Science Cheerleader

From Dr. John: To mark the 40th anniversary of the Internets, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced the DARPA Network Challenge, a competition that will explore the role of social networking in communication, team building, and group mobilization. The challenge is to be the first person to submit the locations of 10 8-foot, red, weather balloons at 10 fixed locations in the continental United States.

Here’s how it works: The red balloons will be deployed on Saturday, December 5, in readily accessible locations and visible from nearby roads. Teams and collaborators will have approximately 9 days, until 12:00 PM (ET) on December 14, to collect the locations of the balloons and submit their entries.  All locations must be submitted in latitude and longitude coordinates. The event is open to individuals of all ages irrespective of nationality or residency (except Federal employees and their spouses and dependents), but first you must register your team on  the DARPA Network Challenge website.

Find the red balloons. Win $40,000. Do you have what it takes to be the next Balloon Boy/Girl?

Amber, a subscriber, tipped us off to this free resource: “100 incredible lectures from the world’s top scientists.”

From the website:

Unless you’re enrolled at a top university or are an elite member of the science and engineering inner circle, you’re probably left out of most of the exciting research explored by the world’s greatest scientists. But thanks to the Internet, and our list of 100 incredible lectures, you’ve now got access to the cutting edge theories and projects that are changing the world.

(Thanks, Amber!)

My dad found this video on one of his favorite sites. How very, very cool. (Thanks, Dad!)

Science Cheerleader contributor Stephen Zachary explains, among other things, why citizen scientists are so damn cool (and “creative” when it comes to our uncommon use of certain words). He manages to fit me, Franklin, Stalin, Steve Jobs and Jane Goodall in one brief essay!

Facets of Citizenship

Between the growing public involvement in tackling climate change and our new President, who is looking to promote continuing adult education and a reinvigorated national research agenda, it seems like this “citizen scientist movement” we have here is on the up-and-up. Successful grassroots campaigns, businesses, and politicians preach that if you’re ever going to rebrand, do it on the way down; nevertheless, it may be time to turn a critical eye on our current moniker, lest we fail to capitalize on some of the abstract principles that brought us to this point in the first place. (more…)

Andrew, who just launched happier.com, thought we’d enjoy hearing about the Small Science Collective whose intention it is to get everyone thinking about and communicating science through cheap and handy one page zines, (like the one pictured on the left ).  He read about this on Discover’s The Loom.

From the Small Science site: “These zines and pamphlets are distributed in subways, benches, coffee shops, and any place someone might least expect them.  Perhaps catching the attention of strangers who might what to learn something new about ants, spirals, food, or genetics? Whatever else, it is at least something to read while you wait for the bus. Pick one up, print one out here, read it, and leave it somewhere random for some unsuspecting stranger to pick up and learn something new. The science is yours to share.”

 A snake for a toddler? How about lead-ridden Hannah Montana necklace instead? Check the Healthy Toys website to find out which toys contain unsafe levels of lead, mercury and PVC. Best toys and worst toys are among the 1,500 tested items. If a hot item on Santa’s list is not among those tested, just fill out the online request form and ask for the toy to be evaluated.

This brief overview provides a nice summary of the list and, in the spirit of the holidays, points you to 5 Ways To Green Your Tree. 

(Um, unless you live in Japan, Greece or Portugal where most women are more financially dependent on men.)

What’s your waist-to-hip ratio? A long-held belief had women convinced that men prefer a 0.7  or lower ratio  (waist much narrower than hips), a la Marilyn Monroe. But new evidence suggests something different.

Men who want their mates to be strong,  economically successful and politically competitive, are looking at more cylindrical than hour-glass figures. From LiveScience.com

“That’s because the hormones that make women physically stronger, more competitive and better able to deal with stress also tend to redistribute fat from the hips to the waist. So in societies and situations where women are under pressure to procure resources and otherwise bring home the bacon, they may be less likely to have the classic hourglass figure, Cashdan hypothesizes in the December issue of the journal Current Anthropology.”

Read about the science behind this: Best Female Figure Not an Hourglass.

The Environmental Protection Agency wants to know. Each week, the EPA posts a Question of the Week along with supplemental resources and quick tips, like this one:

“If all decorative light strings sold in America this year were ENERGY STAR qualified, we would save over 2 billion kWh per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to nearly 300,000 cars!”

Find more simple EPA suggestions on how to celebrate an environmentally friendly holiday.   

This week, the EPA wants to know how you dispose of prescription drugs. (more…)

My close friend Ame and I met the first day of college. An unlikely pairing we would realize years later: Ame, the non-partying, Jewish sorority sister; me, the blonde cheerleader who held a beer bong record (outpacing even the TKE frat boys). We’re almost grown up now and after 20 years together, we’re practically sisters. The most obvious difference between us is my affinity for–and Ame’s lack of interest in–science. 

On Monday, Ame’s world was turned upside-down. The unthinkable happened.  Her 7-year-old daughter, Morgan, was sent home from school because she felt tired and said her “heart hurt.” Within hours, she was diagnosed with cancer. As her parents kept a bedside vigil, Morgan’s white blood cell count climbed to 136,000. As sick as she felt, Morgan greeted me with her trademark “Hi, Dar!”  and never let her daddy out of her sight.

Yesterday, I sat with Morgan’s parents–Ame and Gene–and listened as the doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia  explained what type of leukemia Morgan has and detailed treatment options. I could barely comprehend the complicated charts and data despite the gentle tone and soft words the doctors carefully chose. “How will I translate all this for Ame?” I thought to myself. My arrogant thoughts were interrupted when she said: “So, Morgan has a high risk type of PreB A.L.L. We’re relieved it’s not AML.  We’re looking at 2.5 years of treatment between induction and maintenance. I understand the possible side effects of the various medications. I’d prefer a Pic to a Port–heard a nurse talking about Pic….”

Ame personified what science literacy experts preach: “average” citizens can understand complex science information when the information is relevant and meaningful and the sources are trusted. 

I returned to Morgan’s hospital room where she’ll spend the next month or so. “Dar! Look at my sticker book!” Spirits were lifted. Hope prevailed. Mostly because of Morgan’s cheery smile but also due to the encouraging words from her doctors. Many, many children survive her form of leukemia.

Today, in addition to giving thanks to God for my family and friends, I’d like to give thanks for Morgan. And all who love her are grateful for the scientists and engineers who have devoted their careers to finding ways to keep Morgan in our lives for many years to come.  

Happy Thanksgiving.