Well whaddya know - we’re back! Great to see you all again, what have you been up to? Really? How on earth did you fit all that into the Easter holiday? Well no time to lose, gotta get on with this week’s Randomised. Follow us...

  1. Wassup Planet Science? - The Spring Quiz
  2. SciCast - The Winners!
  3. Sooo Random - TVs, moose and armour
  4. Over 2U! - Centripetal Force and a Bucket of Water
  5. Gear Giveaway - family ticket to the Planetarium
  6. Winners - Flipsides

1. Wassup Planet Science?

In case you couldn’t tell, what with April's snowy surprises, officially it's Spring. This is supposed to be when all sorts of plants and animals (and humans) rouse themselves and get on with stuff - like writing a new quiz for example. If you get all the answers right then you go into the rain hat for winning a radio clock with built in weatherperson to help you decide how many spring layers you need to put on in the morning.

>>> Back to top

2. SciCast - And the winners are......

Bin following Planet SciCast? By the time you get this newsletter, at the SciCast ceremony the golden envelopes will have been rustled, opened, winners announced, trophies and Amazon vouchers handed over - laughter, tears, etc. etc., well done all!

So, in no particular order....

The Institute of Physics Best SciCast Physics Film

Physics of Roundabouts
Team DIZZY

Best Chemistry Film

Combustion and Stoichiometry
Helston Science

Best Biology Film (Prize sponsored by the Institute of Biology)

Grow Your Own Body Parts
Queen Mary

Best Engineering Film (Prize sponsored by the Engineering and Technology Board)

Magnets and Rollercoasters
Team: Go

Best Entertainment Film

Refraction
Vibrant Films

Best Film by a Team Including Primary School Students

Around the Universe in 2.5 Minutes
Marshions

Best Film by an All Adults Team

Combustion and Stoichiometry
Helston Science

Best Technical and Artistic Achievement

Refraction
Vibrant Films

Best Unpublishable Film (sorry, still unpublishable even though it won...)

Bermuda Triangle

Best Film

Physics — Stronger Than The People Who Study It?
Starlink

All absolutely brilliant! Here’s to next years crop of films - if you’d like to know about making short films in teams, in or out of school, you can order a free handbook and posters etc.
The deadline to get a film to us in time for next years Awards is January 9th 2009.

>>> Back to top

3. Sooo Random - Science news straight to your Inbox...

Now we know that electronic gadgets are getting smaller, but a TV with a 5cm-wide screen? You’re having a laugh aintcha? No, it’s true. A working miniature television has been created for dolls’ houses. Brett Foster buys the teeny TVs from China and then he customises them in his shed. They can also be used to watch DVDs or you can even plug in your games console. Imagine all your mates crowded round a 5cm TV screen!

Alas you still need to use a full-size remote control to operate them. As long as you don’t drop it on the TV itself!

A landowner is Scotland has high hopes of creating a wildlife enclosure just like those that attract holidaymakers to Africa. He hopes to populate it with animals that have disappeared from the Scottish landscape hundreds of years ago. So for the first time in 1000 years in the Scottish Highlands there are moose loose about the hoose. Actually just two moose really, and they have been flown in from Sweden. They may be joined by bears and wolves. Neighbouring farmers are fearful for their own animals and want fences put up around the park.

In America, scientists have developed suits for soldiers to give them super-human powers. The suits are known as exoskeletons because they look like metal skeletons and are made of aluminium metal which is very light. The exoskeletons are worn like a suit of armour and they can follow the human’s every move. They protect them and allow them to pick up heavier weights.

The US Army has spent millions of dollars on the suits and hope they will save them time, money, and in the future, save lives. However we won’t be seeing soldiers wearing them for another eight years or so; there’s still plenty of work to do on them. More details

>>> Back to top

4. Over 2U! – – Science experiments for you to try at home...

Maybe best to do this outdoors until you’re REALLY good at it. Plus only do it if you don’t mind getting wet… (at first)

Centripetal Force and a Bucket of Water

You will need:

  • A bucket with a handle
  • Some water
  • A strong person who isn't afraid of getting wet

What to do:

  1. Fill the bucket about a quarter full of water.
  2. Hold the bucket by the handle and spin it around in a large vertical circle (so that sometimes the bucket is the right way up and sometimes upside down, above your head). You'll need to do it fairly quickly so the water doesn't pour out.

What's happening?

The object of this experiment is to not get wet when the bucket is held upside down over your head. To do this the water in the bucket must be moving in a direction parallel to the ground. Although still acted on by gravity and falling towards you, the water will be traveling out in front or behind you. Although when the bucket is upside down the water is being influenced by gravity - pulling it towards your head - the motion of the bucket is rapid enough to prevent any meaningful spills. Instead the water falls, but the bucket catches up - keeping the water in the bucket and your head dry.

Special Safety advice

Do not let go of the bucket. Make sure the bucket and handle are strong enough to take the weight of the water and be swung in the air.
Watch as the Scicasters show how.

>>> Back to top

5. Gear Giveaway – You’ve got to be in it to win it...

INTECH is a science centre near Winchester, Hampshire with plenty of interactive exhibits. It's 'hands-on', not 'hands-off'! Last month Terry Pratchett, keen astronomer as well as a world- renowned author (remember the Discworld books? The Hogfather?), opened INTECH's new giant Planetarium. This is the UK’s largest capacity planetarium. The enormous tilted dome screen completely surrounds you, placing you right in the action. As you relax back into your reclined seat you will feel that you’re flying through the solar system.
For more details see the INTECH site.

Well if you’d like to visit it then those nice folks at Intech have given us a free family ticket to give away!

To win it then email us with your name and postal address to randomised.news@nesta.org.uk with ‘INTECH’ in the subject line. The winner will be picked at random at 5pm on Wednesday 7th May 2008.

>>> Back to top

6. Winners – Has your name been picked out of the bag?

Last time we were offering two sets of cell trump cards, postcards and badges from Centre of the Cell to give away. The winners are Katrina Leigh of Orpington and Aleesha Bullock of Stoke on Trent.

>>> Back to top

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!