Science by Email 23 March 2012

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	23 March 2012
News: Connecting for cosmic knowledge By Patrick Mahony The Australia Telescope Compact Array in Narrabri was one of the telescopes linked to telescopes in South Korea. Telescopes range in size: telescopes for home are likely to be small, while one at an observatory can be much bigger. The Hubble Space Telescope, which orbits the Earth, weighs more than 11 000 kilograms. That's pretty big, but the Hubble telescope is only about the size of a school bus – what about a telescope that's 8000 kilometres across? That's what astronomers in Australia and South Korea have created. They haven't built one giant telescope – they linked up five existing radio telescopes in the two countries. Telescopes in Narrabri, Coonabarabran and Hobart in Australia were linked with telescopes in Ulsan and Seoul in South Korea. The reason for linking telescopes is to improve resolution. The resolution of a telescope is how well it can distinguish between the details of an object. Generally speaking, the bigger the telescope, the greater the resolution, the more detail it can see. The distance between the Australian and Korean telescopes leads to a resolution 100 times greater than the Hubble telescope. Australia has previously used similar techniques to link to telescopes in China and Japan. They also plan to conduct similar observations with Indian telescopes. Such partnerships with Asian neighbours are an important aspect of the future of Australian astronomy. This is also the way radio telescopes will be linked for better resolution in the upcoming international project – the Square Kilometre Array – which will be either be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, or southern Africa. More information CSIRO: Korean connection makes an 8000-km telescope Resolution and sensitivity Square Kilometre Array Try this: Solar viewer Careers link So you want to be a professional astronomer!
You will need these materials.   Tape the ruler to the box so that the 15 cm mark lines up with the edge.   Take off your shoes and sit with your legs flat against the floor and feet against the box.   Place one hand on top of the other and slide your hands as far along the ruler as possible.   Try this: How flexible are you? You will need Box 30 cm ruler Clear tape Scissors Friend What to do Tape the ruler to the box, so that the 15 cm mark is in line with the edge of the box and the lower numbers are on the part of the ruler hanging off the edge. Place the box against a wall, with the ruler pointing towards you. Take off your shoes. Sit with your feet up against the box under the ruler, with the back of your knees flat on the floor. Place one hand on top of the other and slide them along the ruler, reaching as far you can go. Hold this position, and have your friend record how far you reached along the ruler, to the nearest cm. Repeat twice. To find out your score, subtract 15 from your best measurement. For example, if your best reach was 12 cm, your score is -3. If your best was 20 cm, your score is +5. What's happening? Flexibility is the ability of the body to move through a range of motions. This activity measures your flexibility, particularly around the hips, lower back muscles and hamstring muscles (the muscles in the back of your leg). When you reach along the ruler, you bend at your hip joints and your muscles stretch. The more flexible you are, the further you are able to reach along the ruler. Applications Flexibility is an important component of fitness and in sport. Having good flexibility means you are more likely to have better posture and movement. It also means you are less likely to have muscle stiffness and soreness, and reduces the risk of injury during sport and exercise. Some sports in particular, such as gymnastics and diving, require competitors to have high levels of flexibility. By Patrick Mahony Try another Science by Email activity about human movement More information How the body works: the muscular system View the online version Quiz questions 1. In the famous equation E = mc2, what does the 'E' stand for?            2. Which modern day continents made up the supercontinent Laurasia? 3. Where does agar come from? 4. True or false: La Niña events are characterised by low rainfall and higher temperatures? 5. Where are the islets of Langerhans located? Did you know? Scientists have recently identified what might be a new species of human from fossils found in China. Nicknamed the 'Red Deer Cave People', they may only have died out around 11 000 years ago. Websites Read it! What causes bioluminescence in sea creatures? Find out in this article. See it! The U.S. Geological Survey has released the first geologic map of Jupiter's moon Io, the most volcanically active object in the Solar System. Big Science Competition So you think you can think? Prove it by entering the Big Science Competition. The Big Science Competition gives you the opportunity to tackle science in a way that's relevant and challenging. It's more than just a test of your science knowledge. You'll find scientific answers to some of the riddles in the everyday world around us. Give it a go: there are great prizes up for grabs and you'll learn things even your science teacher doesn't know. Talk to your teacher today to register. Registrations close 18 April 2012. For more info go to the Australian Science Innovations website. Events Tasmania: Science Talent Search The Science Talent Search is open to school students in Tasmania, from early childhood classes to Grade 12. This year's theme is 'Energy evolution: sustainable energy for all', and there are heaps of competitions, including creative writing, experimental work, games and photography. For full details, head over to the Science Talent Search website. Polymers, Saturday 24 March at 9.00 am on Network Ten Potatoes, paper, polystyrene – polymers are everywhere! But what exactly are they? Join Dr Rob as he discovers the fantastic in plastic, as once again the ordinary becomes extraordinary, under the SCOPE. Next episodes: Thursday 29 March: Dirty science Saturday 31 March: Border protection Want to have your own episodes of SCOPE to watch whenever you feel like it? Click here to download them directly into your iTunes folder, or go here to download iTunes. Charges apply. Quiz answers 1. 'E' stands for energy in E = mc2. 2. North America, Europe and Asia made up Laurasia. 3. Agar comes from seaweed. 4. False – La Niña events are characterised by higher rainfall and lower temperatures. 5. The islets of Langerhans are located in the pancreas and are responsible for producing insulin. Current research aims to improve the success of transplanting islets into patients. Science by Email is a CSIRO publication. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and bankmecu are proud partners of Science by Email. Editor: Jasmine Leong | Manage your subscription | FAQ

 

 

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