BikeLouP's Game Strategy and Tactics - FoldIt Wiki - a Wikia Gaming wiki BikeLouP Thoughts on Strategies and Tactics for Foldit Edit Foldit is an addictive game that allows for many approaches that seem to converge on about the same solution--most of the time. Most foldit players that have been doing it for any length of time find different techniques that work for us. Many of us have applied the same or very similar methods with different results because of small nuances that are hard to describe--but we try to share here in the FoldIt Wiki. The initial puzzle and first moves. The mid-point game and rapid point runup. The eke and tweak game. The end game. I distinguish between strategy and tactics. The Inital Puzzle and First Moves Edit The very first decision you need to make as a foldit player is whether you are going to try and noodle your solution with great technical insight or just go for it. Given you are just going to start, the main question is do you try anything before you do a global Wiggle? Set the puzzle to stub view. Global Shake Sidechains.
40 Cool Science Experiments on the Web Perhaps you don't have enough class periods to do every science experiment you wish you could, or maybe your budget for beakers and baking soda is all tapped out. Maybe you just want to watch and see how it's done before you try to build a volcano with 24 fourth-graders. Whatever the reason, having students watch a science demonstration close up on the Web is the next best thing! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. How to Choose a Science Fair Topic Help your students choose topics that will bring out their best work. An experiment can be as simple as "Why do I feel hotter when I wear the red side of my jersey instead of the white when I play soccer?" To start, ask them when was the last time they wondered why something happened or how something worked? Look at television commercials and question their claims.
FoldIt Wiki 6 Essential Science Tools that Use Technology in the Classroom I am a Science teacher and a techie. With this admission comes the fact that I love to find novel ways to incorporate technology in the classroom into my lessons. My students have learned that whenever I find a new tool, I'll bring it in and together we'll brainstorm ways to use it to help us be more effective and engaged scientists. I know there is great variety in the resources available to Science teachers in school across the country. If you have a tight budget and need to outfit a Science classroom, here is what my students and I consider the six most important pieces of technology in the classroom for every Science teacher to use. Digital Projector (LCD or DLP) I wish we could take for granted that every Science teacher has one of these in her classroom, but I know that not every school can afford these $600+ devices. A few fun classroom activities using “The Magic Tree House” book series. A few tips on how to get a leg up from the competition, and get a teaching job... Probeware
Scientists as scapegoats? | Griffin’s Gadgets Day one of the trial of several Italian seismologists facing manslaughter charges for allegedly failing to predict an earthquake that killed more than 300 people in L’Aquila in April 2009 kicked off today. Nature has been following the situation closely and this piece gives great background on the situation the scientists have found themselves in. This is the interesting bit – what can we expect the impact to be on science as the trial plays out? Scientists in New Zealand are naturally watching the case closely and no doubt, in some cases, reflecting on how scientific information on risk from natural hazards is disseminated and interpreted by the public here. Here’s the letter of support for the Italian seismologists many New Zealand scientists joined others around the world in signing. Here’s what Dr Mark Quigley of the University of Canterbury had to say about the trial: I couldn’t agree with him more.
We All Teach Reading and Writing Sponsored By If you teach algebra, you may not think of yourself as a reading teacher. But you do know that comprehension, fluency and good communication are key to success in math as well as other subject areas. And the writers of the Common Core agree—the new standards greatly emphasize reading and writing across the curriculum. Click below to explore ways we can all become better teachers of reading, writing and critical thinking. Writing Across the Content Areas Creative ways that every teacher can foster communication skills.Explore Now » Teaching Fact vs. Why Grammar Rules See why the humble comma is oh-so-important to getting your point across.View Now » How Audiobooks Can Help Explore how audiobooks can support readers and writers.Find Out » Reading in Photos Check out the great reading ideas we’ve shared on our Pinterest page. Go Now » Talking With Struggling Readers Dos and don'ts for supporting a student who's struggling with reading.Read More » Read More »
Happy Birthday Otzi | Digging the Dirt Latest reconstruction of Otzi for the Otzi 20 exhibition 20 years ago today the mummified remains of a man, nicknamed Otzi, was discovered by hikers in the Italian Alps. This find has to be mentioned because it is simply fantastic and quite unique so far, and has led to many many archaeological scientists and preservation experts coming together to understand the life and culture of this one man, who lived 5,000 years ago. The days following Sept 19 1991 are also one of those periods in time that made an impact on me as a 17 year old New Zealander studying hard at Papatoetoe High School, thinking about the future, post school education… and an ancient human being discovered on the other side of the world, outside all parameters of time that the 6th form was studying that year. I wanted to be one of the people who finds out about that! The Synopsis The position Otzi was found, trapped in glacial ice 14 days after discovery the first archaeological survey was conducted at the find scene.
The Ultimate STEM Guide for Kids: 239 Cool Sites FTL neutrinos FTW! * Ahem * Well, not quite. (Note: FTL = Faster Than Light) The first image, taken in 2007, of a neutrino interaction. The neutrino, coming from the left of the figure following an interaction, produces several particles identified by their tracks in the detecting 'brick'. Not entirely, at least. Those of you watching the science news today may have noticed an awful lot of excited wittering about results being published today which suggest the neutrinos may have broken the speed of light. Please note the use of ‘may’ there. First, a brief note on neutrinos themselves. They’re similar to electrons, in fact, except for the intriguing characteristic of having no electrical charge. Oh, and also? Now, on to the Science of the Day. Nothing, at least according to one of Einstein’s equations (you know, the one beginning e=…), can travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum (light travels slower in dense media***). Amusingly, though, it does, finally, allow us the following joke (thanks @rmi!)
Lock of hair pins down early migration of Aborigines 23 September 2011Last updated at 01:23 By Leila Battison Science reporter A lock of hair is all that is needed to decode the history of an entire people A lock of hair has helped scientists to piece together the genome of Australian Aborigines and rewrite the history of human dispersal around the world. DNA from the hair demonstrates that indigenous Aboriginal Australians were the first to separate from other modern humans, around 70,000 years ago. This challenges current theories of a single phase of dispersal from Africa. An international team of researchers published their findings in the journal Science. While the Aboriginal populations were trailblazing across Asia and into Australia, the remaining humans stayed around North Africa and the Middle East until 24,000 years ago. Only then did they spread out and colonise Europe and Asia, but the indigenous Aborigines had been established in Australia for 25,000 years. Tiny genetic differences Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
NASA satellite plunges to Earth A defunct NASA satellite, whose doomed descent gained worldwide notoriety, fell back to Earth early Saturday — but exactly when or where the fiery plunge took place could forever be a mystery. "We may never know," said Nicholas Johnson, NASA's chief orbital debris scientist. It probably plunged into the Pacific Ocean, perhaps somewhere between Hawaii and the western coast of North America. On its final orbit of Earth, the six-ton climate satellite flew over Canada, headed south over Africa, blew south of Australia and took a turn to the northeast over the Pacific Ocean heading toward Canada. NASA officials believe the satellite then entered Earth's atmosphere at about 12:16 a.m. But because officials have yet to determine precisely when or where the satellite penetrated the earth's atmosphere, they are unable to figure out where pieces of the school-bus-size satellite landed. "That would suggest that the reentry did in fact occur before it reached the North American coast," Johnson said.
Do People with Doctoral Degrees get Jobs in New Zealand Post Study? Key Findings This study analysed the New Zealand-based employment rate of a cohort of domestic doctoral graduates who finished studying in 2003. The results show that:around 65 percent of the doctoral cohort were employed in New Zealand four years after they last studied. This was a lower rate of employment in New Zealand than domestic bachelors and masters graduates from the same leaving yearyounger graduates, Asians, and graduates in ‘Natural and physical sciences’ were less likely to be employed in New Zealand four years after they last studiedthe domestic employment rate of the New Zealand doctoral cohort was lower than in similar leaving cohorts in Canada and the United Kingdom.This report analysed the New Zealand-based employment rate up to four years post study of a cohort of domestic doctoral graduates who last studied in 2003. Not surprisingly, younger doctoral graduates were less likely to be employed in New Zealand post study.
Cells dine on nanotubes with dire results A new study by researchers in the US reveals that nanometre-thick strands such as nanotubes and nanowires enter biological cells head-on and almost always at a 90° angle. This orientation means that a cell mistakes the long cylinder for a sphere and tries to ingest it – with dire consequences. The findings could be important for designing safer, less-toxic nanomaterials. Biological cells ingest objects in their environment by engulfing them, in a process known as endocytosis. However, things do not quite work out this way when it comes to very thin tubes, wires and fibres, say Huajian Gao and colleagues at Brown University. Similar to asbestos The researchers have also found that most nanotubes enter a cell perpendicular to it. Gao and co-workers believe that the cells mistakenly treat the nanotubes as sphere-shaped particles rather than long cylinders. Minimizing energy Nanomaterials becoming ubiquitous
Rutherford's big discovery – 100 years later In 1911 the New-Zealand-born physicist Ernest Rutherford published a paper that was to revolutionize science. Rutherford's famous alpha-particle scattering experiment transformed our understanding of the atom and it inspired the new areas of physics including the theory of quantum mechanics. The pioneering work was carried out at the University of Manchester where Rutherford held the Chair of Physics for 12 years. To mark the centenary of these landmark experiments, the university hosted a special week-long conference in August 2011. The event was organized by the UK's Institute of Physics, which publishes Physics World. In this short film, Physics World journalist James Dacey reports from the conference where he caught up with two of the keynote speakers. In this discussion, Jenkins talks about how Rutherford's work has led to some important practical applications, including big advances in the field of medicine.