Issue 3 of the new-look Wired-Up e-zine! September 17th 2004
What’s worse than finding hair in the plughole? It could be finding half a worm in the apple you’re eating or even trying to find a missing a sock. Finding PE has been replaced by double maths would be seriously devastating too, but do you think there is possibly anything more frustrating than trying to find a needle in a haystack...?
Imagine if you could set your younger brother/sister/cousin/niece/nephew the challenge of trying to find a tiny needle in a giant haystack. It’d certainly keep them quiet for an hour or two, and that’s where Planet Science comes to your rescue...
If your younger brother/sister/cousin/niece/nephew signs up for the new Hay-Wire e-zine for primary school kids, then they’ll have access to the Hay-Wire clubhouse. This is where they’ll find a whole STACK of science fun and games, including a magnificent magnetic game involving (you guessed it) a needle and a haystack!
Signing up for the e-zine couldn’t be simpler. Just visit:
http://www.planet-science.com/wired/hay-wire/clubhouse
...and follow the online instructions. The first 500 members of the Hay-Wire clubhouse will receive a fantastic Frisbee absolutely FREE! We can’t say fairer than that now, can we?
You might be lucky enough to carry an i-Pod with you to school or college but would you consider carrying a daffodil or a tulip to hear the latest sounds on the move? It sounds pretty unbelievable but you just might in the future because a Japanese company has come up with a way of turning flowers into loudspeakers. Take a closer look here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3656332.stm
That leads us nicely to an article in this month’s New Scientist about following your nose. For people who are tired of using a mouse to get around their computer then a new system, which allows the human nose to guide the cursor, could be the answer. Read all about the new ‘nouse’ system by clicking on this link:
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996400
Still on the subject of computers, if you’re suffering with Olympic withdrawal symptoms then fear not as The Wire brings you news of a world competition of a different kind. Last week British gamers battled it out to secure a place in the British team competing at the World Cyber Games, held in San Fransisco next month. Visit the website for more details:
http://www.worldcybergames.com/
Wired-Up always likes to keep AFOOT of science facts and will always take STEPS to try and answer your questions from top to TOE, so here’s a science question from Rebecca Pearce in London:
Why do some people’s feet smell so bad?
It’s not surprising that human feet get a bit smelly – you have more than 125 000 sweat glands on each foot, and in one day they produce more than two pints of sweat! But sweat is mostly salt and water, and that doesn’t smell, so what causes the stink?
It’s actually caused by bacteria on our skin that feed off the sweat, and then excrete waste, which has a very strong smell. Sweat can’t escape as easily from your feet as it can from other parts of your body so it collects in your socks and shoes where it is dark and damp. The bacteria love these conditions and have a feeding frenzy, and the smell of all that waste they excrete hits you when you take off your shoes. The main reason some people’s feet smell worse than others is that some people sweat more and that means more food for the sweat-munching bacteria!
Don’t forget to write in with your science questions and comments, or if you want to share an experiment with other Wired-Up readers then this is the address:
Wired-Up sniffed out these whiffy science facts you’re sure to turn your nose up at:
In Philadelphia, USA, scientists have been developing the world’s worst smell – so disgusting it could be used to control crowds of people!
A giant flower, nicknamed ‘Ted the Titan’ (titan arum), gives off the scent of rotten eggs!
Smelly breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth that give off nasty smelling chemicals. One of these chemicals, called methyl mercaptan, actually smells like faeces!
Odours which we find disgusting usually smell delicious to a dog, which us why they sometimes sniff people’s bottoms!
Diaries at the ready for the low-down on what’s happening in a city near you:
Glasgow Tower – Glasgow Science Centre
At long last the Glasgow Tower has finally reopened at the Glasgow Science Centre so why not go along and treat yourself to a two-minute ride to the top of Scotland’s tallest freestanding building?
Mad Musical Instruments – Techniquest, Cardiff
Find out what a balloon fiddle is and learn how to play the coat hanger in this unusual musical show. Watch as a garden hose is turned into a horn and a plastic cup is used to reveal the mysteries behind the science of sound.
Sounds like good fun every weekend from 4th Sept until 10th Oct.
The Storerooms – Science Museum, London
Book a tour of the Science Museum’s vast storerooms – home to 170 000 objects that include Stone Age tools and even freeze-dried GM mice.
You can book a tour by telephoning 020 7942 4884. The tours are free but demand will be high so you’d better be quick!
Great Apes – Wildwalk, At-Bristol
If you’re interested in our closest living relatives then talk to some of the biggest names in primatology, wildlife conservation and broadcasting in Wildtalk-at-Wildwalk from 11th October to 16th November. Don’t monkey around, check out the website now:
The winners of last week’s competition for two pairs of tickets for the new IMAX film, Haunted Castle 3D at the IMAX Cinema, Science Museum, London, were Sue Rodriguez and Baljinder Hayre, who both correctly answered that the IMAX screen is bigger than four double- decker buses. Look out for your tickets in the post!
See you in seven...
In the meantime, please send any questions, comments, jokes or experiment ideas to: wired-up.news@nesta.org.uk
P.S. If you wish to unsubscribe from Wired-Up then reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.