Class Response: Owl Pellets

Owl pellets are undigested parts of an owl that they regurgitate. They can contain the bird's undigested parts from its diet. The owl's pellet includes skeletons of various rodents to small cats. The size of the prey depends on the size of the predator. In class today, we received our owl pellets which were covered in tin foil. First, we opened up the foil which contained the pellets. Then we measured and weighed the pellets. After that, my lab partner Mike and I dissected the bones and fur from the pellets. Next, we discovered that our pellet contained a rodent. And finally, we looked into our packets and tried to identify the type of bones we had from the pellet. In class, we learned that a pellet can have more than one skull which meant that there might be more than one rodent in the pellet. Komal's and David's pellet had three skulls and I was amazed that such a small pellet could hold so much!

Fuel made from Sunlight!

Researchers in New Mexico discovered how to use sunlight to recycle carbon dioxide to produce fuels like methanol and gasoline which cars use. The researchers have tried to synthesize liquid fuels and they said the technology works and can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions although the full size scale plan could be a decade or more away. Recycling carbon dioxide is not a new idea but was advised to be too complicated and costly to be worth the effort. Oil prices are rising $100 for each barrel, researchers are very motivated to investigate carbon dioxide recycling so there wont be many concerns about global warming rising higher than it already is. A company named Los Alamos Renewable Energy has developed a way for generating electricity and fuel by creating a method using CO2. The solar reactor that divides carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen is a prototype that will be finished in April. http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/01/S2P

Using Sunlight as Fuel

Scientist researchers in New Mexico discovered a way of using sunlight to recycle carbon dioxide and produce fuels like methanol or gasoline. Researchers said that the discovery works and could help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The idea of recycling carbon dioxide isn't new but was considered too difficult and expensive to do; since gas prices are soaring to 100 dollars per barrel, researchers are motivated to investigate recycling the carbon dioxide. For example, Los Alamos Renewable Energy has developed a working idea of using CO2 to generate elecrticity and fuel.

Volcano that erupts... mud!

The volcano in Orting, Washington is one of our nation's most dangerous volcanos. This volcano has been sitting in many villagers' backyards who have been living peacefully. Volcano Mount Rainier is three miles above sea level. Mount Rainier erupts and causes lahars which are rapid mud flows that destruct manmade objects in its path. Tourists always come to Mount Rainier National Park to admire the actively volcanic volcano, its forested edges, alpine field and the ice glaciers. Even though there is much beauty to this landform, its eruptions are lethal to the valley.(*not all volcanoes explode distinctively with lava.)

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3062/

Your Mental and Physical exercise is more than Important to your health!

Without mental and physical exercise, you could lose your brain cells/memory and get harmful diseses such as Huntington's disease. Huntington's disease can cause death. To fight this disease, you should do either of these daily: read, meditate, write, draw, talk, run/jog, or walk. By doing these exercises, you could improve and get a better memory. Mice that have been tested on in Austrailia performed better on memory tests while provided with a enriched environment that enhanced their mental and physical stimulation.
http://http//www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124092540.htm

Math is...

Math, math, math! (Boring!!!!)
No one can do math without numbers and counting. Operations such as adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing help solve equqtions. Equations are a part of math that help people solve real- life problems.For example, time and my agenda are useful because they help me keep track of what and how long I'm going to do something. In order to use them, I have to be able to tell time and count days. Math is significant to eating and drinking in order to measure amounts, volume, servings and fractions or pieces of things. Money relates to math because I need to figure out sales tax, prices and discounts. Math is connected to sports to keep track of my hockey scores, swimming times, golfing strokes, baseball innings and outs and also horseback riding for how many stradles to jump. Math is important to art for measuring supplies, using tools suuch as rulers, drawing angles, shapes and lines. (THAT IS GEOMETRY! WOW!...) : Math is used to measure mileage to see how far something is. No one can live without math, and I can't live without my cellphone because I need to keep people's phone "numbers" and text them! P.S. - I hate math!!!!

The Water Cycle

Evaporation and Condensation are two big parts of the water cycle. Evaporation is when water turns into vapor as it rises clouds form and condensation is when vapor turns into water. Stratus clouds are staight and look like horse tails, they also have moisture in them. Cirrus clouds are wispy and have a little bit more water in them. Cumulus clouds are round and fluffy and contain the most water. As the wind moves , ocean water evaporates and forms a small cloud such as a cirrus or stratus which evaporate water from liquid to gas. After the clouds become heavy with water vapor and form cumulus clouds, they condense the vapor into water. Clouds move and bring rain to land and lakes, streams, reservoirs and ....puddles.... From there the water flows down to the ocean. This process of the Water Cycle is necessary because it purifies the water we need.