Published by Brunsell on 21 Dec 2011 at 01:46 am
Science Matters in Wisconsin 1(16)
Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin. Please share this with a colleague!
– Professional Development
PHOX – Fox Valley Physics Sharing will meet on January 4th at Appleton West High School (Room 343) starting at 5:30. The group will meet at Berlin High School on March 7 and Neenah High School on May 2. Contact Scott Hertting (shertting@neenah.k12.wi.us) for more information.
– Science Spotlight
Censoring Science: The U.S. Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity has asked Science and Nature to censor some of the details of scientific research related to the Bird Flu. Researchers in the Netherlands and at the University of Wisconsin Madison analyzed the Bird Flu virus, which included determining how the virus might evolve to be more easily passed between people. In the wrong hands, this research could create a potential bioweapon…in the right hands, this research could lead to better ways to combat deadly flu epidemics.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/20/us-journals-censor-bird-flu-idUSTRE7BJ2F120111220
These two blog posts do a nice job of giving a deeper explanation of the research and the controversy.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2011/12/02/making-viruses-the-natural-way/
– Website of the Week
Check out Sense about Science’s Ask for Evidence campaign. They are encouraging people to ask for evidence whenever they see a dubious scientific claim. The campaign, and the examples, could be useful in your classroom. http://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/a4e_examples_of_evidence_hunting.html
– Video of the Week
Hitch a ride with Santa as he flies over Mars.
Check out these video clips on Climate Change from Teacher’s Domain (Via LeRoy Lee). http://www.teachersdomain.org/search/?q=climate+change&fq_grade=PK&fq_grade=PS
– Song of the Week
Twas the night before Christmas and all thru my house,
Not a specimen was stirring, not even a louse.
The test tubes were capped and the rat cages closed,
The mold cultures fuzzy, the mice in repose.
The oven kept warm the ebola and pox,
I still need to locate my husband's clean socks…
But that has to wait till tomorrow, I know;
My buggies still need that much more time to grow.
When from the kitchen came a massive explosion,
I leapt from my bed in perpetual motion.
Grabbing my lab coat I pulled on my pants,
Struggling into them a sick sort of dance.
With fury and haste I put on a shirt,
Running out of the bedroom on feet black with dirt.
Buttoning my lab coat and donning a mask,
I ran into the kitchen holding an Erlenmeyer flask.
I nearly passed out when the man who I saw,
dressed in containment gear sealed without flaw…
http://jcdverha.home.xs4all.nl/scijokes/4_1.html#Christmas_9
Happy Holidays!
– Contact
To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx
For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:
Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh brunsele@uwosh.edu
