PHYSICS: Great job on the problems so far!! Here’s our look how kinetic and potential energy get involved – dart in the block of wood and the bird on the swing. This cute little bird isn’t on a swing, but he is one I came beak to nose with on a mission trip to Costa Rica!
What about even more practical applications? Hmmmm…..
Whenever a nice glass of water is poured, it may be observed that there are different levels of volume of the water sloshing into the water already in the glass. Scientists were interested to learn the reason behind this volume change. It was found that the distance the water is poured greatly affects the smoothness of the water stream, which is what makes that sometimes loud, bubbly noise. The closer the water being poured is to the surface of the water, the less likely the stream is to break up. The width of the stream also matters as wider streams pour more quietly while thinner streams are more noisy. Although this finding does not really contribute to anything great, I like how it’s okay in the science world to search for an answer simply because it can be tested.
I forgot to add the link so this is it!!
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/physics-sound-water-poured
Scientists have discovered one way that frogs amass poison in their skin that they get from their diet. Their studies showed that certain proteins in the frog’s body attached to these toxins in the blood or intestines to the skin for protection. This process was very similar to how proteins carry hormones around the bodies of mammals, which could lead to the development of utilization of certain proteins that could quickly absorb the toxins from drug overdoses. While scientists have only unlocked the secret to how one protein is attracted to one toxin in the frog, more research will reveal how the frog deals with the myriad of toxins they collect.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/poison-dart-frog-toxin-skin-protein
On one of Saturn’s moons, Enceladus, there was a toxic gas found, hydrogen cyanide. This is big news because it is a one of the key building blocks for the production of life on that moon. Enceladus is a moon that has a huge water pume shoots out this toxic gas. Although NASA has no plans of visiting Enceladus, they are in the works of building a snake like robot to go into its waters to look for possible life there. Other key essentials for life such as phosphorus in the form of phosphate was discovered, and it was labeled the first alien ocean world to possess all the building blocks for life.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/enceladus-toxic-gas-life-moon-robot
A new study has found that nausea and morning sickness in pregnant women may be caused by the fetus producing a protein known as GDF15. The protein is linked to sections of the brain that control nausea and vomiting; scientists tested rodents with large doses of the protein- with one group being injected immediately and the other given time to adjust with a lower dose- to confirm that receiving too much of it when one has low levels of GDF15 causes sickness because the body is not familiar with its effects. The researchers suggested that the condition could be treated using drugs such as metformin to increase GDF15 levels before pregnancy or new drugs that block the protein’s effects, but scientists recommend further study on the treatments to analyze potential risk to the mother and child.
https://archive.is/2s955