MS-ETS1-4
Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
- Physics
Scientists Say: Piezoelectric
Piezoelectric materials produce an electric voltage when they are bent or squished. This can let us harvest electricity from movement.
- Physics
What did you say? Fabric masks can really muffle voices
Some types of face masks muffle speech more than others — something that teachers should take into account.
- Health & Medicine
What kids need to know about getting a COVID-19 shot
COVID-19 vaccines are already being administered to some adults. Here’s what that means for kids and teens.
- Tech
Bye-bye batteries? Power a phone with fabric or a beacon with sound
New piezoelectric systems produce electricity in unusual ways, such as when a certain nylon bends or underwater ceramics vibrate.
- Plants
How to grow your own science experiment
Does fertilizer help plants grow better? You might expect it to, but how can you know? This experiment will help you test it yourself.
- Tech
New device tells smiles from frowns — even through a mask
Most facial-recognition software has to see the whole face to work. The new type can reconstruct an entire expression from just viewing your cheeks.
- Tech
Ordinary paper turns into flexible human-powered keypad
Engineers have figured out how to turn sheets of paper into rugged, low-cost electronic devices, such as a computer keypad.
- Animals
Learning what stresses queen bees could save their hives
Beehives often die off after the queen gets too stressed to make enough babies. New tests could identify what stressed her — and point to solutions.
- Tech
‘Frozen smoke’ could protect electronics from annoying static
A fluffy material made from cellulose nanofibers and silver nanowires can protect electronic devices by blocking more than 99.99 percent of disrupting interference, a new study reveals.
- Plants
Here’s how giant pumpkins get so big
Cinderella took a ride in a pumpkin coach. Though real pumpkins do get big enough, here’s why their ride would be uncomfortable at best.
- Space
Surviving Mars missions will take planning and lots of innovation
Astronauts that go to Mars will need protection from microgravity and radiation, plus mini-medical devices to diagnose problems and manage emergencies.
- Tech
Trees power this alarm system for remote forest fires
Wind moving through tree branches is all the energy needed to power devices that can detect a remote fire before it rages into an uncontrolled inferno.
