Science Memes

Would you fly to space in this? This article is about an amateur rocketeer at Copenhagen Suborbital who is getting closer to orbit. He is testing a new bi-liquid fuel combination for a hand-built, donation-funded, non-profit rocket. The group had made a TM65 rocket, alcohol and liquid oxygen powered. They carefully test fired the rocket for thirty seconds making seven hundred liters of propellant into raging power. Eventually this rocket will lead to the launch of the Tycho Brahe capsule, sending a single passenger to space. This capsule, or rocket, is as big as a MRI. Their goal is to ,"build a privately financed, amateur-designed space transport system, to probe you don't need the government funds to reach space." Copenhagen Suborbital launched its first rocket last year and have been editing it ever since. They hoped to make hybrid propellant rockets but found that the bi-liquid fuel solved some of the oscillation problems. They plan to test during the summer. I believe that this new idea will not only lead to more successful space explorations but a new understanding of how to build a rocket with no ones help. I also believe that the very small Tycho Brahe capsule changes the perspective of scientist and may add a second level of danger into space travel. With experiments come knowledge, with knowledge comes success. WORK CITED: Article and Picture: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-05/would-you-ride-pencil-shaped-space-capsule-space

The Danger in Commuting... It's Bad for You

When you drive to work you think about watching the rode, looking for any dangers that could affect your driving, but you do not think about the dangers of how many miles you travel. A new study is say that commuting is bad for you. Researchers decided that obesity is a huge issue facing Americans this day, so they plan on finding out what causes obesity, other than certain unhealthy food. To figure out if their hypothesis was correct, they used four thousand, two hundred and ninety-seven residents who live in the Dallas- Fort Worth or Austin Texas metropolitan area, and found evidence of their hypothesis to be correct. Scientist believe that the study will give information about biological outcomes and commuting distance, an understudied contributor to behavior that is needed among employed adults. It provides evidence about potential mediators in relationships spent driving and cardiovascular mortality. Commuting is now believed to take away exercise needed to lose weight that is gained during the day. When you drive in the car, you lose time to burn the fat that is being produced. The new study linked commuting to poor health from cardiovascular issues to obesity. Scientist worry that longer commutes may replace participation in physical activity. Not only that, but a longer commute distance may lead to reduction in overall energy. Yes, several mechanisms contribute to obesity, but now people who are exposed to heavy traffic resulting in higher stress levels and more time sitting, have something else to think about before they change everything else. I personally think that this proven idea is a good indicator that will help save gas, save the Earth and reduce the increasing amount of obesity. By doing so, there will be less fossil fuels being burned, less traffic, and may reduce the amount of people driving to lose weight. Now that there is more reason to be suspicious of obesity in certain distances traveled, people will start to become aware of how far they have traveled and how unsafe it is. Who knew driving could make you at risk of a stroke or heart attack? This may be the wake-up call people needed to get in shape for their own health and safety. I do agree with this accusation and believe it is important to consider it a possibility of obesity.

Scientists Hijack Mouse Neurons to Take Control of Their Memories

This story is about the researchers at Scripps Research Institute and the mice that are used as the researched live subject. The researchers at this institute genetically engineered mice to contain neuron triggers which the researchers could control. They hijacked the memories of lab mice, inducing them to form synthetic "hybrid memories" which was a of real experience and confused context. Neuroscientists are unraveling the physical connection between imagination and memory. The mice received a neuron trigger that would activate sensory experiences. That is called the designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug or DREADD. The mice were to fear one cage by being shocked when inside it. The Scripps team wants to start refining its neuronal manipulation to turn off parts of the memory entirely. They are doing this to help figure out how to cure false-memory for people with post-traumatic stress disorder.
I feel it is a great idea to figure out but I am against using the mice and shocking them. However, I know it is the only way to test, repeat and then solve. I also think it is great because it has the possibility to find cures to diseases and disorders. I also think this experiment is a great idea because we can learn behaviors of mice and if we can compare... we can compare to humans. To test an idea is to find the answer and that's what I hope they do at Scripps Research Institute because they have already gone very far in the process.

Atoms Didn't Start the Fire

Matter Report

During the past few weeks we have been learning the four states of matter, liquid, solid, gas and plasma. During these few weeks we tested several labs to observe changes in the matter. We did the candle lab, the marshmallow lab, and the sugar cube lab. During the candle lab we had two candles, a thick white candle and a green birthday candle. We needed to observe details, use our senses, and follow directions... just like the marshmallow lab and sugar cube lab. We needed to feel the candle before we lit it and after we lit it we needed to observe. Then we mixed vinegar and baking soda to get carbon dioxide, which does not support burning. This gas put out the big candles flame. During the marshmallow lab, we had to observe, rip, and taste a small marshmallow. Then we needed to attach a larger marshmallow to a stick and burn it. After that marshmallow was burnt we needed to taste the burnt part. During the sugar cube lab, we needed to observe the sugar cube. We then tasted it, mashed it up, observed it again, placed the crushed sugar in water, tasted the water, then put sugar in a test tube and held it over the Bunsen burner until orange smoke came out. We then let it cool once it turned a dark orange or brown color. We tasted it and made our observations. During all three labs we saw chemical and physical changes happen. We learned how to correctly follow directions and make detailed observations to get an interesting outcome to all three labs. In the future these labs will help us notice the physical and chemical changes of matter whether it is liquid, solid, gas or plasma. We will become more observant and knowledgeable to the matters surrounding us.

Citations:
bizarrelabs.com
x-hellothere.deviantart.com
thenakedscientists.com

Mystery Cup Procedure

Procedure:

1. First take the filter paper and put it around the circumference of the funnel that was given. This will drain the water from all the objects mixed in the cup and separate from them.
2. Then take out the obvious objects like the toothpicks, flat marble, as well as the beans.
3. Next put the blue provided magnet into the plastic cup, now only containing a black subject and sand. When the magnet is placed in the cup… the black subject will attach to it.
4. Then figure out what the black subject is.
5. Next pour all the water from the graduated cylinder that was recently separated and move it into the graduated beaker.
6. Remove 75% of the water from the beaker and place it into the Erlenmeyer flask.
7. Then move the flask to the hot plate. Turn the dial to a medium heat setting.
8. Watch as the water evaporates and take the beaker off when no water is left in the beaker leaving only a mysterious substance.
9. Take some of the disfigured substance out… figure out what it is then write a list of what was found.

Education IS the Key

“Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom”
-George Washington Carver
To me this quote said by George Washington Carver is truthful. Also to me knowledge chooses the path of life and that leads to your future. So education can give you that option and freedom for your own different future. Each future is unique and can be special with a good education. Education CAN OPEN all the door needed for you to choose your future. So having a good education or the ambition for that key... the door will open soon. The opportunity is there but you need to work hard to seek the reward that key will provide. The key to success is there to look for... on the other side of the golden door is the right path if you decide to open that door.