Just when we thought there is nothing left undiscovered on the earth, we're surprised with a new particle, theory, or previously unknown species. Then, a new imaging technology offers a whopper discovery and we are again amazed at this wonderful planet that nurtures and supports us. How big a discovery? How about another Grand Canyon...in Greenland. Seriously. The newly discovered "mega canyon" is approximately 460 miles (750 kilometers) long, making it longer than the Grand Canyon. In some places, it is 2,600 ft (800 meters) deep, similar to segments of the Grand Canyon. [By comparison, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,000 ft or 1,800 m).] This huge Greenland feature is thought to have existed before the current ice sheet covered it (i.e., millions of years). By using thousands of miles of airborne radar information, collected by NASA and researchers from the United Kingdom and Germany over decades, scientists were able to determine the terrain beneath the ice sheet.
They used data collected by NASA's Operation IceBridge, an airborne science program that looks at polar ice. One of IceBridge's scientific instruments, the Multichannel Coherent Radar Depth Sounder, can image and measure the thickness and shape of bedrock beneath huge masses of ice. Announced yesterday, I'm sure we will be hearing lots more about the new find. Stay tuned.
Many of you have probably heard me say "all science all the time..." fairly often. Trained as a microbiologist, I was originally on the pre-med path when I took my first microbiology class. The instant I looked through a microscope at the unseen universe of microorganisms, I was hooked! It's no wonder then that I changed my major and got an advanced degree in microbiology and immunology. I love it! Plus, I really enjoy sharing science info, images, videos, etc with children and adults. I do that via my books and Pinterest. Come check out all the fantastic animals, insects, element videos, science education handouts, and more at http://pinterest.com/sciwhisperer/. If you're on Pinterest, let's definitely connect. Go Science!!
When I was in school, having a film during class was a treat. Usually it was because the regular teacher was out, but sometimes films were used to augment curriculum. These days, videos are a staple in our culture. YouTube has experienced logarithmic growth. Teaching methods also use video more as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts especially benefit from video. Videos are able to show an experiment that would take too long in one class period or are too dangerous to demonstrate. I love the University of Nottingham videos on each of the elements in the Periodic Table. They are fun and offer examples of each element, their uses, and often a reaction. I also enjoy the Symphony of Science videos like "We Are Star Dust" by Neil DeGrasse Tyson that I've pinned with many other educational videos to my Cool Science Videos Pinterest board. Check it out and share some of your favorites. If you're a teacher, I have Pinterest boards for Science Education, Science and Nature, Space and NASA, Robots, and Architecture and Design, to name a few. I use Pinterest as an online, visual filing system for cool websites, articles, concepts, and images. Stop by if you are exploring Pinterest and say hello. Go science!
