Science Literacy News

• Transforming lives through digital inclusion 14 years, 13 countries, 1.25 million people... Read more : http://cdiglobal.org/; Accessed 12/09/09.
  

• Sticky Ice Science: Put an ice cube in a glass full of water. Put wool on top and sprinkle salt on it.Read more: http://room2-brightwater.blogspot.com/; Accessed 12-09-09.

• Science literacy volunteers train in Somerville, MA.... About 300 volunteers currently serve in Somerville’s public schools, including 75 who have committed to tutoring or reading with a child for an hour or more a week. Opportunities still abound for academic tutors in math, science and ESL, as well as for other volunteers. Read more: http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/archive/x441563249/Literacy-volunteers-train-at-Somerville-s-Kennedy-School

  
  

What did we see?

Kecksburg UFO incident

Science literacy involves finding facts in what you read. It involves inference...reading between the lines.

Today's left sidebar talked about the Kecksburg UFO incident.

Around that same time, in New York State, there were many, "UFO," citings that people saw and reported. At that time, the reports brushed them off. My mother saw some and called us out (so there were 5 of us watching). Big orange and green balls of light and a silver disc. She went in and called the local radio station, WALL. The radio man was acting like my mom was crazy, so, my dad got on the phone,"Look out the window." The radio announcer's mouth must have dropped open. All you could hear was a gasp and silence for several minutes. When he came around, he apologized to my mother.

Shortly thereafter, the government reports came out saying, essentially, no one saw anything. "Yeah, right!"

How should we evaluate what we read? Having these experiences surely would make one skeptical of the reports. Still, what would you believe?

Science literacy involves fact gathering and a knowledge base so you can form opinions based on what you read and have a place to latch onto the new ideas in your brain.

Here is a video to start one thinking, but, you need to search more.

And another...

More ideas:

1. Project-1947 - 1909 UFO Report
   "People of Middletown ..." www.project1947.com/fig/1909a.htm

2. Pine Bush, NY 12566 UFO's in Pine Bush? - 349 Sarah Wells Trail: Goshen, NY 10924 ... 547 Rte 17M: Middletown, NY 10940: 845-344-1480 bearsystems.com/pinebush/pinebush.html

Today(12-07-09)'s quote of the day is by Jules Verne

Science, my lad, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth.

"Jules Verne (1828-1905) Discuss"
Source: http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Verne,+Jules. Accessed December 7, 2009.

Science literacy is enhanced when we understand Verne's quote, and, when we enjoy reading science and science fiction.

Among more than 50 books written by Jules Verne, originally in French, there are popular English translations:

• Five Weeks in a Balloon (1863),
• A Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864),
• From the Earth to the Moon (1865),
• Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea (1870),
• Around the World in Eighty Days (1873),
• The Mysterious Island (1875), and
• Michael Strogoff (1876).

Students might like to read some of Jules Verne's books and then look at the developments in science that he appeared to envision long before they arrived.

Perhaps students would like to try to write a science fiction story. Ask students if they think a good science fiction writer needs to know science. Find a science fiction tutorial by Jeffrey A. Carver, a science fiction writer (who offers the course as a public service to aspiring writers) on-line at: http://www.writesf.com/.

ProQuest: Portal to dissertations

"For information sources that propel research," according to the ProQuest site...

http://www.proquest.com

Feel like spring?

Click here: http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Tennessee/Bird_Mockingbird.html

See also: http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/index.html

Sectioning the Brain: A Memorial to Patient, "H.M."

As best he could remember, Henry Gustav Molaison never visited San Diego, spending his entire life on the East Coast. When he died late last year at the age of 82, Molaison was a man almost entirely unknown except by his initials H.M. and the fact that experimental brain surgery had erased his ability to form new memories.

Read more and see a photo of young Henry: click here. Source: H.M. recollected: Famous amnesic launches a bold, new brain project at UCSD, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER.Monday, November 30, 2009 at 12:04 a.m. http://www3.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/nov/30/hm-recollected-famous-amnesic-launches-bold-new-br/. Accessed December 4, 2009.

Click a link to see the microtome sectioning the brain:

http://thebrainobservatory.ucsd.edu/hm_live.php

or

http://neurosciences.ucsd.edu/

Notes:
Because many viewers are watching the sectioning as it progresses, anyone taking a break or not watching is asked to close the link until they come back to watch again.

"To become a sponsor of patient H.M.’s giant histological glass slides, send your check to: The Brain Observatory, 3510 Dunhill Street, San Diego, CA 92121 Or make your generous donation by following this link: *Donate*"

December viewers' Birthdays...

Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns:

• Joan
• Stan
• Rose

Thank you for helping increase science literacy and improve science education.