Class Response Blog: Kite Flying

On a nice breezy summer day, a common sight is children running around playing kites. Though there are few simple steps to succesfully flying a kite, the science behing the flying is anything but simple. In our science class activity, we experienced hands on the real science that leads to the actual flying of a kite. The real key to flying a kite properly is air pressure. For instance, if the air is going at a rapid pace, there is less air pressure, and more pressure below the kite. Therefore, the kite moves upward. Another key factor in flying a kite, is wind. The wind we receive to fly kites are local winds such as land breezes and sea breezes.

Class Response Blog: The Artic Tale

Of the many millions of years that humans have been residents on our grand Earth, the polar bear has remained one of the most mesmerizing creatures to our eyes. However, until recent studies in the 19th century, humans have had menial knowledge of the rigorous struggles that polar bears go through ever year just to survive. Along with polar bears, another creature that goes through the same treacherous battles yearly, is the walrus. These struggles were demonstrated in the documentary narrated by Queen Latifah, which we viewed in class. This documentary followed Seela and Nanu along with their cubs through a year of life battling winters and peaceful summers.

*Extra Credit*-5/18/08

Of America's numerous talented poets, from 19th century poets to contemporary poets, Robert Frost among heavy competition, will always remain one of the greatest poets the world has ever seen. One of his many poems, "Fire and Ice", I believe is very weather related. Weather is used in this poem because Mr. Frost is summarizing the way many scientists have been for many years, arguing constantly on the way our world will be destructed. Basically, the poet is trying to say that high technology or rocket scientists, will never be the cause of our earth to finally subside, but actually, the most simple element of our earth, that has stayed with us from the beginning- weather- will actually be the cause of our earth's destruction. Though this poem was written in 1920, the issue that fumbled scientists 87 years ago, perplexes our contemporary scientists even more. The types of weather that this poem discussed were perhaps a wildfire or an ice storm.

Although, along with everyone else in the world, I don' t know the way our earth will fall, I still believe that this poem did not further enhance my knowledge in weather because I did however know of the controversy of fire and ice. Without the mentioning of weather in this poem, I believe this poem's meaning could entirely change to a different subject. For instance, the fire and the ice could resemble two cliques in a school fighting over popularity. However, what makes me know that this poem is about weather, is the first line that notes the author's curiosity of our world's destruction.

Fire and Ice by Robert Frost:

Some say the world will end in fire,Some say in ice.From what I've tasted of desireI hold with those who favour fire.But if it had to perish twice,I think I know enough of hateTo say that for destruction ice is also greatAnd would suffice.

The Typewriter-It Affects You Much More Than You Think!

When we see a typewriter, we probably think that it's old and that it is useless compared to our highly advanced society today. However, the typewriter plays a huge part in the standard keyboard we have today. In short, the keyboard is an innovation from the typewriter. Many people would say that the typewriter has its many flaws such as not being able to save, backspace, delete work, etc. That maybe true, however, as I said earlier the keyboard in an innovation of the typewriter. Therefore, though the keyboard is much more advanced than the typewriter, without the idea of the typewriter, the keyboard would fail to exist. For example, the entire idea of having keys to press on in order to make a print of letters, comes completely from the typewriter. In addition, if you think about it, the initial purpose of the keyboard is to make print. So next time you see an old, dusty typewriter in your grandmother's closet, know that it's affecting you every time you touch one of the keys on your computer.

140 Year Old Math Problem-Solved!

Who:Professor Darren Crowdy of Imperial College London

What:Professor Darren Crowdy solved the practically impossible math problem that had befuddled mathematicians around the world for 14o years. This accomplishment is a breakthrough in the area of mathematics known as conformal mapping, a key theoretical tool used by mathematicians, scientists, and engineers. The formula used by Professor Darren Crowdy is now used by neuroscientists. In the mid 19th century two mathematicians Schwartz and Christoffel created a formula which is part of the solution to the 140 year problem. He quotes that, "This formula is an essential piece of mathematical kit which is used the world over. Now, with my additions to it, it can be used in far more complex scenarios than before. In industry, for example, this mapping tool was previously inadequate if a piece of metal was or other material was not uniform all over- for instance, if it contained parts of a different material, or had holes."

Where: Imperial College London, England

When: March 3, 2008

Link Source: http://www.dm.unito.it/personalpages/cerruti/mathnews.html

Get Ready For National Pi Day!!!

Who:Math geeks, students, quants, rocket scientists, teachers, students, your neighbors-and everyone else you would never expect to be a Pi fanatic!

What: These millions of people will gather on this very auspicious day to celebrate the ever so popular Pi! Not only will they be praising the beloved math symbol, they'll be eating it too! One of the activities is dropping the giant Pi symbol (similar to the ball drop on New Year's) at Pi Ground Zero. This year's celebration will be honoring Sir Isaac Newton, the person who bridged the change from the use by mathematicians of the tools of geometry, to further use in calculus. Every attendee will receive an official poster and t-shirt from National Pi Day with Sir Isaac Newton's picture on it.

Where: National Pi Day is a international holiday celebrated in cyberspace. This holiday is the first holiday to ever be celebrated on the web. Viewers online watch as the giant Pi symbol falls in Pi Ground Zero in New York.

When: National Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th every year because

the date 3/14 are the first three digits of Pi.

Link Source: http://www.dm.unito.it/personalpages/cerruti/mathnews.html

Why: National Pi Day was started because Pi fanatics around the world believed that Pi was such a great contribution to modern and past mathematical discoveries, and that it deserved it's own holiday.

The True Secret Behind Oscar Nominations

Who: Sociologists Nicole Esparza of Harvard University, and Gabriel Rossman of California University

What: Ms. Esparza and Mr. Rossman used records from the Internet Movie Database(IMDB) to see what may affect a performer's oppurtunity to get a nomination. They discovered that the nominations go to people who performed in dramas ( an actor/actress starring in a drama is nine times more likely to get a nomination than a performer in a non-drama), who are female, people who have been nominated in the past, and who command a high rank in the movie-credit pecking order.

When: January 21, 2008

Where: UCLA and Harvard University

Why: Both Mr. Rossman and Ms. Esparza both noticed a certain conformity and guidelines to Oscar nominations. They decided that almost every performer nominated was under the same categories as listed above from about the years 1927- , and from there the research project was started.

My Opinion: I am against the fact that there are certain guidelines into which performers are nominated for an Oscar. No matter which genre of movie, it still requires the actor/actresses to work extremely hard. In addition, just because someone was nominated before, doesn't mean they are still good enough to be nominated again, and that someone else new isn't good, if not better.

Source Link:http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/080122-oscar-nominations.html