The Tech Digest (Vol. 1, Issue 5, Summer 2021)

THE TECH SCIENCE DIGEST SUMMER 2021

Table of Contents 00 Introductory Articles

03 Concerning Consequences of Recent Overnight Temperatures 04 Modern Neuroscience From Quest for Telepathy 05 Spike in Drug Overdose Deaths

06 Biology

07 Science Behind the Transparency of a Butterfly's Wings 08 Domestication Leading to Another Trait of Dogs 09 Science Behind Romanesco Cauliflower Spiral

10 Chemistry

11 Water Catalysts: The Next Big Step to Living Sustainably?

12 Snake Venom: 'Super Glue' Formula that Terminates Bleeding 13 Producing Clean Water with Nanoparticles

14 Earth Science

15 Presence of Volcanic Lighting 15 NASA Report of Heat Wave 16 Extreme Climate Endangering Stony Corals

17 Environmental Science

18 The Floods of Germany Raising a Scientific Concern 19 Global Warming Affects Oxygen in Lakes 20 Southern Europe Forest Fires

Table of contents

01

Cont...

21 Astrophysics

22 Electron Capture Supernova Found 23 Updates on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite Program 24 Galaxies Resembling Firworks

25 Technology

26 Applying AI to Pharmaceutical Research 27 Converting Thoughts to Text 27 Transferring Energy Through Finger Movements

28 Fun Section 29 30 31 32 36

What Role Does Sunlight Play in Our Mood?

How Does Swimming Benefit the Brain?

Cybersickness Trivia Trivia Answers

33-36 Sources

Table of contents

02

CONCERNING CONSEQUENCES OF RECENT OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES According to the New York Times, “Last month was the hottest June record in North America, with more than 1,200 daily temperature records broken in the final week alone.” One thing that is overlooked is a great number of temperature records broken by the level of extreme and possibly dangerous heat from overnight temperatures. More records of the overnight temperatures are broken in June 2021 than any other June recorded.

According to the 2018 National Climate Assessment Report, the nights are getting warmer on average, the reason being climate change. The extremely hot temperatures overnight can lead to death of numbers of people. This is because the hot overnight temperatures will take the chance for people to cool off from the hot temperatures during the day. This can cause people to have physiological strain due to the fact that their body temperature is not allowed to cool down. This is especially true for heat waves, with increasing levels of temperature and humidity.

Heat waves are particularly dangerous in which humans are more vulnerable given the circumstances. Extreme heat and humidity can lead to organ failure; sweat will not be able to do its job in dissipating heat. Heat waves have a higher chance of affecting pregnant women, children, the elderly, the homeless, people with medical problems and also people who work outdoors.

Introductory Articles

03

MODERN NEUROSCIENCE FROM QUEST FOR TELEPATHY Hans Berger was 19 when he fell off his horse in 1893. That same day, his sister (who was far away from her brother) had a bad feeling about Berger.

According to sciencenews.org, “She talked her father into sending a telegram asking if everything was all right.” Berger thought this was spontaneous telepathy in which his thoughts of mortal fear were transmitted to his sister. Hans Berger went to study psychiatry, embarking on a quest to discover how thoughts can transfer between people. However, the quest to telepathy was at a dead end.

However, during his quest Berger invented a One highlight of the 19th century machine known as the electroencephalogram (EEG) was finding explanations for which can read the electrical activity of the brain. telepathy cases. During this time This machine was first used successfully in the year period, scientists were devoted to of 1924; it showed squiggles (electricity) which probing these occurrences. represented the result of collections of nerve cells Communications expert Caitlyn firing off. The EEG is a useful tool considering it can Shure puts this time as “peak determine the death of the brain, monitor sleep, telepathy enthusiasm time”. Berger and detect seizures as well as yielding the wanted to discover how telepathy fundamental aspects of the brain. worked, attempting to measure mental activity. A breakthrough of his was on July 26th, 1924 in which he was studying Patient K, a man with an injury in his skull. Berger utilized “a vacuum tube amplifier to enhance the electrical signals” and he saw a brain wave. He published his results in 1929. Hans Berger’s discoveries have contributed to the foundation of modern neuroscience.

Introductory Articles

04

SPIKE IN DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS According to the New York Times, “Drug overdose deaths rose nearly 30 percent in 2020…” Deaths from drug overdose rose in every state in the United States except for South Dakota and New Hampshire. Many records have been set for the year 2020 regarding drug overdose deaths.

The deaths from drug overdose deaths over the recent years have surpassed the deaths from car accidents, AIDS, and so on to 93,000 deaths. The pandemic actually contributed to the rise of drug overdose deaths.

However, drug overdose deaths have been rising before the pandemic. There have been new initiatives intending to fight the epidemic of drug overdose deaths.

Introductory Articles

05

Biology

SCIENCE BEHIND THE TRANSPARENCY OF A BUTTERFLY'S WINGS

Most butterflies display colorful wings.

However, some butterflies like the glasswing butterfly utilize their transparent wings to hide.

Researchers have put the wings of the glasswing butterfly under a microscope. According to sciencenews.org, “Sparse, spindly scales overlaying a see-through wing membrane with antireflective properties help make these insects so stealthy..”

Transparency is one of the forms of camouflage; it makes it easy for animals to blend into their surroundings.

Transparency is difficult to do because it takes animals to modify their body to minimize any light. The wings were looked through confocal and electron microscopes. It was found the black rims of the

The wings need scales (waterrepellant) so when it rains, the wings will not stick together. The texture of the wings contributed to the transparency. If the wings were smooth, it “would cause light traveling through the air to bounce off the wing’s surface and reduce transparency”. The wax bumps on the wings allow for the light to pass through the wing.

“wings were densely packed with flat, leaflike scales.”

However, the areas that were transparent showed bristle-like scales that were not densely packed; the scales were spaced farther apart. 80 percent of the membrane is visible in transparent areas while 2 percent of the underlying membrane is visible in the black regions.

Biology

07

DOMESTICATION LEADING TO ANOTHER TRAIT OF DOGS

A Duke University Researcher has conducted a study that supports the fact that domestication of dogs has led to enhancement of communicative skills. According to a doctoral student at Duke University, dogs have this ability to understand that humans are communicating with them as well as cooperating with them. In this study, comparisons were made between 44 dog puppies and 37 wolf-puppies based on temperament and cognition tasks. In one test, there were two bowls. One bowl had a treat in it and the researchers gave the dog or wolf puppy a clue (pointing or looking at the bowl that had a treat in it or placing a block near to the bowl that had the treat in it) that could allow them to find it. It turns out that the dog puppies were twice as likely to find the treat as the wolf puppies. 17 dog puppies out of 31 dog puppies went to the bowl with the treat in it while none of the 26 wolf puppies “did better than a random guess.” In other tests of cognitive abilities like memory and motor impulse control, the dog puppies and wolf puppies have been proven equal. However from other tests, dog puppies are better at communicative skills than the wolf puppies. In fact, “Other tests showed that dog puppies were also 30 times more likely than wolf pups to approach a stranger.” During one test, dog puppies would rely on strangers to help them unlike wolf puppies who will attempt to solve the problem themselves. This shows that domestication has contributed to the social skills of dogs.

Biology News

08

Science Behind Romanesco Cauliflowers Spiral

According to sci-news.com, “Cauliflowers present an unusual organ arrangement with a multitude of spirals nested over a wide range of scales.” This fractal organization has emerged from mechanisms that have developed over time.

Cauliflowers are actually buds that are supposed to turn into flowers but do not. The stems of Romanesco Cauliflowers grow buds rapidly which leads to the atypical shape of that cauliflower. Cauliflowers portray similar patterns in which they produce several copies of the same bud. The Romanesco Cauliflower has '"pyramidal buds which accumulate along endless spirals.”'

Biology

09

Chemistry

WATER CATALYSTS: The Next Big Step to Living Sustainably?

It is a known fact that one can save energy through sustainable methods such as solar panels and windmills, but scientists at Trinity College in Dublin believed to have developed a new method that would presumably help preserve energy.

By splitting water to become an energy source, this new method is proposed in hopes of managing the CO2 emissions that hold a great threat into the future.

According to Trinity College Dublin, since its discovery of the method 2 years ago, chemists and physicists have worked together to find a way to break apart H2O into H2 and O, hydrogen preserved to ‘store energy’. However, there was no such luck finding catalysts that would complete the task efficiently and at a low cost. Luckily, scientists working on this case have recently discovered a new breakthrough, bringing them closer to their goal. The improvement in predicting “the efficiency of water splitting catalysts” have helped scientists discover catalysts with basic components of chromium, manganese, or iron to be most efficient for the job (sciencedaily.com).

Now ensuring 444 catalysts, compared to the 17 catalysts at first, scientists are finally able to achieve their goal! With this major discovery at hand, the future of living a more sustainable life through science can be viewed in a more positive light!

Chemistry

11

SNAKE VENOM: ‘SUPER GLUE’ FORMULA THAT TERMINATES BLEEDING

Kibret Mequanint, a university professor and bioengineer, together with his colleagues, has developed a method with snake venom to stop lifethreatening bleeding within seconds!

It is common for one to fear snakes, but a new discovery will potentially help view them in a new perspective. While studying the venom of South America’s most poisonous snake, Mequanint and his peers have discovered the presence of reptilase (batroxobin), an enzyme that could prevent blood clotting, later used to develop a form of body tissue accessible to humans that Image of Bothrops atrox, South would help terminate bleeding. According to America's most poisonous snake Mequanint, with just the application of the from depositphotos.com. ‘super glue’ under a visible light, the adhesive is able to improve conditions in states of emergency such as traumas and injuries.

Results from clinical testing has proven that the adhesive is 10 times less resistant to detachment and half the time less likely of bleeding. This new scientific discovery has hopes of saving more lives in all kinds of life-risking situations.

Chemistry

12

Producing Clean Water with Nanoparticles

Chemists at Berkeley University of California have recently found a method to completely desalinate toxic metals from liquid solutions, ranging from salt water to waste waters.

Existing methods of water desalination, “membrane-based electrodialysis desalination processes” (Berkeley), were able to remove the harmful toxic chemicals from water with cations and anions at receiving ends. However, the obvious flaws to this method included the remaining remnant of toxicity in the water that was not able to be filtered, in addition to problems with cost and efficiency.

This new method, ion-capture electrodialysis, includes the combination of nanoparticles to polymer membranes, which would allow the water to remain stable at high temperatures and target specified metals. This process would remove salts and metals chemically with electric voltages that would isolate the negative ions present in the solution. It is able to efficiently separate fluids into pure water and metals with one simple process. This improvement leads humans a step closer to ensuring a clean water source!

Chemistry

13

Earth Science

Presence of Volcanic Lightning With records of at least 97 volcanic activity in Sakurajima, the most active volcano in Japan, Cassandra Smith, a volcanologist, and her colleagues have predicted a connection between the presence of lightning and volcanic activity (sciencenews.org). Smith suspects a possible solution that the volcanic lightning was caused by silicate charging due to interactions between ash creating positive and negative charges from the varying electron amounts. It is suspected that lightning activity was only possible when ash particles plummet at a certain minimum velocity of 55 meters per seconds, causing the discharging. With this new discovery, scientists are hoping to increase the available knowledge to possibly predict future volcanic activity through detection of certain electrical discharges. It can also be a new clue for scientists to detect newly formed volcanoes with higher accuracies.

Volcanic Lightning from discovery.com.

NASA Report of Heat Wave According to NASA reports recording ground surface temperatures of July 2021, continuous streams of heat waves have been traveling throughout the United States. With the use of “NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder...and the agency’s ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station” (NASA), heat waves have been detected right after reaching a record peak temperature recorded in the south western region. Based on the atmospheric infrared sounder by NASA, there is a higher average surface temperature for longer periods of time than the average reports. With the temperature in California’s Death Valley reaching 130 F, almost reaching the highest record ever recorded in California, the average air temperature is becoming more of a concern to the environment.

Evidence of heat wave by NASA's ECOSTRESS Instrument on July 8th.

Earth science

15

Extreme Climate Endangering Stony Corals

The receding corals in the Atlantic Ocean from bbc.com.

For the longest period, humanity has been harming the ecosystem through ocean acidification, pollution, tourism, etc., endangering the climate along with it. Climate change may be more dangerous to the extinction of corals than expected in the Atlantic. Stony corals, important sources that bring hope to restoring the coral reef habitats through deposition of calcium carbonate, are more at risk than ever with the threatening climate situation as more stony corals are decreasing. Without stony corals, the coral reefs would struggle to survive and damage the existing ecosystems within the bodies of waters that rely Image of Stony Corals from phys.org. on coral reefs. However, scientists and researchers from universities such as University of São Paulo are hoping to extract and distribute stony corals to receding reefs lacking in stony corals in hopes of restoring the ecosystem before it is too late for habitat damages to be fixed.

With three coral species detected as sources beneficial for coral habitatrehabilitation, scientists are working to spread these stony coral while also building conservation reefs as ‘refuge areas’ to preserve as much of the receding habitat as possible.

Earth Science

16

Environmental Science

The Floods Of Germany Raising a Scientific Concern

Warmer atmospheres create more moisture which has been the reason for greater amounts of rainfall.

However, some scientists

According to the New York Times, “At least 170 are reported dead in Germany and Belgium, and hundreds are still unaccounted for as the disaster cut off communications.” These major downpours that occured in Germany support the fact that

think that climate change is prolonging the rainfall and floods. The extreme levels of the flooding “have not been seen in 500 or even 1,000 years, according to meteorologists and German officials.” The floods have occurred over Western Europe but the floods in

greenhouse gas emissions have Germany were the most led to global warming which severe. The floods have has led to climate change.

caused a political divide regarding climate policy.

Environmental

18

GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTS OXYGEN IN LAKES

There has been a decrease in oxygen in freshwater lakes due to climate change that affects the drinking quality of the freshwater as well as the biodiversity of the freshwater ecosystem. According to nsf.gov, “oxygen levels in surveyed lakes across the temperate zone have declined 5.5% at the surface and 18.6% in deep waters since 1980.” Due to the decrease in oxygen levels in freshwater lakes, there is a chance that species will be lost because the food webs, life; they depend on oxygen. The oxygen is decreasing at a higher rate in the lakes than in the oceans. Lakes are indicators of environmental change because they respond to signals from their surrounding environment and atmosphere. It was found that there has been and still is a continuation of change in the biodiverse systems.

Environmental

19

SOUTHERN EUROPE FOREST FIRES

“From the Greek islands to southern Turkey, extreme heat and dry conditions are driving devastating wildfires that have killed people and threatened homes, ancient heritage sites and tourist havens.” according to the New York Times. Residents and tourists had to evacuate; residents in the Greek mainland had to travel across Turkey, their neighboring country. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has received criticism for the government’s role in handling the forest fires disaster.

According to the New York Times, “Hundreds of square miles of forest burned as more than 180 fires blazed across the country.” The fire was able to be controlled by firefighters when they approached a power plant located in Milas. In Greece, the role of the military has increased regarding tackling the fires. There will also be assistance from other countries such as France, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania said by Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias. Scientists have not examined and analyzed the connections between the increase in temperature and global warming. However, research has supported the fact that climate change has been a factor in Europe’s major heat waves.

Environmental

20

Astrophysics

ELECTRON CAPTURE SUPERNOVA FOUND According to sciencenews.org, an electron capture supernova is “a stellar explosion ignited when atomic nuclei sop up electrons within a star’s core.” This cosmic explosion has been predicted in 1980. And now, it has been found. An electron capture supernova is created "from stars that sit right on the precipice of exploding."

“Stars with more than about 10 times the sun’s mass go supernova after nuclear fusion reactions within the core cease, and the star can no longer support itself against gravity.”

The surface of the stars’ outer layers explode outward caused by the core of the stars inward collapse. However, smaller stars (less than approximately eight solar masses) will form a white dwarf which is a dense object, able to resist collapse.

However, stars between 8 and 10 solar masses; there has been a suspicion from scientists that electron capture supernova will occur. During an electron capture supernova, electrons are captured by the "neon and magnesium nuclei within a star’s core". “In this reaction, an electron vanishes as a proton converts to a neutron, and the nucleus morphs into another element.”

Electrons play a role in helping prevent the stars from collapsing which would be bad news for the stars during an electron capture. There was no definitive evidence to support the reports made of an occurrence of an electron capture supernova. A set of criteria has been created for an electron capture supernova. Recently, an electron capture supernova has been found from a star that was found on telescope that matched the type of star to cause an electron capture supernova.

Astrophysics

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PAGE 02

Updates on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite Program

Ian Wong (MIT) has observed 18 exoplanets utilizing the data from TESS. A secondary eclipse which happens when “the small dip in light that occurs when a planet is blocked by its star”. This allows for scientists to find out how much light is reflected by the exoplanet as well as the temperature of the exoplanet’s side facing the star. In TESS’s extended mission, there will be an investigation of the correlation between the temperature of the exoplanet’s surface and the albedo (light reflected).

Recently, the annual American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting has occurred. Data has been presented by MIT researchers about TESS, Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite which is one of the programs that they presented data from and has been led by MIT researchers.

TESS had completed its two year mission taking images across the sky spotting exoplanets. “For the next two years, TESS will collect information across the sky with finer data resolution, beginning with the southern hemisphere.”

Maximilian N. Günther (MIT) has utilized machine learning to calculate the measurement of explosive events from stars which are known as stellar fires that can be indicators of planets that are habitable.

Mapping stellar flares are essential in order to indicate important factors of a planet such as type and age. During the development of a young planet, it is essential for there to be flaring for the development of life and the ozone to not be depleted. Machine learning has played a significant role in creating an efficient report of the stellar fires captured by TESS.

In order for TESS to spot potential exoplanets, the researchers look for a star’s light change such as a dip in the light when a planet is blocking it. This will then lead to finding out the size of a planet, the time it takes for an orbit around its star.

Rahul Jayaraman (MIT) is “specializing in large-scale searches of the TESS data for intriguing phenomena.”

FFIs which are full frame images in which TESS produced of the sky. This will allow TESS to help researchers identify events.

Astrophysics

23

GALAXIES RESEMBLING FIREWORKS

According to sciencedaily.com, “A team of astronomers has released new observations of nearby galaxies that resemble colourful cosmic fireworks.” The images of those galaxies show the galaxies' various components in distinct colors which allow astronomers to have the location of the young stars pinpointed and the surrounding gases that the stars warm up.

The observations can help figure out what trigger to the gas is responsible for forming stars.

A team of scientists utilized powerful microscopes observing the various galaxies involved in stellar births. Images can show “where star formation is happening, compared to where it is expected to happen, so as to better understand what triggers, boosts or holds back the birth of new stars.” The images showed a detailed look of stellar nurseries as well as a sharp view of clouds, stars, and so on.

Astrophysics

24

Technology

Applying AI to Pharmaceutical Research The progress for technology is phenomenal over the years and researchers are determined to apply artificial intelligence to improve pharmaceutical research.

Gisbert Schneider, a professor in Computer-Assisted Drug Design at ETH Zurich, with the help of his team, has successfully applied AI into pharmaceutical practices by having more efficient systems to identify chemical compositions of products. This process identifies multiple molecules within a database based on similarity in scaffolds to the targeted composition. Through this advancement, Schneider and other researchers are determined to create more drugs that would pair up and target each of the 400,000 human proteins in our body systems. These findings would serve as alternatives with the same biomolecular composition and effects as the natural compounds.

However, the medical research journey has yet to be completed. Schneider and his team are determined to improve this method to help find more simplified alternatives with similar effects in effort to reduce efficiency and cost to rebuild certain proteins or compounds. That way, drug manufacturing would be improved and provide more accessible products for all.

Technology

26

CONVERTING THOUGHTS TO TEXT As technology continues to develop, there are more available options for individuals with disabilities to live a more efficient lifestyle. This includes the determination of one’s thoughts without the need to physically communicate. Krishna Shenoy, a medical investigator at Stanford University, with her colleagues, may have found a way to efficiently translate thoughts of a person onto a digital screen with accuracy. For this to work, tiny electrodes are implanted onto the brain that will detect the same set of electric signals sent from the brain to a certain action. Although it is effective in use for one patient, Shanoy believes that there is still much research and trials to be done with other variables to ensure the complete success of this new discovery.

TRANSFERRING ENERGY THROUGH FINGER MOVEMENTS Engineers at University of California San Diego, including Lu Yin, a nanoengineer student, developed a technological device that would allow humans to produce energy by just attaching it onto the human body, for example a finger! The device generates energy when a person sweats or applies pressure onto the device such as whilst typing, texting, etc. By wrapping the device around the finger, it is capable of collecting energy all day long, even while one is asleep.

According to Yin, the building process was not simple.

Materials to build the device were required to be efficient in absorption and energy conversion. However, the resulting product would allow one to generate energy effortlessly through everyday tasks that would be able to charge devices.

Image of Prototype by the University of California — San Diego from scitechdaily.com

Technology

27

Fun Section

What Role Does Sunlight Play in Our Mood?

Sunlight helps us see and is responsible for the regulation of our sleep cycle. According to brainfacts.org, “Recently, researchers at the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) found light affects brain areas that regulate mood.”

There are three kinds of cells that respond to light hitting the retina: rods, cones, and ipRCGs (intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells). ipRCGs contain a protein that is light sensitive known as melanopsin. Through ipRCGs, light is able to “reach and affect the brain’s mood-regulating areas via the ipRGCs, projecting from the retina to the peri-habenular region, to the nucleus accumbens and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)." The structures mentioned are involved with emotions and decision making. Also, ipRCGs regulate functions not regarding images, such as adjusting our circadian rhythms (internal biological clock).

This link can help better understand SAD which stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. It was thought that Seasonal Affective Disorder occurred because of a circadian clock disruption.

"When you live in an area with a shorter day length, the total day/night length is still 24 hours. You haven’t traveled between time zones, so the circadian clock should still be attuned to the light-dark cycle, even with less light.”

There has been a study on mice and the results were that there had been mood changes two weeks after a disruption in their light environment. This can provide an explanation for the changes in mood from light to take effect in a period of time in people with SAD. Studies have shown that light therapy can be a treatment for people with SAD as well as "people suffering from general depression and bipolar disorder.”

Fun section

29

How Does Swimming Benefit the Brain?

Research has suggested that swimming benefits brain health. According to popsci.com, “Regular swimming has been shown to improve memory, cognitive function, immune response, and mood. Swimming may also help repair damage from stress and forge new neural connections in the brain.”

Studies have shown a correlation between the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the increased hippocampus size (region in the brain involved with memory and learning). Based on studies, increased levels of brainderived neurotrophic factor improves cognitive performance; mood

Evidence has supported the fact that aerobic exercise plays a role in neurogenesis and the reverse of damage to the neurons as well as repairing the damage in mammals and fish. Research has shown that increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor which is a protein is responsible for these changes from exercise. “The neural plasticity, or ability of the brain to change, that this protein stimulates has been shown to boost cognitive function, including learning and memory.”

disorders have been observed in people with decreased levels of the protein. In fact, aerobic exercise plays a role in the release of neurotransmitters which are chemical messengers.

One of these neurotransmitters is serotonin which improves mood when present at increased levels.

Fun section

30

CYBERSICKNESS

According to neurosciencenews.com, “Cybersickness refers to a cluster of symptoms that occur in the absence of physical motion, similar to motion sickness.” The symptoms are categorized into three groups. The first category is nausea. The second category is oculomotor issues. This refers to headaches, tiredness, eye strain, and so on. The third one is general disorientation. This refers to dizziness and vertigo. Other symptoms are blurred vision and difficulty regarding concentrating overlaps these three categories. Cybersickness can be caused by everyday devices. Among researchers, there has not been a common idea of the reason people experience cybersickness. “One prevailing idea, sensory conflict theory, hypothesizes that it’s from a mismatch of information perceived by the parts of the body that regulate vision and balance. Your eyes receive information that tells them you’re moving even though your body isn’t.” Cybersickness can have potentially dangerous effects.

Symptoms can be present after device use for up to 24 hours. Like mentioned before, cybersickness can cause headaches and eye strain. These symptoms can affect coordination and which during driving can lead to a car accident. Some ways that may help deal with the cybersickness symptoms are: blue light glasses, zooming in on a screen, utilizing font sizes that are larger. When using augmented reality and virtual reality, the intensity of cybersickness can increase. Some ways to help with that are: to take breaks from the device if discomfort occurs, visually calibrate devices. fun section

31

Trivia Time ! ? Here are some

Interested in more fun facts

/

!

true false statements below

1. The Earth's magnetic field is used by animals .

for orientation

2. The weight of a cloud has to be

below a

.

million pounds

3. When tickled, rats' response is laughter.

4. The number of stars in the galaxy is more than .

the number of trees on Earth

5. Saliva is needed by humans to taste.

True / False

True / False

True / False True / False

True / False

Answer key is on the last page

(35)!

fun section

32

Sources Bhatia, Aatish, and Winston Choi-schagrin. “Why Record-Breaking Overnight Temperatures Are so Concerning.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 July 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/upshot/record-breaking-hot-weather-at-night-deaths.html.

“Biofuel Cell: Wearable Device Turns the Touch of a Finger into a Source of Power.”

SciTechDaily, 13 July 2021, scitechdaily.com/biofuel-cell-wearable-device-turns-the-touchof-a-finger-into-a-source-of-power/.

Conover, Emily. “Scientists Spotted an Electron-Capture Supernova for the First Time.”

ScienceNews, 1 July 2021, www.sciencenews.org/article/supernova-electron-capture-spaceastronomy-physics.

Dave, Anushree. “Brain Implants Turn Imagined Handwriting into Text on a Screen.” Science News, 12 May 2021, www.sciencenews.org/article/brain-implants-translate-handwriting-text.

G, Marco, and Lidia B. “100+ Weird Science Facts to Blow Everybody's Minds.” Let's Get Sciencey, 20 May 2020, letsgetsciencey.com/weird-science-facts/.

“Galactic Fireworks: New ESO Images Reveal Stunning Features of Nearby Galaxies.”

ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 16 July 2021, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210716091022.htm.

Greicius, Tony. “NASA Tracks Heat Wave over US Southwest .” NASA, NASA, 15 July 2021, www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-tracks-heat-wave-over-us-southwest.

Harper, Kelso, and Alison Gold. “Research Updates From TESS: Hunting for Worlds beyond Our Solar System.” MIT News, 10 Feb. 2021, news.mit.edu/2021/research-updates-tess-huntingworlds-beyond-our-solar-system-0210.

Katz, Josh, and Margot Sanger-Katz. “'It's Huge, It's Historic, It's Unheard-of': Drug Overdose Deaths Spike.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 July 2021, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/07/14/upshot/drug-overdose-deaths.html.

Kitsantonis, Niki, and Megan Specia. “In Photos: Fires Ravage Southern Europe.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 Aug. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/world/europe/southerneurope-wildfires.html.

Matthew, Seena. “Swimming Is the Ultimate Brain Exercise. Here's Why.” Popular Science, 30 July 2021, www.popsci.com/health/swimming-brain-benefits/? utm_source=Camden%2BContacts&utm_campaign=42f9b0c4db&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_387276506e-42f9b0c4db-515376342#affinity=Health.

“Nanoparticles Simplify Desalination: Simultaneously Removing Toxic Metals and Salt to Produce Clean Water.” SciTechDaily, 9 July 2021, scitechdaily.com/nanoparticles-simplifydesalination-simultaneously-removing-toxic-metals-and-salt-to-produce-clean-water/amp/.

Sources Cont.

“New Study Reveals How Romanesco Cauliflowers Develop 'Fractal' Shape.” SciNews, 13 July 2021, www.sci-news.com/biology/fractal-romanesco-cauliflowers09853.html.

Nowak, Claire. “25 Science Facts You Never Learned in School.” Reader's Digest, 16 Aug. 2021, www.rd.com/list/science-facts-never-learned/.

NSF Public Affairs. “World's Lakes Losing Oxygen as Planet Warms.” NSF, 17 June 2021, www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=302920&org=NSF&from=news.

Renaud, Jeff. “Researchers Create SNAKE-VENOM-DERIVED 'Super Glue' That Stops Bleeding in Seconds Using Visible Light.” Phys.org, Phys.org, 15 July 2021, phys.org/news/2021-07-snake-venom-derived-super-seconds-visible.html.

Sanders, Laura. “How Hans Berger's Quest for Telepathy SPURRED Modern Brain Science.” Science News, 6 July 2021, www.sciencenews.org/article/hans-bergertelepathy-neuroscience-brain-eeg.

“Screentime Can Make You Feel Sick – Here Are Ways to Manage Cybersickness.”

Neuroscience News, 24 July 2021, neurosciencenews.com/cybersickness-management18978/.

“Study: Domestication Changed Not Just Now Dogs Look, But Their Minds As Well.”

Sci-News, 13 July 2021, www.sci-news.com/biology/domestic-dog-communication09855.html.

Specia, Megan, and Melissa Eddy. “Europe Flooding Deaths Pass 125, and Scientists See Fingerprints of Climate Change.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 July 2021, www.nytimes.com/live/2021/07/16/world/europe-flooding-germany.

Temming, Maria. “New Images Clarify How Glasswing Butterflies Make Their Wings Transparent.” ScienceNews, 21 June 2021, www.sciencenews.org/article/new-imageshow-glasswing-butterflies-wings-transparent.

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Trinity College Dublin. "Scientists home in on recipe for entirely renewable energy."

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Sources Cont.

Tripathy-Lang, Alka. “Invisible Bursts of Electricity from Volcanoes Signal Explosive Eruptions.” Science News, 1 July 2021, www.sciencenews.org/article/invisible-bursts-electricity-volcano-explosiveeruptions-warning.

Zuckerman, Hannah. “How Does Sunlight Affect Our Mood?” BrainFacts.org, 7 Dec. 2020, www.brainfacts.org/diseases-and-disorders/mental-health/2020/how-doessunlight-affect-our-mood-120720? utm_campaign=BrainFacts&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=142084269&_hsenc=p2ANqtz9sCgtvonCTbIg8skME2U3q9GQJ8IG8kbzUAda1VoYwcY91NS3fql3tQrDdl8_XlUW_e6kC PRruRvMXsPsqPtP22qQ-_g&utm_content=142085891&utm_source=hs_email.

Zurich, ETH. “Harnessing AI to Discover New Drugs: Rewriting the Rulebook for Pharmaceutical Research.” SciTechDaily, 9 July 2021, scitechdaily.com/harnessingai-to-discover-new-drugs-rewriting-the-rulebook-for-pharmaceuticalresearch/.

Answer Key

1.True

2. False

3. True

4. False

5. True

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