Randomised Friday 12th June 2009 Issue 29 Hello Randomisers! Good news! Next time you find yourself falling asleep in lessons or whenever you’re getting grief for lounging about in bed you’ll now have the perfect answer. Scientists reckon problems are more likely to be solved after a period of dreamy (rapid eye movement) sleep. Yawn ... ‘scuse us ...just off to write the next Randomised ... zzzzzzzzz. Battle for Planet Science Gear Giveaway - How to Fossilise Your Hamster Over 2U! - Attack of the Enzymes Winners - Pinhole Camera book

1. Battle for Planet Science

Battle for Episode 4 - Chaos in the Chemistry Sector

It's amazing how many substances are made from Hydrogen, Carbon, Oxygen and Nitrogen. The chemists were busy creating new substances before the invasion. Unlock the accessories by finding the formula and inspecting everything in sight! Next week Peril in the Physics Sector.....

Don't forget each week to visit the game, which will be released in another six episodes over the coming weeks.

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2. Gear Giveaway - You’ve got to be in it to win it...

This week a fab book How to Fossilise Your Hamster: And Other Amazing Experiments For The Armchair Scientist by Mick O’Hare

How can you measure the speed of light with chocolate and a microwave? Why do yo-yos yo-yo? Why does wee smell so peculiar after eating asparagus (includes helpful recipe)? How long does it take to digest different types of food? What is going on when you drop mentos into cola? If you’ve ever wondered about any of these then this is the book for you.

If you’d like to win it then send us an email with your name and address, and the word ‘HAMSTER’ in the subject line, to randomised.news@nesta.org.uk

The draw will take place at 5pm on Wednesday 24th June.

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3. Over 2U! - Science experiments for you to try at home...

Attack of the Enzymes

You will need:

- A hard-boiled egg
- Two jam jars
- A tablespoon of biological washing powder
- A tablespoon of non biological washing powder
- Some water

What to do:

1. Cut the hard-boiled egg in half and remove the yolk.

2. Put one half of the egg white in one jam jar and the other half in the other jar.

3. Add enough water to cover each egg white.

4. Add a tablespoon of biological washing powder to one of the jam jars, and a tablespoon of non-biological washing powder to the other. Put the lids on and give the jars a bit a swirl to dissolve some of the powder.

5. Wait & for a couple of days.

What's happening?

Enzymes are catalysts; they speed up chemical processes without being used up in the process. In laundry detergents they speed up the breakdown of stains. Different enzymes work on different types of stains; proteases work on proteins, lipases work on fats and amylases work on starches. The egg white is a protein and it is broken down by the action of proteases in the biological laundry detergent. The protease breaks the bonds in the long protein molecules which result in a white eggy goo. The non biological detergent has no enzymes, so the egg remains intact. When used for washing clothes, the biological detergent's cocktail of enzymes breaks stains down so they are easier to remove from the clothes' fibres by the detergent molecules. Non biological detergents rely on the detergent molecules to attract both greasy dirt and water, extracting the greasy dirt from the clothes.

Special Safety Advice

If you have very sensitive skin you might like to wear gloves while handling the detergents, and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. This activity came from Attack of the Enzymes on the Planet SciCast site. Hey - have you sent your film in yet? Go on, give it a go!

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4. Winners - Has your name been picked out of the bag?

Last time we were offering The Beginners Guide to Pinhole Photography book. The lucky winner is Eshe Graham of Nottingham. Well done!

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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!