Judi's Discovery Zone

Over the Moon

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 14:16:00 +0000

Do you believe there is a man on the moon?

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Did your grandma tell you “the cow jumped over the moon?” Do you believe that there is a man on the moon? On July 20, 1969, do you remember seeing the first man step on the moon broadcast on television?

From ancient times to the present, people have been fascinated with that continuously changing, orb in the night sky. Scientists have given us more understanding, but it retains its mysterious qualities, too. In 1988, people who were surveyed believed that the moon was made of cheese.

Early Babylonians thought that women were more fertile during the time of the full moon, and today people continue to think that more babies are born during that phase. The word “lunacy” comes from the Greek word “lunar” meaning moon, and some maintain that crimes, murders, and suicides increase at that time.

Mothers used to be afraid to hang diapers out to dry in the moonlight because it was bad luck. Curtains were drawn in bedrooms because moonlight shining on a person was considered bad luck too. Some farmers still gage when to plant crops, and others decide when to start a new business or to begin a courtship on the phases of the moon.

There is a man on the moon, so to speak. Dr. Eugene Shoemaker was the geologist who educated the Apollo Mission astronauts about the geology of the moon. It was his lifelong wish that he would go to the moon, so when he died, his ashes were placed on the Lunar Prospector spacecraft in 1999. When the spacecraft was deliberately crashed into a crater in order to see if there was water on the moon, his remains were left there.

The moon is a satellite of the Earth, and we only see 59% of it because of the rotations of the two bodies. Forty-nine moons would fit inside of the Earth, but sometimes, it appears much larger because of its closeness to our planet.

This year we have seen several blue moons, blood red moons, and super moons. Blue moons occur when a month has two full moons, and the second one is known as a blue moon.

In April and October of 2014 and then again in April and September of 2015, super moons or perigee moons will occur because the moon’s orbit will bring it closer to earth than usual.

We will see the stunning blood red moons twice when the earth passes between the sun and moon causing a lunar eclipse. The sun’s rays will be blocked but some will make it to reflect off the moon causing a brilliant, reddish-orange color. This phenomenon is also known as the harvest moon.

Over the centuries, observers have made countless predictions about the future including the end of civilization bases on the appearance and events related to the moon. I prefer to accept and enjoy it as another of nature’s magnificent gifts.

(Source: www.boomsbeat.com)

Children are Changing

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 15:07:00 +0000

Technology can be a wonderful thing, but it has drawbacks

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

For 44 years, I have taught children, and as Oprah says, “This I know for sure... .”

Technology is changing children and not always for the better. That’s my opinion, and last week I read an article published on RealSimple.com, “The Alarming Truth About What Smartphones Could Be Doing to Your Kids” by Samantha Zabell — which I believe supports what I think.

From ages 8 to 18, a Kaiser Family Foundation study found that children spend more than seven hours per day using media outside of school. From 2011 to 2013 the percentage of children with access to smart devices has grown from 52 percent to 75 percent.

The University of California at Los Angeles wanted to investigate the real cost of the technology time.

The researchers decided to work with sixth graders in a public school who had reported using technology including texting, video games, and television for more than four hours per day. They gave the kids a test to evaluate their emotional intelligence or their ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions.

Then, they divided the subjects into two groups. One went to Pali Institute in California, a nature and science camp, where the students were immersed in outdoor activities and were unable to use electronic devices of any type for five days. On the first test, the camp group averaged 14.01 errors when judging emotions, but on the second test they made 9.41 errors. Students who remained at school did not show any significant improvement when retested.

So is emotional intelligence really important? Leaders in the field of psychology like Edward Thorndike, David Wechsler, Abraham Maslow, and Howard Gardner worked with measuring intelligence as related to learning potential. With the publication in 1995 of Emotional Intelligence: Why It Matters more than I.Q. by Daniel Goleman, people started to understand the impact of E.I. and the best seller brought the topic to the forefront.

Plato said, “All learning has an emotional base.” If a child has a less than average ability to evaluate emotions, will it affect learning and also social adjustment? If our kids are not learning to properly relate to each other because of lost time with people, will there be consequences for teaching and society in general? I believe that we are already seeing the results.

Over the past 20 years, scientific research in the fields which focus on learning like psychology, cognitive science, and psychobiology have revealed information which have had significant effects on teaching and learning. As parents and teachers, we should study the research and not be charmed by the lure of technology to seemingly make everything better.

Limiting the use of technology is a responsibility of adults. It can be a wonderful tool for learning for all of us, but it can also have its drawbacks.

Child development must be nurtured and protected. Too much time with technology can be harmful to the child as a learner and as a developing adult.

(Source: www.globalstudentnetwork.com)

Fostering the Gift of Curiosity

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 17:00:00 +0000

FOSTERING THE GIFT OF CURIOSITY

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

You can see it in their eyes. It sparkles and lights up their faces. It’s curiosity, and it must be cultivated and nurtured, or it will die.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “…at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.” Curiosity might be the mother of invention, but it is also the mother of learning.

Some children seem to lose some of their drive to learn and explore as they approach the middle school years, and teachers and parents become anxious to get back that childhood enthusiasm for learning. Where did it go?

Many books have been written, teaching techniques explored, and countless hours of research spent in the quest for the answer to what keeps the desire for learning at its peak.

Of course, there is no simple answer, but after many years of teaching, I believe that parents and teachers must continuously act as facilitators for learning. They should be relentless in their efforts to follow the interests that the child expresses and to provide materials and experiences in those particular areas of interest.

A child is his or her own best teacher.

Childhood is full of opportunities for exploration through toys, games, books, movies, television, and countless child centered activities. Places like the Museum of The Albemarle, Arts of the Albemarle, and Port Discover are settings where kids can experiment and find their personal interests.

For all of the criticism directed at media, they also provide many golden sparks for kids’ curiosity. Finding Nemo, the Ice Age series, Madagascar series, Wall-E, Lorax, Rio, Bambi, and 2001, A Space Odyssey all cause kids to wonder about the world of science.

Although the science is not always the most accurate in such programs as Sponge Bob and other cartoons, they still might cause the child to ask questions and become interested.

That’s when the parent can seize the opportunity to acquire books, magazines, and materials from the library, take the child on a field to a museum or science program, or just probe for questions that the child might be wondering about and try to answer them.

One avenue that can be helpful is keeping up with current science events. Just this summer there have been so many topics to explore like global warming, drought, flooding, space exploration, archeological discovery, and the list goes on and on.

One of my newest discoveries is www.neok12.com which is a treasure house of free online videos, lessons, quizzes, games, and puzzles for kids, teachers, and parents. Organizations such as the British Broadcasting Company offer documentaries on a variety of topics such as prehistoric America, dinosaurs, and the Ice Age.

Remember that a child’s first question is usually “Why?” As their first teacher, you can easily become equipped with all that you need. You will probably learn something together, and that’s the fun of it.

(Source: www.nature-reserve.co.za)

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Summer's Love Bugs

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 14:58:00 +0000

Summer's Love Bugs

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Just the mention of the word “bug” makes most people start scratching. However, there are insects that people, especially kids, love. For grown-ups, they bring back nostalgic memories of summers during their childhood. Who doesn’t remember the glass jar at the foot of the bed with those sparkling, enchanting lightning bugs flickering off and on?

Actually, lightning bugs aren’t bugs at all. They are part of the beetle family. While they appear all over the world, various cultures have attached myths to these magical creatures.

Aztecs thought they brought a spark of knowledge in a time of ignorance and darkness. Europeans believed that a person would die if a firefly flew in the window. Native Americans caught them and smeared them on their faces and chests as decoration.

Today, the firefly is the state insect of Pennsylvania and Tennessee. They are used for medical research in the areas of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis and heart disease. Fireflies are truly beneficial and don’t bite, have no pincers, don’t attack, don’t carry disease, and are not poisonous. Their larvae feed on the larvae of snails and slugs.

If you are really ambitious, you can become part of a lightning bug network and help with research. The Museum of Science in Boston allows you to sign up and send them data about the lightning bugs you observe once a week in your back yard.

So the big question is why do lightning bugs flash anyway? As you might guess, they are trying to attract a mate. The females perch close to the ground while the males fly around flashing, and then a dialogue soon begins. Each species of lightning bug has a unique flash pattern.

Bioluminescence is the ability of a living organism to give off light which is referred to as “cold light” because no heat is present. The firefly is the most common land animal that has bioluminescence, but certain types of worms, fungi and mushrooms also display light.

Fireflies are most often found around low, wooded areas that retain moisture like ponds and marshes. Adults sometimes feed on pollen and nectar. The female lays her eggs in the ground, and they hatch in about 4 weeks.

If you want to try to attract the golden creatures, there are several things you can do. Try to reduce the amount of light on your property so there will be no interference with the signals they are giving each other. Instead, install lights that are low to the ground and point straight down. Don’t use bug zappers or chemical pesticides. You could enhance the moisture available by adding more birdbaths. Allow for some tall grass in the yard where the males can rest during the day.

Take your children and yourself back to a slower, more beautiful time and have a lightning bug night often. The summer is short and so are childhoods. If you want to learn even more about fireflies, go to www.squidoo.com and research with your children.

(Source: www.digitalartscape.com)

Looking for an ancient species

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 15:46:00 +0000

Looking for ancient species? You might find one here

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

As an adult, he weighs about 800 pounds, is 13 feet long, and has 75 teeth. It’s the teeth that worry me.

I have visions of one of the monster reptiles crawling up the bank of the canal in our backyard to look for a snack.

After reading that a 12 foot alligator was run over and killed by a minivan in Dare county in May, I figured that they are headed my way, too.

e victim, “Cheeseburger,” was so nicknamed by the locals because he especially liked that delicacy fed to him by Dare residents. Apparently, he was just lying on the highway when he was struck and killed.

Because he had been fed by people, he saw no need to protect himself.

Previously, a 12-foot alligator killed an 80-pound Siberian husky near Jacksonville. It is illegal in North Carolina and many other states to feed alligators because it causes them to lose their fear of people. Generally, they prefer to stay away from humans.

Alligators survived an extinction that killed 75 percent of the life on Earth 65 million years ago and are sometimes described as living fossils. There are only two species of alligators.

The Chinese alligator lives in the Yangtze River and only ten to fifteen are known to be surviving. They are much smaller than the American alligator which lives in the south-eastern United States including Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and North Carolina.

In the spring, female alligator move into areas where decomposing vegetation creates more heat for the eggs. The sex of the offspring is determined by the temperature of the nest. Males are produced in the warmest areas and females are hatched in the cooler nests.

The mother looks after the young for a year, and they are considered mature when they are about six feet long.

Because their nests leave deep holes, they contribute to the ecology by providing habitats for other animals. They also help plant diversity in these areas, thus contributing to the ecological balance in the wetlands, rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, and marshes where they live.

Although they are known for their powerful bite, the jaw muscles are relatively weak. A human can hold the jaws shut with little effort. The reptile’s preferred meal includes small animals such as fish, birds, turtles and small deer.

How many alligators are there in North Carolina? A study sponsored by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has recently tried to estimate that number. The last study was done in 1980.

The results concluded that the highest concentrations were still around Wilmington, the Croatan National Forest, and south of the Albemarle Sound. In our area, alligators have been spotted in a pond near Morgan’s Corner, in Merchant’s Mill Pond, and other isolated areas.

Because North Carolina is cooler, the reptiles are more vulnerable to predators all year long.

Be aware, don’t feed them, and never let them see you smile.

(source:www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org)

Goat farming gaining in popularity

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 14:19:00 +0000

No kidding, goat farming is gaining popularity in the US

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Down the road from my home lives a precious, small herd of goats. When our grandchildren come to see us, we usually take them to visit the goats and feed them crackers or carrots.

Every day when I ride by, they bring a smile to my face. Sometimes, when one gets a horn stuck in the fence, we have to stop and perform a rescue. They are fascinating creatures.

Goat farming is rapidly increasing worldwide, especially in the U.S. where it is the fastest growing segment of agriculture. The price for goat products is rising to meet the demand of the increasing population of Hispanics, Indians, and Muslims who each view goats as part of their cultural traditions.

In fact, American ranchers are having a difficult time filling the need. Farmers in some parts of the country have used government money to replace their tobacco growing with goat production.

Texas has the most goat farms, and North Carolina is among the top ten producers. Across the world, China and India lead in goat farming and goat meat is the most consumed meat per capita worldwide.

Growers also cite the benefits of eating and showing goats in comparison to other animals. Many people believe goats have more personality than sheep. They require less land on which to live than cows do.

Their main enemies are coyotes and foot-and-mouth disease. Goat meat has more protein than beef and is lower in fat than chicken.

Humans first tamed and herded goats 9,000 years ago. They can be taught their name and will then come when called.

A mother goat, called a doe, can recognize her kid’s scent and call from birth, and she usually has two babies a year. Male goats are called bucks. Domestic goats are called a billy and a nanny.

Contrary to popular belief, goats are very picky eaters and will refuse anything that they do not consider suitable. Because they are foragers, not grazers, they are useful in land clearing, and in some areas, herds are rented out for that purpose.

Goats have four stomachs. Food first goes to the rumen from which it is regurgitated for “cud chewing” and then it moves to the reticulum, the omasum and finally to the abomasums. A mature goat can hold four or five gallons of chewed plant material, which then ferments causing loud burps to come from the animal.

There are six recognized dairy breeds in the U.S. which are the Alpine, LaMancha, Oberhasli, Nubian, Saanen, and Toggenburg. Oberhasli gives the milk that tastes most like cow’s milk, but they each have a distinctive flavor.

Fainting goats only appear to faint. When they are frightened and panic, a condition of their central nervous system temporarily paralyzes their legs, and they fall over.

Most goats are curious and take objects into their mouths to investigate them, but do not eat them. Legends of Ethiopia give the goat credit for discovering the coffee bean by chewing it and finding it eatable.

No kidding!

(Source: www.glenisk.com)

"In Nature Nothing Exists Alone" R. Carson

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 16:27:00 +0000

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

After dinner, she was having one of those terrible moments that five year olds have when they miss their mother. I decided to whisk my granddaughter off to the pier for an “I spy nature” diversion.

We sat there quietly listening to birds singing as they looked for a place to spend the night and watching water bugs surface on the glassy river. I told her about the dove’s call, the whippoorwill’s song, and the wren’s chirping. Her mind was calm now, but the sight and buzz of a pesky yellow fly chased us back into the house.

What if the birds’ songs were silenced?

Last month, Rachel Louise Carson was the subject of a Google doodle. Maybe you looked at it as I did and asked, “Who is that?” The sketch was of a woman standing beside a body of water with a notebook, binoculars, and backpack as she observed the swarm of wildlife around her.

The doodle commemorated the 107^th birthday of the eminent scientist, author, and activist. Her book Silent Spring was published in 1962 and led to the global environmental movement and in 1972 the banning of the pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). A global ban soon followed.

Carson was born in 1907 on a small farm in Springdale, PA and grew-up as a keen observer of nature who developed an early talent for writing. Among her favorite authors were Herman Melville and Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote novels about the sea. She became a marine scientist and published a trilogy (Under the Sea, The Sea around US, and The Edge of the Sea,) of books about the sea. ‘

Then she turned her attention to conservation and the widespread use of synthetic pesticides and their effects on birds and wildlife. Silent Spring’s publication in 1962 caused a public outcry for control of all pesticides and chemicals.

She was viciously attacked by the chemical industry, and the New Yorker Magazine called her “an alarmist” and accused her of “overstepping her place as a woman.” After a year, the protests from citizens overcame the detractors. When the American Bald Eagle was found to be a victim of the chemicals, the tide turned.

One million copies of the landmark book were sold before her death of cancer in 1964. President John F. Kennedy was an avid supporter and had her claims investigated for further proof.

The furor that began in the sixties gave rise to the formation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1980. President Jimmy Carter posthumously awarded Carson the Medal of Freedom. Recently, TIME magazine named her one of the most influential people of the 20^th Century.

Protests of the ban continue today in third world countries where the mosquito population which carries malaria has continued to rise. Today, researchers work to find ways to control the insect population without harming wildlife and people.

As Carson said in her landmark work, “Chemical war is never won, and all life is caught in its crossfire.”

(Source: www.preserveamerica.noaa.gov)

Belief in Science

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:37:00 +0000

Don’t take my word for it, but scientific method is sound

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

What is the truth?

Do you know it when you hear it?

Can you believe it when you see it? Does it even exist?

An ancient Greek philosopher, Diogenes, reputedly wandered the land carrying a lantern looking for a truly honest man. His quest was the beginning of cynicism.

A 2012 survey published by the National Science Foundation revealed that, “4-in-10 American adults doubt evolution, over half are confident that the Big Bang took place, just under 40 percent don’t believe that pollution is causing climate change, and 15 percent don’t believe in the safety of vaccines.”

Why do Americans sometimes reject scientific theories?

Perhaps people have become more cynical because they are bombarded with shocking news every day which is presented as factual. Last week there was news that the sweeteners made from stevia might have an organism that might be harmful to humans. There was no data, no studies that followed the correct protocol, and no information on who put forth the findings.

Science started out as stories which were told in an attempt to answer the question “why.” Much later, thinking became more sophisticated, and as observations became theories, testing, experimenting, and exploration followed.

Science gained respectability in some circles, but there have always been people who have fought new ideas. Fiction favorites like “Frankenstein,” “2001 A Space Odyssey,” and “The Andromeda Strain” suggested that science might one day take us a step too far.

Of course, there is what is known as “junk science” which is presented as authentic science. Usually, the information touted by those presenting these types of studies is not sound and has not adhered to the tried and true scientific method. Rejection of scientific findings can be based on religious, political or personal beliefs.

Students and parents both complain about the yearly school mandated science project which requires that students learn and follow the scientific method. However, knowledge of the process is a tool which can be valuable throughout the student’s life.

The steps of questioning, hypothesis, procedure, experimentation, data analysis, and conclusion are a sound method for analyzing many of life’s problems. The process is orderly and based on logical, time-tested reasoning.

How do we tell the difference between junk science and authentic science?

There are several questions to be considered:

• Is a reputable organization such as a university presenting the information?

• Who will benefit from the general public believing the conclusions?

• Who paid for the research?

• Was the scientific method followed?

• Were there sufficient trials to make the study valid?

• Were the groups being studied large enough?

• Are there words like might, possibly, and could in the presentation?

As consumers of information, we must be extremely critical of what is given to us. Junk science is often the type of science practiced when politics and business enter the picture. The result is that the facts desired by one group or another get emphasized over others.

Like Diogenes, we must seek the truth.

(Source: www.workforceinstitute.org)

Birds bring beauty and superstitions into our lives

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 15:31:00 +0000

Birds bring beauty and superstitions into our lives

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

One of the delights of retirement is that you have time to notice things in nature that escaped you when you were working.

We’ve been feeding two goose families that regularly visit our backyard and have made themselves quite at home. After their dinner, they just sit down in the grass, and the babies snuggle up under the mother’s wing for a rest.

Being a witness to nature is addictive, and it makes you think and then draw conclusions about what you observe. Sometimes, those conclusions can be more superstition than fact.

People have often viewed birds as messengers with news about future events, and they have tied their appearance to spiritual things. If a death occurred after seeing an owl during the daytime, people wondered. If it happened again, it became a superstition. No doubt you have heard several myths about birds that you might have repeated.

Author Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” in 1797. In the narrative poem, a haunted seafarer tells the tale of his horrifying experience on a doomed ship. It involves an albatross that is killed, thus bringing bad luck to the vessel and its crew.

Some people believe that albatrosses contain the souls of sailors and bring bad weather and high winds.

Legend tells of robins trying to remove the thorns from Christ’s crown at his crucifixion, and the result was that blood stained their breast red.

If you make a wish when you see the first robin in spring, you will have good luck. Something of yours will be broken, if you break a robin’s egg. You will marry a sailor if the first bird you see on Valentine’s Day is a robin.

Peacocks, though beautiful, are considered by some to bring bad luck because of the evil eye at tip of their feathers. In the theater world, costumes adorned with peacock feathers or set decoration including them are believed to bring bad luck to the production, so they are avoided.

Owls are well-known for their symbolism. Mythology claims that the hoot of an owl occurred before the deaths of Agrippa, Julius Caesar, and Augustus Caesar.

Screech owls supposedly bring bad news. An owl skin nailed to a barn wards off bad luck. Eating owl broth will help with whooping cough, and eating their eggs improves vision, epileptic seizures, and drunkenness.

Doves are viewed as spiritual in nature. Because they mate for life and carry the spirits of lovers, they are often released at weddings to ensure a long and faithful marriages. Old timers believe that the dove is the one bird that the devil cannot change into, and miners worry if they see doves at the opening of a mineshaft.

Chickens have many beliefs attached to them. Bringing eggs into the house after sunset causes bad luck, while a chicken entering a house means a visitor is coming.

All of these beliefs bring new meaning to the practice of bird watching.

Source: “Eerie Bird Superstitions,” by Emma Springfield, Nature Center Magazine. www.superstitionsof.com

New taste treat for all

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 May 2014 16:37:00 +0000

Insects are a culinary delicacy around the world, but will we bite?

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

You will not believe this; I didn’t. On Amazon, you can find new mealtime delights like Fluker’s Gourmet Canned Crickets, Ultimate Insect and Bug Candy, Larvets (BBQ), Edible Pupae, and Crickettes in sour cream and onion and bacon and cheese flavors. They can be delivered right to your doorstep for your pleasure.

Often, when I am enjoying a dinner of shrimp which is one of my favorite foods, Hubby says, “You know that you’re eating bugs.” Of course, he’s kidding, and he knows better, but they do resemble bugs so I always wonder a little. Some people even refer to them as the “cockroaches of the sea.”

People of western European decent who now inhabit places all over the earth are generally not too keen on eating bugs. In Asia, China, Africa, South America, and many other areas, insects are a daily part of the diet and are often considered a delicacy. Two billion people consume insects as part of their diets.

Early Europeans were farmers who quickly recognized that insects were fierce enemies of the crops they tried to raise. Killing the creatures was their goal, not eating them. Our innate belief is that we should not eat anything that our mothers did not feed us. To go against that belief is a giant leap for most people.

Entomophagy is the practice of eating bugs for their nutritional value. Insects are a readily available, natural source of carbohydrates, protein, fats, minerals, omega-3s, and vitamins. As the world population approaches eight billion people, scientists say that there will be little choice but to use insects to stop starvation.

The United Nations is promoting a campaign to make this cultural shift happen. The International Society of Sports Nutrition is enthusiastic about the use of insect protein products to enrich the food of athletes. Bodybuilders are often on the leading edge of progressive nutritional trends, and if people see them consuming insect protein supplements, the tide might turn.

One way to assist people in rising above the disgust factor is to make them believe that the food has a high status by labeling it a delicacy and charging more for it. Lobster was once plentiful along the eastern coast of the U.S. and Canada, but it was considered a poor man’s food. Today lobsters are the most expensive item on the menu.

Pound for pound insects have a greater concentration of life sustaining protein and other nutrients than chicken, pork, or beef. Insects also contain less saturated fat and their production is more environmentally friendly than other meats.

What if you are stuck on an island and the only food includes bugs? Which ones would you choose? It is best to avoid the brightly colored ones, but there will be plenty to select from since there are fifteen orders of edible insects. They include lice, grasshoppers, crickets, cicadas, bees, ants, flies, mosquitoes, dragonflies, and termites.

Get your frying pan out and give them a try!

(Source: www.theblaze.com)

Over the Rainbow

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 May 2014 14:28:00 +0000

The path of a tornado is one scary place to be

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Dorothy was determined to get home after being displaced by a tornado, but there is nothing fictitious about the recent storms that have ravaged our area. The terror is very real, and unfortunately, it continues.

Psychologists say that humans are most frightened when they are not able to control their surroundings.

Tornadoes are events that strike at the heart of that fear. If we become victims, we must pick-up the pieces and carry on with a lot of help from our friends, family, and community.

We are fortunate that, comparatively speaking, the Albemarle has a low risk of seeing the most powerful storms. The United States has approximately 1,000 tornadoes touch down every year which is more than any other country. Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Nebraska are known as tornado alley because of the regularity of the storms which strike them each spring.

In 1992, Elizabeth City was struck by an F-3 storm which devastated the Edgewood area. The twister then picked up a school bus and threw it 75 yards into a field on Halstead Boulevard.

There were 44 injuries, but no deaths, in the surrounding area from that storm. As we always say, it could have been much worse. Elizabeth City has had three F-3 tornadoes in recorded history and many rated F-1 and F-2 storms.

It may seem that we are seeing more storms, and some people wonder if it is caused by global warming, climate change, or increasingly unstable atmospheric conditions. Heat and pressure drive our weather patterns, and we know that tornadoes come from thunderstorms in a wind shear environment.

These types of conditions occur east of the Rocky Mountains more than anywhere else in the world.

Storms are born when warm moist air at low levels meets with drier air aloft causing extreme instability in the atmosphere. A tornado is a rapidly spinning tube of air that goes from the ground to the cloud above it. As it moves, it picks up dirt and debris. Most tornadoes produce winds that are less than 100 miles per hour, but some can attain wind speeds of over 300 miles per hour.

The country of Bangladesh experienced the deadliest tornado ever recorded in 1989 when 1300 people died. In 1925, the Tri-State Tornado which traveled through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana left destruction across 219 miles and killed 695 people and became the deadliest U.S. storm.

Scientists are studying the patterns of low temperatures like we saw last winter and their interaction with higher temperatures possibly caused by increased greenhouse gases. Any improvement in the ability to predict storms will result in better preparation and less loss of life and property.

Your best defense is to stay alert, have a personal plan of action, and become educated about how to protect yourself. For example, wearing some sort of helmet when you take cover is now recommended. Unlike Dorothy, we must deal with our reality without magic.

(Source: www.tcdailyplanet.net)

Eco-Friendly Castles

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 15:51:00 +0000

Eco-friendly homes could answer your future housing needs

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

If you were going to build a new home for your family with money not being a factor, would it be an extreme home? Maybe you would have a pool, a home theater, a gym, a gourmet kitchen, a four-car garage, and so many square feet that you would have to hire a staff.

Men and women’s homes are supposed to be their castles according to many people. Poet Robert Frost defined home as a place that “…when you have to go there, they have to take you in.”

Modern concepts of homes range from paper boxes to palatial palaces. Latest economic developments have caused people to look at smaller, more efficient homes and to think of true needs versus wants. People have considered home design from various perspectives for thousands of years.

Take sod roof houses, for example. The legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon were carpeted with greenery and even the Vikings favored sod roofs.

Currently the green roof market is growing and the benefits of insulation, filtering of pollution, reduction of storm water run-off, and the cooling effect on the home are becoming more desirable. Green wall house have the same benefits, plus they add beauty to their surroundings.

Cob houses are a made of a mixture of earth and straw and are similar to adobe homes, but have the benefit of being easier to shape, thus providing architectural interest. Those structures of similar construction built in the nineteenth century in England are still there.

Using few raw materials, homes made of shipping crates can be combined to make larger houses or left as a small, independent dwellings. There is a container city that was built in London in 2001 that has drawn much interest.

Wood pallet houses have become a quick answer for disaster relief around the world. In post-war Kosovo ten by twenty foot shelters were built for $500 using 80 pallets. The first earthship houses made of reclaimed tires, old bottles, and tin cans were built in the 1970s. For nineteen years, friends and neighbors of Tito Ingenieri living in Argentina saved bottles so that he could build a house.

An alternative concrete called hemcrete made of hemp, concrete, water, and lime is proving to be more durable than regular concrete. It also insulates better and is more resistant to fire, mold, and insects. It is predicted that the material will last seven to eight hundred years.

Modular homes are readily available and builders see less waste because the house is pre-fitted. Also, less energy is used in the construction because the parts fit together. These homes can be small or designs can be combined for larger homes.

You can make your lifestyle more eco-friendly with a little know-how and a few changes. Come to Port Discover’s Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 26 at Mariner’s Wharf from 10 to 2 p.m. and learn how you can help the planet.

(Source: www.homedesignlover.com)

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Is it just science fiction or a look into the future

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 14:53:00 +0000

Is it just science fiction or a look into the future

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Science fiction captured my interest early in life with television programs like “Star Trek” and “Twilight Zone” along with the works of Jules Vern’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and “Around the World in Eighty Days.”

I was fascinated with seeing the science and invention predicted by early fiction writers come true in real life.

Current television programming is filled with the science fiction genre with shows like “Under the Dome,” “Intelligence,” “Person of Interest,” “The Walking Dead,” “Intelligence,” “Resurrection” and many more. The more you know about science, the more you can understand and enjoy these programs.

When I was teaching, I liked to entice my students to read by finding unusual stories. One that stands out in my memory was about a new area of science called cryonics. The main character awoke in the future having had himself frozen in hopes that he could be brought back to life when a cure for the disease that killed him had been found.

In anticipation of his awakening, he had deposited $10,000 in a bank account. Thinking that the interest he would have gained would make him a wealthy man when he returned to life, he was proud of his farsightedness. He immediately drew his money out of the bank and then caught a taxi to the nearest realtor’s office to buy a house. When he got out of the cab, the driver said, “That will be $2,000.” Shocked, he realized inflation had made him a poor man in his new world.

Cryogenics is the study of what occurs when materials are frozen at extremely low temperatures. Cryonics is the technique by which human bodies can be stored and later revived. People who believe in the validity of the process are experiencing the modern version of the search for the fountain of youth.

There are people who have paid for their future ticket to Mars and there are those who have paid from $28,000 to $200,000 to have themselves preserved for a life in the future. More than 200 bodies have been stored, and 1,000 have already paid for their preservation after death.

Before one undergoes the procedure, he must be pronounced legally dead which means that the heart must have stopped beating. These scientists believe that there is a difference between legally dead and totally dead in that some cellular brain function remains.

At the time of death, a cryonics team stabilizes the body with oxygen and blood while it is transported to a cryonic facility. There the body is put through a process called vitrification, deep cooling without freezing. Sixty percent of the water in the body is replaced with protective chemicals as the temperature is lowered to -202 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ted Williams, the famous baseball player, is among those who are awaiting revival. Urban legend places Walt Disney among the frozen, but that is not true. Cryobiologists have predicted the first revival attempts might happen around 2040.

After the winter we’ve had… no thanks!

(Source: www.vishaypg.com)

Pigs will fly before I get close to an NC wild boar

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:07:00 +0000

Pigs will fly before I get close to an NC wild boar

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Rarely does our area appear in Yahoo, MSN, New York Times, CNN, and other national media, but last month it happened when hunter Jett Webb of Conetoe stalked and killed a wild boar weighing over 500 pounds.

Although he and fellow hunters at the White Oak Ranch Hunting Club in Bertie County had been tracking the giant pig for months, even he was shocked at the immenseness of the animal. He took down his prey with one shot, which was a good thing because wild boars can be extremely aggressive.

Last year the Rosedale neighborhood in Elizabeth City was plagued with wild pigs that destroyed yards looking for pecans and other food. Residents said it looked like their lawns had been plowed with a tractor every morning.

Much speculation arose about where the pests came from and when they would leave.

North Carolina has a feral pig population problem, and it is getting worse statewide. In 2011, all North Carolina wild pigs were declared feral, and in 2012, laws changed to allow any means possible to control the invasive animal population. Now, there is no limit, no closed season, and they can be hunted with lights and silencers at night, in all 100 counties. Only a valid hunting license is required.

During the early twentieth century, wild boars were brought from Europe to the counties of Wake, Johnston, Wayne, Graham, and others in order to populate games reserves for hunting. The scavengers were natives of northern and southern Europe, the Mediterranean region, Asia, and Russia. Boar hair was used in toothbrushes and hairbrushes until the 1930s.

Tigers and wolves are the main natural enemies of the wild hogs who are known to be courageous and fierce in battle. The males of the species live a solitary life except during mating season from November through January when they join the groups, or sounds, of females and piglets. Pregnancy lasts for about 115 days when four to six babies are born, and they have three litters per year.

The long, frightening tusks which protrude from the bottom lip are a scary sight, and males have an extra set on top with which they sharpen the others. Wild boars average 110-200 pounds, but can reach up to 800 pounds.

Many people claim that the meat of the wild hog is better than that of its domestic cousin, and it can also be purchased on line with other wild delicacies. The challenging hunting experience has attracted many to North Carolina, but the negatives outweigh the positive for most people.

Because they are omnivores and will eat just about anything, farmers and landowners are concerned about the damage they do. Along with their destructive nature, they bring diseases and parasites, which can potentially harm animals and people. Some scientists warn that these problems could eventually get into the domestic pig population.

I can assure you that before I would go looking for a wild boar, pigs would have to fly.

Raise your spirits, get healthy and be green: Ride a bike

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 16:23:00 +0000

Raise your spirits, get healthy and be green: Ride a bike

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

“I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives a woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance, “said suffragette Susan B. Anthony when she was speaking about the rising popularity of bicycles.

Early in the 19^th century, riders in Germany and France began to enjoy using the bicycle for recreation and practicality. A hundred years saw the evolution of the draisin, velocipede, quadracycle, boneshaker and the pedal bicycle. Biking around the world increased, and later the recumbent bike, the BMX, and the mountain bike were developed.

As the increased use of automobiles caused more accidents, some countries made a conscious choice to promote and enable the use of the bicycle for everyday needs. Today, citizens of Denmark and The Netherlands use bicycles more than any other country followed by Hungary, Germany, and Slovakia.

A bicycle is a compound machine made-up of several simple machines: lever, pulley, screw, inclined plane/wedge, wheel and axle. Two famous scientists, Orville and Wilbur Wright got their start in aviation by studying bicycles and imagining the possibilities. In 1903, their flying machine designed in a bicycle shop made the first airborne flight at Kitty Hawk, NC.

The ecological benefits of using bicycles for daily trips are many including the reduction of noise and harmful emissions. Energy used to make one car could make one hundred bicycles.

Health benefits of cycling out-number many other activities. A one hundred, thirty-five pound woman going twelve miles in one hour can burn 488 calories. One-half of American workers live within five miles of their jobs. Pedaling twenty minutes each way twice a week would burn 3,000 extra calories or approximately one pound of fat each month. While putting less stress on knees, ankles, and spine than running or walking does, bicycling tones the upper and lower body.

Regular bike exercise improves energy levels by twenty percent and decreases fatigue by sixty-five percent. It protects the heart by lowering blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. Even the immune system is strengthened by the activity.

Mental health and general outlook are also improved by getting outside in the fresh air and speaking to people along the way. Bicycling can also be a social activity to enjoy with friends.

Port Discover received a grant, “Get on Your Bike and Ride,” through Vidant Health and Albemarle Hospital Community Benefits Program. Eight bikes and helmets have been given away to children in the community at various events.

Our educators have developed a Bicycle Basics and Safety Kit which can be checked out by teachers in grades K-5 to teach rules of the road, proper helmet use, and safety. A summer camp (June 23-27) will feature bicycle fun and safety. Port Discover’s annual Earth Day Festival (April 26) will include a bike rodeo, bike spin art, a group ride through town, and a bike power demonstration.

Raise your spirits and come take our new quadcycle for a spin around town!

(Source: www.livestrong.com)

Dust is everywhere and you can not escape it

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 17:03:00 +0000

Dust is everywhere and you can not escape it

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Author H. Jackson Brown said, “You either make dust or eat dust.” If you ate any snow cream during our recent events, you ate dust.

Our atmosphere is full of dust particles, and when an extremely cold-water droplet combines with dust, it forms a crystal. The crystal continues to fall, picking up other droplets eventually forming a six-armed snowflake.

Comedian George Carlin reflected, “Dusting is a good example of the futility of trying to put things right. As soon as you dust, the fact of your next dusting has already been established.”

Most dust falls into one of several categories: atmospheric dust, domestic dust, Middle Eastern dust, or cosmic dust.

Atmospheric dust includes soil particles, volcanic eruption dust, pollution and road dust which itself comprises 33 percent of air pollution. Cosmic dust is found in outer space and is the result of the creation of meteors, stars, and space debris.

Middle Eastern dust is a worsening problem caused by climate change and increasing desertification. Five million people in Iran have been affected by the poor air quality, and it is a major concern for the government.

Dust does not stay still either. Thirteen million tons of dust drift from Africa and the Middle Eastern area into the United States according to the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors air quality and issues warnings as needed.

Researchers have discovered that U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait have inhaled particles containing toxic metals, bacteria, and fungi among other things. Scientists are trying to determine if this fact has any connection with ailments like Gulf War Syndrome, neurological and heart problems, meningitis, cancer, respiratory illness, post traumatic stress disorder, and depression.

Domestic dust is the in-your-face problem most of us worry about. Plant pollen, human and animal hair, textile and paper fibers, human skin, and dust mites make-up the dust that you see in your home.

Dust mites are members of the eight-legged arachnid class of animals. They and their feces are found in the warm, humid environment of beds, upholstered furniture, and all surfaces.

Even more of them are found in carpets where they love to breed. Mites grow best in 75-80 percent humidity but will not survive if the humidity is below 50 percent.

Humans give the dust mites plenty of skin cells to feast upon. In a way, they eat our dust.

After 10 years of infestation, the weight of a mattress can double in size and houses between 1-to-10 million dust mites. The weight of a pillow can be 10 percent dust mites. If you often wake-up with congestion, watery eyes, and sneezing, you might be allergic to dust mites.

Vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters, house air filters, allergy bedding, mattress covers, and special laundry additives can reduce the problem. Washing sheets and blankets frequently can also help. Dehumidifiers can also assist in the home.

And you thought it was just a little dust.

(Source:www.oceanworld.tamu.edu)

If you're gonna be bird-brained, be a crow

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 15:31:00 +0000

If you're gonna be bird-brained, be a crow

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Because of the weather, our bird food bill is larger than our people food bill this month. We enjoyed watching all the wildlife come to our cafeteria in the backyard.

Every elevated surface was covered in seed or corn after the storm. The suet feeders were especially busy with the aggressive diners.

A day passed before the red-winged blackbirds discovered the feast. No doubt, you experienced the same thing if you fed the flocks of hungry marauders. As I watched, I wondered what the difference was between blackbirds, crows, and ravens.

When I think about black birds in general, I associate them with Poe’s “nevermore” raven, the legendary guardians at the Tower of London, the ominous crows in the movie “Cold Mountain,” or even the cartoon characters Heckle and Jeckle.

Crows, ravens, magpies, rooks, jackdaws and approximately 120 other species belong to the family Corvidae. The Red-winged blackbirds belong to the Thrush family and are smaller and less intelligent than crows.

Throughout history, crows have sometimes been viewed as omens of bad luck, death, and evil. In Sweden, they were believed to be the ghosts of murdered people, but in Greece and Rome they were symbols of good fortune.

Because they will attack and kill a dying member of their flock, a group of crows is called a murder. Another strange behavior is that in early times they would gather at the site of public executions.

Scientists have become increasingly interested in the capabilities of crows and have done extensive research and discovered that they possess a variety of amazing talents. They have now been recognized as being more intelligent than members of the ape family.

Among birds, they have the biggest brain-to-body ratio, and they have a highly developed forebrain similar to humans. They can count to six and are believed to sunbathe to acquire vitamin D.

In 2010, PBS produced “A Murder of Crows,” a video that explores the startling research. The scientists discovered that crows could recognize human faces, remember what they had seen, pass information to their young, and could make tools of leaves and twigs.

While they do not have the biggest brain, that honor belongs to the parrot, they are tricksters and wise guys. They increasingly find urban living more to their liking because the resources for food and places to hide it are better.

These omnivores will eat 1,000 different food items including carrion, small animals, human vomit, and french fries. Nestlings can eat 100 grasshoppers in an hour. Crow meat is edible and is considered much healthier than pork.

Some scientists believe that crows can evaluate the character of humans by observing their faces and expressions. They can bond with humans and imitate their voices and have been known to name humans with certain calls.

So the next time someone calls you a “bird brain,” make sure they are talking about a crow.

(Source: www.allaboutbirds.org)

If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 16:43:00 +0000

If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

If you like variety in your life, northeastern North Carolina is the place to be for weather. You just have to wait a few minutes, and the weather will change.

As I write this column, we are on alert waiting for a winter storm named Janus that some forecasters have predicted will be an old-fashioned Nor’easter plus a little snow. No doubt, it will cause chaos as people empty the stores of bread and milk, and schools will be closed.

Last year, the Weather Channel began naming storms that they predict will break records or will likely be memorable events. This year’s names were the project of a high school Latin class in Bozeman, Mont. Atlas, Boreas, Cleon, Dion, Electra, Falco, Gemini, Hercules, and Ion have already made their marks.

Weather is a relative thing. What is hazardous snowfall in Elizabeth City does not get any attention in Boston. Hot weather in North Carolina is just warm in Phoenix. Weather forecasters have long tried to devise a way to describe conditions with terminology that can be measured.

Terms like Polar Vortex, wind chill, and heat index are part of an attempt to equip us with scientific understanding. The thermometer was invented in the 16th century, and in the 18th century, the Fahrenheit scale was created. It was not until the 20th century that the wind chill factor made the numbers more meaningful by taking wind speed into consideration.

Meteorologists at AccuWeather have evaluated wind chill and concluded that since it does not take into account several other factors, it must be flawed. They have devised a new assessment called “Real Feel” which takes into account eight other elements such as sunlight.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) named the coldest places on the earth. They include three cities located in the United States.

International Falls, Minn. is called the “Icebox of the Nation” because it has the lowest average temperature ranging from 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Stanley, Idaho recorded the highest number of coldest days during a time period in the continental U.S. In 1971, Prospect Creek, Alaska recorded -78.16 F giving it the lowest temperature ever recorded in the U.S.

In 1947, Snag in the Yukon Territory of Canada measured -83.02F giving it the record for the lowest temperature recorded on North America. Vpstok, Antarctica reached -128.56F during July, 1983 making it the coldest place on earth.

Siberia is the home of three other coldest places. Yakutsk, the capital, recorded --83.92F and Verkhoyansk, near the Arctic Circle, recorded -96.16F. Oymyakon is the coldest permanently inhabited place on earth. Schools only close when the temperature drops below minus 61F, and people tend to leave their cars running all day so that they do not have to restart them.

Don’t be surprised if storms Kronos and Leon head our way soon, but we still won’t be the coldest place on earth, thank goodness.

(Source:www.nyc.gov)

It's not stretching the facts to say yoga is good for you

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 15:38:00 +0000

It's not stretching the facts to say yoga is good for you

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Maggie is a pretty smart person, even if she is a dog.

Our eight pound, fluffy, black poodle has many admirable qualities which I have observed and wondered about. For example, almost every time she gets up from lying down for any period, she takes a long stretch. She doesn’t rush it and lengthens herself as far as she possibly can and seems so satisfied when she is finished.

Since it is the time of year when we all try to find something about ourselves to improve, I’ve been thinking about Maggie’s exercise and have decided that stretching is something I could do that would bring benefits to an aging body. People around the world find increased stamina and satisfaction in the practice of yoga.

Yoga Journal reports that 8.7 percent of the adults in the United States practice yoga. Seventy-eight percent say they are motivated by a desire to improve flexibility, conditioning, stress relief, and general health and fitness. Of the 15 million involved, 72 percent are female and 27 percent are male. Twenty-seven billion dollars are spent on yoga products yearly.

Various forms of yoga have been practiced for over 5,000 years and several world religions have taught yoga and meditation as part of their activities. In the West, the focus tends to be on mastering physical poses, practicing certain breathing techniques, and simply relaxing.

The ultimate goal is the improvement of balance, flexibility, and strength. As with all exercise, it is wise to consult with a physician about personal benefits and limitations.

Advantages of regular yoga practice may include better breathing and increased lung capacity, improved concentration and posture, lowering of blood pressure and heart rate, and lessening of stress. Medical researchers are studying the effects of therapeutic yoga on conditions like asthma and arthritis.

The stretching done during some of the yoga motions safely extends muscles and may release the lactic acid that builds up causing stiffness, tension, pain and fatigue, thus improving flexibility. Yoga may also increase the range of motion in the joints and improve muscle tone.

The term yoga means union or yoke and its goals are the strengthening of one’s body, mind, and spirit and the pursuit of inner harmony.

After school, daycare, physical education, and community programs are exploring the benefits of yoga for children. Increased self-esteem, self-discipline, and sense of wellbeing seem to be major benefits for students. Ability to focus, balance, concentration, and confidence are also improved by the activities that increase physical and mental self-awareness.

Studies have revealed that yoga can be helpful for children with ADHD and autism, too. Port Discover offers a “Mommy and Me Yoga” class for mothers and young children. The first Tuesday morning class was successful and will continue to be held monthly as part of our health and wellness program for children.

There is something for everyone in the practice of yoga. You are never too young or too old to improve yourself.

(Source: www.npr.org)

Santa, The Chimney Expert

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 15:14:00 +0000

Santa, The Chimney Expert

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

“…And laying a finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.” Does that make Santa an expert on what one can find in a chimney? He does have plenty of experience.

Since 1900, the number of homes constructed with chimneys has steadily declined. Will Santa have to change his methods of operation? Will some animals have to change their habitats?

Before the eleven hundreds, dwellings had fire pits and the smoke traveled to the ceiling and throughout the structure. Spaces near the top were used for storage and hanging meats, thus taking advantage of the preservation qualities of smoke.

When early attempts to control the smoke led to the development of the chimney, a second floor could be added to homes. By the fifteenth and sixteenth century, chimneys were built of brick and found in most homes.

Chimneys are busy places and can be the residence for several types of creatures. Bats, blue-tailed skinks, squirrels, spiders, raccoons, chimney swifts and other animals take shelter within these structures. Tales of wildlife coming into a house through the chimney are common.

Found in North Carolina and most eastern states, the gray, cigar-shaped chimney swift was once a crevice dweller, but eventually transferred to the warm environment of the chimney to build its nest. The small birds spend most of their waking hours flying and catching insects to eat while in flight. They quickly dive into the water to bathe and come up shaking the water from their bodies.

Many modern chimneys are covered and have narrow flues, which are not suitable for nesting. The glue-like saliva, which the bird uses to cement its half-saucer nest to brick walls, no longer works.

In 2012, chimney swifts were added to the watch list because they are in steep decline. Swifts migrate to South America and spend the winter in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Brazil. Although the swift is gone, the nest will remain in the chimney.

Santa might also encounter a nasty substance called creosote, which is a by-product of incomplete combustion. Burning fossil fuels such as wood and coal produces water, carbon, and volatile chemicals which condense on chimney surfaces. All forms of creosote are highly combustible.

Several factors can make the build-up worse. Restricting air flow by closing fireplace doors, failing to open the damper completely, burning unseasoned wood, and overloading a firebox can all accelerate the build-up.

This black, oily substance can eventually become a thick deposit which reduces the airflow in the chimney and may cause a chimney fire. Most of the time, the fire is contained inside the chimney, but if the fire is hot enough, it can ignite materials close to the chimney and cause a house fire. Homeowners should have their chimneys cleaned regularly by a professional.

Whatever Santa encounters, he always gets the job done with the help of many elves, of course.

(Source:www.clipartguide.com)

Do you believe in the magic, er, science of Christmas?

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 15:50:00 +0000

Do you believe in the magic, er, science of Christmas?

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Have you ever wondered what was wrong with Rudolph’s nose? Some scientists who have considered the problem proposed that he might have had a severe cold, but others take it a step further.

Reindeer noses actually have an abundance of membranes that warm the air coming into their bodies. Because of the warmth and moisture, parasites and bacteria might have created an infection, which caused the famous red nose. Poor Rudolph!

What about the reindeer antlers? Their names sound male, but real reindeer shed their antlers around Christmas time, so they must have been misrepresented. How shocking!

Although Germans have an abundance of evergreen trees, they invented the first artificial trees by using dyed goose feathers. What a mess that must have been!

The tallest Christmas tree on record was a 222-foot Douglas fir that decorated the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Wash., in 1950. Most Christmas trees grow for 15 years before they are cut.

Another Christmas legend tells that spiders wove a blanket for Baby Jesus, so in Poland, spiders and their webs are used to decorate trees and are considered signs of kindness and wealth.

Evergreens were symbols of eternal life and rebirth, so bringing them in the house during winter was a sign of preservation of life for ancient people. From that belief, grew the Christmas tree tradition. A strong environmentalist, President Teddy Roosevelt would not allow a Christmas tree in the White House.

According to legend, Martin Luther, protestant reformer, was moved by the beauty of stars shinning between branches of a tree. He brought a tree into the house and decorated it with candles to share with his children. Apples were one of the first ornaments to decorate trees.

Because the rooster was thought to be the first animal to announce the birth of Jesus, Bolivians attend the “Mass of the Rooster” on Christmas Eve each year and actually bring roosters to the service.

The name mistletoe comes from the Anglo-Saxon word, which means “little dung twig” because bird droppings are the method of spreading the seeds. Druids thought of the mistletoe plant as sacred because it has berries when other plants seem to die. They believed that it had special powers to cure illnesses and to hold evil at bay.

Aztecs believed that the beautiful poinsettia was a symbol of purity and often used it as medicine to reduce fever. Poinsettias are not poisonous, but holly berries are.

There are several possible explanations for the Christmas Star appearing in the story of Jesus. Some people think it may have been an exploding star or a supernova. Others believe it could have been a planetary alignment of Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn, which would have produced a noticeable light. Another possible cause of the light could have been a comet.

Christmas traditions and legends often contain a touch of science, and that makes them more interesting for some believers.

(Source: facts.randomhistory.com/Christmas-facts)

Fair Trade helping the world and the local community

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 17:11:00 +0000

Fair Trade helping the world and the local community

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Here at Port Discover, we take our citizenship seriously in many ways. Through our programs like the annual Earth Day Celebration and our many conservation efforts, we promote efforts to conserve the resources of the earth.

To help support our organization and give the kids an opportunity to take something science related home, we opened a science shop last year at Port Discover. The small area at the center offers a wide variety of science education related products that people can purchase during a visit to Port Discover.

The selection includes such things as stuffed animals, games, books, science experiment kits, seeds and plants.

Recently we added products from the World Fair Trade Organization. If you have purchased coffee from Starbucks and Nestle Corporations, you are probably acquainted with Fair Trade products. The largest producers of Fair Trade coffee which is their largest selling product are Uganda and Tanzania.

The first Fair Trade markets began in the 1940s and 1950s when some religious organizations received craft products for their donations to third world countries. The current Fair Trade movement began in the 1960s with an emphasis on “trade not aid.” A philosophy of helping others to help themselves was the core value of the organization.

Profits from selling the products are used for community projects that improve the lives of everyone, such as, roads and bridges which connect people to each other and the world. The market-based model provides and alternative to dependency on aid from other countries. The communities learn the democratic process concepts of being self-governing and making their own decisions.

The businesses operate fostering the principles of reforestation, water conservation, and environmental education and awareness. They continuously support practices which help their community and the planet. Also, Fair Trade standards require that people have access to health care and education. Participants are taught about wise business practices and sustainability.

Women in these developing nation communities are empowered through their work with Fair Trade. They are guaranteed access to health care, job rights, freedom from harassment, and opportunities for education and leadership roles.

Fair Trade principles include payment of a fair price, restricting child labor, transparency and accountability, non-discrimination, good working conditions, and respect for the environment. Products are made or grown from sustainable natural resources, recycled, and biodegradable materials.

For example, beads from Uganda are made by rolling glossy, colorful paper into a bead shape and then coating them with lacquer. Other meticulously made products in the science shop are crafted from recycled wire from cars, plastic bags, banana leaves, telephone wire, steel drums, and old tires.

Handcrafted paper from India, African paper art dolls, and Mayan weaving are among the products offered from Fair Trade. Products come from all parts of the world including Kenya, South Africa, the Caribbean, and Haiti.

Port Discover strives to help us all understand more about our small planet, and in the process, we hope to support our educational programs.

(Source: www.organiclifestylemagazine.com)

Batman reflects his namesake in North Carolina

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Batman reflects his namesake in North Carolina

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Having the characteristics of a bat might not be useful unless you are Batman. You certainly would not want to be a “dingbat”, or “an old bat,” or “have bats in your belfry,” or “be blind as a bat.”

When Batman comics appeared in the 1940s, the hero took on some of the traits of the mammal of the Chiroptera order which means “hand-winged.” He was stealth and intelligent, worked in the dark, and was a friend to people.

An abundance of mystery and lore surrounds this creature which is so helpful to humanity. People are naturally suspicious of an animal that flies in the dark, sleeps upside-down, and has a menacing appearance. Classic tales like Dracula promoted the idea that bats were evil creatures.

Most bats eat insects, nectar, pollen, or fruit, but three species do require blood meals and are referred to as vampire bats. From that reality came the myth that bats like to bite people and often carry rabies. In North Carolina, you are much more likely to run into a raccoon, skunk, or fox that is rabid than a bat.

Of the 17 species that live in North Carolina, seven are endangered. Bat Cave in Henderson County is an unincorporated community which takes its name from an actual cave which is the largest granite fissure cave in North America.

The 300 by 85 foot cave is the home of the endangered Indiana bat and is owned by the Nature Conservancy which works to protect the animals. People are not allowed to enter the cave, and hiking near the cave is prohibited because bats have been greatly affected by white noise syndrome.

Bats which are nocturnal are not truly blind but like most mammals do have difficulty seeing in the dark. They use an internal radar system called echolocation to maneuver. By vocalizing clicks which bounce back to them from surfaces, the bats can determine where to fly.

One thousand species of bats make up one-fifth of all mammal species worldwide. They are the only mammals that have true sustained flight. Other animals, such as the flying squirrel, actually glide.

A colony of 1,000 bats can consume 22 pounds of insects in one night. One bat can eat 25 percent of its weight in one meal. That would equal about 36 pounds of food for a person weighing 150 pounds. They eat far more insects than purple martins, and are also helpful with pollination and seed distribution.

The small creatures are predators of the hornworm moth which can devastate tobacco crops in North Carolina. Peru is a major exporter of bat waist or guano, an extremely effective fertilizer because of its high nitrogen, phosphate and potassium content.

Like so many organisms today, bats are victims of the world’s population increase and other environmental factors. People can help by installing bat boxes around their homes and planting native species which attract insects for the bats to eat. Like Batman, they are not our enemies.

The wind: A powerful, productive force to serve man

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 16:49:00 +0000

The wind: A powerful, productive force to serve man

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

I can whistle, or I can howl. You can’t see me, but you can see my effects. You can feel me as I rock you in a swing. I help you play with a kite. I can be an enemy or a friend. Who am I? I am the wind.

Egyptians made the earliest know wind powered boats in approximately 3,500 BC., and by 200 BC, windmills were being used in China to pump water. In 600 AD Persians built windmills to grind grain into flour. During the 1300’s, the fields in the Netherlands were drained with the help of windmills, and France used them to irrigate their farms.

American settlers in the west pumped water using windmills. Six million of the devices were built across America by the late 1800’s. Charles Brush built a large windmill that produced 12 Kilowatts of electricity in Cleveland in 1888. Electric wind turbines eventually began to be used in Europe and America to provide power to rural areas.

Progress continued to be made, and today, 70 percent of the world’s wind energy is produced in Europe. Germany, Denmark, and Spain led the way by passing laws to encourage greater use of wind energy. In 2007, the U.S. wind energy increased by 45 percent and in 2010, the offshore wind farm, Cape Wind, was approved by the federal government.

Wind is really a form of solar energy because it is caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the earth’s surface, and the rotation of the earth. When the wind is put to work, the turbine converts the kinetic energy into mechanical power and finally into electrical power.

As the wind turns the blades, the shaft which is connected to a generator turns producing electricity which is transmitted through lines to a substation. Later it goes to homes and businesses where it is used.

Wind energy is renewable unlike coal, oil, gas, and other fossil fuels which take thousands of years to form. It is also clean and does not contribute to global warming which makes it healthier.

With the concern about energy resources growing worldwide, wind energy has become the fastest growing source of electricity production. Shepherds Flat Wind Farm in Oregon is the largest in the U.S. and produces enough electricity for 235,000 homes.

Wind farms are not without their critics. Some people think the turbines, which can be as high as a 20 story building with 200 foot long blades, numbering in the hundreds are ugly. They consider them a detractor to the beauty of the landscape. Others complain about the noise the machines make. Many people decry the loss of birds and bats that are killed by the blades.

If you would like to learn more about wind energy and its production in our area, attend Port Discover’s Science Café program on Thursday, November 14 at 7p.m. at Montero’s Restaurant. Craig Poff of Iberdola Renewables in Pennsylvania will be the guest speaker.

Believe it or not, winter folklore may have something to say

portdiscover@portdiscover.org (Anonymous) — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:05:00 +0000

By: Judi Stuart

Port Discover: Visitor Services Manager

Believe it or not, winter folklore may have something to say

When the cool, shorter days of September and October begin to wane, most folks wonder what the coming winter will be like. Will it be mild like so many of our coastal winters are, or will we have to put an extra log on the fire?

A couple of weeks ago we were observing the squirrel activity in the backyard and noticed that they were busier than usual. They were running back and forth to the raised bed garden boxes burying something.

Hubby, the investigator, observed for some time and reported that they were stashing nuts from the nearby pecan tree and putting them deep in the soil.

Now, that looks like some serious squirrel planning to me. Do the squirrels know something that we don’t?

If you read the Farmer’s Almanac and are a student of folklore, you know that Mother Natural often shows some signs of a harsh winter on the way. Of course, you could read the scientific calculations and predictions, but the folklore science is much more fun. It might even have some scientific basis, if you look closely enough.

Predictions of the severity of winter can be observed in the animal and plant world along with the weather of the months preceding winter. Some people use their body’s aches and pains along with their bunions, corns, and various twinges to predict the weather.

Squirrels who frantically gather nuts, nest low in the trees, and have tails bushier than usual, might foresee a cold winter. Thick fur on animals like dogs, horses, rabbits, and cows and skunks that are fatter than usual are also predictors of cold temperatures.

Plants also show signs of preparation for winter. Thick corn husks, heavy berry growth on dogwood and holly trees, more acorns, hickory nuts, and walnuts are all signs of a cold winter on the way.

If leaves drop in the fall before reaching the height of color, you can expect a hard winter.

If the first week of August is hot and there are many fogs, there will be more snowfall. Generally, warm falls are followed by cold winters, while an early killing frost forecasts a harsh winter.

When there are more spiders and thick webs, you should expect a cold winter. The most studied profit of winter is the wooly worm. If they are crawling around slowly before the first frost, have heavy, black coats, and are plentiful, look out for a frigid season.

Scientifically named Pyrrhactia isabella, the furry creature is actually the larval stage of the Isabella Tiger Moth, a yellow moth with a two inch wing span. They spend the winter under bark, a rock, or a log and can endure —90 degrees. Some people believe that if you see more worms heading north, the winter will be mild, but if they point south, the winter will be colder.

Observe nature and make your own prediction. It’s fun, if not accurate.

(Source: www.flickr.com)