Understanding Echolocation

Posted on September 2, 2014 by JumpStart

Nature and the world around us are filled with all kinds of amazing phenomena. In fact, scientific study provides parents, researchers, and educators with a means by which your kids can learn to understand it. In the case of bats, has your curiosity for knowledge given you reason to wonder how bats communicate while in flight? Join your kids at the Math Blaster blog to learn more about Echolocation and its role in the happenings of the night sky in areas where bats are common.

What is Echolocation? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Echolocation in it’s simplest form is, “a physiological process for locating distant or invisible objects (as prey) by sound waves reflected back to the emitter (as a bat) from the objects.” This is especially useful to creatures like bats as their nocturnal lifestyle makes it important for them to be able to navigate the night sky. Through echolocation, they are able to locate prey and also estimate distance as they fly from “point a” to “point b.”

The sound of the echo reflections are emitted back to the bat’s ears to allow them to process basic spatial information without the use of their eyes and light. Isn’t that neat? Can you imagine flying blindly, depending completely on the use of echolocation to navigate through life? This natural phenomenon gives new meaning to that common saying, “blind as a bat!”

Filed under: Education, Science and kids, Science Facts, Scientific Research | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

The Engulfing Power of Underwater Waves

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Math Blaster

We know that your Blaster likes to explore the galaxy and accomplish great dreams, but it is a great idea to encourage them to learn about the mechanics of their home, Earth, starting by learning the basics of Oceanography.

Recently, researchers found that the origins of the giant underwater waves that essentially has no effect on the surface of the ocean has an immense effect on the Earth’s climate and the marine ecosystem.

Photo by neekok.fi

Photo by neekok.fi

These internal waves resembles the shape of the towering waves we can see on the surface, and due to the temperature and density differences between the waves and the water around it, create a boundary between the bodies of water that produces changes to the ocean’s natural behavior.

As it is very difficult to detect these underwater waves, the new evidence found is profoundly important to help investigate this phenomenon further. The latest testing occurred at the South China Sea, and researchers found that the internal waves found here are the most powerful thus far, describing it as “skyscraper-scale waves”.

Discovering the origin of these waves can potentially reveal its possibility as the key mechanism for transferring heat from the upper part of the ocean to its depths. Therefore, it is important for the researchers to find out how these great waves are generated and perhaps shed some light on the research on global warming.

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Meteoroids Crash into Saturn’s Rings

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Math Blaster

Saturn is the 6th planet from the sun. Famed for its beautiful and distinct rings, it is also known for being the second largest planet in our Solar System, just behind Jupiter. Scientists recently observed a number of small meteoroids crashing into the planet’s rings, which are made up of 9 continuous rings and 3 additional arcs. With the help of NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, researchers were able to capture images of the impact.

Solar System

Occurrences like these help teach scientists more about how things move, interact, and are created in space. Although these types of impacts do take place from time to time, the significance of this crash is that it was large enough to crate clouds that were visible from spacecraft cameras. Eventually, these smaller meteoroids break up into even smaller particles and will sometimes begin to orbit around the planet.

Originally discovered by Galileo, Saturn’s Rings are already made up of an array of varied particles. Although the rings remain somewhat of a mystery to scientists, they have been able to gain insight into the planet from the Voyager trips in the 1980s and this latest Cassini Mission.

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Latest Outer Space Discoveries

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Math Blaster

Earth is one planet in an 8-planet solar system, and all these planets orbit the sun. In addition to this, we know there are endless numbers of celestial bodies in space, with thousands of different systems, stars and galaxies. Recently, however, NASA’S Kepler space telescope made some monumental discoveries — there are three super-Earth-size planets in the Milky Way galaxy that lie in a “habitable zone.”

The reason why this specific Kepler spacecraft discovery is so important is because it signifies that scientists are closer than ever before to finding other Earth-like planets. These recently discovered planets are rocky in composition, and have a size relatively similar to Earth’s. Also, these planets orbit around a star in a “habitable zone.” By this, scientists mean that the planets orbit far away enough from its central star to have a lower surface temperature. This could even mean that water may be found on the planets’ surfaces.

There are a variety of ways to get your child’s imagination engaged in these current events. As scientists draw closer and closer to finding out more about the intricacies of the depths of space, what types of questions is your child asking?

During these times, perhaps you could take the opportunity to have your child express their imagination through creative means such as drawings and paintings. Pose hypothetical questions to them, such as “If there was a new planet just like Earth, what would it look like?” Have your child draw out a creative design, and engage them in conversations about these recent, exciting scientific discoveries.

Also, as you discuss these recent scientific breakthroughs, you can also challenge your child to extend their critical thinking with different activities. Continue to stay on the lookout for the latest and greatest science and Math Blaster updates here.

 

Filed under: Current Events, Family Fun, Just for Fun, Newsletter, Parents and Kids, Science Facts, Technology and Kids, Uncategorized, What's New | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Sea Lions Move to the Beat

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Math Blaster

Scientists have found that humans are not the only mammals that can keep a beat. Studies have been conducted at the University of California, Santa Cruz by researchers and have discovered that sea lions possess the capability to conduct certain actions that were quite unexpected.

The University of California, Santa Cruz Cognition and Sensory Systems Laboratory team have been particularly studying one sea lion named Ronan. Ronan was born in the wild in 2008 and was discovered to not be capable of living in the wild. Rescuers had to save this animal from being stranded three times and was finally taken into captivity after its third. In 2010, Ronan joined the UC Santa Cruz’s Cognition and Sensory Systems Laboratory and was used for control studies that focused on the effects of a natural neurotoxin produced by algae on the California coast.

Currently, Ronan is being used for another study. This particular project is run by Peter Cook, a graduate student in psychology at University of California, Santa Cruz. Initially, this study was noted as a simple side project and was not to be highly publicized. However, the findings proved otherwise. Researchers on the team spent several months training Ronan to listen to musical beats.

According to the NBC news article “This Sea Lion Grooves to a Disco Beat”, Cook and the team started out with a simple rhythm track and used food as a reward for Ronan to follow through with the proper head-bobbing behavior. Eventually, Ronan was able to bob her head in time with a variety of tunes, including some that she was hearing for the first time. After observing that Ronan was capable of doing such a task, researchers’ now believe that other mammals out in the wild are also capable of performing at the same level as Ronan.

According to Cook, this study challenges scientists’ previous assumption that “the ability to move in time with a beat was connected to the ability for vocal learning and vocal mimicry.” Before this study, these skills seemed only possible by humans, cockatoos, parrots and budgies. This recent study has placed a new beginning for further studies on comparative psychology.

Filed under: Current Events, Family Fun, Just for Fun, learning resources, Newsletter, Parents and Kids, Science Facts, Technology and Kids, What's New | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Siberian Dog Fossil Discoveries

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Math Blaster

In 1975, fossilized canine remains were found in the Altai Mountains of Siberia. Although these fossils were discovered many years ago, recent research through DNA examination of one of the fossilized teeth has revealed that this canine is perhaps the ancestor of the modern-day domesticated dog. Millions of people around the world care for dogs as their pets, but have you ever given any thought to where these dogs originated from?

The advent of ancient agricultural practices are most likely what catalyzed the domestication of various animals, but scientists hypothesize that humans began domesticating dogs before developments in agriculture. To clarify, to “domesticate” an animal is to “tame” it — in other words, domesticating an animal will help humans keep one as a pet or farm animal.

Sequences of DNA were studied in this new research in order to compare the Siberian fossil to modern-day dogs and wolves. A relationship between dogs and wolves has always existed, but scientists have yet to determine when dogs started to become differentiated from the wolf species.

The fossil was named the “Altai dog” because it was discovered in Siberia’s Altai Mountains. Moreover, researchers have noticed that the Altai dog is more similar to prehistoric dog species found on the American continents than it is to wolves.

These interesting findings only represent the beginning of some of the major discoveries to come. With scientific work at its height in this modern age, the world will continue to learn more about itself and its inhabitants. Is your child interested in science? Perhaps they also enjoy doing various math activities when they are at home. Encourage your children to exercise their scientific and mathematical minds every day.

Filed under: Current Events, Just for Fun, Learning Tips, Newsletter, Parents and Kids, Science Facts, What's New | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

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