My Favorite Newsletter: March 2015: The Microdone, Hummingbirds, and more!

2015년 3월 13일 금요일

March 2015: The Microdone, Hummingbirds, and more!

What's going on at Explorit? Your one stop shop to hear about new programs, talks, and events, and to stay updated on all-things Explorit!

March 2015 Think it. Try it. Explorit.

How Bees Fly: A Mystery Solved Leads to a Model for the Modern Microdrone
For over 70 years, the complexity of bee flight baffled scientists to a point where French entomologist August Magnan concluded that bee flight was aerodynamically impossible. The reasons for such a conclusion are understandable, considering the limited knowledge scientists and engineers had at the time. The fact that bees have a chunky build and small wings, yet they are able to fly at a speed of more than 15 miles per hour simply did not make sense. Other insects did not work this way, so why should we believe that bees were given super powers of flying this fast while carrying their hefty bodies? The bees had officially fooled everyone- even aerodynamic equations upon which rested the validity of physics laws- failed to prove how this was possible. What seemed like an unsolvable mystery was finally solved in 2005,

when scientists at Caltech and University of Nevada at Las Vegas used high speed digital photography to take images of the bees

in motion. They then froze frames of the images and created a robotic simulation of the bees. What the scientists discovered was that bees flap their wings at about 230 beats per second, which is unbelievably fast for their body size. They also flap their wings at an arc of 90 degrees, which makes their flapping speed even more difficult to accept. Michael Dickinson, one of the bioengineers at Caltech, explained how this is possible by saying "Bees have evolved flight muscles that are physiologically very different from those of other insects. One consequence is that the wings have to operate fast and at a constant frequency or the muscle doesn't generate enough power." With this knowledge, engineers sought out to create the microdrone. One prototype for the microdrone, named RoboBees, was created at the Harvard Microrobotics Lab and has promising potential for serving a variety of essential tasks humans need help with, such as monitoring traffic, pollinating crops, and even finding victims of natural disasters. So, after providing humans with years of confusion, the bees are now providing us with a model for what could be one of the most complex and useful inventions in history.

Click here to learn more about the Microdrone

Click here to learn more about bee flight

Meet Lisa!

It is Monday morning and the quiet atmosphere surrounding the Explorit Science Center is pleasantly disrupted by the sound of 51 enthusiastic students leaving a yellow school bus, ready to begin their day of learning at Explorit. One of our staff members, Lisa, patiently lays the plan for the day as the fidgety students await their first activity. The Explorit Science Center would not run smoothly without its dedicated staff, whose daily hard work makes Explorit a unique experience for everyone. Lisa began working at Explorit in June 2010 as a temporary educator for the Summer Science Camp and was permanently hired in August 2010. Her work at Explorit includes teaching, designing programs, educational outreach, as well as various administrative and marketing duties. At the Explorit office, Lisa's lively attitude creates a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. When asked what she enjoys most about her job at Explorit, Lisa replied that she loves that it's never the same day twice at Explorit. On a daily basis, she works on a variety of projects, and enjoys the creativity that her job allows. Another aspect of her job that Lisa loves is her reptilian co-workers, such as Connie the ball python. One of her favorite memories is when she took Connie to a preschool class during summer camp for a lesson on wild animals. Due to Connie's gentleness, the initially wary kids soon felt comfortable and loved meeting her. To conclude Lisa's interview, I asked what advice she would give to students beginning their exposure to science. Her complete response is quoted below.

"Keep doing what interests you, even if nobody else is interested in it, even if there's nobody to teach you how to "do it right", even if you think you can't or you aren't good at it. If you like it, just do it. The experience of carving woodchip boats or photographing spider webs or whatever it is that you like, will teach you more skills and more about your character than any class you could ever take. Plus, it will make you happy."

-Lisa Justice

For Lisa's full interview, click here.

Pi Day!

Celebrate Pi day with us at Explorit. After all, our address IS 3141 5th Street! On 3/14/15 We'll have a variety of hands-on Pi activities. Pi day activities are included with paid museum admission and start at 1:30 p.m.

For more information on Pi Day, click here!

"It's All About Humming: The Ins and Outs of the U.C. Davis Hummingbird Health and Conservation Program"

Join us Monday, March 16 at

7:00 p.m. for Explorit Science Center's

"It's All About Humming"

talk by U.C. Davis's own Dr. Lisa Tell.

This lecture will be held at DMG-Mori's

beautiful auditorium at 3805 Faraday Ave.

Hummingbirds aren't just pretty little visitors to our gardens; they are important members of our local ecosystems. Dr. Tell's talk will cover attracting hummingbirds to your yard, hummingbird feeders, the banding program, and some research findings. This lecture will be appropriate and accessible for both adults and children.

For more information, click here.

NanoDays

The Biggest Event for the Smallest Science comes to

Explorit for spring break. NanoDays runs March 21-29with special holiday hours 1-5 p.m. everyday. NanoDays activities are included with paid museum admission.

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