Space Week Plans

Space Week (30th June- 4th July) 

Sorry for the break in posting, I'm now coming towards the end of my GCSEs! I thought I would update everyone about my plans during space week!

Monday 30th June -

9am - 12:15  I will be live tweeting three talks from Professor Carolin Crawford from the University of Cambridge

12:15 - 1.20 I'm running a workshop for Year 7s on our future beyond Earth.

Tuesday 1st July -

9:55-10.55 I'm running session two of the Year 7 workshop


Wednesday 2nd July-

12-12.45 I'll be live tweeting the top space news stories of the past month from my Twitter account @Sci_Sparks


Friday 4th July -

I'm releasing an eBook on the Amazon Kindle Store for 99p called Science Bites. I'm actually donating all the profits to Keech Hospice


Throughout the week I'm running a competition at school to design a astronaut's suit, perfect for life on Mars!

Feel free to contact me through Twitter @Sci_Sparks, or email spaceweek@outlook.com.

Follow Space Week on Twitter with the hashtag--->

#SpaceWeek and #StortSpaceWeek

Who was Gustav Kirchoff?

(1824-1887)

He came from a very intellectual Prussian family and he studied Maths and Physics at the University of Kongsberg. Here collaborated with Robert

Bunsen in 1854 (who invented the Bunsen Burner) for research into spectroscopic studies, which is research into a specific area in Quantum mechanics. Kirchoff made a lot of contributions to the study of optics (light) and he was even one of the first to use the term "black body radiation. 'Black Body Radiation' later evolved into the term we now use "Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation" , scientists believe this is radiation left over from the Big Bang!

Does the Sun's cycle influence our weather?

The Sun's magnetic field constantly changes - the Sun's polarity reverses every 11 years. This activity changes the number of sunspots on the Sun's surface - this then peaks at the 'solar maximum'. The Sun's activity cools areas on the Sun meaning they appear darker. The solar cycle can also cause small changes in the Sun's heat and light output. Some studies have shown some link between few sunspots and cold winters in Europe. Although it's unclear the Sun's cycle could influence our weather.

Europe launches a flagship space project

A Soyuz rocket has been launched from France carrying the first satellite for Europe's multi - billion euro project to map the Earth's surface using radar.

The satellite, named Sentinel- 1a will be followed by a fleet of other satellites over the next five years also called sentinels.

More to follow 

What is 4D printing?

We've all heard of 3D printing - the future of printing many things ranging from equipment to even food!

4D printing is basically 3D printing but with the added dimension of time. This may sound strange but the objects are configured to change shape over time. In some materials this is configured by a simple change in temperature. Some materials could even change shape simply by being poked or prodded.

Although this is a very new field, surely objects that can change at your command sounds exciting?

Does your brain shink with age?

It actually does, aged 80 your brain typically weighs 15% less than it did when you were 20. Neurones aren't normally replaced with minor damage also, your neurones get less effective with age too. This is one of the consequences of our extended lifespan, like arthritis and cancer. But studies have shown that if you remain physically active in your seventies then brain shrinkage slows down!
 

Why is yawning contagious?

As promised... here is my #WeekofScience post 4 of 7.

Take a look at this video - see if the chimps can make you yawn!

To many people's surpise yawning becomes contagious around age 4, if you have autism yawning is less likely to be contagious for you. If you watch somebody yawn or sometimes even read about yawning it can be impossible to resist, a new study now offers an answer as to why yawning is so contagious.
Scientists say that yawning might eventually help doctors diagnose developmental disorders and it could allow us to gain a better understanding into how people communicate and connect.
A graduate student in clinical psychology has done  a study at the University of Connecticut said her inspiration for the study came when she tried to get her own autistic son to clear his ears on an aeroplane. She repeatedly yawned at him hoping he would yawn back and he never did.

Foetuses begin yawning in the womb as early as 11 weeks old. For reasons scientists still can't explain, spontaneous yawning continues throughout life. (Studies have shot down theories about yawning to bring in more oxygen.) In fact, all vertebrates yawn, including snakes and lizards.

Contagious yawning is a different story. Only humans, chimpanzees and possibly dogs have been shown to do it.
Like contagious laughter and contagious crying, scientists have theorized that contagious yawning is a shared experience that promotes social bonding. Specifically, the founder of the study said that it could diffuse stress after a period of being on high alert and spread a feeling of calm through a group.

#WeekofScience

Post #4 and #5 will be coming tonight!

Waves have been detected on Titan's surface

Researchers believe they have detected the first liquid waves on the surface of another world. Cameras have shown isolated ripples in a sea called "Pugna Mare" on the surface of Saturn's moon, Titan.

However these seas aren't filled with water but with various hydrocarbons like methane and ethane. On Titan they exist in their liquid state, where the surface temperature averages about -180C

Scientists view Titan as kind of like a looking-glass version of Earth with a substantial atmosphere and a seasonal cycle. Wind and rain shape the surface to form river channels, seas, dunes and shorelines. You could say that it's like our moon combined with some features from Earth.

The vast majority of Titan's lakes and seas are concentrated around the north polar region. Just one of these bodies of liquid - Ligeia Mare - is estimated to contain about 9,000 cubic km of mostly liquid methane, equating to about 40 times the proven reserves of oil and gas on Earth.

• It is the only moon in the Solar System with clouds and a substantial atmosphere
• Titan is Saturn's largest moon and the second biggest in the Solar System
• Wind and rain create similar features to those found on Earth, such as dunes, lakes and rivers
• But on Titan it rains liquid methane, filling the rivers, lakes and seas with hydrocarbons (molecules made up of just hydrogen and oxygen)