primary School pupils) can run very fast and spin round really really quickly with his motorised artificial legs. He's certainly handy to have around with his artificial hand and 'handy belt' that holds his other hands e.g. chainsaw, grappling hooks, etc.
Some materials you could use....
Shape memory alloy wire that shortens when electricity passes through it is useful for artificial limbs. Fancy bendy bones? Polymorph plastic can be shaped at 60 °C temperature and reshaped any number of times!
“NEWS FLASH ... ZOIKS!
The competition deadline has been changed to the 9th of January 2009. Visit Planet Super Powers!
to find out more and enter the competition.” |
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2. Wot's Hot? - Free telescopes for secondary schools
Fancy a bit of stargazing at school? The Society for Popular Astronomy (SPA) has up to 1000 telescopes to award to secondary schools, to be used by pupils aged between 11 and 14. The free telescope is a high quality 70mm refractor, and comes with a DVD (funded by the Royal Astronomical Society) showing how to use the telescope, what to look at, and much more. This project is part of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) celebrating 400 years since Galileo first used a telescope to look at the Moon, and 40 years since the first Moon landing.
Pass these details on to your teacher:
Visit www.popastro.com/moonwatch and follow the links to the Schools' Telescopes pages.
Deadline 31 December 2008
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3. Gear Giveaway - Five November Flipsides
This week we'd like to give away FIVE copies of the November Flipside. If you're not aware of this awesome magazine - where have you been? This month's edition is stuffed full of articles including the gruesome, but strangely beautiful, art of plastination. Plus the science of sport and the Top 10 Health Problems You Really Don't Want.
If you'd like to win a copy this then email us with your name and address, and the words ‘FLIPPING NOVEMBER' in the subject line, to randomised.news@nesta.org.uk
The draw will take place at 5pm on Wednesday 10th December.
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4. Over 2U! - Science experiments for you to try at home...
Stanley's Balloon Flute
Make a flute to show someone little how vibration makes sound.
You will need:
- A plastic cup or yoghurt pot.
- A straw.
- A narrow cardboard tube (such as from cooking foil).
- A balloon.
- Sticky tape or parcel tape.
- Scissors.
What to do:
- Cut a hole in the bottom of the plastic cup big enough to insert the cardboard tube (but don't insert it yet).
- Cut the top off the balloon and stretch it over the top of the cup. Tape the balloon down around the rim so no air can get in.
- Cut a small hole in the side of the cup big enough to squeeze the straw through and squeeze the straw through by a couple of centimetres. Tape this into position so no air can escape.
- Finally insert the cardboard tube in the base of the cup, far enough so that it pushes on the balloon and tape this in position.
- Blow down the straw and be amazed at just how loud this is!
What's happening?
As you blow into the cup the pressure increases, and the balloon inflates very slightly. The balloon lifts away from the cardboard tube and the air escapes bringing the balloon back down on the tube. This vibration sets up a sound wave in the tube at its natural frequency and the result is a loud hum.
This activity came from Planet SciCast
And talking of SciCast...
Look out it's the new Autumn SciCast Quiz! The deadline to send in a film is January 9th 2009 SciCasters! So to get you in the mood here's 10 questions you'll get right - if you visit the SciCast site
If you can get all ten answers correct you'll go into the hat to win the very latest Flip Ultra, the funky little camera that can.
Take the quiz now for your chance to win...
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5. Winners - Has your name been picked out of the bag?
Blood Bath Shower Curtain
Last time we were offering a Blood Bath Shower Curtain. The lucky winner is Teela Fermin of Doncaster. Enjoy spooking people out when they nip off to visit your bathroom...
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THAT'S ALL FOR NOW
You've been Randomised!
Send any questions, comments, jokes or experiment ideas to: randomised.news@nesta.org.uk
Bye for now!
