Babies Are Born to Dance

Studies shows babies respond better to music than speech.

Did you know your little baby brother or sister is born to dance? Well when I first read this article, I was shocked! They are actually born to dance! Research shows that infants move to the tempo and beat of the music because they are drawn to it more than speaking. A researcher at the University of York in England states, ""We also found that the better the children were able to synchronize their movements with the music, the more they smiled." Researchers tested the baby's tendency to dance by playing music such as rhythmic beats. They also used speech to see how the infants responded and videotaped both results.The baby had to sit on the parent's lap during the experiment. Also, the parents were given headphones to not listen to the music and were told not to move because this may not provide valid results. Secondly, the researchers hired real ballet dancers to see if the baby's movement matched the ballet dancer's. As a result, the researchers found that the baby responded to the music (by moving their body) much better than speech. Analysts see that the ability to dance is inborn in humans, they are not sure why it evolved. One sensible explanation is that it has evolved into another function used for processing music. Hence, the next your baby brother or sister dances, cheer them on! Who knows they could be the next Micheal Jackson!

For more information visit livescience.org. Information was taken from livescience.org. Image were taken from google.com/images.

Civil Rights Movement and Math

My 5th grade math teacher once said, " Math is everywhere, just open your eyes and look around. " This quote finally hit me when I was researching for my topic on the American Civil Rights Movement. Math is everywhere, even in history. As I was researching, I came across 3 interesting, math-related facts.

1. The " I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. lasted about 17 minutes and was one of the most greatest moments in history.

2. For every 9 applications for employment sent by Caucasians, 16 had to be sent by the ethnic minority for a positive response.

3. When reparations, a public policy to repair damages of racism towards African-Americans, were introduced, not everyone liked it. 65% of African- Americans liked this. 88% of Caucasians disliked the idea.

In my opinion, this shows we have come along way from segregation and discrimination. However, racism still exists today and we should do more to stop it. So, the world should achieve what American Civil Rights Movement sought for- equality.

Information was taken from http://www.fofweb.com/ and http://search.epnet.com/.

Can Your Tongue Really Stick to a Frozen Flagpole?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your tongue got stuck to a frozen pole? Well, when I read the title of this article, it made me wonder and grab my attention. As I read on, I found out that if you put your tongue on a frozen flagpole, it really will stick! So, if your tongue becomes stuck , you would have to wait until a rescue squad came and got you.

How does your body try to stop it?

The tongue is covered with moisture that will freeze under the temperature 32 degrees Fahrenheit. By pumping warm blood, your body tries to warm your tongue through a process called conduction. Heat energy causes the atoms to vibrate and absorb the energy. Their temperatures increase and eventually warm the surface of your tongue.

How does it stick to the pole?

Metal is up to about 400 times more powerful of a conductor than your tongue.

In other words, the metal takes away the heat faster than your body can supply warm blood. The pole has free electrons that absorb heat energy, which steals the heat from the moisture on your tongue. As a result, the water from the moisture chills tiny openings on your tongue.

Why can't I just pull it out?

If you do pull your tongue out, a part of your tongue can actually come off.

Another painless solution would be to pour warm water at the place where the tongues touches the pole. The tongue will come out.

Personally, I believe that the only time you will stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole is when you are dared. So, the next time someone dares you to stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole- don't!

Information was taken at http://www.livescience.com/mysteries/071218-tongue-flagpole.html.

Image taken from http://www.livescience.com/.

This is podcast about a science radio show called Science Live. On this episode, we interview an environmental chemist. As a result, this influences other with a high concern for the environment to pursue a career in Environmental Chemistry.
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Laughter is the best medicine

"Laughter is the best medicine." This quote certainly holds the truth, laughter is indeed the best medicine. A recent study took a small group of high-risk diabetes patients and gave them a prescription of laughter for a year. The Loma Linda University which had held this experiment had two groups, Group L ( laughter group) and Group C( Control ). Group L watched a half hour of humor of their choice, while Group C did not. However, both of the groups were given standard diabetes treatment. After one year, in Group L, the patients' HDL cholesterol (the good kind) increased by 26 %. In comparison, Group C's patients had only increased by 3%. Additionally, in another test, C-reactive proteins, a sign of inflammation and cardiovascular disease, was down 66% for Group L. On the contrary, for Group C, the C-reactive proteins only decreased by 26%.





Other studies from University of Maryland School of Medicine, shows laughter can increase blood flow in a positive manner. This is due to your blood vessels expanding when you laugh .However, still more research needs to be processed in order to find the deeper meaning of these results.





In my opinion, laughter is indeed the best medicine, even though further research needs to be made. For instance, when I hear a humorous joke from a friend, I laugh out loud and my whole day becomes better. To emphasize, we should all laugh at least once every day, due to the uplifting feeling coming from laughter!



For more information visit www.ivescience.org .
Picture was taken from www.google.com/images.

Science Extra Credit

"In Science the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurred. "
Sir William Osler (1849-1919) Canadian physician.

When I first heard this quote, it made me wonder quite a bit. However, as I started to decompose the quote, I could sense its deeper meaning. This quotation means that in the scientific field, the honor does not got to the man who thought of it first but to the person who convinced the world that their idea is true. This is true because when you have a hypothesis, you must have evidence to back up. So, people will actually believe in your idea. For example, there was a scientist named Alfred Wegener who came up with the Continental drift theory. He believed that the Earth used to be one gargantuan continent called Pangaea. However, the society had different beliefs about the Earth at that time, so he convinced them with supporting evidence and clues. Many years later, today's society accepts his theory because of his persuasion and efforts .

www.livescience.com New Robot Deliver Snacks Final Copy

This is a picture of the Snackbot.

When I first read the title of the article, I thought it was clever of someone to invent such an object. As I read on, I found out that robotic researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed this machine tailored to their needs. They developed this ingenious creation because they were always starved at work. Thus, they created a mechanism called the Snackbot.




The Snackbot is the size of an extremely minuscule human being. Because it can travel on wheels, the robot is considered mobile. Additionally, the Snackbot can also deliver mouth-watering delicacies to the staff and students at the profound university. This robot also sparked new research projects for enhancing the robot . Such projects include, allowing the robot to move in a socially accepted manner through crowded spaces and learn to recognize new objects.




In my opinion, this is a wonderful creation. If they ever sell these robots, many people would want to purchase it. Additionally, I think this robot can open new doors for people working in robotics. For example, they could create robots which can open doors for the elderly or maybe even lead an orchestra!


http://www.livescience.com/technology/091017-snackbot-robot.html


The photo was taken from www.livescience.com.