This image made available from Tokyo Electric Power Co.
via Kyodo News, shows the damaged No. 4 unit of the
Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex in Okumamachi,
northeastern Japan, on March 15, 2011.
White smoke billows from the No. 3 unit.
Credit: AP Photo/Tokyo Electric Power Co. via Kyodo News
In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Japan, tsunamis are on people's minds. How much do you know about them?
Take this brief tsunami quiz and find out:
1. Name 4 geologic events that might cause a tsunami.
2. Tsunamis are also called wave trains because they are a series of waves, not just one wave. How far apart in time can they be?
3. In deep ocean water, how fast can a tsunami travel?
The word "nerd" is a fairly recent addition to the English language and is now quite common in everyday speech.
When and where was the first recorded usage of the word?
(Hint: Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday...)
Answer: Dr. Seuss holds the honor of first printed usage of the word "nerd." It appeared in the book If I Ran the Zoo, written in 1950.
Space, the final frontier...
Today at 4:50 pm, space shuttle Discovery will blast off on its final mission into space. On board Discovery are six astronauts, the Permanent Multipurpose Module which will become sort of a storage closet for the space station, and Robonaut 2, the first dextrous humanoid robot to go into space. Robonaut 2 will test his ability to operate in zero gravity and will eventually become an astronaut's helper.
Happy Valentine's Day! Sure, Valentine's Day is about love and your significant other, but Valentine's Day is also about chocolate. How much do you know about this delicious and tempting treat?
Which statement(s) below are true?
a. Chocolate causes cavities.
b. Chocolate causes acne.
c. Chocolate raises cholesterol levels.
Friday, February 11, is Thomas Edison's birthday. Probably the greatest inventor of modern time, Edison accumulated over 1000 patents, over twice that of other prolific inventors. His inventions include the light bulb, motion picture camera, phonograph, stock ticker, mechanical vote recorder, electric car battery, and electrical power. Edison's ingenuity has profoundly influenced people's everyday lives and serves as inspiration to aspiring engineers and inventors.
What was Thomas Edison's favorite invention?
So you've probably seen the big black plane outside of the Virginia Aviation Museum when you're on your way to the airport. But what exactly is it?
This plane is the SR-71 Blackbird and was manufactured by Lockheed under the direction of the CIA. After World War II, the United States wanted to maintain a close watch on Soviet missile and nuclear weapon production. To do this a plane was needed that could fly very high and very fast to both escape incoming missiles and to avoid detection by Soviet radar, all while taking photographs of what was going on below.
This Wednesday, cute and cuddly Punxsutawney Phil (officially known as "Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary") will emerge (well, actually, he will be pulled) from his burrow to predict how much longer winter will last. If he sees his shadow, we will have 6 more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, spring is on the way.
Groundhog Day was first celebrated in Pennsylvania on February 2, 1886, making this the 125th anniversary.
Pilot Wings
What do you think of cold weather? Polar bears love it! Their thick fur coat covers a layer of insulating fat, allowing them to be quite comfortable in the frigid Arctic.
Why do you think polar bears walk at such a leisurely pace?
