# data[].attributes.body
Alex

# data[].attributes.body
EJ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you want to build a cheap,easy Nerf gun this is for you.

# data[].attributes.body
EJ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top Builder: Rubber Band Power | Design Squad

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Design something using rubber bands! Design Squad challenges you to use rubber bands to launch something, power something, or make something move! Upload photos of your rubber band creation to the Design Squad website for a chance to become a Top Builder.

# data[].attributes.body
EJ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
how the most accurate nerf dart was made (2017)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How the most ACCURATE Nerf Dart was made (with SCIENCE!)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The 2017 Nerf Accustrike Dart - how was it made? In this video I discuss how the Nerf team developed its design and what processes were involved to create what's considered the most accurate Nerf dart to date. Support my passion by subscribing HERE: http://bit.ly/2coWBcv Follow me on Instagram!

# data[].attributes.body
EJ

# data[].attributes.body
Alex

# data[].attributes.body
Alex

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Break Glass with Your Voice - Hard Science

# data[].attributes.body
Lily

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are number of things you can do to stay safe during an earthquake. Remember, for earthquake emergency assistance from the SES call 132 500. For life-threatening emergencies call triple-zero (000).

Please do not phone emergency services for general advice.

For earthquake information, please phone Geoscience Australia on 1800 655 739.

If you are indoors during an earthquake

Ensure you do the following if you are indoors during an earthquake:

DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn't a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.

Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.

Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.

Do not use a doorway except if you know it is a strongly supported, load-bearing doorway and it is close to you. Many inside doorways are lightly constructed and do not offer protection.

Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Do not exit a building during the shaking. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.

DO NOT use the elevators.

Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.

If you are outdoors during an earthquake

Ensure you do the following if you are outdoors during an earthquake:

Stay there.

Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.

Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls.

If you are in a moving vehicle during an earthquake

Ensure you do the following if you are in a moving vehicle during an earthquake:

Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.

Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

If you are trapped under debris

Ensure you do the following if you are trapped under debris during or after an earthquake:

Do not light a match.

Do not move around or kick up dust.

Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.

Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

Please do not phone emergency services for general advice.
For earthquake information, please phone Geoscience Australia on 1800 655 739.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are number of things you can do to stay safe during an earthquake. Remember, for earthquake emergency assistance from the SES call 132 500. For life-threatening emergencies call triple-zero (000). Please do not phone emergency services for general advice. For earthquake information, please phone Geoscience Australia on 1800 655 739.

# data[].attributes.body
Alex

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Straw flute by Fizzics Education. The smaller the tube, the shorter the soundwaves therefore the higher the sound. For more free science experiments visit www.fizzics.com.au

# data[].attributes.body
Lily

# data[].attributes.body
Lily

# data[].attributes.body
Lily

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is an earthquake?
Earthquakes are the shaking, rolling or sudden shock of the earth's surface. They are the Earth's natural means of releasing stress. More than a million earthquakes rattle the world each year. The West Coast is most at risk of having an earthquake, but earthquakes can happen in the Midwest and along the East Coast. Earthquakes can be felt over large areas although they usually last less than one minute. Earthquakes cannot be predicted - although scientists are working on it!

Click Here to learn more about earthquakes from USGS.

What causes an earthquake?
There are about 20 plates along the surface of the earth that move continuously and slowly past each other. When the plates squeeze or stretch, huge rocks form at their edges and the rocks shift with great force, causing an earthquake. Think of it this way: Imagine holding a pencil horizontally. If you were to apply a force to both ends of the pencil by pushing down on them, you would see the pencil bend. After enough force was applied, the pencil would break in the middle, releasing the stress you have put on it. The Earth's crust acts in the same way. As the plates move they put forces on themselves and each other. When the force is large enough, the crust is forced to break. When the break occurs, the stress is released as energy which moves through the Earth in the form of waves, which we feel and call an earthquake. (Graphic Credit: Wheeling Jesuit University/NASA Classroom of the Future)

Click Here to see an animation of an earthquake. It's great for kids, because they get to see how it actually happens!

What is a fault?
A fault is an area of stress in the earth where broken rocks slide past each other, causing a crack in the Earth's surface. There are the major types of faults: dip-slip normal, dip-slip reverse, strike-slip, and oblique-slip.

What are plate tectonics?
The theory of plate tectonics is a interesting story of continents drifting from place to place breaking apart, colliding, and grinding against each other. The plate tectonic theory is supported by a wide range of evidence that considers the earth's crust and upper mantle to be composed of several large, thin, relatively rigid plates that move relative to one another. (See plate tectonic graphic above.) The plates are all moving in different directions and at different speeds. Sometimes the plates crash together, pull apart or sideswipe each other. When this happens, it commonly results in earthquakes.

Continental Drift: To see this animation again, just refresh this page! This animation shows you what our planet looked like millions of years ago and what it looks like now! (Graphic Credit: Geology Department at University of California, Berkeley)

What is a seismograph?
A seismograph is an instrument used for recording the intensity and duration of an earthquake.

Click Here to calculate the strength of earthquakes!

What is a tsunami? A tsunami is a large ocean wave usually caused by an underwater earthquake or a volcanic explosion. Tsunamis are NOT tidal waves. Tidal waves are caused by the forces of the moon, sun, and planets upon the tides, as well as the wind as it moves over the water. With typical waves, water flows in circles, but with a tsunami, water flows straight. This is why tsunamis cause so much damage!

Know the Lingo

EPICENTER - The point on the earth's surface directly above the source of the earthquake.

SEISMIC WAVES - The energy created by the quake travels in waves from the epicenter, where they are the strongest. The waves shake buildings, structures and the earth vertically, causing them to move horizontally!

RICHTER SCALE - A measurement of an earthquake's intensity. Each one-point increase on the scale indicates ten times the amount of shaking and 33 times the amount of energy. The energy released by a large earthquake may be equal to 10,000 times the energy of the first atomic bomb.

4

Minor Earthquake

5

Moderate Earthquake

6

Strong Earthquake

7

Major Earthquake

8

Great Earthquake

Richter Scale

Earthquake Safety Tips
BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE: Have a disaster plan. Emergency preparedness can save lives. Choose a safe place in every room. It's best to get under a sturdy piece of furniture like a table or a desk where nothing can fall on you. Practice DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON! Drop under something sturdy, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If you live in an earthquake prone area, bolt tall furniture to the wall and install strong latches to cupboards. Prepare a first aid kit for your home. By taking special precautions and checking for hazards before a disaster strikes, you will be much more likely to stay safe. DURING AN EARTHQUAKE: DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON! Stay indoors until the shaking stops. Stay away from windows. If you're in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. If you're outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees and power lines. Then, drop to the ground. If you're in a car, slow down and drive to a safe place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.

AFTER THE SHAKING STOPS: Check for injuries. Inspect your home for damage. Eliminate fire hazards, so turn off the gas if you think its leaking. Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON.
Earthquake Activities
Lesson Plan: Here is a great lesson plan on learning about how thrust faults are responsible for the uplift of many mountain ranges across the world, including the Los Angeles Basin. This is a great lesson plan for middle and high school students.

Lesson Plan: Here is a great lesson plan keeping track of earthquakes around the world. In this activity, kids keep a record of the location of earthquakes for a week and learn about plate tectonics.

Earthquake Experiment: Here is a great experiment that explains how to prepare for an earthquake.Science Fair Ideas: Here is a list of science fair project ideas that deal with earthquakes.

Science Fair Project Ideas: Here is a complete list of science fair project ideas. Discover the science behind the weather that impacts us every day.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Weather Wiz Kids weather information for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Weather Wiz Kids is a fun and safe website for kids about all the weather info they need to know. It contains tools for weather education, including weather games, activities, experiments, photos, a glossary and educational teaching materials for the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Jasmine. Almonds are a nut, so we won't be doing this one, but it gives you an idea.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Make Homemade Almond Butter | DIY Recipe

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Homemade almond butter is easy to make and absolutely delicious. Add this to your meal prep for next week! SUBSCRIBE: http://tinyurl.com/jaxbcd6 PRINT Almond Butter Recipe: https://tinyurl.com/hh9676p FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS: 7 Cup Food Processor: http://amzn.to/2l40E30 Rimmed Baking Sheet: http://amzn.to/2lMcAoP 4-ounce Mason Jar: http://amzn.to/2lggQtj FOLLOW CLEAN&DELICIOUS ON SOCIAL: SnapChat: CleanDelicious Instagram: Clean_And_Delicious Twitter: @DaniSpies FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanAndDeliciousWithDaniSpies/ PRINT THE RECIPE HERE: https://tinyurl.com/hh9676p HOW TO ALMOND BUTTER RECIPE 3 cups almonds 1/4 tsp kosher sea salt (optional) Pre heat oven to 250.

# data[].attributes.body
Jasmine. This is made from cream. I wonder how you will make your butter from milk

# data[].attributes.body
Jasmine

# data[].attributes.body
Annabelle

# data[].attributes.body
Annabelle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Summary of Pros and Cons of Solar Power Pros: - Renewable - Unobtrusive - Abundant Cons: - Reliability and Availability - High initial cost - Pollution during production Sources: Article: How Much Does it Cost to Install Solar Panels?

# data[].attributes.body
Iggy & Kale

# data[].attributes.body
Annabelle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bill Nye - How Stuff Works - Solar Energy

# data[].attributes.body
Annabelle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How solar panels turn sunlight into electricity.

# data[].attributes.body
Ruby H

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You might have been outside in the cold and when you came in to get warm you may have touched a warm cup of hot chocolate. The question you might ask is 'is the cup getting colder or are your hands getting warmer?"

# data[].attributes.body
Ruby H

# data[].attributes.body
Iggy & Kale

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this O Wow Moment from the Children's Museum of Houston, we take a basic look at the physics of top spinning and why tops don't topple over when they are spinning (i.e. why does spinning a top keep it from falling over?) including a brief look at angular momentum.

# data[].attributes.body
Zenji

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is A Healthy Heart Rate - What Affects Heart Rate - What Is Maximum Heart Rate

# data[].attributes.body
Zenji

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get to know your body's most important muscle -- your heart -- and learn how to take your own pulse! ---------- Like SciShow? Want to help support us, and also get things to put on your walls, cover your torso and hold your liquids?

# data[].attributes.body
Iggy & Kale

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Definition of Friction is very beautifully explained in this animation video for kids.Preschoolers and kindergarten Children can very well understand this physics concept with help several examples given in this short cartoon movie. Questions like "What is friction?", "Why and how it works " etc.

# data[].attributes.body
Zenji

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
AboutKidsHealth - The Hospital for Sick Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Exploring the Heart - The Circulatory System! | AboutKidsHealth at The Hospital for Sick Children

# data[].attributes.body
Zenji

# data[].attributes.body
Zenji

# data[].attributes.body
Arabella

# data[].attributes.body
Arabella, this is quite old, but it might help you to think about how to evacuate people from an volcano.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There's a saying that goes 'safe as houses' but what if your house was built on a volcano? That doesn't sound too safe at all! Of course, it's pretty rare for a volcano to erupt badly enough to threaten people, but it does happen. In fact, lots of people just had to be evacuated in Chile when one blew its top. That got Sarah thinking about the dangers of living next door to a real hothead.

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: It's nature at its most spectacular. Volcanoes. Their name comes from the word Vulcan; the Roman God of Fire and, well, it's pretty appropriate. But while they're amazing to look at, they can also be terrifying. Last month a volcano in Chile forced thousands of people from their homes as it buried a town in ash.

REPORTER: Can you imagine living in the shadow of a volcano? Sounds a bit like living on top of a time bomb doesn't it. But as scary as it seems, there are millions of people who do.

This is Naples, in Italy. And that hill? It's Vesuvius, a massive volcano. But the locals here say they're not afraid.

GIRL (in Italian): Absolutely not, we know it's an extinct volcano.

But in fact, it's not. An extinct volcano is one that hasn't erupted for many thousands of years - Vesuvius blew just 64 years ago. Lava flowed out and destroyed a village. Luckily everyone escaped.

REPORTER: Lava may be red hot molten rock but it's actually not the most dangerous part of a volcano. That's because it usually moves really slowly and there's time to get out of the way.

This is the sort of volcanic eruption that kills. It's called a pyroclastic flow. It's made up of really hot ash and rocks which blast out and race down the sides of the volcano like a waterfall. It's too fast to outrun and destroys everything in its path.

That's what happened to the ancient city of Pompeii when Vesuvius erupted 2000 years ago. The whole town was buried by ash. It even covered people and preserved the shape of their bodies so you can see what they were doing when the flow hit.

Now scientists are worried people today haven't learnt from Pompeii and are way too relaxed about Vesuvius. They say it's just about due for another big eruption and it could come with very little warning. But there are so many people and the roads are so narrow, it could be almost impossible to get everyone out.

To give them as much warning as possible, scientists monitor Vesuvius' heartbeat all day and night. They're also working on better ways to predict eruptions. One thing they know is the shape of volcanoes changes when eruptions are coming so they measure Vesuvius from satellites.

But it's not just Naples that has to worry. Volcanoes are all over the world. There are active ones just near Australia in New Zealand and there are actually old ones like this in Oz but they haven't erupted for thousands of years.

So you can see why volcano experts have their work cut out for them. But it's hoped that one day they'll understand these Gods of Fire better and they'll be able to save the lives of the people that live in their shadow.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There's a saying that goes 'safe as houses' but what if your house was built on a volcano? That doesn't sound too safe at all! Of course, it's pretty rare for a volcano to erupt badly enough to threaten people, but it does happen.

# data[].attributes.body
Arabella

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
All About Volcanoes for Children: Introduction to Volcanoes for Kids - FreeSchool

# data[].attributes.body
Arabella

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Is it just us or is it getting hot in here, gang? Prepare to delve into the depths of the earth and uncover these seriously hot volcano facts - if you dare!

1. Put simply, a volcano is an opening in the Earth's surface.

Usually found in a mountain, the opening allows gas, hot magma and ash to escape from beneath the Earth's crust.

2. The word "volcano" comes from the Roman name "Vulcan".

"But who was Vulcan?" you might ask. He was the Roman god of fire!

(AD)

3. Volcanoes are often found at meeting points of "tectonic plates".

These plates are pieces of the Earth's surface that fit together just like a jigsaw puzzle.

4. Volcanoes can also occur over "mantle plumes".

Ever heard of mantle plumes? They're super-hot areas of rock inside the Earth!

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Volcanoes of Ecuador primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

5. Approximately 350 million people live within "danger range" of an active volcano.

That means that around one in 20 people live in an area at risk of volcanic activity.

6. Volcanoes are classified as active, dormant or extinct.

This refers to the amount of volcanic activity. " Active" means there's regular activity, " dormant" means there's been recent activity but the volcano is currently quiet, and " extinct " means it's been so long since the last eruption that it's unlikely to ever erupt again.

7. Volcanoes can be a variety of shapes.

These geographical wonders come in various shapes and sizes, but there are two main types - composite volcanoes, which are cone-shaped with steep slopes, and shield volcanoes, which are wide with gentle slopes.

8. Magma and lava are two different things!

Magma is the name given to hot liquid rock inside a volcano. Once it leaves the volcano, it's known as lava.

Psst! Make sure you download our awesome volcano facts infographic - show your friends, family, or stick it on your wall!

9. Volcanoes don't just occur on land.

They can be found on the ocean floor and under ice caps, too!

10. Lava from a volcano can reach 1,250°C!

Lava is so hot it can burn everything in its path. If you used a glass thermometer to take the temperature it would melt!

11. The world's largest active volcano is Mauna Loa in Hawaii.

Standing a whopping 4,169m tall, this geological giant last erupted in 1984.

12. Volcanoes exist throughout the solar system!

Other planets and moons have volcanoes, too! The largest volcano in our solar system is Olympus Mons, found on Mars.

13. In A.D. 79, the Italian town of Pompeii was destroyed and buried by a volcano called Mount Vesuvius.

Incredibly, the ash deposits preserved the town and the remains of the people within it. Today, it's one of 's most popular historical sites!

14. About 1,900 volcanoes on Earth are considered active, likely to explode again. Yikes!

Most of the world's active volcanoes are found on the " Ring of Fire", a 40,000 km horseshoe shaped area of the Pacific Ocean.

15. The loudest sound in recorded history was made by a volcano called Krakatau.

Found in Southeast Asia, when Krakatau erupted in 1883 it released 200 megatrons of energy - that's the equivalent of 15,000 nuclear bombs. Boom!

16. Volcanoes can produce rich, fertile land.

Over time, lava and ash break down to produce nutrient-rich soil, great for growing crops! That's why some people like to set up home on the slopes of a volcano.

17. It's not just humans that makes use of volcanoes - birds do, too!

Maleo birds bury their eggs in the sand or soil near volcanoes to keep them warm. When the chicks hatch they claw their way up to the surface!

Check out this explosive video, full of exciting facts and information about volcanoes!

What did you think of our volcano facts, gang? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Likes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Volcano facts | National Geographic Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Is it just us or is it getting hot in here, gang? Prepare to delve into the depths of the earth and uncover these seriously hot volcano facts - if you dare! Usually found in a mountain, the opening allows gas, hot magma and ash to escape from beneath the Earth's crust .

# data[].attributes.body
Arabella

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Volcanoes
(Volcanoes are not associated with weather, but instead are natural disasters.)

What is a volcano?
A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten rock below the surface of the earth. When pressure builds up, eruptions occur. Gases and rock shoot up through the opening and spill over or fill the air with lava fragments. Eruptions can cause lateral blasts, lava flows, hot ash flows, mudslides, avalanches, falling ash and floods. Volcano eruptions have been known to knock down entire forests. An erupting volcano can trigger tsunamis, flash floods, earthquakes, mudflows and rockfalls.

How are volcanoes formed?
Volcanoes are formed when magma from within the Earth's upper mantle works its way to the surface. At the surface, it erupts to form lava flows and ash deposits. Over time as the volcano continues to erupt, it will get bigger and bigger.

What are the different stages of volcanoes?
Scientists have categorized volcanoes into three main categories: active, dormant, and extinct. An active volcano is one which has recently erupted and there is a possibility that it may erupt soon. A dormant volcano is one which has not erupted in a long time but there is a possibility it can erupt in the future. An extinct volcano is one which has erupted thousands of years ago and there's no possibility of eruption.

Why do volcanoes erupt? The Earth's crust is made up of huge slabs called plates, which fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. These plates sometimes move. The friction causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions near the edges of the plates. The theory that explains this process is called plate tectonics.

The theory of plate tectonics is a interesting story of continents drifting from place to place breaking apart, colliding, and grinding against each other. The plate tectonic theory is supported by a wide range of evidence that considers the earth's crust and upper mantle to be composed of several large, thin, relatively rigid plates that move relative to one another. The plates are all moving in different directions and at different speeds. Sometimes the plates crash together, pull apart or sideswipe each other. When this happens, it commonly results in earthquakes. What are plate tectonics?

Continental Drift: To see this animation again, just refresh this page! This animation shows you what our planet looked like millions of years ago and what it looks like now! (Graphic Credit: Geology Department at University of California, Berkeley)

There are more than 1500 active volcanoes on the Earth. We currently know of 80 or more which are under the oceans. Active volcanoes in the U.S. are found mainly in Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington.
How many volcanoes are there?

What are the different types of volcanoes?
Volcanoes are grouped into four types: cinder cones, composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes and lava volcanoes.

Cinder Cones

Cinder cones are circular or oval cones made up of small fragments of lava from a single vent that have been blown into the air, cooled and fallen around the vent.

Composite Volcanoes

Composite volcanoes are steep-sided volcanoes composed of many layers of volcanic rocks, usually made from high-viscosity lava, ash and rock debris. Mt. Rainier and Mount St. Helens are examples of this type of volcano.

Shield Volcanoes

Shield volcanoes are volcanoes shaped like a bowl or shield in the middle with long gentle slopes made by basaltic lava flows. Basalt lava flows from these volcanoes are called flood basalts. The volcanoes that formed the basalt of the Columbia Plateau were shield volcanoes.

Lava Volcanoes

Lava domes are formed when erupting lava is too thick to flow and makes a steep-sided mound as the lava piles up near the volcanic vent. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 was caused in part by a lava dome shifting to allow explosive gas and steam to escape from inside the mountain.

Magma is liquid rock inside a volcano. Lava is liquid rock (magma) that flows out of a volcano. Fresh lava glows red hot to white hot as it flows.

What is the difference between lava and magma?

Why does lava take a long time to cool down?
Lava cools slowly because lava is a poor conductor of heat. Lava flows slow down and thicken as they harden.
What is a pyroclastic flow?
A pyroclastic flow is a fluidized mixture of solid to semi-solid fragments and hot, expanding gases that flows down the sides of a volcano. These awesome features are heavier-than-air emulsions that move much like a snow avalanche, except that they are fiercely hot, contain toxic gases, and move at phenomenal, hurricane-force speeds. They are the most deadly of all volcanic phenomena.

What is lahar?
A lahar is a type of mudflow or debris flow composed of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a river valley. It is very dangerous because it's consistency and the way it acts is very much like cement. It is liquid when it's moving, but when it stops, it solidifies. This can cause just as much devastation as lava itself.
What is pumice?
Pumice is a light, porous volcanic rock that forms during explosive eruptions. It resembles a sponge because it consists of a network of gas bubbles frozen amidst fragile volcanic glass and minerals. All types of magma (basalt, andesite, dacite, and rhyolite) will form pumice.

What is the largest active volcano?
The world's largest, active volcano is Mauna Loa in Hawaii, where famous coffee is grown in the rich volcanic soils. Mauna Loa is 13,677 feet above sea level. From its base below sea level to its summit, Mauna Loa is taller than Mount Everest.

What is the Ring of Fire?

The Pacific Ring of Fire is an area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions encircling the basin of the Pacific Ocean. The Ring of Fire has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 50% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes. Ninety percent of the world's earthquakes and 81% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.

When did Mount St. Helens erupt?
On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted. It's located in southwestern Washington State in the Cascade Range. The blast was heard as far away as Montana, Idaho, Canada and California. Fifty-seven people died and the eruption caused $1.2 billion in damage.

What are some other notable volcano eruptions?
Krakatoa was a dormant volcano in Indonesia, which awakened and produced one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in 1883. So massive was the eruption that the sound of it was heard as far away as Australia. It's widely reported as the loudest sound heard in recorded history. The Krakatoa eruption created a huge amount of ash cloud which covered the Earth and reduced global temperatures for 5 years! A total of 40,000 people died in that explosion and an entire chain of the volcanic island was destroyed. For more info: Click Here!

Mount Pelee was a dormant volcano situated in the Caribbean island of Martinique. In 1902, it erupted in a massive horizontal explosion sending huge clouds of ash released towards the nearby town of Saint-Pierre. The side of the volcano exploded and lava flowed straight into the town, killing 30,000 people in a matter of minutes. It is regarded as one of the biggest and most devastating volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, a benchmark for future eruptions.

Mount Fujiyama, also popularly known as Mount Fuji, is an active volcano which last erupted in 1708. It is incidentally the tallest mountain in Japan. If you are visiting Tokyo, the capital of Japan, look in the west on a clear day and you will be able to see Mount Fuji. It is an iconic volcano. Mount Fuji is 3,776 meters high and it is snow clad throughout the year, with five lakes surrounding it. Currently in a state of dormancy, there has not been any eruption reported for more than 300 years. The last known eruption lasted for about 3 weeks during which it covered the surrounding villages with ash and cinders. Mount Fuji is now a popular tourist location with a large number of climbers actively scaling the mountain top.

What is a tsunami?
A tsunami is a large ocean wave usually caused by an underwater earthquake or a volcanic explosion. Tsunamis are NOT tidal waves. Tidal waves are caused by the forces of the moon, sun, and planets upon the tides, as well as the wind as it moves over the water. With typical waves, water flows in circles, but with a tsunami, water flows straight. This is why tsunamis cause so much damage!

Know the Lingo
MAGMA - Magma is the liquid rock inside a volcano.

LAVA - Lava is the liquid rock (magma) that flows out of a volcano. Lava glows red hot to white hot as it flows.

ACTIVE VOLCANO - An active volcano is one that erupts regularly.
Volcano Safety Tips
PLAN FOR A VOLCANO: First of all, have a disaster plan and know whether or not you are at risk for danger. Be prepared for mudslides, flash floods, earthquakes, ash falling, acid rain and tsunamis. Prepare a disaster supplies kit for your home and car. Include a first aid kit, canned food and a can opener, bottled water, battery-operated radio, flashlight, protective clothing, dust mask, goggles and sturdy shoes. Don't forget, know all of your evacuation routes. DURING A VOLCANO: Follow the evacuation order issued by authorities. Avoid areas downwind and river valleys downstream of the volcano. If your caught indoors, close all windows and doors, put machinery inside a barn, and bring animals inside. If you're trapped outdoors, seek shelter indoors. If you're caught in falling rocks, roll into a ball and protect your head. If you're caught near a stream, be aware of mudflows and move to higher ground. Protect yourself when ash falls by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Use goggles to protect your eyes. Wear a dust mask and keep car engines off.
DORMANT VOLCANO - A dormant volcano is one that has not erupted for many years, although there is still some activity deep inside. AFTER A VOLCANO: Cover you mouth and nose. Volcanic ash can irritate your respiratory system. Wear goggles and protect your eyes. Keep your skin covered. Clear roofs of ash, because the ash is very heavy and can cause the building to collapse.
Volcano Activities
Lesson Plan: Here are great lesson plans on learning more about volcanoes. These are great lesson plans for elementary school students.
EXTINCT VOLCANO - An extinct volcano is a volcano that is no longer active.Volcano Experiment: Here is an experiment on how to make a soda bottle volcano with Mentos.
Volcano Experiment: Here is another experiment on how to make a baking soda volcano.
GEYSERS - Geysers are springs that throw boiling water high in the air. They are caused by volcanic heat warming trapped ground water.Science Fair Project Ideas: Here is a complete list of science fair project ideas. Discover the science behind the weather that impacts us every day.

ASH - Ash are very small fragments of lava or rock blasted into the air by volcanic explosions.

PUMICE - It is a light-colored volcanic rock containing lots of bubbles from trapped gases.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Weather Wiz Kids weather information for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Weather Wiz Kids is a fun and safe website for kids about all the weather info they need to know. It contains tools for weather education, including weather games, activities, experiments, photos, a glossary and educational teaching materials for the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Stan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wheel and Axle - Simple Machines | Science for Kids | Educational Videos by Mocomi

# data[].attributes.body
Myf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stretching Exercises for Netball : LS - Strengthening & Stretching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Subscribe Now: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Livestrong Watch More: http://www.youtube.com/Livestrong During the game of netball you're performing a lot of jumping, running and moving and rotating around the court. Find out about great stretching exercises for netball with help from a fitness and wellness professional with over 12 years of experience in this free video clip.

# data[].attributes.body
Myf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to strengthen weak ankles: 3 exercises for unstable ankles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you suffer frequent ankle sprains? Feel weak or unstable? Or just have bad balance? In this video I run you through an exercise program to help improve ankle strength and proprioception to do away with weak ankles for good.

# data[].attributes.body
Myf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
http://injuryfreefemaleathletes.wordpress.com/ Cara Regas, ATC, ACE, Personal Trainer Fitness Quest 10 (San Diego, CA) gives some great exercises on how to strengthen your ankles. All people, specially athletes, forget to work on their ankles and as a result, injury can occur. To prevent being sidelined by an ankle injury, watch Cara's top exercises on how to strengthen your ankle.

# data[].attributes.body
Jane

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Replace An Egg In Baking | 1 Minute Tips | Four Spoons Bakery

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nicole Knegt of Four Spoons Bakery shows you how to replace eggs in your baking to make it vegan and gluten free. All in just one minute flat.

# data[].attributes.body
Jane

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Kitchn's Baking School Day 1: Learn all about eggs.
Join The Kitchn's Baking School: Sign up and see all The Kitchn's Baking School assignments

Welcome to Baking School! In day-to-day cooking, eggs can be scrambled, poached, or boiled to create easy, straightforward dishes all on their own. But when it comes to baking and pastry, the importance of their role changes from breakfast food to a vital ingredient for giving structure, texture, and flavor. The function and behavior of eggs can really vary depending on how we treat them in these recipes, and just knowing more about the different parts of an egg - the whites and the yolks - can help make even the trickiest pastries feel a little more approachable.

So before we dive head-first into all things pastry, let's take a closer look at the mighty egg!

A Few Basic Things You Should Know About Eggs

At the grocery store there are dozens of different types of eggs - brown ones, whites ones, sometimes even green ones; eggs that are medium, large, and extra large. You might even see eggs from chickens, quails, or ducks!

So what should you buy for baking and pastry? Stick with large chicken eggs, unless otherwise specified in your recipe; most U.S. baking and pastry recipes are designed to be made with large-sized chicken eggs.

What's In an Egg?

Crack an egg open and you'll see the large, transparent egg white with the round, yellow yolk in the middle. The white is made almost entirely of proteins and water;, on the other hand, is packed full of nutrients, vitamins, and fats.

Look closely and you'll also see a thin white strand floating somewhere in the mix. This is called the chalazae and it anchors the yolk to the white and to the inside of the shell, keeping the yolk suspended.

A large egg (still in its shell) weighs about 2 ounces total; that's about 1 ounce for the white, 2/3 ounce for the yolk, and a fraction of an ounce for the shell itself. Inside the shell, a large egg has about 3 1/4 tablespoons of total egg matter - 2 parts white to 1 part yolk.

Not all eggs are created equal, though, and there can still be some small variance between eggs even within the same size category. On average, though, the large eggs will all be roughly the same.

Some recipes may specify eggs by weight instead of volume, calling for something like 4 ounces egg whites instead of 2 egg whites. In these cases, it's a good indication that precise measurements are important for this recipe, and so it's best to weigh the eggs using a kitchen scale. In a pinch, however, you can use the general weights for whites and yolks given above.

What Eggs Do in Baking Recipes

Eggs play an important role in everything from cakes and cookies to meringues and pastry cream - they create structure and stability within a batter, they help thicken and emulsify sauces and custards, they add moisture to cakes and other baked goods, and can even act as glue or glaze.

Between the yolks, the white, and the whole egg, the functions of an egg can overlap and vary widely from recipe to recipe. Let's take a look at each of these and see how they affect a recipe.

The Role of Egg Yolks: Fat

Recipes that use just the yolk of an egg typically do so for the yolk's fat content and emulsifying abilities. The fat gives baked goods extra-rich flavor and a velvety texture. The yolk also has the unique ability to bind liquids and fats together, creating an emulsion that prevents them from separating. This emulsion process helps create a more homogenous mix of ingredients - aiding in an even distribution of liquid and fats throughout a recipe for smooth batters, satiny custards, and creamy curds.

When yolks are heated, the proteins they contain unfold and gel together. This is a delicate situation; t0o much heat and the proteins will gel too much and turn curdled and grainy, but when warmed gently over low heat, egg yolks have a great ability to thicken products like sauces and custards. Again, their emulsifying properties enhance and thicken cream when they are cooked together.

→ Common recipes that often use just the egg yolks: Custards, pastry cream, cakes, ice cream, creme brûlée, and curds.

The Role of Egg Whites: Foam!

When egg whites are used alone, they perform an entirely different role from the yolks, especially when whipped. Whipping and using egg whites in a recipe does not have to be as intimidating as you may think, and we'll be talking much more about this in a few days. For now, just know that whipping egg whites means incorporating millions of little air bubbles within the white. This creates a fairly stable foam that we can use to make everything from a soufflé to meringue. To help stabilize egg whites even further, we can add acidic elements, like cream of tartar and lemon juice.

One of the best ways to use whipped egg whites is as a natural leavening agent in something like a delicate cake or a soufflé. In the heat of the oven, the air trapped in the foam starts to expand, causing the recipe rise without the need for things like yeast or baking soda. In fact, whipped egg whites are how many classic baked goods, like sponge cakes, got their lift in the days before baking soda and baking powder!

Egg whites can also be whipped with sugar to make meringue, which can then be baked into crunchy meringue kisses, made into billowy pavlovas, or dolloped on top of desserts like baked Alaska. Sugar makes whipped egg whites incredibly stable - you can even pipe it using a piping bag into stars, kisses, and toadstools.

While the idea of "light" and "airy" whipped egg whites might make you think that more is better, it is possible to overdo it. Over-whipped whites will become clumpy, grainy, and difficult to fold into your batter. Also, using too many whites in a batter can wind up making the final product dry.

→ Common recipes that often use just egg whites: Meringues, pavlova, chiffon cakes, macarons, marshmallows, marshmallow fluff, and frostings.

The Role of Whole Eggs: Fat and Foam

When you use whole eggs in a recipe, you get some of the best properties of both the yolk and the white. While whole eggs aren't quite as good as straight yolks at creating an emulsion, they are still excellent binding agents, especially in cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Eggs also firm up and solidify when heated, giving crucial structural support to delicate desserts and pastries. At the same time, eggs make baked goods more tender, creating light textures, soft breads, and delicate crumbs.

When mixed with sugar (like in a cake or cookie batter), eggs help trap and hold air - not quite as well as whipped egg whites, but enough to give the finished product some lightness and lift. The combination of eggs and sugar also adds a great deal of moisture and flavor to a recipe.

Yolks and whites can also be used separately in the same recipe. This truly is the best of both worlds, with the yolks providing richness to a base or batter while the whipped whites do their job of lightening and leavening. Chiffon cakes and soufflés are good examples of this kind of recipe.

→ Common recipes that use whole eggs: Butter cakes, cookies, brownies, bread doughs, waffles, pancakes, muffins, and pastries.

Master the Basics of Egg Science & Safety

Now that you have a basic understand of what eggs do in a recipe, make sure you know the basics of how and why they cook, and when they're safe to eat.

What Is Egg Coagulation?

Coagulation is what happens when you cook eggs. When raw eggs are exposed to heat and then gel into a solid very quickly, we call this coagulation. Eggs begin to coagulate at 140°F and will set more firmly as the temperature rises. Over-coagulation, or "curdling," may occur when the eggs are cooked at too high a temperature, or if they're cooked for too long. If you have ever experienced a grainy custard or a rubbery cake, this may be the culprit.

What's Important to Know About Egg Temperature?

Depending on the recipe, eggs may need to be room temperature when they get mixed with the other ingredients. Recipes for cakes and other baked goods often call for room-temperature eggs because they bind and emulsify better than cold ones. Additionally, room-temperature egg whites whip up better than their colder counterparts. If a recipe doesn't specify the egg temperature, it's usually safe to assume that the temperature isn't crucial to the recipe and the eggs can be added either straight from the fridge or at room temperature.

By the way, if you need to separate your eggs, do it while they are cold; the yolks are less likely to break and it's easier separate the yolk from the white. Also, to quickly warm up refrigerated eggs, just cover cold eggs in a bowl with warm tap water for a few minutes while you gather your remaining ingredients.

Egg Safety

Trace amounts of salmonella - the bacteria responsible for many incidents of food poisoning - can sometimes be found in raw eggs. Although it's rare for someone to actually get sick from consuming raw or undercooked eggs, it's best to be careful, especially when serving egg dishes and desserts to people with compromised immune systems, the elderly, the young, and pregnant women. In these cases, be extra sure to cook eggs and egg dishes thoroughly (to 160°F), or use pasteurized eggs. Also, be mindful of cross-contamination between raw eggs and other ingredients.

How to Crack an Egg Like a Pro

Now that you've learned quite a bit about eggs - ready to crack a few? The baking pros always crack their eggs by rapping them on a flat surface or the inside wall of a mixing bowl. This avoids small bits of jagged shell getting forced inside the egg, which can puncture the yolk and leave tiny, annoying bits of shell to fish from the bowl. If you do get a bit of shell in your bowl, use a larger piece of the shell left in your hand to scoop it out; the sharp edge of the egg shell will break the surface tension and make it easier to scoop out the stray shell.

It's also best to crack eggs into a smaller bowl, separate from your actual mixing bowl. This makes it easier to scoop out the stray bits of shell, and also helps prevent having to start completely over if you accidentally break a yolk that you needed left whole - throwing away one broken egg (or saving it for dinner!) is better than tossing a whole mixing bowl of ingredients.

Every Baking School lesson has three homework options. Maybe you've already got one down, or you just have time for a quick study session. So pick one, and show us by tagging it with #kitchnbakingschool on Instagram or Twitter.

Learn the difference between medium, large, extra-large, and jumbo eggs.

Attempt to crack an egg using only one hand. Watch this video for guidance.

Practice whipping an egg white until it becomes grainy (so you never do it again!). Or slowly cook an egg yolk until it coagulates. Observe the different ways eggs can change as you do one of these homework assignments.

Join The Kitchn's Baking School!

SIGN UP

SHARE YOUR PROGRESS

Follow and show your progress on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter! Make sure to use the #kitchnbakingschool hashtag.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Baking School Day 1: All About Eggs and Baking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Kitchn's Baking School Day 1: Learn all about eggs. Join The Kitchn's Baking School: Sign up and see all The Kitchn's Baking School assignments Welcome to Baking School! In day-to-day cooking, eggs can be scrambled, poached, or boiled to create easy, straightforward dishes all on their own.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
type 2 diabetes (disease or medical condition)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
diabetes mellitus (disease or medical condition)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
diabetic ketoacidosis (disease or medical condition)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Take Dr. Berg's Body Type Quiz: http://bit.ly/BodyTypeQuiz Dr. Eric Berg talks about Sugar and diabetes. Sugar increases insulin which lowers the sugar in the blood and puts it in storage as fat. A healthy diet should consist of fats and moderate amount of proteins. A diabetic diet should have high quantities of fat.

# data[].attributes.body
Ruby T

# data[].attributes.body
Ruby T

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Maybe a kid you know always eats a snack during a soccer game or goes to the school nurse before lunch to get a shot.

If you have a friend or a classmate like this - or this sounds just like you - you're not alone. Thousands of kids all over the world do stuff like this every day because they have type 1 diabetes (say: dye-uh-BEE-tees). What is it? Let's find out.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose (say: GLOO-kose), a sugar that is the body's main source of fuel. Your body needs glucose to keep running. Here's how it should work:

1. You eat.

2. Glucose from the food gets into your bloodstream.

3. Your pancreas makes a hormone called (say: IN-suh-lin).

4. Insulin helps the glucose get into the body's cells.

5. Your body gets the energy it needs.

The pancreas is a long, flat gland in your belly that helps your body digest food. It also makes insulin. Insulin is kind of like a key that opens the doors to the cells of the body. It lets the glucose in. Then the glucose can move out of the blood and into the cells.

But if someone has diabetes, the body either can't make insulin or the insulin doesn't work in the body like it should. The glucose can't get into the cells normally, so the blood sugar level gets too high. Lots of sugar in the blood makes people sick if they don't get treatment.

What Is Type 1 Diabetes?

The two major types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2.

In type 1 diabetes (which used to be called insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes), the pancreas can't make insulin. The body can still get glucose from food but the glucose can't get into the cells where it's needed. Glucose stays in the blood, which makes the blood sugar level very high and causes health problems.

To fix the problem, someone with type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin through regular shots or an insulin pump.

Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas still makes insulin, but the insulin doesn't work in the body like it should and blood sugar levels get too high.

No one knows for sure what causes type 1 diabetes, but scientists think it has something to do with genes. Genes are like instructions for how the body should look and work that are passed on by parents to their kids.

But just getting the genes for diabetes isn't usually enough. Something else has to happen - like getting a viral infection - for a person to develop type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes can't be prevented. Doctors can't even tell who will get it and who won't.

What Are the Signs of Type 1 Diabetes?

When people first have diabetes, they usually:

pee a lot because the body tries to get rid of the extra blood sugar by passing it out of the body in the urine (pee)

drink a lot to make up for all that peeing

eat a lot because the body is hungry for the energy it can't get from sugar

lose weight as the body starts to use fat and muscle for fuel because it can't use sugar normally

feel tired a lot because the body can't use sugar for energy

Getting treatment for diabetes can stop these symptoms from happening. A doctor can do tests on a kid's blood to find out if he or she has diabetes.

If your doctor thinks you might have type 1 diabetes, he or she might have you visit a doctor called a pediatric endocrinologist (say: pee-dee-AHT-trik en-doh-krih-NAHL-eh-jist), a type of doctor who helps kids with diabetes, growth problems, and more.

How Is Type 1 Diabetes Treated?

Kids who have type 1 diabetes have to pay a little more attention to what they're eating and doing than kids without diabetes. They need to:

take insulin as their doctor prescribed

eat a healthy, balanced diet with accurate carbohydrate counts

check blood sugar levels as prescribed

get regular exercise

Kids with diabetes will have to do special things sometimes, like eat a snack on the bus during a long school trip. Or they might have to wake up earlier than everyone else at a sleepover to take their insulin and have some breakfast to keep their blood sugar levels under control.

What Else Should I Know?

Although this might seem like a lot of work, the good news is that new products and equipment can help make it easier for kids to take care of their diabetes. Scientists are looking for ways to make it easier to check blood sugar levels and give insulin. They're also trying to find ways to get insulin into the body without shots. And there's hope that one day a cure will be found.

Even though kids with diabetes have to do some special things, it doesn't keep them from doing the stuff they love. They can still play sports, go out with their friends, and go on trips. So if you have a friend with diabetes, let him or her know you can deal with it. Being friends is all about having fun together, not having a perfect pancreas!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Maybe a kid you know always eats a snack during a soccer game or goes to the school nurse before lunch to get a shot. If you have a friend or a classmate like this - or this sounds just like you - you're not alone.

# data[].attributes.body
Will

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sense of Taste - How the Body Works | Mocomi Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
http://mocomi.com/ presents: How can we taste things? Taste is the ability to detect the flavor of substances such as food minerals and various chemicals. It is one of the traditional five senses of the human body. Humans receive tastes through sensory organs called taste buds concentrated on the top of the tongue.

# data[].attributes.body
Will

# data[].attributes.body
Will

# data[].attributes.body
Summer & Keira, we can use this recipe to make your own agar plates.  Keira, I would still use the bread incase this doesn't work, but you might like to do this too.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Grow Bacteria On Homemade Agar Plates

Make your own agar Petri dishes and grow bacterial colonies. Youll be amazed at the diversity of bacteria around us all the time.

Suitable for kids aged 8+ with parental supervision

CAUTION This science activity involves the use of boiling water. Hot water must only be handled by an adult.

teaspoon of beef stock powder

cup of water

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of gelatin

Saucepan for boiling mixture

2 x Petri dishes

Spoon

Sticky tape

Felt-tip pen to label petri dishes

Cotton swab (optional)

35 to 37oC incubator (optional) oven, warm spot behind fridge, near a heater, box with a desk lamp inside or on top.

1. Pour the water into the saucepan and bring to the boil.

2. Add beef stock powder, sugar and gelatin to the boiling water and stir for a minute until all the ingredients have dissolved.

3. Cool your new agar mixture slightly for 10 minutes. The mixture needs to be still hot to avoid the gelatin setting in the saucepan and to prevent contamination from bacteria in the air. The conditions are far from sterile, but you want to avoid as much contamination as possible.

4. Take the lid off the Petri dishes and have an adult half-fill the petri dish with the hot mixture. Only take the lid off the petri dish when you are ready to pour your agar, or they will become contaminated with the bacteria in the air.

5. Immediately put the lid back on the Petri dish and put it in the fridge for about 4 hours until the agar has set. Do not touch the agar or you will contaminate it with bacteria on your fingers.

6. Now its time to collect and grow your bacteria (or fungi) on the agar Petri dishes. Note: the Petri dishes can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days before use.

7. Bacteria is not hard to collect because it is everywhere. Try exposing one plate to the air in your house or classroom, and the other to the air in your backyard or playground. Touch one with your thumb and the other with a piece of hair. Add the scrapings from your finger nail, or touch with a piece of grass or dirty tissue. If you have some cotton swabs - using a clean one each time - run it along things like the inside of your mouth, your hands, the door handle, mobile phone, computer keyboard, and then rub it lightly across the agar in a zig-zag pattern.

8. Put the lids back on the Petri dishes, label them, tape them closed and place them upside down in your make-do incubator (if you have one) for 1 to 2 days. If you dont have an incubator, leave the plates at room temperature for 3-5 days.

9. Although your grown bacteria colonies and fungi is likely to be harmless, just as a precaution, do not open your sealed Petri dishes. Dispose of the entire sealed plate in the bin.

Why is it so?

Bacteria are so tiny they cant be seen with the naked eye, and often millions of bacteria are condensed in a small spot. Growing bacteria in a nutrient agar plate is a great way to see bacteria because each one becomes a colony of thousands of bacteria. The agar serves as food for the bacteria. Growing bacteria can be tricky so dont give up if your first couple of attempts fail. Once you have them growing, count the number of colonies and note the differences in colour, shape and other properties. Did you find more bacteria on the bathroom sink or on the computer keyboard? Try adding a drop of hand sanitizer or the like to the middle of your growing plate. Does this make a difference to the number of colonies and type of growth in this area of the plate? Do washed hands have less bacteria than unwashed hands?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Suitable for kids aged 8+ with parental supervision CAUTION This science activity involves the use of boiling water. Hot water must only be handled by an adult.

# data[].attributes.body
Summer & Keira this will help you to plan your experiments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Schools Tree Day was held last week and thousands of schools across Australia took part by getting their hands dirty and planting a few. But why are trees so important for the environment anyway? Well here's Matt to tell us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Primary Science Lesson Idea: Properties of Materials | Tigtag

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Let’s clean up the space junk orbiting Earth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our lives depend on a world we can’t see: the satellite infrastructure we use every day for information, entertainment, communication and so much more. But Earth orbit isn’t a limitless resource, and the problem of space debris will get worse without a significant change to our behavior. Natalie Panek challenges us to consider the environmental impact of the satellites we rely on. Our orbital environment is breathtakingly beautiful and our gateway to exploration, she says. It’s up to us to keep it that way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Over and over again, we've been told about the problems associated with litter here on earth. But did you know, we also have a junk problem somewhere else? More than 2000 k's above your head, space junk is creating a big hazard. Cleaning it up though is a lot tougher than you might think.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Traffic jams on earth are a nightmare. But they are nothing compared to the headaches caused by a traffic jam in space!

This is how many satellites are orbiting the earth these days. Ever since 1957 and the launch of the first satellite, Sputnik 1, people have been shooting things into space pretty regularly. But it might surprise you to learn there is more up there and just satellites. There's also a massive amount of, well, junk!

It's not the mess that's a problem though. This junk is dangerous! There are 22 thousand objects larger than a softball and more than half a million larger than a marble, all orbiting the earth.

That might not seem that worrying seeing they're so small. But they travel with enough speed to hit with the force of a car travelling 200 k's an hour! So it's not surprising that a satellite hit by a piece of space junk doesn't really stand much chance.

Luckily, there haven't been any serious collisions with manned spacecraft yet, but in 2009 a single crash between two satellites added 2,000 new pieces of debris. It's got to a point where some people fear that space will soon become so crowded with junk, we won't even be able to go there anymore!

But not if the Swiss have anything to do with it! They've launched a program called 'Clean Space One'. Think of it like an out-of-this-world clean-up day.

The plan starts with the removal of two Swiss satellites, currently orbiting the earth unused.

MURIEL RICHARD, CLEAN SPACE ONE: Swiss Cube is a small satellite, which you see. This is a one-to-one model. So this is in the right scale. It belongs to Switzerland. So we had to do something about this.

The only way to do that is to send a janitor or cleaner satellite into space to grab the space junk and bring it back into the atmosphere, where it'll burn up.

But that's easier said than done!

Firstly, it's really hard to reach the space junk. And then, if they were to accidentally hit it on approach, the crash would create more space junk!

So they're using some serious smarts and a really soft octopus arm that can wrap around it and hold it as it drags it back to earth.

DR DEREK MULLER: Is this gonna be a little bit like those games where you're trying to pick up a stuffed toy in the arcade and drop it somewhere?

PROF HERBERT SHEA: (LAUGHS)

DR DEREK MULLER: Is it gonna be like that?

PROF HERBERT SHEA: Essentially, yes.

DR DEREK MULLER: 'Cause those games those games can be incredibly frustrating with those little arms.

PROF HERBERT SHEA: They're built to be frustrating.

DR DEREK MULLER: Whereas this, this is built to be -

PROF HERBERT SHEA: This is built to succeed.

But whether it will succeed is the big question. Because if it doesn't, there might not be all that much space left in space in the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over and over again, we've been told about the problems associated with litter here on earth. But did you know, we also have a junk problem somewhere else? More than 2000 k's above your head, space junk is creating a big hazard. Cleaning it up though is a lot tougher than you might think.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We humans are a messy lot.

We leave junk behind us, everywhere.

Space is no different.

We may find that clouds of orbiting space junk, travelling at hypersonic speeds, could seriously interfere with our future space operations.

What is space junk?

Space junk is the total collection of dead and non-functioning artificial objects that we humans have left in space.

The oldest piece of space junk is the Vanguard One satellite, dating back to 1958.

Space junk includes old satellites, spent rocket stages that were used to launch something, dust from solid rocket motors, and even coolant from obsolete Russian nuclear-powered satellites - which are still orbiting above us.

More personally, Michael Collins lost a camera on the Gemini 10 mission, and the astronaut Ed White even lost a glove.

There is a lot of junk up there orbiting our planet. After all, we have had more than 5,000 space launches since the beginning of the Space Age in 1957.

Each launch often delivered several objects into orbit, so these 5,000 launches have given us over 30,000 large space objects.

How much junk is out there?

In 2016, the best estimates were that there were billions of pieces of space junk smaller than one millimetre, hundreds of millions of objects between one and 10mm in size, and about half a million objects in the range 1 to 10cm.

There are about 100,000 bits of space junk bigger than 5cm.

All told, estimates suggest there are about 5,000 tonnes of space junk orbiting the Earth.

In 2017, the US Space Command's Joint Space Operations Centre was regularly tracking more than 22,000 objects orbiting the Earth.

But fewer than 5 per cent of these were functioning spacecraft - over 95 per cent is junk.

They track them so that they can manoeuvre active spacecraft out of the way of an impact.

There are various orbits that are useful for commercial, military and scientific programs - and space junk is in all of them.

For example, the geostationary orbit is about 36,000km up. It's called "geostationary" because satellites up there take 24 hours to orbit the Earth, which by a nice coincidence, is how long the Earth takes to spin on its own axis.

So an object in geostationary orbit will appear to hover over one fixed position above the Earth, even though it is actually travelling at some 3km per second.

We have many communications and weather satellites in the geostationary orbit.

A little closer to home is the low Earth orbit, which ranges from 200 to 2,000km above the surface.

The Hubble Space Telescope is up there at around 540 km of altitude, while the International Space Station is around 350km.

There is about 1,900 tonnes of space junk in low Earth orbit, but almost all of it - about 98 per cent - is accounted for by just 1,500 objects, each over 100kg.

Objects in low Earth orbit circle the Earth some 15 times each day.

Depending on their orbit, they can zip past each other, or smash into each other, at speeds up to 17km per second.

Making more, on purpose

Both the USA and the Soviet Union carried out multiple series of anti-satellite weapons tests in the 1960s and 1970s.

In 1985, a single US test destroyed a one-tonne satellite at 525km of altitude, creating thousands of pieces of space junk bigger than 1cm.

In 2007, the Chinese tested their anti-satellite weapons systems by destroying one of their own weather satellites - the Fengyun IC.

This was the largest single space debris event in history.

It created more than 2,300 pieces bigger than 3cm across, 35,000 pieces bigger than 1cm, and 1 million pieces bigger than 1mm.

Mostly though, the collisions happen by accident.

On 10 February 2009, a defunct Kosmos spacecraft weighing 800kg smashed into the functioning Iridium 33 satellite weighing about 700kg.

This happened at a closing speed of 11.7km per second - over 42,000kph.

That's seriously big stuff running into big stuff.

On a much smaller scale, in 2016, the British astronaut Tim Peake photographed a 7mm crack in the window of the Cupola module of the International Space Station.

It was caused by running into a hypersonic microscopic piece of space debris.

Looking at a different spacecraft, in the Space Shuttle a window had to be replaced every second flight - due to running into this invisible space junk.

So the lesson is, we need to clean up our act, and our space junk.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dr Karl: How much space junk exists, and how did it get there?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We humans are a messy lot. We leave junk behind us, everywhere. Space is no different. We may find that clouds of orbiting space junk, travelling at hypersonic speeds, could seriously interfere with our future space operations. Space junk is the total collection of dead and non-functioning artificial objects that we humans have left in space.

# data[].attributes.body
Keira

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Greg Foot explains what mould actually is and how dangerous it can be to us, from the mould on bread to the mould spreading across your bathroom ceiling... Footnote 1 - Petrini, Liliane E., and Petrini, Orlando (2013). Identifying Moulds. Stuttgart: Schweizerbart.

# data[].attributes.body
Keira

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What are Germs ? - Major Types , Diseases, Infections ,Animation  Video

# data[].attributes.body
Zoe, this article would be good to use for your research. Think about
quoting it in your work. - Miss K

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Updated May 31, 2017 06:43:00

A catastrophic space junk collision that would render the upper reaches of the atmosphere unusable is not a matter of if, but when, space environment experts have warned.

Space Environment Research Centre CEO Ben Greene said a lack of data on junk in orbit was "endangering access to space".

"There is so much debris that it is colliding with itself, and creating more debris. A catastrophic avalanche of collisions which could quickly destroy all orbiting satellites is now possible," Dr Greene said.

Currently only 22,000 of the estimated 170 million pieces of debris in orbit are being tracked.

Researchers from across the globe are meeting in Canberra today to try to solve the problem, and develop a model to manage space traffic.

Professor Moribah Jah, a world leader on space debris from the University of Texas, said the threat was growing as it became easier for companies to launch objects into orbit.

He said like drones, the market had exploded.

"The availability of drones in people's hands has outpaced the Government's ability to really regulate these things - I think we are facing the possibility of that with space," Professor Jah said.

Professor Jah said without action, a catastrophic collision was "inevitable".

"I believe that we are certainly on a path to what I call a tragedy of the commons," he said.

'Space traffic' emerging as a problem

The issue that stands before the gathering of experts at Mt Stromlo is a lack of data about how the millions of pieces of junk are moving through space.

Without that knowledge, satellites like the International Space Station risk a collision that could cause a cascade of further collisions.

Professor Jah said the lack of understanding was causing congestion.

"You've driven on the roads here when you have a lot of mist or fog, and you have to go really slow, and you just don't know what's really around you. That's the perfect analogy to space right now," he said.

Currently all space junk is classified the same way, even though it differs in size, material and shape.

Professor Jah said it was like comparing a semi-trailer to a scooter.

"We need a classification scheme for things in space ... to manage that traffic," he said.

"It's definitely not a chicken little, sky is falling, panic, panic, panic moment, [but] if we do nothing at all, we're certainly on a bad path of not being able to use space in a way that we can do so now quite freely."

Topics: space-exploration, astronomy-space, science-and-technology, canberra-2600, act, australia

First posted May 31, 2017 06:25:53

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Avalanche of space junk collisions 'inevitable' without action

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Updated May 31, 2017 06:43:00 A catastrophic space junk collision that would render the upper reaches of the atmosphere unusable is not a matter of if, but when, space environment experts have warned. Space Environment Research Centre CEO Ben Greene said a lack of data on junk in orbit was "endangering access to space".

# data[].attributes.body
Keira

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's a moldy world out there, especially in the kitchen. You have questions about food mold, right? Well Hank has your answers. Like SciShow? Want to help support us, and also get things to put on your walls, cover your torso and hold your liquids?

# data[].attributes.body
Henry

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is a quick explanation of what a catchment is and how we like to explain this to kids in a classroom.