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Sunshine Science: Green Chemistry and Solar Energy
Did you know that Earth’s greenest and largest source of energy is 93 million miles away? You guessed it. We’re talking about the sun!
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Did you know that Earth’s greenest and largest source of energy is 93 million miles away? You guessed it. We’re talking about the sun!
English version:
Spanish version:
It’s National Chemistry Week (NCW), and we here at Bytesize Science are celebrating a very special birthday – this week, the periodic table turns 140 years old! The periodic table lists all of the elements, which are like the ingredients that make up everything on Earth and in the universe around us.
To honor this special occasion, all week we’ll be learning about some of the most fascinating elements out there. But first, let’s start with atoms, the tiny building blocks that make up everything in the universe. Listen to our first NCW podcast to find out more!
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Deep in the lush Amazon Jungle, scientists have uncovered a new family of chemicals that the infamous poison dart frog uses to defend itself. Check out our latest video podcast below to learn more about how these tiny poisonous frogs use chemistry to create some of the most powerful toxins in the world!
Watch the podcast in crisp high definition! Click the "HD" button to get the full effect.
Here's a story that might float your boat: Researchers in China are reporting the development of miniature super-bouyant boats that float better than anything else out there. These boats float so well that an ordinary life preserver made from the same material might support a horse without sinking.
Watch the podcast in crisp high definition! Click the "HD" button to get the full effect.
What do fancy sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses have in common with color-changing chameleons?
Like chameleons, certain sunglasses also can change their color or tint depending on the amount of ultraviolet light in a person's surroundings. When you are outdoors the lenses are dark and keep your eyes comfortable. Indoors the lenses lighten up. You can buy prescription eyeglasses that do the same thing. The scientific name for these lenses is "photochromatic" or "photochromic." Tune in to our latest podcast below to find out how these color-changing lenses work.
New weapons in the battle of the bugs can be really important for soldiers fighting in areas of the world infested with the most dangerous kinds of bugs. One potential new weapon involves... ahem... fluorescent feces. Check out our latest podcast to find out more about the latest bug-busting strategies.
Image caption: Sand flies are a big health threat for our soldiers in the Middle East. Sand flies spread leishmaniasis, a disease that can affect the skin and organs inside the body, causing painful sores.
Have you ever heard the expression, "Don't paint yourself into a corner? It means, if you're painting a floor, be sure to finish where the doorway is. Otherwise you are trapped - there's no escape. With that said, scientists have come up with a unique new discovery. It's a new paint that literally paints germs, mold and viruses into a corner, a corner where they can't escape, except by death!
Image caption: A microscopic look at mold. This microbial paint could help keep your home free of these and other nasty organisms
In the future, bulletproof vests could be made out of paper. Yes...paper! Scientists in Sweden and Japan have come up with a new material, made from the cellulose in plant cell walls, that is stronger than cast iron. Check out our latest video podcast to find out more.
By the way, this is our first video podcast in crisp high definition! Click the "HD" button to get the full effect.
A team of scientists led by Zhong Lin Wang have been developing technology that produces energy from simple movements. Imagine if all you had to do to charge your iPod or cell phone was to wave your hand stretch your arm or take a walk?
You've probably heard that the U.S. economy isn't doing so hot. We're in a recession - a pretty big one at that - and there are many adults out there that have lost their jobs and are facing a big career change. It turns out that these folks might learn a helpful lesson from honey bees. Scientists from Brazil and Cuba are reporting that honey bees literally change their brains before transitioning to a new "job."
