tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57647973963724210052024-03-13T06:15:55.407-07:00celebrating randomnessthings that amuse/interest this science teacherC. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-30334496964326522312014-01-20T20:50:00.000-08:002014-01-20T20:50:02.739-08:00an incredible animation of the development of a chicken embryo inside the eggDays 1 through 21 - awesome!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PedajVADLGw?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div>
C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-27648093718436664482013-11-03T05:55:00.001-08:002023-03-27T22:39:53.942-07:00life goal accomplished: running across a pool of oobleck!Yesterday, I crossed one off the bucket list. As a middle school science teacher, I am a big fan of cornstarch (see my previous posts on <a href="http://random.mytko.org/2011/12/how-to-make-your-own-giant-pool-of.html" target="_blank">making your own pool of cornstarch</a> and <a href="http://random.mytko.org/2013/04/oobleck-on-speaker.html" target="_blank">putting oobleck on a speaker</a>). I love it mostly because cornstarch can be used to explore a number of topics in science, and it is adaptable to all ages, highly engaging, and easy to clean up! <br />
<br />
Yesterday, at Discovery Days as part of the Bay Area Science Festival - I had my own chance to run across a pool of oobleck! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxqWG0NyS3P5J6Sy6WAW8_WcsCpLDHq1Pxq8AniiEIfeVGqrME0ALWSeGu5IUw4uQp4zJm0AWdnsYSBc67w0g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
UPDATE: In January 2014, Hong Leong Bank puts my accomplishment to shame with their 8,000 liters (over 2100 gallons) of non-newtonian fluid in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! You can watch people running, jumping and even BIKING on it!<br />
<br />
And, remember, this is an advertisement for A BANK?!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oKJicHWIf3c" width="427" youtube-src-id="oKJicHWIf3c"></iframe></div><br />
C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-242672822824775662013-10-16T18:31:00.001-07:002013-10-16T18:31:32.747-07:00slow motion paint on a speakerOK, this is cool. Tied with <a href="http://random.mytko.org/2013/04/oobleck-on-speaker.html" target="_blank">oobleck</a>, of course.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/5WKU7gG_ApU/0.jpg" height="399" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/5WKU7gG_ApU&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="480" height="399" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/5WKU7gG_ApU&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
More importantly, I need to watch these <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/theslowmoguys/videos" target="_blank">Slow Mo Guys</a> more!C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-91722176984554238402013-09-29T10:14:00.000-07:002013-09-29T10:14:01.472-07:00chicken head tracking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There few things I enjoy more than chicken head tracking. Check out this new Mercedes-Benz commercial! Apparently, the video is highlighting the The Magic Body Control system which combines the "advantages of the Active Body Control (ABC, which is an active suspension system) with the newly-developed Road Surface Scan function, which is a stereo camera that scans the road ahead and prepares the car's suspension for uneven surfaces." (If you are interested in the car-related stuff, you can read more <a href="http://www.autoevolution.com/mercedes-blog/how-the-mercedes-benz-magic-body-control-works-video-66961.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) But, on to chickens... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nLwML2PagbY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Here's perhaps the most "famous" chicken-head tracking video:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/_dPlkFPowCc/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_dPlkFPowCc&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_dPlkFPowCc&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
Here's a <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/11/28/166059579/is-life-a-smoother-ride-if-you-re-a-chicken" target="_blank">post on npr</a> where Krulwich ponders this same topic. I tried to find some scientific sources to explain why this happens, the closest I found was an article entitled "<a href="http://physicsbuzz.physicscentral.com/2011/06/how-some-birds-keep-their-eyes-on-prize.html" target="_blank">How some birds keep their eyes on the prize</a>" (which was eventually <a href="http://pre.aps.org/abstract/PRE/v84/i1/e012901" target="_blank">published</a>) explaining the "aerodynamic trick [which] enables a bird to attain stabilized vision beneficial for the inspection of the environment."<br />
<br />
Apparently, NASA originally did research on the vestibular sensory system of owls, back when they were looking at the effects of space travel on humans. As this <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/punctuated-equilibrium/2011/aug/06/1" target="_blank">post</a> does a good job explaining,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIP9DoPVQPs/UkhewjxQ0BI/AAAAAAAABEU/AT5Mw4vJqeY/s1600/6013491631_2a0cffb432_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XIP9DoPVQPs/UkhewjxQ0BI/AAAAAAAABEU/AT5Mw4vJqeY/s200/6013491631_2a0cffb432_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, is used by many vertebrates to maintain their sense of balance. It is comprised of three semi-circular canals that contain small "rocks", properly known as otoliths. Together, they provide information to the brain about the movement and location of one's head and body in space. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It works like this: the three semicircular canals sense rotational movements and the otoliths sense linear accelerations. This information is integrated by the brain and used to help control eye movements so we don't become dizzy and to help our postural muscles keep us upright. </blockquote>
So, humans participate in head-tracking, too, but birds (and some other animals) are just ridiculously good at it. (The aforementioned <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/punctuated-equilibrium/2011/aug/06/1" target="_blank">post</a> also includes an owl-head tracking video, compliments of this NASA research.) You can read WAY more about the inner ear and your vestibular system on <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/9-12/features/F_Human_Vestibular_System_in_Space.html" target="_blank">this NASA page</a>.<br />
<br />
Finally, according to some sources, the chicken head tracking commercials are <a href="http://www.autoevolution.com/mercedes-blog/mercedes-benz-chicken-commercial-is-hilarious-but-unoriginal-video-67497.html" target="_blank">not all that original</a>.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-18873111773164828922013-09-14T08:30:00.000-07:002013-09-14T15:52:10.801-07:00meet the Algaculture Symbiosis Suit - or algae helmet!<div>
</div>
<div>
Last year, artists Michael Burton and Michiko Nitta (known as <a href="http://www.burtonnitta.co.uk/us.html" target="_blank">Burton Nitta</a>) debuted the Algaculture Symbiosis Suit outside the Victoria and Albert Museum. There, an opera singer wore the suit and sang to the crowd, generating enough new algae populations during her performance that audience members were treated to a post-show snack. According to a video clip, the "composition of the song and the singer's vocal technique are redesigned to specifically produce algae and enrich its taste. To do this, the composer and singer use the new science of sonic enhancement of food where different pitches and frequencies make food taste either bitter or sweet."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TISKESUM4po?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
But this is not just for opera singers. You, too, could wear an algae helmet!</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqllvws0RiU/UjTn2vAo2LI/AAAAAAAABAc/h64zOpV07Jo/s1600/DSC_0062.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqllvws0RiU/UjTn2vAo2LI/AAAAAAAABAc/h64zOpV07Jo/s200/DSC_0062.png" width="200" /></a></blockquote>
<blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
A series of tubes, placed in front of the mouth, capture carbon dioxide and feed it to a constantly-growing population of suit-embedded algae. But algae needs sunlight to grow, right? Easy, the wearer just needs to sit by a window or go outside. (<a href="http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-gadgets/food-helmet-sustains-you-with-algae-130813.htm" target="_blank">source</a>)<br />
<br />
<div>
<br />
Burton Nitta call their creation <a href="http://www.burtonnitta.co.uk/algaculture.html" target="_blank">Algaculture</a>, and describes it as designing a "new symbiotic relationship between humans and algae" in which we become semi-photosynthetic! You can read more <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/algaculture-suit-proposes-symbiotic-bond-between-humans-and-algae-burtonnitta.html" target="_blank">here</a> or on their <a href="http://www.burtonnitta.co.uk/algaculture.html" target="_blank">website</a> where you can scroll down to see more pictures and an even creepier video.</div>
</div>
C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-40628947394801413072013-09-10T08:18:00.000-07:002013-09-11T08:30:23.857-07:00what does The Fox say?It's been one week since this video was posted and has become quite the <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ylvis-the-fox" target="_blank">meme</a> at our middle school. This tune is one of a string of wacky videos made by Ykvis (brothers Vegard and Bård Ylvisåker) for their late night comedy show. The tune is catchy and fun, and the lyrics are hilarious!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/jofNR_WkoCE/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/jofNR_WkoCE&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/jofNR_WkoCE&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
My favorite part is the flurry of media that has been created around what the fox actually DOES say. (<a href="http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/09/what-does-the-fox-say-ylvis/" target="_blank">Wired</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/10/what-does-the-fox-say-experts_n_3900680.html" target="_blank">Huffington Post </a>(inclluding its ridiculous <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/06/what-does-the-fox-actuall_n_3883350.html" target="_blank">comedic remix</a>), and a fabulous article by <a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/what-sound-does-fox-make" target="_blank">Popular Science</a>)<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In Norway, where Ylvis is from, there are two species of fox: the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Here in the States, we have a few others, like the gray fox and the kit fox. All species of fox have a pretty wide variety of vocalizations, just as dogs and cats do. It's simple to reduce, say, a dog's vocalizations to "bark," but as any owner knows, dogs can yelp, whine, howl, growl, and make all kinds of other sounds. Foxes aren't quite as varied in their vocalizations as dogs, but they're still capable of making lots of different sounds. [<a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/what-sound-does-fox-make" target="_blank">PopSci</a>]</blockquote>
<br />
But, in reality, most of us are happy to hypothesize along with Ylvis.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Gering-ding-ding-ding-ringerdingering”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Wa-po-po-po-po-po-pow”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“A-hee-ahee ha-hee”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“A-oo-oo-oo-ooo”</div>
<br />C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-56182175278531239992013-06-29T11:47:00.000-07:002013-06-29T11:47:04.609-07:00cool? gross? check out what's in an average cup of coffeeHere's a fascinating little video from Wired magazine. While most of us know that a cup of coffee is about 98% water... but do you know anything about the other 2%? <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lSIF3A7C78c?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I found this video on openculture.com and the <a href="http://www.openculture.com/2013/06/whats_inside_your_average_cup_of_coffee.html" target="_blank">post</a> has other coffee-related links at the bottom of the page. It lead me to this other coffee-related gem, "<a href="http://www.openculture.com/2012/01/everything_you_wanted_to_know_about_coffee_in_three_minutes.html" target="_blank">Everything You Wanted to Know About Coffee in Three Minutes</a>" -who knew?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OTVE5iPMKLg?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-76429709295512759662013-06-10T08:29:00.002-07:002013-06-10T08:29:44.301-07:00Top 10 new species of 2013<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Scientists around the world discover about 18,000 new species every year. V Sauce </span><span style="line-height: 16.99652862548828px;">highlights</span><span style="line-height: 17px;"> the "Top 10" for us!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lgkKqDE1WBo?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<br />
Check out this link for a <a href="http://www.top10species.org/Violet.html" target="_blank">photo gallery</a> of these new species.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-9244243407535099572013-04-15T05:14:00.000-07:002013-04-21T19:21:40.417-07:00Oobleck on a Speaker! <span style="font-size: large;">For a science fair project, one student is exploring <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=oobleck-bring-science-home" target="_blank">oobleck</a> on a speaker. This have been something I've been interested in for awhile (see <a href="http://random.mytko.org/2011/12/how-to-make-your-own-giant-pool-of.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> on oobleck). We were pretty excited that first day when we saw it begin to dance!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The song that worked best this first time around? All Around the World by Justin Bieber. Who knew?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='480' height='400' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx-4Qrl1ugK-w8QikBGZvWfEjZ3vNVLU2gQPICFlAeruI-yUDMkHZAwexSQMoIebnbbjXhJDETTMB0cWE54Xw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">However, the oobleck's movements did not quite have the alien qualities that make oobleck on a speaker so compelling. Especially compared to this Sonos subwoofer commercial...</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l2KP2KUAE1I" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We were determined to learn more.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">One of my students puzzled over this, trying to understand why the cornstarch "worked" some times and not others. And why it seemed to work on my little speakers, but not the large subwoofer he brought from home. Finally, he decided that it had to do with the frequency. (He was right.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This student went on to have the brilliant idea to look up subwoofer test videos on YouTube. This <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5P4MQl7S5Q" target="_blank">YouTube video (1)</a> was pretty good, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaRYK7gFcIc" target="_blank">YouTube video (2)</a> seem to do the trick, but we finally found <a href="http://youtu.be/fwrbFj9r10Y" target="_blank">YouTube video (3</a>) - and it was awesome! We decided that a frequency near 25 - 45 Hz is best. Lower or higher than that, the cornstarch just sort of lays there and vibrates....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We tried all sorts of dubstep and heavy bass, but only some songs worked.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">For Cornstarch - Take Two, we highlighted Drop It Low by Ester Dean ft. Chris Brown.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='480' height='400' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzF1yETunUuHtq7VI4LiFx90wVx-TDAeQryMXkLvXgeEjfZ0Nwn-ch1twcAjhxkRm9P7L0G6P9kAjtLyarhhQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This never gets old. I could seriously watch it all day!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">UPDATE 4-21-13: Based on a tip* we received, we tried it again, adding a few drops of FOOD COLORING to the mix before we played the music. Wonderful!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='480' height='400' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwctggrMKlpzJtPbNcQYkr8JoVnDIkczJgN_u9swA8TX6EMMXkwTcDwpilVZ8SKavkUMbssced881CqtykuxQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHIa6aKdUFY/UXSelGawzWI/AAAAAAAAAqc/ywlAS9QF278/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-04-21+at+7.20.53+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHIa6aKdUFY/UXSelGawzWI/AAAAAAAAAqc/ywlAS9QF278/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-04-21+at+7.20.53+PM.png" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">*Finally, here is the <a href="http://www.housingaforest.com/dancing-oobleck/" target="_blank">other oobleck-related blog post</a> which was shared with me (hence the "tip"). Image shared from that post >></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-68382211697479234412013-01-12T18:54:00.002-08:002013-01-12T19:11:27.073-08:00close-up of a virus infecting a bacterium<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">In an article published on Jan 10, 2013 online </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">in </span><a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2013/01/09/science.1231887" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;" target="_blank">Science Express</a>, <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">we can see an incredible animation showing the T7 virus as it infects an E. coli bacterium. This process has been visualized for the first time by <a href="http://www.biosci.utexas.edu/mgm/People/Faculty/profiles/?id=1707" target="_blank">Ian Molineux</a>, professor of biology at The University of Texas at Austin and his colleagues. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At the preferred infection site, the virus goes through a major change in structure in which it ejects some of its proteins through the bacterium's cell membrane, creating a path for the virus's genetic material to enter the host. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">After the viral DNA has been ejected, the protein path collapses and the infected cell membrane reseals. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"Although many of these details are specific to T7," said Molineux, "the overall process completely changes our understanding of how a virus infects a cell." (<a href="http://www.labspaces.net/126249/Virus_caught_in_the_act_of_infecting_a_cell" target="_blank">Source</a>)</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Check out the animation - it's almost hard to imagine it is "real" and not purely computer animation!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gy42CoyqKjE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">The researchers used a combination of genetics and cryo-electron tomography to image the infection process. Cryo-electron tomography is a process similar to a CT scan, but it is scaled to study objects with a diameter a thousandth the thickness of a human hair." </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">(</span><a href="http://www.labspaces.net/126249/Virus_caught_in_the_act_of_infecting_a_cell" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;" target="_blank">Same source</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryo-electron_microscopy" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;" target="_blank">Cryo-electron tomography</a> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">is a new-ish form of microscopy that images very small items at very low temperatures (think liquid-nitrogen cold, or </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">63 K to 77.2 K, or -346° to -320.44°F!</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">) in their "natural" environment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">An <a href="http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v7/n9/full/nrmicro2183.html" target="_blank">article in Nature</a> supplies the following image:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v7/n9/fig_tab/nrmicro2183_F1.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-usmBTxsDdjk/UPIfeMjPqFI/AAAAAAAAAh0/RzSodZAJOuQ/s320/nrmicro2183-f1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">I don't claim to totally understand this, but a sample of a suspension of cells is put in a grid, then the grid + cells are frozen in liquid ethane (which has been cooled with liquid nitrogen). Then the whole thing imaged by an electron microscope at a variety of angles. These tilted images are then converted to a 3D image (tomogram). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">Here's another <a href="http://www.snaggledworks.com/em_for_dummies/cryo_em.html" target="_blank">informative link</a> if you are interested in reading more. And if you are <i>really</i> interested, you should check out this (2007) NIH article entitled, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2121662/" target="_blank">Electron Tomography of Viruses</a>. And, my favorite so far, a summary of a (2011) <a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001196" target="_blank">study using c</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001196" target="_blank">ryo-electron tomography </a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001196" target="_blank">to image the Marburg & Ebola viruses</a>!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">"</span></span>C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-75657296798048720802013-01-12T15:15:00.000-08:002013-07-21T08:46:40.569-07:00Happy polio-free anniversary, India!<br />
January 13 will mark two years since a child was paralyzed by wild poliovirus in India, a country once considered the most complex challenge to global polio eradication. In 2012, only three countries (Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan) remain polio-endemic, down from more than 125 in 1988.<br />
<br />
What an incredible world-wide collaborative accomplishment!<br />
<br />
http://www.polioeradication.org/Home.aspxC. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-37622767658802660282012-08-21T14:47:00.003-07:002012-08-21T14:48:40.243-07:00daddy swaggerThe Berkeleyside news site <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2012/08/21/bhs-grad-has-daddy-skills-in-new-dj-dave-video/">highlighted a new music video</a> today (below) by DJ Dave (David Wittman (creator of the <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/06/16/berkeley-boy-is-getting-real-in-the-whole-foods-parking-lot/">“Whole Foods Parking Lot” video</a>, and the <a href="http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/12/21/rappers-berkeley-bona-fides-questioned-in-new-video/">“Berkeley Enough” video</a>). David Wittman's company is called Fog and Smog a "creative collective of culture vultures from the SF Bay Area and Los Angeles." Check out their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/FogandSmogFilms/videos">YouTube channel</a> - great, funny stuff! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cvMvp7QbLUk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
This video reminds me of another hip hop parenting video, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-N3F1FhW4">Swagger Wagon</a>, strangely enough by <a href="http://www.toyota.com/toyotaSearch/search?keyword=swagger+wagon&locale=en">Toyota</a>, featuring the "Sierra parents" to promote the coolness of the Toyota Sierra minivan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ql-N3F1FhW4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
This "genre" of mommy/daddy rap is new to me, but it makes sense. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_717839395">The history of hip hop music</a><a href="http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/hip-hop1.htm"> </a>tells us that "hip-hop's roots can be found in a variety of African-influenced musical styles... gospel, folk, blues, jazz and R&B music ... calypso, salsa, soca, ska, reggae and other Afro-Caribbean styles." Kool Herc (Clive Campbell) and Grandmaster Flash (Joseph Saddler) were among the first DJs to use turn-tabling in the 1970s and early 1980s. Then, in the 1980s, "modern" hip hop really took off, with artists like Run–D.M.C., Public Enemy, and the Beastie Boys. Later, in the early 1990s, gangsta rap took hold - artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop (Doggy) Dogg.<br />
<br />
So, if you were a slightly dorky teenager in the late 1980s, hip hop was cool. You may have spent your college years listening to 2 Live Crew, Biz Markie, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and Naughty by Nature. Now, almost 25 years later, you would be nearing 40 and likely a parent with young kids. Hence mommy / daddy rap has found their market!<br />
<br />
Fitting this age demographic myself, I must say I find both videos hilarious.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-52821802739512344782012-08-19T10:52:00.001-07:002012-08-19T11:07:25.186-07:00bike parkour ?!<i>DISCLAIMER TO MY STUDENTS: I am in NO WAY endorsing this activity, or encouraging you to try it. I just think it's one of the craziest things I've ever seen, and I encourage you to WATCH and not DO this.</i><br />
<br />
Well, I expend enough vigilant energy biking up the SF hills and down Market St. during commute hours, but these guys take urban biking to a level I never knew existed.<br />
<br />
<span class="st">The trial-rider best known for his "bike parkour" skill is </span><span class="st">26 year old</span><span class="st"> </span><span class="st"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_MacAskill">Danny MacAskill</a> from Scotland (visit <a href="http://www.dannymacaskill.co.uk/">his webpage</a>). You can read a Twitter-esque interview with MacAskill <a href="http://www.redbull.co.uk/cs/Satellite/en_UK/Article/Way-Back-Home--Danny-answers-your-questions-021242927457792">here</a>. His two most-viewed videos on YouTube are: </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o">Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009</a> video (30 million views) and his more recent video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj6ho1-G6tw">Danny MacAskill - "Way Back Home"</a> (21 million views). The "Way Back Home" video is embedded here:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cj6ho1-G6tw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span class="st"><br /></span><span class="st"></span>
<br />
<span class="st">One of the newer guys on the block is </span><span class="st">Andrew Dickey from Melbourne, Australia.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/zJHayGJGc0E?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span class="st">Dickey made an earlier video, called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz7_FHFe5go">Art of Bike</a>, where he </span>takes the viewer on "a bicycle tour of Melbourne's cultural icons." It's pretty cool.<br />
<br />
I guess, technically, what these guys do is not called "bike parkour." In reality, it is a sport considered "<a href="http://biketrials.com/intro/what.shtml">bike trials</a>," started in 1980.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kb5rdWZYiK4/UDEqqRSFFcI/AAAAAAAAAg8/O89jR-5h-gg/s1600/449px-MTB_Trials_9_Stevage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kb5rdWZYiK4/UDEqqRSFFcI/AAAAAAAAAg8/O89jR-5h-gg/s200/449px-MTB_Trials_9_Stevage.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CC-BY-SA by <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MTB_Trials_9_Stevage.jpg">S. Bennett</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bike trials is an individual sport that incorporates the use of a special bicycle which the rider must maneuver and balance on in order to complete specially designed artificial or natural "sections." The objective is to pass through the sections with as little physical contact with the ground as possible, hence obtaining minimum penalty points.<br />
<br />
Bike Trials comes from Motorcycle Trials. Motorcycle trials riders wanted to give their kids something to practice on before moving up to motorcycles, and some of the kids grew up to love bike trials more.</blockquote>
<br />
Of course, my question is, don't these guys break their bones all the time? According to a <a href="http://www.menshealth.co.uk/living/men/mh-interview-danny-macaskill">Men's Health interview with Danny MacAskill</a>, the worst injury he sustained was breaking his collarbone three times in a row in 6 months. Other than that he "tries not to injure [him]self."! (ouch)<br />
<br />
Finally, MacAskill recommends "Some good tricks to start off with include the manual, track stand, wheelie, skid, stoppie and bunny hop. "<br />
<br />
No thanks, I think I'll just watch.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-26422916258530820392012-08-12T15:34:00.001-07:002019-09-08T08:58:25.297-07:00bioluminescent dinoflagellates (or awesome glowing water!)I got to play with bioluminescence this weekend! Some friends invited me out on a short kayak trip and we able to experience the magical glowing water firsthand! But, of course, it wasn't magic... it was <i>science</i>!<br />
<br />
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. The name comes from the Greek word <i>bios</i> for “living” and the Latin word <i>lumen</i> for “light.” So, put it together and you have “living lights"! Animals most often use bioluminescence to communicate with each other, to find mates, to catch prey or to defend themselves. You may be most familiar with bioluminescence from fireflies - though other organisms can produce it, including squid, deep-sea fish, some bacteria and even <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110706154213.htm">mushrooms</a>! However, dinoflagellates (single-celled protists)
are the most common source of bioluminescence.<br />
<br />
I've heard about this phenomenon in Puerto Rico. On the southern shore of the island of Isla de Vieques, there is a bay called Puerto Mosquito (Mosquito Bay). Apparently, this bioluminescent bay has been officially declared the <a href="http://www.viequestravelguide.com/mosquito-bioluminescent-bay.html">brightest recorded in the world</a> by Guinness Book of World Records 2008. Check out this video - the part about the glowing water is 1:38 - 2:12, though the rest of the video has some INCREDIBLE footage of a cuttlefish. (<span class="st">This particular dinoflagellate is <i></i></span><a href="http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Pyrodinium_bahamense"><i>Pyrodinium bahamense</i></a><b><i>.)</i></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9HXXQBz6Vv0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
There is also some incredible footage of luminescent algae (dinoflagellate) blooms in Southern California, where the waves appear to glow! (<span class="st">This particular dinoflagellate is<i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingulodinium_polyedrum">Lingulodinium polyedrum</a>)</i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/uqJbUKEPgXc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span id="goog_646235430"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_646235431"></span></div>
<br />
I have also had the opportunity to see some bioluminescent organisms at the Marin Headlands - <span class="st"><span class="f"></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noctiluca_scintillans"><i>Noctiluca</i><i> scintillans</i></a> in the sand!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
But little did I know this also occurred right here in northern California in Tomales Bay! According to the <a href="http://www.bwkayak.com/FullMoonSunsetTours.html">Blue Waters Kayaking site</a>, "bluish flickers are visible in the water column, which come from blooms of bioluminescent "dinoflagellates". These tiny creatures emit short flashes of light when disturbed, and at certain times of the year put on quite a show for kayakers. Schools of fish in the bay create a phosphorescent trail which can look like a glowing cloud in the water. Seals chasing the fish may create a phosphorescent event which can be very exciting to watch. … All this glowing activity is only visible at night when the sun and moon are both down. In 2012, this will be the case on the days July 21, July 28, August 11, August 18, August 25, September 8, September 15, September 22, October 6, October 13, October 20 from sunset until the moon rises." (You should go!)<br />
<br />
In the daylight, we saw pelicans, sea jellies, seals, and even a bat ray! By 9:30 pm, the light show had begun. Along the edges, where the water met the sand, you could see little glowing spots. Once we pushed off in the kayaks, we could see an eerie glow emanating from the bow of each boats as it moved through the water. Paddling created swirling, glowing eddies. Fish, as stated above, made themselves known by the glowing streaks they left in the wave of their movements. And, perhaps most fun of all, dangling your fingers over the edge of the boat created all sorts of glowing patterns... splashing made a liquid fireworks display!<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><b>Why only those dates?</b></u><br />
<br />
According to the Vieques site, <a href="http://www.biobay.com/cd/webhtml/moonwatch.htm">the best time to observe the bioluminesence aligns with particular phases of the moon</a>, between full and new moon, to be exact. <a href="http://www.pointreyesoutdoors.com/Bioluminesence.html">Other sites</a> are more vague, for example, "bioluminescence is only present for a couple of months a year when the variables all align: water temperature, air temperature, winds, currents, and tides."<br />
<br />
However, the moon phase connection makes sense. You want it to be very dark with little to no moonlight. Yesterday, on August 11, the Moon rose at 12:57 am and set at 3:47 pm, leaving our ideal viewing time (around 9 - 10 pm) without any moonlight. The Moon's phase was waning crescent, partway between a 3rd quarter (moon rise at midnight, moonset at noon) and new moon (moonrise at sunrise, moonset at sunset).<br />
<br />
My roommate and I also discussed the fact that it may have to do with the wind. She says it is <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_646235504"><span id="goog_646235501"></span></a>much foggier lately because of the cold upwelling (read <a href="http://oceanmotion.org/html/background/upwelling-and-downwelling.htm">more</a> if you are interested)<span id="goog_646235502"></span>. This same upwelling brings nutrients to the surface, providing good conditions for dinoflagellate population growth. And according to this sobering article about <a href="http://pointreyes.areaparks.com/parkinfo.html?pid=24445">the effect of climate change on coastal ecosystems</a>, the most intensive upwelling occurs in Tomales Bay during the summer, "in response to strong, often persistent northwesterly winds." This also aligns with the dates the bioluminescence is best viewed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><b>What's making all the glow?</b></u><br />
<br />
Dinoflagellates are single celled protists; with some animal characteristics like locomotion and some plant characteristics such as photosynthesis. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinoflagellate">Wikipedia</a>, more than 18 genera of dinoflagellates are bioluminescent and the phylum containing dinoflagellates is termed Pyrrophyta, meaning "fireplant"! (The following list of facts comes directly from the <a href="http://siobiolum.ucsd.edu/dino_intro.html">Dinoflagellates and Red Tides page</a> from the Latz Laboratory at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography - if you want to learn more, <a href="http://siobiolum.ucsd.edu/dino_intro.html">those pages</a> contain a wealth of information!)<br />
<ul>
<li>Dinoflagellates are planktonic - 90% of all dinoflagellates are marine plankton.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dinoflagellates are small. - many of them are microscopic and range from 15 to 40 microns in size, the largest, Noctiluca, may be as large as 2 mm in diameter!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dinoflagellates are motile - dinoflagellates swim by means of two flagella… as a result of the action of the two flagella the cell spirals as it moves.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Some dinoflagellates are photosynthetic, some are heterotrophic</li>
<ul>
<li>Many dinoflagellates are photosynthetic, manufacturing their own food using the energy from sunlight, and providing a food source for other organisms. The photosynthetic dinoflagellates are important primary producers in coastal waters.</li>
<li>Some photosynthetic dinoflagellates are symbiotic, living in the cells of their hosts, such as corals. Called zooxanthellae, they are found in many marine invertebrates, including sponges, corals, jellyfish, and flatworms, as well as within protists, such as ciliates, foraminiferans, and colonial radiolarians.</li>
<li>Approximately half of all species are heterotrophic, eating other plankton, and sometimes each other, by snaring or stinging their prey. Non-photosynthetic species of dinoflagellates feed on diatoms or other protists (including other dinoflagellates); Noctiluca is large enough to eat zooplankton and fish eggs. Some species are parasites on algae, zooplankton, fish or other organisms.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dinoflagellates usually reproduce asexually - the most form of reproduction is asexual, where daughter cells form by simple mitosis and division of the cell. The daughter cells will be genetically identical to that of the original cell. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<u><b>Why do they do it?</b></u><br />
<br />
The most common trigger for dinoflagellates glow is mechanical stimulation, like the disturbance of a boat, paddle, swimmer, fish, or our fingers! Apparently, they can react to chemical stimulation as well - reducing the pH of their environment can cause some dinoflagellates to glow continuously (<a href="http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/dinos/alimon/biolumin.htm">source</a>).<br />
<br />
The most common theory on <a href="http://siobiolum.ucsd.edu/dino_bl.html"><i>why</i> these organisms bioluminescence</a> is that the reaction acts as a type of "burglar alarm" defense mechanism. When the dinoflagellate is disturbed, it is likely it is going to get eaten (most often by a shrimp). So it sends out a brief flash, which may distract the predator, or attract a secondary predator that might eat the predator that is trying to eat the dinoflagellate. Or, perhaps the dinoflagellate will get eaten anyway, but by attracting a secondary predator to eat the first predator, the dinoflagellate is saving the rest of its protist buddies from being eaten. <br />
<br />
<br />
<u><b>How do they do it?</b></u><br />
<br />
SHORT STORY: There basically needs to be a chemical mix of a luciferin (a "light-producing substance") and a luciferase (an enzyme that helps the interaction among luciferin, oxygen and water) to
produce a new substance that emits light. When a dinoflagellate is disturbed, these substances are mixed in the cell and emit light. (kind of, but not exactly, like <a href="http://www.whyzz.com/how-does-a-glow-stick-work">how a glo stick works</a>)<br />
<br />
LONG VERSION: According to some studies, including <a href="http://www.sott.net/articles/show/236468-Key-to-Mysterious-Ocean-Glow-Proposed">this one</a>, here is the general idea of how this reaction goes down: Inside the cells, luciferin is packed in vesicles called scintillons. This luciferin is produced throughout daylight hours. The luciferin is usually bound to a protein called a
Luciferin Binding Protein or LBP. At a neutral pH, LBP stabilizes the
luciferin from being spontaneously oxidized.<br />
<br />
When movement of surrounding water bends the cell membrane, it sends electrical impulses around the vacuole - which holds a bunch of protons (why? I don't know). These electrical impulses open proton channels, and those protons can now move from the vacuole into the cytoplasm (where
the scintillons are kept). The cytoplasm becomes acidified, and the process is activated in the scintillons.<br />
<br />
When the pH drops
to around 6, the luciferin and the LBP dissociate. In the process of
being oxidized, luciferin briefly exists in an excited state, after
which it decays to the ground state- releasing energy in the form of
light. The oxidation of the luciferin by the luciferase results in inactive
oxyluciferin. This reaction can happen more than once, but once the luciferin is used up, that dinoflagellate is done for the night, until it can replenish its supplies the next day.<br />
<br />
Ready for the NSF image? <i>(It's government work, so it should be in the public domain.)</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cM53jAK5HAs/UChlFj9K1LI/AAAAAAAAAgU/iivUWk3afKo/s1600/111019190823-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="401" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cM53jAK5HAs/UChlFj9K1LI/AAAAAAAAAgU/iivUWk3afKo/s640/111019190823-large.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
If you want to read more, or know where I got my information, you can check out <a href="http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/FieldCourses00/PapersMarineEcologyArticles/WhatsGlowingintheWaterBio.html">this source</a> (although I am not sure as to its reliability), or you can read the <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/all-about-animals/bioluminescence.htm">HowStuffWorks article on bioluminescence</a> - esp this <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/all-about-animals/bioluminescence3.htm">page</a>, which has the more technical details of the chemical reactions. Or, this <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019190823.htm">Science Daily article</a> is pretty good. And if that's not technical enough, you may want to visit this <a href="http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/~biolum/chem/">UCSB biolum page</a> for more information than you'll ever need. :)<br />
<br />
<u><b><br /></b></u>
<u><b>Can I get some dinoflagellates and make them glow?</b></u><br />
<br />
Yep. Last year, some of my students did their <a href="http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/BioChem_p033.shtml">science fair project on bioluminescence</a>. So, I bought some dinoflagellates (<i>Pyrocystis fusiformis</i>) from <a href="http://www.seafarms.com/html/products.html">Sunnyside SeaFarms</a>. They basically do this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/qFit5124w8w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<u><b>Final randomness</b></u><br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RspcuJCSNwg/UChtVYYUbII/AAAAAAAAAgk/NmoeM_mlfKU/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-08-12+at+7.57.32+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RspcuJCSNwg/UChtVYYUbII/AAAAAAAAAgk/NmoeM_mlfKU/s320/Screen+shot+2012-08-12+at+7.57.32+PM.png" width="215" /></a>Check out this art installation using bioluminesence (although using bacteria, not protists). (From the <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.cfm?med_id=51864&from=search_list">NSF site</a>) "This arch was composed with Petri dishes painted with bioluminescent bacteria. The piece--approximately 9 feet high by 5 feet wide--was installed in December 2002 at the O'Malley Library, Manhattan College, Riverdale, N.Y. "Bioglyphs" was an exhibition of living bioluminescent paintings that brought science and art together in the form of a collaborative project involving students from the MSU School of Art, and science and engineering students from MSU's Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE)." (read <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.cfm?med_id=51864&from=search_list">more</a> about the project)<br />
<br />
That is about as cool as that giant petri dish <a href="http://random.mytko.org/2011/09/contagion-billboard.html">Contagion billboard</a>!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
UPDATE 8.21.13: Yonder Biology started a Kickstarter campaign to create a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biopop-releases-a-living-bioluminescent-dinosaur-the-dino-pet-277902481.html">Dino Pet</a>, a "dinosaur-shaped habitat for a species of bioluminescent marine algae that photosynthesizes during the day and glows at night." Hilarious! Update 2019: <a href="http://www.biopop.com/">Biopop</a> is no longer in business.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-9099551548862977372012-08-04T11:30:00.001-07:002012-08-04T11:33:30.944-07:00hermit crab in a glass shell Robert DuGrenier is an artist whose "sculptural work has had to do with creating environments which change over time due to forces in nature." I was quite struck by the image of this <a href="http://www.dugrenier.com/dugrenier/glassshell.html">hermit crab in a glass shell</a>! DuGrenier calls these "perfected" glass shells - crabitats! (See <a href="http://www.dugrenier.com/sculpture/crabsculpt.html">more examples here</a>.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://madscientistnz.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/a-hermit-crab-in-a-glass-shell/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kaBAJcZQBWg/UB1lC4p35nI/AAAAAAAAAgE/9Ud8FWnQ-30/s320/shell.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Two other works of his that sound intriguing (from <a href="http://www.dugrenier.com/dugrenier/glassshell.html">his website</a>)<br />
<ul>
<li>[His] current work with <a href="http://www.dugrenier.com/sculpture/beesculpt.html">honeybees creating sculptures</a> in their hives is an example — [He'll] introduce blown glass objects into beehives that the bees will encase in honey comb patterns; these, in turn, become [his] sculptures.</li>
<li>A new series [DeGrenier] started is called “Llama-LLicks,” where, by licking their salt-blocks, animals will create interesting shapes which eventually will be cast into pillars of glass. (Unfortunately, I do cannot find any images of this on the web... I'd love to see it!) </li>
</ul>
<br />
Hermit crabs (Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Arthropoda, Subphylum: Crustacea, Class: Malacostraca, Order: Decapoda) belong to six families containing around 1100 species in total in 120 genera. Unlike regular crabs, <a href="http://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/hermit-crab-info.htm">hermit crabs</a> have a soft abdomen, so they need to inhabit abandoned shells for protection. (that's where their name "hermit" comes from ... "one who lives alone") Anyway, when they outgrow their shells, they need to leave and find a new, bigger shell to inhabit. Usually, they find snail shells, but hermit crabs have been known to inhabit broken bottles, and maybe even <a href="http://oceansoftheworld.tumblr.com/post/8100499888/source-of-photo-here-cute-little-hermit-crab-in">a teacup</a>?!<br />
<br />
Personally, I have a grudge against hermit crabs stemming back from 3rd grade. Upon returning from a field trip, I was tasked to feed the class pet. It clamped on the soft flesh of my inner finger and would not let go. My helpful peers and teachers did things like tap it, run it underwater, etc... while my 3rd grade self was convinced it would never come off. Finally, it did, leaving me with a wicked blood blister. Needless to say, I've been wary ever since. :) But I do enjoy these glass shells as art!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DaU5etPejZA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-43888892970977741742012-08-02T11:50:00.000-07:002012-08-03T14:04:37.629-07:00shadow QR code<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://www.emart.com/index.do?method=getIndex&pid=direct&ckwhere=direct&sid=direct">Emart</a>,
one of the largest retailers in Korea, noticed that their sales slumped
during the lunch hour each day, and they came up with a pretty darn
innovative way to change this midday trend.<br />
<br />
Their "Sunny Sale" solution was brilliant! The
company placed 3D QR codes across the city which could only be scanned
between 12pm and 1 pm each day, when <b><i>the sunlight cast the shadows correctly to complete the QR code</i></b>. Once the code was scanned, customers would be rewarded with special offers that could be used in the store or online. Wow! <i> If you want to know more specifics on QR codes work, see my <a href="http://random.mytko.org/2011/11/qr-codes-are-popping-up-all-over.html">previous post on QR codes</a>. </i><br />
<br />
Seriously, what an amazing idea! Check out the video below.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/9c9vk_B54Sk/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9c9vk_B54Sk&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9c9vk_B54Sk&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
<span id="goog_663975728"></span><span id="goog_663975729"></span>C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-51268863400395534532012-08-01T13:17:00.000-07:002012-08-19T12:11:56.029-07:00DNA tested dog poop<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Memphis_Parks_dogi_pot_Memphis_TN_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Memphis_Parks_dogi_pot_Memphis_TN_001.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Memphis_Parks_dogi_pot_Memphis_TN_001.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, this is pretty crazy. Apparently, a condo association in Palm Beach, Florida is requiring that residents pay $200 fee and the money will pay <a href="http://dnawpr.com/">DNA Pet World Registry</a> to take the dog's genetic fingerprint to be kept the information on file.<br />
<br />
Why? I'm so glad you asked. To protect them from dog-nappers? For research purposes? Nope. The DNA profile will be kept on file so that unclaimed dog poop left on the property can be collected, sent to DNA Pet World, profiled, matched to the offending dog. The negligent owner will then be required to pay a fine of up to $1,000.<br />
<br />
According to <a href="http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/dna-samples-will-determine-if-jupiter-residents-ar/nLtcy/">the article</a>, "Feces identification is a booming business. DNA Pet World and <a href="http://www.pooprints.com/index.php/en/">PooPrints</a> - its motto is "Match the Mess through DNA" - are spinoffs from BioPet Vet Labs."<br />
<br />
<br />
It's totally worth taking the time to check out the <a href="http://www.pooprints.com/index.php/en/">PooPrints site</a>. Hilarious.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
DNA sequencing is simply a
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-</style>technique that gives the order of nucleic acids (A, T, G, C) in
someone’s (or some dog's) DNA. This is what the folks are paying $200 to do - get the code for their dog and have that code put into a special database for future use. Then, when a mystery poop sample is received, the same test can be run and the resulting poop's code compared to that database to find the guilty dog. If you'd like to know the specifics of how DNA sequencing works - check out <a href="http://www.dnalc.org/resources/animations/cycseq.html">this great Cycle Sequencing Interactive</a> from the DNA Learning Center. </div>
<br />C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-72956055750855399152011-12-27T16:21:00.000-08:002011-12-28T21:51:06.307-08:00how to make your own giant pool of cornstarchA few years ago, I <a href="http://random.mytko.org/2009/01/ellen-degeneres-pool-of-cornstarch.html">wrote a post</a> about Steve Spangler and the giant pool of cornstarch he used on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Little did I know, Steve wrote up his little stunt!<br /><br />Now, if you'd like to know how to make your own pool of cornstarch you can run across, you can follow <a href="http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/content/static-content/behind-the-scenes-at-ellen">Steve Spangler's instructions</a>. You'll need:<br /><ul><li>a container that is 7 feet long, 3 feet wide and about 1.5 feet deep</li><li>roughly 2,400 pounds of cornstarch </li><li>240 gallons of water</li><li>a cement mixer truck</li></ul>A quick search unearths <a href="http://www.roundeyesupply.com/Ach-Food-Argo-50-Pound-Corn-Starch-p/de316815.htm?Click=85">this place</a> which apparently sells 50 pound bags of cornstarch for $50, which will set you back about $2400 for the amount you need. Even <a href="http://www.roundeyesupply.com/Cornstarch-50-lbs-p/630000.htm?Click=7195">this place</a>, which sells 50 pounds for the incredible price of $20 per pound will end up costing you $960. But, really, can you put a price on this kind of entertainment?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How does this demo work?</span><br /><br />Cornstarch is simply starch derived from corn. "It is ground from the white endosperm at the heart of a kernel of corn. Cornstarch is used as a thickening agent in cooking, a health-conscious alternative to talc, and the main ingredient in a biodegradable plastic." (<a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-cornstarch.htm">source</a>)<br /><br />When mixed with water, one concocts a fabulous substance affectionately referred to as oobleck, after the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_and_the_Oobleck">Dr. Seuss book</a>. <span>Real oobleck is made up of tiny, solid particles of cornstarch suspended in water. </span><br /><br />From an <a href="http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/ooze.html">Exploratorium source</a>,<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">When you bang on it with a spoon or quickly squeeze a handful of Ooze, it freezes in place, acting like a solid. The harder you push, the thicker the Ooze becomes. But when you open your hand and let your Ooze ooze, it drips like a liquid. Try to stir the Ooze quickly with a finger, and it will resist your movement. Stir it slowly, and it will flow around your finger easily.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Your finger is applying what a physicist would call a sideways shearing force to the water. In response, the water shears, or moves out of the way. The behavior of Ooze relates to its viscosity, or resistance to flow. Water's viscosity doesn't change when you apply a shearing force--but the viscosity of your Ooze does.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Back in the 1700s, Isaac Newton identified the properties of an ideal liquid. Water and other liquids that have the properties that Newton identifies are call Newtonian fluids. Your Ooze doesn't act like Newton's ideal fluid. It's a non-Newtonian fluid.</span><br /></blockquote>Other non-Newtonian liquids include ketchup and quicksand. Check out the <a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/videos/watch/10206">Science Friday video</a> for other cool info and experiments.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What else can I do with cornstarch or oobleck?</span><br /><br />You can put oobleck on a speaker and watch it (awesome<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaYvYysQvBU"> clip #1</a> - oobleck starts at :58), awesome <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zoTKXXNQIU">clip #2</a>, awesome <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oDWAC8ns44">clip #3</a>) Even <span style="font-style: italic;">The Big Bang Theory</span> found this entertaining:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R5-MQbUamFA?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br />And apparently, according to the Hodgson company, there are about <a href="http://www.hodgsonmill.com/tips-tricks-terms/index.php?page=corn-starch-tricks">1 million other uses</a> for cornstarch.<br /><br />You can read more about <a href="http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000088">oobleck and quicksand</a> on Steve Spangler's blog.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-53786831428011731512011-12-21T11:38:00.000-08:002011-12-23T11:01:08.180-08:003D printers FTW!<div style="text-align: left;">A recent (12.10.11) <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/21541382">article in the Economist</a> couldn't come at a more perfect time. It's the start of Christmas break, I have free time to read it, and I have been the proud owner of a 3D printer for exactly one week. From the article:<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[At] EUROMOLD, a big manufacturing trade fair held in Frankfurt from November 29th to December 2nd [2011], ... 300 or so exhibitors working in three-dimensional printing (or “additive manufacturing” as they prefer to call it).... Some of their 3D printers were the size of cars; others were desktop models. All worked, though, by building products up layer by layer from powered metal, droplets of plastic or whatever was the appropriate material.</span><br /><br />I learned about many manufacturers who are using this process to imitate nature. For example:<br /><ul><li>an artificial hip made by <a href="http://i.materialise.com/blog/entry/i-materialise-machine-man-human-augmentation-design-challenge">Materialise</a>, a Belgian firm (see <a href="http://www.materialise.com/materialise/view/en/4676519-Watch+3D+Printing+and+Materialise+on+My+Design+Life.html">cool video</a> featuring them)<br /></li><li>a load-bearing column constructed from filaments of concrete, imitating the basic design of plant stems, and printed by researchers at the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/3d-printing-0914.html">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a></li><li>heat exchangers, whose best design resembles a fish gill (more surface area!), by a British firm called <a href="http://www.withinlab.com/">Within Technologies</a></li><li>light, geodetic structures imitating a “cytoskeleton” of fibrous proteins that holds a cell in shape. The work is being done at Southampton University in Britain, where researchers have printed an unmanned aircraft from laser-sintered nylon (<span style="font-weight: bold;">sintering</span> is a way of making objects by heating powders, important for one of the videos below!) OMG - they <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20737-3d-printing-the-worlds-first-printed-plane.html">PRINTED A PLANE</a>!<br /></li></ul><span style="font-style: italic;">That ability to create light, strong structures which have complex internal shapes may well turn out to be additive manufacturing’s killer app. The layering of powders or droplets that are then sintered into solidity, or cured with heat or ultraviolet light, allows spaces to be left inside the product. And if such a space would otherwise collapse, it can be filled with a powder that remains intact during curing and is then washed out or blown away. Even moving parts, like clock mechanisms, have thus been made in one go in a 3D printer.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /></div><br />If you'd like to have your own 3D designs printed, there are companies like <a href="http://i.materialise.com/3dprinting">i.Materialize</a> and <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/about/how_does_it_work">Shapeways</a> that will do it for you. Other folks have printed <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/699-Fully-Functional-3D-Printed-Flute-by-Amit-Zoran.html">musical instruments</a>, <a href="http://news.discovery.com/tech/personal-food-factory.html">food</a>, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14946808">blood vessels</a> (?!) and - in the case of this innovative San Francisco company - <a href="http://kalwnews.org/audio/2011/01/10/printing-3d-no-glasses-necessary_782576.html">stylish prosthetics</a>.<br /><br />But, I've been much more interested in printing 3D objects myself. Preferably with my students, who are much more fearless with technology than I am.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /><br /></div> Back in 2008, I first became intrigued with 3D printers when I saw a <a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRap">RepRap</a> at <a href="http://makerfaire.com/">Maker Faire</a> for the first time. They had me at "self-replicating machine." Apparently, if you built one printer, it could PRINT a second set of parts (minus the electronics, metal, etc) for you to build a second machine. This amazed me. Every year since, I have been back to gawk at their booth.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Years later, a student sent me a link to the video demonstrating one of <a href="http://www.zcorp.com/en/Products/3D-Printers/spage.aspx">ZCorp's 3D printers</a>. Incredible! (If you want the <span style="font-style: italic;">very</span> technical details about how this works, you can watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvfqoaCw5vQ">Michael Mock's explanatory video</a>.)<br /></div><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jQ-aWFYT_SU" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><br />Still, not something inexpensive enough for the classroom, although DIY 3D printers were coming down in price. At the <a href="http://makerfaire.com/pub/e/3049">2011 Maker Faire</a>, some 3D printers were selling for as low as $800. Some students and I got to brainstorming fundraisers, and I started looking for grant money.<br /><br />In the fall of 2011, I attended the <a href="http://www.nextgensciencefair.com/">NextGen Science Fair</a> and, not surprisingly, hung around the RepRap booth. There, I met <a href="http://printrbot.com/about/">Brook Drumm</a> and learned about his plans to create <a href="http://printrbot.com/">Printrbot</a>, an affordable 3D printer that "can be assembled and printing in a couple of hours." One of his goals is to get 3D printers into the hands of kids!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/printrbot/printrbot-your-first-3d-printer/widget/video.html" frameborder="0" height="410px" width="480px"></iframe><br /></div><br />Fast forward to December 2011: The first Printrbots are ready (you should definitely read all about his <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/printrbot/printrbot-your-first-3d-printer">Printrbot Kickstarter Project</a>) and Brook came to our school to set up and train us on our very own 3D printer! What will we print? We will be able to use ready-made designs from <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/">Thingiverse</a>, or design our own objects using the free programs <a href="http://sketchup.google.com/">Google SketchUp</a> or <a href="http://www.tinkercad.com/">Tinkercad</a>. (One of my students has his gummy bear design ready!) As long as the design can be exported to a <a href="http://bastech.com/sla/techtips/STLfiles.asp">.stl file</a>, and is within the boundaries of the Printrbot, we should be able to print it!<br /><br />Check our the Printrbot and my middle school kids in the video below. The printer is quite new and we have a lot to learn, but it is tantalizing with its possibilities.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wH_1YTr1ES0?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /></div><br />Now, if you are still reading, you probably find 3D printing as fascinating as I do. Here are some other incredible videos:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">3D Metal printing<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i6Px6RSL9Ac" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Markus Kayser Solar Sinter<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xDeSW44fkeI?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">*****<br /></div><br />And finally, as with all new technologies, there are new issues to consider. Affordable 3D printing brings up <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/disruptions-the-3-d-printing-free-for-all/">new considerations with copyright</a>. Should be interesting to see how it all pans out.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-80456357362696491042011-11-30T16:12:00.000-08:002011-12-28T14:55:10.971-08:00QR codes are popping up all over!Oh man, this post is long overdue. I started it years ago in November of 2010, when I saw my first QR code on a billboard in the Denver airport. At this point, I had seen QR codes on my United <a href="http://www.tnooz.com/2010/03/17/mobile/uniteds-mobile-boarding-pass-is-refreshing/">mobile boarding passes</a> for a while, but this was the first time I saw one of the codes "out in the wild," so to speak.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CW9apV4BS2k/TvuNDJv3_zI/AAAAAAAAAec/FU5sDNxtYko/s1600/2010-Nov_DENairport.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CW9apV4BS2k/TvuNDJv3_zI/AAAAAAAAAec/FU5sDNxtYko/s320/2010-Nov_DENairport.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691297639408598834" border="0" /></a>Soon, I was seeing them everywhere! Bus stops, actual buses, catalogs, advertisements, even on a sticker on a bike rack outside the local Chipotle.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-627A0GtRjJ0/TvuQPCebRMI/AAAAAAAAAe0/Q_rNW1ETOEs/s1600/2010-Dec_favplace.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 179px; height: 235px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-627A0GtRjJ0/TvuQPCebRMI/AAAAAAAAAe0/Q_rNW1ETOEs/s200/2010-Dec_favplace.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691301142149678274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XYqDbjIs-XM/TvuPemnRAlI/AAAAAAAAAeo/IvlDQjS85TA/s1600/2010-Dec_ebay2.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XYqDbjIs-XM/TvuPemnRAlI/AAAAAAAAAeo/IvlDQjS85TA/s200/2010-Dec_ebay2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691300310036841042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XziPYAut8yo/TvuQg8mRvBI/AAAAAAAAAfA/z75GuAT3jtY/s1600/2010-Dec_REI.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 165px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XziPYAut8yo/TvuQg8mRvBI/AAAAAAAAAfA/z75GuAT3jtY/s200/2010-Dec_REI.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691301449809640466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lfUoYAVXZg/TvuQr988wOI/AAAAAAAAAfM/p9GO3RW9inw/s1600/ZNO%2BmaceQR.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 152px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lfUoYAVXZg/TvuQr988wOI/AAAAAAAAAfM/p9GO3RW9inw/s200/ZNO%2BmaceQR.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691301639151730914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then, in April 2011, <a href="http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/04/07/the-411-on-qr-codes/">Chicago CBS</a> shared a QR code story and Richard Byrnes (<a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/">Free Technology for Teachers</a>) wrote an awesome <a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/04/qr-codes-in-classroom.html">post on QR codes</a>. Heck, by April, even my mom knew what a QR code was! :) Researchers even had developed a QR code-based <a href="http://thenextweb.com/us/2010/10/29/this-vending-machine-accepts-paypal-the-future-has-spoken/">vending machine that accepts PayPal</a>. I realized it was time to go back and dig out my notes.<br /><br />MY NOTES:<br /><br />And I finally did it. I got a QR code app. I checked out this Feb 18, 2011 <a href="http://www.simplehelp.net/2011/02/18/5-iphone-or-ipod-touch-4th-gen-apps-for-scanning-qr-barcodes/">blog post</a> describing 5 of the current iPhone apps for scanning QR codes and bar codes. I decided on <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scan/id411206394?mt=8">Scan</a>. The first thing I did was use it to access the NSTA mobile site for the <a href="http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2011san/?lid=con">2011 national conference</a> in SF. (The second thing I did was scan that (unlabeled) sticker on that bike rack. It was some ad about smoking cessation.)<br /></div></div><br />I've learned that QR stands for "Quick Response" and has been around since 1994. QR codes were originally created by a company called the <a href="http://www.denso-wave.com/qrcode/aboutqr-e.html">Denso Corporation</a> and these 2D bar codes have been popular in Japan for some time. (see <a href="http://www.japanmarketingnews.com/2007/01/in_previous_art.html">2007 blog post</a>, <a href="http://blog.cliffano.com/2009/05/18/qr-code-usage-in-japan/">2009 blog post</a>)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How do they work? </span><br /><br />Well, if you have some time, read the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code">Wikipedia article</a> on this one. Or <a href="http://www.youthedesigner.com/2011/09/29/what-is-a-qr-code-and-how-does-it-work/">this blog</a> has more specific information on the QR code design process.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NSIShVe3Xds/TXGP7w3tgUI/AAAAAAAAAag/RIcEZuqWYJQ/s1600/800px-QR_Code_Structure_Example.svg.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 162px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NSIShVe3Xds/TXGP7w3tgUI/AAAAAAAAAag/RIcEZuqWYJQ/s320/800px-QR_Code_Structure_Example.svg.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580399670182379842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Image CC by </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Zephyris" class="extiw" title="en:User:Zephyris">Zephyris</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span>There are a few parts I can figure out:<br /></span><ul><li><span>The three large squares (4.1) are the position markers. These tell the scanner where the edges of the code are. </span></li><li><span>Then there is one (or more) smaller alignment squares (4.2), to make sure everything is in line. </span></li><li><span>The dotted lines (4.3) are called "timing patterns" and define something about the position of the rows and columns.</span></li><li><span>The pink section determines the format (2) - is it a website? a text message? Numbers? Letters? Chinese characters? A combination?</span></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Want to generate your own QR code? </span><br /><br />There are many, many options to create your own QR codes. In Sept 2010, TechCrunch wrote a <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/09/30/googl-easter-egg/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29">post </a>about Google's new URL shortener. Apparently, if you simply add “.qr” to the end of any goo.gl URL, it will create a QR code. Scanning this with any QR code reader will take you to the URL. Then in October, Bit.ly released it's <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/13/bitly-qr/">own version</a> of Google's little trick. Just add “.qr” to the end of any bit.ly link (including custom URL's) to generate a QR code.<br /><br />This summer, while I was <a href="http://www.stevespangler.com/science-at-sea/science-at-sea-2011-science-can-be-amazing/">cavorting around in Alaska</a>, I learned that you can create QR codes with an image in the center! One of the resident techies aboard the ship recommended <a href="http://beqrious.com/qrcode/create">BeQRious</a> as a reliable site to try this.<br /><br />I like the simplicity of <a href="http://createqrcode.appspot.com/">this site</a>. In fact, I used it to make the QR code on the back of my new business cards. :)C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-46519445103343719202011-11-19T16:36:00.000-08:002011-11-19T16:37:08.333-08:00Holstee ManifestoLove. This. <br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QDmt_t6umoY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-27793233823627247452011-11-06T16:54:00.001-08:002011-11-06T17:17:13.173-08:003 new elements named!On November 4th, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/11/three-new-elements-named-/1">three new elements received their names</a>. Of course, <a href="http://www.webelements.com/">WebElements</a>, periodic table on the web, was already on it! (Oh, and make sure to scroll down the WEbElements page and check out what the kids baked... I hope I have kids that cool one day. :)<br /><br />Read about each new element:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.webelements.com/darmstadtium/">darmstadtium</a> (110) - named after the city (Darmstadt, Germany) where it was originally synthesized (in 1994)<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.webelements.com/roentgenium/">roentgenium</a> (111) - named in honor of the German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who first discovered X-rays</li><li><a href="http://www.webelements.com/copernicium/">copernicium</a> (112) - named in honor of scientist and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus<br /></li></ul><br />What's interesting to me is that these elements were first observed in a laboratory in 1994, 1994, and 1996, respectively, yet it took until 2011 for them to receive names. I read this <a href="http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/index.html?quid=358">fascinating post</a> (from 2002) about how elements are named. Even then, the author writes,<br /><blockquote>It was only in 1997 that the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, or <a href="http://www.iupac.org/">IUPAC</a>, proposed names for 104 - 109. These elements were created in laboratories in the United States, Russia, and Germany. Only a few atoms were created and they only existed for a short time. The naming of chemical elements is a matter of national and professional pride, however, and selecting a name these days requires a lot of bickering and bargaining. Elements 110, 111 and 112 have been created, but have yet to be named. </blockquote>I liked reading <a href="http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/index.html?quid=358">the post</a> and leaning more about how elements have been named using Latin symbols, the compounds they make up, Greek words, how the element was made, the place name where it was synthesized, mythology, and most recently, after famous scientists.<br /><br />Well,<a href="http://www.webelements.com/darmstadtium/"> armstadtium</a> (110)<a href="http://www.webelements.com/roentgenium/">, roentgenium</a> (111), and <a href="http://www.webelements.com/copernicium/">copernicium</a> (112)... welcome to the Table!<a href="http://www.webelements.com/copernicium/"><br /></a>C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-71830440434110540332011-10-15T10:51:00.000-07:002011-10-15T13:20:09.811-07:00bird garments: penguin sweaters & chicken jumpersA link off the Chicago Tribune this morning about knitting penguin sweaters led me to a rather intensive research session on bird clothing. Who knew? Perhaps, I should clarify that I am only interested in dressing up animals when it serves some sort of rehabilitation purpose, as it does in these three stories. Dogs in frills for the amusement of their owners? Not so much. <span style="font-style: italic;">(All images are linked back to their original sources.) </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.massperception.com/2006/04/16/penguins-in-pajamas/"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 155px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Awah4lALMmM/TpnSZatWMdI/AAAAAAAAAdA/KdCMj8Z4ih8/s200/rel_penguins_04151.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663789340503192018" border="0" /></a>First, penguin sweaters. It's true (<a href="http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/penguins.asp">snopes.com says so</a>) that the <a href="http://www.tct.org.au/jumper.htm">Penguin Jumpers Project</a> (now finished) collected over 15,000 jumpers to help rehabilitate <a href="http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/eudyptula_minor.html">Little penguins</a> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Eudyptula minor</span> - the smallest penguin species in the world) that have been affected by oil spills in Tasmania. As many of you may already know, a good washing with <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060616-penguins_2.html">Dawn dish soap</a> will clean the feathers of oil, but often the birds are too sick to be handled and washed right away. In the meantime, these sweaters are put on the birds so that the birds will not preen their feathers, potentially poisoning themselves with the oil. When their strength returns, the birds are washed and the insulating and waterproofing properties of the features restored.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6935298/Chicken-owner-knits-wooly-jumpers-for-birds.html"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 116px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tite_srUvaU/TpnXuVODUEI/AAAAAAAAAdY/tZoz_wgyFo4/s200/Woolly-chickens_1553738c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663795197365145666" border="0" /></a>Another group was asking for donations of jumpers... for chickens! When chickens are cooped up against each other in hot sheds at <a href="http://www.wesleyan.edu/wsa/warn/eon/batteryfarming/index.html">battery farms</a>, the can often lose their feathers. Then, if they are fortunate enough to be rescued and moved to free-range conditions, they do not have the feathers to keep their bodies warm in the open fields. According to the rescue group <a href="http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/">Little Hen Rescue</a>, "Not all farmed hens [we rescue] are bald, but usually there is around 10-20% that are, these hens depending on the time of year stay with us until feathered." While they are growing their feathers back, many of them will be wearing these donated jumpers.<br /><br />Check out Little Hen Rescue's page for more <a href="http://littlehenrescue.co.uk/Hensandtheirjumpers.aspx">pictures of hens in jumpers</a>. Or check out a video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeWG9iL7TFw">here</a>. Or see <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/116400249615285452635/ChickenJumpers#">Paul Howard's Picassa album</a> for my <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/116400249615285452635/ChickenJumpers#5289706879880247234">favorite picture of hen jumpers</a>.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/01/designing-a-penguin-wetsuit/"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 163px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HN1IRxqrHwA/TpnUG-4MjVI/AAAAAAAAAdM/wIyAClRgMUM/s200/pierre.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663791222818114898" border="0" /></a>Finally, if I am discussing bird garments, I can't leave out the story of Pierre, a penguin at the <a href="http://www.calacademy.org/">California Academy of Sciences</a> in San Francisco, CA. By penguin standards, Pierre is an old bird. In the wild, penguins live about 15 years; in captivity, they live to about 20. Pierre turned 28 last February. When he was 25, he molted, and never grew back his feathers. When it was determined that there was no health-based reason for his balding, senior aquatic biologist & penguin handler, Pam Schaller came up with a creative solution - she collaborated on a penguin-sized wetsuit, which Pierre wore until his feathers and his demeanor recovered.<br /><br />It's a great story. To learn more you can:<br /><ul><li>check out his story in this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pierre-Penguin-Jean-Marzollo/dp/1585364851">children's book</a> (2010)</li><li>watch this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4xmTnMF0Cc">KRON4 video</a> (start at :50) (2008)</li><li>listen to an <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89951043">npr broadcast</a> (2008)</li><li>read <a href="http://www.calacademy.org/webcams/penguins/wordpress/?s=pierre">his recent history</a> on the Cal Academy Penguin Blog (2011)</li><li><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calacademy.org%2Fwebcams%2Fpenguins%2Fschallertomakeapenguinwetsuit.doc&rct=j&q=calacademy%20penguin%20wetsuit&ei=s82ZTsDWNaPWiALEru3gDQ&usg=AFQjCNGeSycIh_-peLRGk1OuqIIzqZ2_CQ&cad=rja">download this Cal Academy document</a> which includes all of the details of why he needed, how they designed, and who made the penguin wetsuit. It's fascinating!<br /></li></ul>In 2009, another wet-suit-wearing Cal Academy penguin made the news. Ralph, a nine year old Humboldt penguin, also had a <a href="http://www.calacademy.org/webcams/penguins/wordpress/?p=381">similar wetsuit experience</a>.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-32137296187677589512011-10-14T10:16:00.000-07:002011-10-15T10:43:47.142-07:00quark songToday, a student introduced me to the Vlogbrothers (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers">YouTube Channel</a>). Hank and John Green are brothers who make nerdy videos. Hank lives in Montana, and John lives in Indiana, yet they still engage in nerdy collaboration across the miles.... Apparently, it all started in 2007, when the brothers chose to refuse text communicate and only communicated through voice and vlogs for the year.<br /><br />The video below is one of Hank's songs, Strange Charm. It's about quarks. Quarks are a type of particle that makes up matter. Most of the matter we see around us is made from protons and neutrons, which are composed of quarks. The most recently discovered quark (the top quark) was announced in 1995! (A shout-out to <a href="http://www.fnal.gov/">Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory</a> near Chicago, IL for the discovery!) <br /><br />There are 6 types, or "flavors" of quarks: up, down, charm, strange, top, bottom. Each quark carries a fractional charge, and a color charge. (?!) According to the theory of quantum chromodynamics, quarks are always combined in groups of three quarks (of different colors) or as pairs consisting of a quark and an antiquark (of the same color). (??!!) This is more than my brain can handle, but it is pretty cool.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U0kXkWXSXRA" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br />If you want to learn more about quarks, I suggest visiting the following sites:<br /><ul><li>Need a refresher on atomic structure? Visit the <a href="http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_structure.html">Chem4Kids page</a> or watch a <a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/video/introduction-to-the-atom?playlist=Chemistry">Khan Academy video</a> about atoms.<a href="http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_structure.html"></a><br /></li><li><a href="http://www.particleadventure.org/quarks.html">Quarks page</a> on particleadventure.org</li><li>Howstuffworks - <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/quark-info.htm">Quarks</a><br /></li></ul><br />Hank Green is also known for his blog, <a href="http://www.ecogeek.org/">EcoGeek</a>, which he began in graduate school as a class assignment!C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5764797396372421005.post-56701127278151080262011-10-02T18:33:00.000-07:002011-10-02T19:16:47.734-07:00Bike performance on China's Got TalentI live in a town that has a <a href="http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/San-Francisco-Bike-Polo-Players-Find-New-Turf-jw-90393229.html">bike polo</a> league, a synchronized <a href="http://www.7x7.com/arts/mysterious-sf-bike-ballet">bike ballet</a>, and the Bay Area Dérailleurs, a <a href="http://derailleurs.wordpress.com/about/">bicycle inspired dance team</a>... but I have never seen <span style="font-style: italic;">anything</span> like this!<br /><br />From<span style="font-style: italic;"> China's Got Talent</span>... 16 girls on a bike! Not to mention a lot of jumping and flipping. Incredible.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fElCHp9wMtk" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /></div><br />Thanks to the "related videos," I also learned about 23 year old Liu Wei from Beijing, who won the <span style="font-style: italic;">China's Got Talent</span> Show on Oct. 10, 2010. He swims competitively, and plays piano... yet he lost his arms in an accident when he was 10 years old. His attitude & determination are inspirational. You can watch his amazing performance <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Qut0Nrsiw">here</a>.C. Mytkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06930476695074185607noreply@blogger.com0