COMPETITION: Google Science Fair ready for take off

GOOGLE'S worldwide Science Fair competition is calling for entries over the coming weeks. The Science Fair gives teenagers the opportunity to join in a new kind of online science competition that is more global, open and inclusive than ever before. It will also offer them the chance to win huge prizes including a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands or a $50 000 scholarship from Google.

Google's made this cool video to promote the Science Fair - done in the style of a Rube Goldberg machine. Reminds me of The Incredible Machine.

Google Science Fair promo video: Calling all Jr. scientists!

Who can enter?

The competition is open to students aged 13 to 18 from around the world working on their own or in a team of two or three. For more details, visit the Science Fair Rules page.

How to enter the Google Science Fair

• If you don't already have one, create a Google Account. You will need a Google Account to complete the sign up form.
• Complete the Google Science Fair sign up form. After you submit the form, you will see a link on the confirmation page. This link will create the Google project submission site where you will post your science fair project details.
• Plan your science project, conduct your experiment, and write up your results.
• Complete all of the sections of your Google project submission site.
• Create either a two-minute video or 20-slide presentation giving an overview of your project and embed it on the Summary page of your project submission. A video or presentation is required to enter.
• When your project site is done, make sure to submit it by 4 April 2011.
• Detailed instructions and tips for building your project submission can be found in the Resources section of the website.

Please note: Entries and supporting documentation must be submitted in English. Google Translate is a free tool that may be useful for students who don't speak English as a first language.

Science Fair Judging Process

The deadline for project submissions is 4 April 2011. After this date all projects will be judged by a panel of teachers who will be following the judging criteria. In early May, 60 global semi finalists will be announced and their projects will be posted online and open to public voting for a “People’s Choice Award”. The 60 global semi finalists will then be narrowed down by our judging panel to 15 global finalists who will be announced later in May.

The 15 global finalists will be flown to Google HQ in California, USA for our celebratory Science Fair event. The finalist judging round will take place on 11 July 2011. These finalists will be expected to present their projects before a panel of acclaimed scientists including Nobel Laureates, tech visionaries and household names. A finalist winner will be selected from each of the age categories, 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18. One of the finalist winners will be named the Grand Prize Winner.

The Grand Science Fair Prize: A National Geographic Expedition

The Grand Prize winner(s) plus one parent or guardian per winner will win an amazing 10 day trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions. Traveling aboard, the winner(s) will visit Darwin's living laboratory and experience up-close encounters with unique species such as flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, and domed giant tortoises.

Google will cover the cost of Economy Class flights to the Galapagos from the winner’s home. The prize is valid for one year from 11 July 2011 and must be booked directly via National Geographic expeditions. It does not, however, included items of a personal nature such as internet usage, laundry or spa services.

A Scholarship from Google

A $50 000 scholarship will be split equally between team members should a team win this prize. This scholarship is intended to be used towards the finalists’ further education.

A Once in a Lifetime Experience

The Grand Prize winner will have first choice of an experience at one of the following partner organizations: CERN, Google, the LEGO Group, or Scientific American.

A Personalised LEGO Prize

• A package from Scientific American.
• Digital Access to Scientific American Archives for your school.
• Digital access for the finalists' schools for a year. This prize is valid up to 12 months from winning the prize on 11 July 2011.
• A personal LEGO color mosaic (one for each team member, to build her/himself) and 1 personal, exclusive LEGO box - specially made for the occasion.

Finalist Winner Prizes

A $25 000 scholarship from Google, split equally between team members should a team win this prize. The Finalists will have second and third choice by random selection of one of the remaining experiences at one of the above-mentioned partner organizations.

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ACCIDENTAL INVENTIONS: Some discovered purely by mistake

THEY say necessity is the mother of all invention. While this may be true during times of war and famine, etc., many inventions were conceptualized while the inventors were sitting on the toilet or trying to prevent their ice cream from melting. It’s rather interesting to consider how many life-changing inventions were discovered entirely by accident. Here are a few inventions that came about in unusual ways.

Accidental inventions: Potato chips

Mr Crum, a chef in Saratoga Springs, New York, was having a tough day at the office. A patron, who had ordered a plate of fried potatoes, kept sending them back asking for them to be thinner and more fried. Crum eventually lost his temper. He sliced the potato so thin that it went rock hard when fried. To his surprise the disgruntled customer really liked his crispy lunch and kept asking for more.

Accidental inventions: Penicillin

Sir Alexander Fleming knew nothing about penicillin until he threw away his experiments and equipment. He was working on a wonder drug to help cure diseases and was having a tough time of it. It was when Fleming noticed that a contaminated Petri dish he had discarded contained a mould that was dissolving all the bacteria around it, that the powerful antibiotic, penicillin, was discovered.

Accidental inventions: The Slinky

The slinky has got to be one of the most unusual toys that had a darker side behind its invention. Naval engineer Richard­ Jones was working on a meter designed to monitor power on naval battleships. Jones was using tension springs when one of them fell to the ground and continued bouncing around. And so the slinky was born.

Accidental inventions: The outboard motor

Norwegian inventor Ole Evinrude was enjoying a holiday with his wife on an island during the summer of 1906. He had made an eight-kilometer round trip to get his beloved some ice cream during a hot summer’s day. Upset that the ice cream had melted before his return, he begun to ponder how he could get across the water faster. By mounting a motorcycle engine onto the back of his rowboat and attaching a propeller, Evinrude had invented the first outboard motor.

Accidental inventions: The microwave oven

Percy Spencer was an engineer conducting a radar-related research project with a new vacuum tube. During his experiments he noticed that a chocolate bar in his pocket had begun to melt. When he placed popcorn seeds into the machine and they began to pop, Spencer knew he had invented something revolutionary.

Accidental inventions: Kellogg's Cornflakes

The Kellogg brothers, Will and John, were simply making a pot of boiled grain when they discovered a pot that had been accidentally left on the stove for several days. The mixture had turned mouldy, but the product that emerged was dry and thick. Upon removing the mould, the brothers had created one of America's favourite breakfast cereals.

Accidental inventions: Fireworks

While we all know that fireworks were invented in China, their creation is somewhat uncertain. According to legend, a cook was experimenting with charcoal, sulfur and saltpeter, which are believed to have been common kitchen items 2000 years ago. When the cook noticed that a combination of these ingredients ignited with such fury, he mixed them into a bamboo tube. The rest, as they say, is history.

Source: www.businessinsider.com

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TECH: Top gadgets and tech treats from 2010

IT'S clear that we are firmly in the age of digital technologies. No doubt each year will bring new and exciting gadgets to the table that will make today’s ones seem so last year, but it’s good to take stock of where we are today and how far we’ve come.

With a quest to develop all-in-one gadgets, the market has become saturated with digital devices that can all do pretty much the same thing. It seems to be more about brand name and style than anything else. What follows is a list of some of the top gadgets of 2010.

Top 10 Gadgets: 1. The Apple iPad

Although tablet PCs are not new to the world, Apple tends to take things a few strides further and did so with the release of the Apple iPad. Capable of behaving like a laptop, media player, Internet browser, e-reader, game station, camera, photo album and more, the iPad really is an all-on-one digital device.

Top 10 Gadgets: 2. Apple iPhone 4G

The iPhone was hailed as a revolutionary mobile that not only looked good, but could do more than you could ever ask of a phone. It is certainly one device that will be continuously upgraded and enhanced thanks to its eager fan base. The iPhone 4G boasts the sharpest, most vibrant, highest-resolution screen on the cellular market today.

Top 10 Gadgets: 3. The Garmin Nüvi 1390T GPS

GPS devices may be so last year, but what the latest models can do almost makes one gawk at satellite technology. This particular GPS not only comes with lifetime map updates, but features an enhanced user interface, ecoRoute (which suggests fuel-efficient routes), pedestrian navigation and the new public transit mode, which allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro­ and suburban rail systems.

Top 10 Gadgets: 4. Logitech Revue with Google TV

Although not quite mainstream yet, at least not in South Africa, Logitech Revue­ essentially allows you to connect your TV and satellite cable with a high speed Internet connection via Ethernet or Wi-Fi to bring you Google TV. Switch between regular broadcasts and online content (specifically Google TV) at will. Use a keyboard to search for your favourite shows or surf the Internet on your TV; or use your iPhone 4 as a TV remote.

Top 10 Gadgets: 5. Samsung LED 9000 series

3DTV has boomed this year with the release of several films in 3D as well as newer 3DTVs to enjoy watching them at home. I always speak highly of Samsung screens and this particular 3DTV has got to be one of the slickest on the market. As thin as a number two pencil, this TV will do 3D right out of the box.

Top 10 Gadgets: 6. Panasonic 3D camcorder

With the explosion of 3D films and new 3DTVs this year, it won’t take long before consumers will want to start producing their own videos in 3D. Panasonic has been hailed as the first to bring 3D video to the consumer level with this camcorder, although it will set you back about R150 000.

Top 10 Gadgets: 7. The Nook Colour E-Reader

E-Readers have certainly come into fashion this year, and although one can use an iPad or iPhone as an e-reader, the Nook Colour features a 17 cm touch screen and comes in full colour — perfect for children’s books and magazines, as well as enhanced books and newspapers. The Nook can also be used to surf the Internet, listen to music and play games. It’s an e-reader the whole family can enjoy.

Top 10 Gadgets: 8. Fourth Generation Apple Ipod Touch

Ipods are not just about listening to music­ anymore. Video chatting, filming and sharing HD video, playing games and listening to music are all doable with the forth, and not last, Apple Ipod Touch.

Top 10 Gadgets: 9. Bluetooth-enabled, iPhone-compatible Meat Thermometer

A new gadget for the kitchen, this iGrill meat thermometer will connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth so that you can check the status of whatever meat you’re cooking from any room in the house. With a range of 60 metres and capable of registering up to 200°C, you’ll able to keep an eye on dinner while taking a bath.

Top 10 Gadgets: 10. Kodak PlaySport

The PlaySport is a durable camera for the outdoors type. It’s drop-resistant, and waterproof and can be dragged around the world without worry. Strap it to your body before scaling a mountain or skiing down a slope and capture all your adventures in high quality video­.

Sources:
www.logitech.com
www.gizmodo.com
www.digitaltrends.com
www.top100gadgets.com
and Time Magazine’s Top 10 Gadgets

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JONATHAN VAN STADEN

WHY not spoil yourself or someone who you know who has everything with an electronic gadget that will be sure to make a statement this Christmas. The statement might be that you have lost your mind, but it just may make life a little more interesting. There are plenty of devices out there that have been born out of an active imagination. Here is a sampling of some that you will want to have and others you may prefer to give away. Enjoy.

Want Remote

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Wand Remote

Do you want things to instantly change with the wave of your hand? Now you can with the wand remote. It will learn commands from your existing remotes and map them to particular hand motions. Flick the wand from side to side to change channels or twist it to turn up the volume. A beam of light will even shoot out as you become the conductor of your electronic symphony from the comfort of your couch.

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Popcorn Machine

You just know how much this would make you feel as if you are at the movies or back at the fun fair. No more boring microwave bags. Here you can have salted, hot buttered popcorn until your lips start to wrinkle!

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Guitar T-shirt

Playing air guitar is so last year. Put this shirt on and plug it into the clip on speaker/amp and start playing your favourite music. All the major chords are recorded from a real electric guitar and the magnetic pick allows you to strum like you would a normal guitar. The amp has a tone knob that lets you adjust the sound just like a real guitar. In case you were wondering the volume knob goes up to 11.

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Outdoor Sub-woofer

Now you can enjoy a full bass sound outdoors. It can support up to 90 kg, so you can use it as a plant stand or a side table. Its durable terracotta finish is paintable to match your outdoor décor. Your plants will be amazed to actually hear the sound of a tuba.

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Dog Speakers

Talking of woofers, how about something for the the dog lover. Well, a pair headless dogs sitting at your side may be too weird for you to live with. But on the positive side they do come fully house trained.

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Self Stirring Mug

Obviously you are going to be so busy waving your remote around and tucking into your popcorn that you cannot be expected to stop and stir your favourite hot drink you have just prepared. You don’t have to. With this mug all you need is one hand to press the button on the handle and all the ingredients will be stirred to perfection.

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INVENTION: Ideas that changed the world

THERE is one historical factoid that simply blows my neo cortex and will probably continue to astound me until the day I die. It is perhaps more of a hypothetical than anything else and begs the age-old question of “what if?”

Roman Cage Cup from the 4th century A.D.

Around 100 BC European cultures started to become increasingly fond of their favourite drink, wine, as they perfected its creation and associated it with wealth and prosperity. The beautiful colour of wine, its taste and scent became such an obsession that the Romans­ started to discover better ways to preserve their fermented elixir.

Thus, glass entered our world, and resulted in a chain of invention that is still being advanced today. Glass led to lens grinding and spectacles, meaning that intellectuals and scientists had an extra 15 to 20 years of reading and active life. Microscopes came into play, which led to the discovery of micro-organisms, including the discovery and behaviour of the bacterium.

On a larger scale, telescopes gazed outwards, allowing humankind to further its knowledge of our galaxy and the Earth’s place within it. And because glass is chemically neutral — meaning that it doesn’t react to anything that’s in it — chemicals could be mixed in glass beakers and flasks. This advanced chemistry and modern medicine to new levels.

This is not to mention plasma computer screens, cellphones, light bulbs, windows, windscreens, clocks and watches, glass domes and spaceships. Glass valves have become essential in modern electronics too and can be found in several household items that don’t have a particularly glassy feel.

And all because Europeans enjoyed their wine.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, one of the most inventive people to have ever lived, the Chinese­, were quite content with the teacup. They had no interest in Western wine and used paper and ceramics as glass substitutes. Chinese windows and lanterns were all made from paper­ and the potential of glass was never recognised­ in the East due to their preference for tea.

So from the 14th century right up to the 19th century­, glass did not exist in the Eastern part of the world. While the Chinese did go on to invent a myriad of other things, it can be argued that not inventing glass held back the course of Chinese history.

Of course a lack of glass did not stop the Chinese from going on to invent other things. We have them to thank for paper, printing, gunpowder, the compass, archeology, automatically opening doors, hydraulics, the bristle toothbrush, landmines, fireworks, the fishing reel, kites, the crossbow, playing cards, porcelain, the rudder, tofu, toilet paper, the wheelbarrow, and of course, China.

Yet the thought of what may have been invented if glass has existed in China for those 500 years is staggering. The world as we know it could be a lot different today if things had panned out differently. We might all be speaking Chinese and drinking tea.

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