Synthesis

Plastic Bottle Bird Feeders

2011-05-26T06:00:00.003-04:00

If a summer nature journal sounds good to you but the terrarium is not your thing, how about a bird feeder made from a 2-liter soda bottle? You can recycle and help your feathered friends at the same time!

Gather your materials - and an adult for the cutting part! - and you're good to go.

Soda Bottle Terrariums

2011-05-25T06:00:00.005-04:00

Summer Nature Journals

2011-05-24T06:00:00.003-04:00

A summer nature journal is the perfect way to sharpen your observation skills while keeping your writing sharp. The only thing you need is a journal and a project. How about micro terrarium? They're easy to make and fun to observe.

All you need is a small container, some small plants like clover from the yard or a micro variety of a plant from the local nursery. You can even grow herbs if you'd like. Next you'll need a small container that's attractive and easy to seal. The last thing you'll need is gravel, sand, and soil for your plants.

Not sure how to get it all together? Here's a video from StormTheCastle.com that will take you through it step-by-step.

Snapping Turtle Science

2011-05-19T05:00:00.004-04:00

According to the CritterZone, the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is the largest type of freshwater turtle in the United States. They have an upper shell that is not large enough for them to withdraw inside completely. They have large nails on all four feet and a "long, fleshy tail, with an alligator-like crest."

Their powerful jaws have sharp edges. They move so quickly when they attack that it's difficult to trace the motion - as I can attest to from having startled the turtle I saw this week. A snapping turtle of the size in my photos and adventure could easily remove my little finger.

Evidently, they come out of the water to mate. I hope to see some babies in the near future.

Snappy Poses for You

2011-05-18T05:00:00.003-04:00

Video: Snapping Turtle Strolling

2011-05-17T14:51:00.013-04:00

I was nearly home today when I saw this big old snapping turtle making its way into the street. I believe the least we can do is make sure these creatures make it safely so I stopped to make sure he made it across. While I was at it I made a video and snapped a few pictures. I also startled the poor guy.

Despite all that, he made it safe and sound to a comfortable spot. Maybe he's out to mate? Maybe we'll see some baby snappers making their way into the pond in a few months?

I'll let you know!

Amazing Day at Air & Space

2011-04-21T17:49:00.006-04:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with Dr. John Anderson, Curator of Aerodynamics at the National Air & Space Museum. Dr. Anderson was kind enough to give me a walk-through on the workings of the balances used by the Wright brothers in their wind tunnel. He was thorough and patient in his explanation, stopping along the way to answer related questions I had for my book for Springer Verlag. When we were done, we went to view the airfoils on display and satisfy our mutual curiosity on one point.

It was an amazing meeting and I appreciated the time he took to go through the misinterpretations on the Wrights' part that led to their conclusion that Lilienthal's data was inaccurate. Dr. Anderson went through each mis-step and accounted for the 30% discrepancy in lift they experienced.

It's not often that one has the opportunity to sit down and discuss a topic with the person who has written so extensively on the subject. It's certainly a meeting I will never forget.

Spring Break

2011-04-13T00:42:00.001-04:00

Taking a break for Spring Break. I'll be back on May 1st!

KidSci!

2011-03-31T22:02:00.006-04:00

Starting May 1, I'll be posting once a week on a topic of interest to kids. The post will be kid-friendly. I'll also include resources for further exploration whenever I have some good ones!

I run an after school writing program - KidWrite - and lately I've been sharing the materials for my adult book for Springer with them as a warm up for their writing. The kids have been fascinated and the writing they've done as a result has been enthusiastic and impressive. Seeing their reactions made me realize I could share the information here with a larger group of kids.

So - I'll see you back here next week for KidSci -- posts on science geared for kids!

Make Your Own Non-Newtonian Fluid

2011-03-17T06:01:00.000-04:00

One cup cornstarch...

Two cups water...

Mix it all together and you're good to go!

Walking on "water"

2011-03-16T06:01:00.000-04:00

You gotta love these guys!

They filled a pool with a mix of cornstarch and water made on a concrete mixer truck. It becomes a non-newtonian fluid. When stress is applied to the liquid it exhibits properties of a solid.

Recorded in Barcelona, Spain

Technology and Dance, Partners in Innovation

2011-03-10T12:25:00.002-05:00

Those living in the DC Metro area are in for a treat this week. Joe's Movement Emporium of Mt. Rainier is hosting Affectations, a piece commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Art and created by Laura Schandelmeier & Stephen Clapp of Dance Box Theater.

Affectations combines the technology of controller free gaming with the kinesthetic movement of dance. "The movements of the dancers trigger a response by the controller and there are different triggers," said Charles Phaneuf, Managing Director of Joe's Movement Emporium. "A certain kind of action will trigger a specific graphic element. If you turn your arm 90 degrees suddenly, then you can trigger a different kind of graphic."

Put it all together and you have a piece that explores the full range of possibilities. "The movement is freeform and the idea is that the video
enhances and works with the idea of the piece," said Phaneuf. "It adds another layer that’s kind of a reflection of what they’re doing
in terms of movement.”

Check it out for yourself on Thu - Sat, Mar 10 - 12 at 8 pm; Sun, Mar 13 at 7 pm; and Thu - Sat, Mar 17 - 19 at 8pm; and Sun, Mar 20 at 7pm. Details and Tickets

Sneak Peak: Diabetes Risk Test

2011-03-10T06:00:00.003-05:00

Here's your chance to see what the test entails! It's also your chance to take some steps to protect your health! See more at American Diabetes. For book reviews, progress blogs, and the scoop on monitors check out the Type2 Beat.

Ready?

Set?

Go!

Diabetes Risk Test

Take the Type 2 Diabetes Test on March 22

2011-03-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

Type 2 Risk Test on March 22

2011-03-08T06:00:00.002-05:00

March 22 is a special day in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. It's the start of the American Diabetes Association's 23rd annual, month-long Join the Million Challenge to get people to assess their risk for type 2 and take the necessary steps to delay or prevent it. With the rising number of type 2 diabetics and the serious long-term health implications it holds if not treated properly, it's essential that people take the time to take this seriously.

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder in which the body either cannot produce sufficient insulin or the cells ignore the insulin that is produced. The result? The insulin is not utilized to take the sugar from the blood in the cells. The result? A build up of glucose in the blood that actually makes the blood more viscous and leads to diabetic complications.

Check out the Type2 Beat for book and product reviews, as well as news and info for the newly diagnosed.

Video: Almost Like Resurrection

2011-03-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

Tech Time: Peterson Field Guide App

2011-03-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

There's a Peterson Field Guide to Backyard Birds app from Wildtonesthat's compatible with the iPhone, the iPod Touch, and the iPad. There are over 180 birds - far more types than we get in our yard - so chances are excellent you'll be able to identify the feathered creatures passing their time in your "habitat."

It includes arrows to the key field marks.

There's an illustrated index by family.

I think this is the way I'm finally going to get through that Peterson Field Guide sitting on my bookshelf. I'll keep you posted. Let's hear from you, too, about the birds you find with your copy of this splendid app.

Roger Tory Peterson

2011-03-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

A Field Guide to the Birds, giving field marks of all species found in eastern North America by Roger Tory Peterson, 1934

Sketching

Field Marks

Taking notes on an osprey

Did You Know: Before the Peterson Field Guides

2011-03-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

Did you know that before the Peterson Field Guides, it was common practice to kill a bird so that the specimen could be identified? After identification, the "skins" of the birds were preserved with arsenic. Some of the skins exist today. In fact, you can see many of them at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute (RTPI) in Jamestown, New York.

Peterson grew up in Jamestown, NY. Located near Lake Erie, equidistant from Buffalo and Erie, NY, Jamestown was a perfect tangle of fields and forests for a boy as indifferent to formal education as Peterson. He roamed and explored on his own, satisfying his curiosity about all sorts of plants and animals. The only problem was that he couldn't get close enough to make an identification of the birds he saw.

That wasn't the most pressing issue on his mind. At least not until the day he reached out to touch what he thought was a dead woodpecker. Rather than yield to his touch, it flung its wings wide, revealing brilliant color and igniting what became Peterson's lifelong fascination with birds of every type.

An avid artist, Peterson sketched birds and noted the markings he could see from a distance. These would become known as field marks and their use in the books Peterson wrote would result in birders being able to identify birds without having to kill them. The result was a deeper interest and appreciation of birds and nature by the average American as well as a large step forward in the conservation movement.

The first Peterson Guide was published in 1934. Today there are Peterson Guides for all sorts of animals and plants. Each of them is designed for quick identification by an amateur at a distance. In solving the problem of identification, Peterson came up with a solution that changed the way people around the world interact with nature to this day.

Printing Skin

2011-02-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

A report from CNN on Saturday pointed me in the direction of a new use of biology and technology at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. It seems they've reached the pre-clinical phase with a new "ink jet" printer technology that will "print" cells directly onto burned and damaged skin in the battlefield.

According to the Wake Forest site, the current products to promote burn healing have significant limitations because often there is not enough undamaged skin for a good graft, the bandages need time to be prepped before application, or the size of the available products does not meet the needs of the patient.

With this new technology, cells will be loaded in to the cartridges and, after scanning to ascertain the optimal shape and size, the cells will be applied directly to the burned/damaged skin. It will protect from infection, keep the area from drying out and scarring, and promote healing.

Early trials with mice show promising results.

Great Baltimore Fire of 1904

2011-02-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Before the fire:

Baltimore burns:

Fireboats in the Harbor:

Engine at Work:

The damage is done:

Note: Thanks to the Maryland and US Archives

Did You Know: Standardized Fire Hose Couplings

2011-02-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Did you know that one of the first things to be standardized in the US was --- the diameter of hose couplings for fire hoses? I know. Who knows, let alone cares about that sort of detail? None other than yours truly. Since I'm certain you now also want to know the scoop, I'll fill you in.

The Port of Baltimore (in Maryland) was founded as a tobacco port in 1706. It played a part in the Revolution and the War of 1812. While in Baltimore Francis Scott Key wrote a poem, The Star Spangled Banner, about a battle held at Fort McHenry. It went on to be set to music and become our National Anthem. Baltimore was also a port of significance during the Civil War.

Being such an old city, Baltimore has been the site of countless technological innovations. Among the most impressive is the standardization of the fire hose coupling. In 1904, a massive fire decimated over 1500 buildings in Baltimore in the course of 30 hours. Engine companies from up and down the coast made their way to Baltimore to help. When they arrived, they were unable to connect their hoses to the water supplies and tankers. They had no choice but to stand by and watch the city burn.

As a result, a move was made to standardize hose couplings so that all fire companies could work together. Some variances remain but the bulk of the couplings are made to spec, allowing fire companies today to respond and do more than watch helplessly.

Tech Time: Over to the Dark Side

2011-02-17T00:00:00.003-05:00

I'm pained to admit that I've gone over to the Dark Side. I have a Mac and an iPhone and, as infuriating as I find the Mac and the iPhone, I'm not going back to a PC.

I can painlessly and effortlessly synch everything for the first time in my entire life. I can get apps like QuickCal, which make my life easier by orders of magnitude, yet are free or mainly cost me less than ten bucks. I can listen to music I like on Pandora because it magically arrives on my iPhone - and all I had to do was name one thing for it to do that.

I'm old enough to remember the time when the only game in town was an Apple desktop. Then VisiCalc came out. First of the Killer Apps, it stole Apple's lunch and vaulted the PC to the top. With the iPhone and the Apps, it seems Apple has finally learned its lesson and is baaaa-aaaackkkkk.

All I know is that all my technology is playing nicely for the first time ever and my life is much the better as a result.

Dusty Naval Guys

2011-02-16T00:00:00.002-05:00

Here they are. The men who take up my brain-space, time, and energy as I complete my book for Springer Verlag, tentatively titled, "Modeling Ships and Space Craft: The Science and Art of Mastering the Oceans and Sky"

William Froude who championed and proved the value of scale model testing in the 1870's.

David Watson Taylor who designed and built the first model basin in the US in the early 1900's.

Alfred Thayer Mahan who made such a convincing case for the link between the strength of a navy and the prosperity of a country in 1890 that he changed the world.

A Science Hall of Fame With a Twist

2011-02-15T06:00:00.004-05:00

On January 14, Science ran a Gonzo Scientist piece entitled, "The Science Hall of Fame." John Bohannon details the ways in which this particular Science Hall of Fame (SH0F), curated by Adrian Veres and John Bohannon, measures fame in terms of the number of times a person's name has appeared in books over the centuries. The impact is measured "in milliDarwins (mD): one-thousandth of the average annual frequency that Charles Darwin's name appers in English-language books from the year he was 30 years old (1839) until 2000," as explained in the SHoF piece.

The data set was created by a team led by Jean-Baptiste Michel and Erez Lieberman Aiden. It is "based on the trillions of words within Google Books, which currently represents 15 million books, 12% of those ever published," according to The Science Hall of Fame piece.

You can either go to the SHoF and see the results for yourself or... go into the data to see what you can come up with. I, of course, immediately went into the data to see how my favorite trio of dusty naval guys made out.

Turns out Alfred Thayer Mahan, the one who started the whole naval defense is key to a country's prosperity thing in 1890 has a graph that looks like this:
David Watson Taylor, noted hydrodynamicist and the man who designed and ran the first model basin in the US in the early 1900's fared thus:
William Froude, the man who championed model testing as a viable way to predict the performance of full-sized ships before they were constructed in the late 1870's generated this chart:
Charting them together, it's easy to see that Froude outshone them all, which is only fitting since he's the one who proved the theory and got the ball rolling:
But let's face it. Charles Darwin kicked their butts: