A leprechaun is a mythical mischievous, shrewd and quick-witted little Irish elf. It is said that when the Danes plundered Ireland, they left their gold with leprechauns to guard. So, if you catch a leprechaun he may lead you to his stash of gold hidden beneath a rainbow. Hmmmmmmm… science might be struggling here.

However, there is another mysterious spirit for whom there IS a scientific explanation - Will o’ the Wisp. This is the most common name given to the mysterious lights that were said to lead travellers from the well-trodden paths into treacherous marshes. People thought they were mischievous spirits luring unwary travellers into dangerous situations.  However science thinks otherwise. Methane emitted by rotting vegetation forms marsh gas, which may ignite by spontaneous combustion to produce the pale flame seen over marshland. Methane causes about 38% of the warming of the globe through the greenhouse effect. An estimated 15% of all methane gas in the atmosphere is produced by cows!

Don’t forget to try the new Mad March Quiz from Planet Science! You could win a completely bonkers game called N-Tropy, from the same game stable as Jenga, where you balance and wedge and generally ‘construct’ any way you can.  Are you mad for it? Click here

And while you are at it – Get Clobbered! No we are not being rude, that’s the name of the new interactive game on the Planet Science website.  It’s all about wearing the right stuff for the right job.  A what-to-wear-in-the-lab game. Fancy being frozen with liquid nitrogen, blown up or bombarded with X-rays?  No of course not, so make sure you are well and truly clobbered. Click here to play Get Clobbered

National Science Week 2006 runs from 10-19 March. Prime Minister Tony Blair will be turning down his thermostat. Olympic athlete Colin Jackson will be taking the train instead of flying. TV scientist Professor Robert Winston is going without his car. What will you be doing to help reduce your carbon dioxide emissions during National Science Week?

This year as part of the ten day celebration of science, as well as going to an event in your area, the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) and the Economic & Social Research Council are asking people across the UK to pledge to make a small change to their lives during the week – and make a big difference to climate change.

To find out more about Click for the Climate or to see what events are going on in your area, visit http://www.the-ba.net/nsw.

National Science Week is funded by the Department for Trade & Industry and is sponsored by BP and the ESRC.

If you’re itching for something to do then why not take a look at the National Science Week Challenge packs. There’s something for everyone.  Plenty of ideas for the ‘Vertically Challenged’, those who enjoy ‘Domestic Science’ and not forgetting ‘Colour Chaos’. 

Talking of colour…

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Did we mention all things green?  Well what could be greener than a frog? A rare Chinese frog has entered the record books as the first amphibian known to communicate using ultrasound. Until now, only a few mammals - such as bats, whales and dolphins - have been found to use the very high frequency sound to contact each other.

The frog may have evolved the mechanism to be heard above the babble of running water.  Nature has a way of evolving mechanisms to ease communication in difficult situations. One of the ways is to shift the frequencies beyond the spectrum of background noise. Mammals such as bats, whales and dolphins do this, and use ultrasound for their sonar system and communication. Frogs were never taken into consideration for being able to do this. Way to go froggy!

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Remember issue no. 42? We were giving away a family pass for Eureka! Halifax plus free entry to Mission: Active Future. The winner is William Joyce (4) from Preston.  Well done William! Hope you enjoy it!

And remember, keep entering ‘cos next time –it could be YOU!

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