Steve Spangler's Blog

Science Explodes at the Cherry Creek Foundation Luncheon

Steve Spangler, a former teacher and educator for Cherry Creek Schools, brought Bernoulli’s Principle to life for 600 people during the 19th Annual Cherry Creek Schools Foundation Luncheon on March 15.

Courtesy: Cherry Creek Schools

The crowd of business leaders, city government officials, educators and foundation volunteers were on their feet filling plastic tubes with lots of hot air.

Spangler was the keynote speaker for the luncheon, held at the DTC Hyatt Regency. Retiring Superintendent Mary Chelsey was honored along with several educators and volunteers. The luncheon also serves as a fundraiser for the foundation.

“Learning is about engagement,” Spangler said during his presentation. “It’s about creating those ‘I’ll never forget the day’ kind of moments in the classroom.”

Courtesy: Cherry Creek Schools

As 600 Wind Bags danced around the ballroom, Spangler called it a Facebook moment. but the audience called it a memorable learning moment.

Attendees also dodged smoke rings

The Science Behind Why Your Fingers and Toes Get Pruney

By Blog Editor Susan Wells

I recently spent some quality time soaking in the hot springs pool in Salida, Colorado. After sitting there relaxing and watching the kids play, I noticed my fingers and toes were really pruney. It made me start wondering why and how this phenomena happens. Is there a reason why our skin becomes wrinkled and old-looking after soaking in water? Or is it just a side effect of getting wet?

I knew one thing – prunes turn into raisins by drying out. But we were IN the water. Our skin couldn’t be drying out in the water. It had to be soaking up the water.

Scientists once believed the same thing – that the pruning and wrinkling of fingers and toes was caused by the outermost layer of skin absorbing water. Recent studies by Kyriacos Kareklas and Tom Smulders of Newcastle University in England have showed the wrinkling comes from the nervous system constricting blood vessels in the skin.

When the blood constricts, it reduces the volume of the fingertips and pulls in the skin. So even though you feel like your fingers have swelled in the water, their volume has actually decreased.

If the nerves in your fingers are damaged or cut,

Dancing Spaghetti – A Lesson in Density

Who knew noodles could dance? Head to the kitchen, grab a handful of pasta noodles along with a few other materials and get ready for a science pasta party. This is some kitchen science that will have you learning about volume and density in a brand new, hands-on way!

Materials

• Clear drinking glasses
• Pasta noodles (cooked or uncooked)
• Water
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Food coloring

1. Measure 2 cups of water and pour the water into a clear drinking glass.
2. Measure 2 cups of vinegar and add it into the clear drinking glass with the water.
3. Add 3-6 drops of food coloring to the water and vinegar mixture.
4. Add some pasta noodles to the glass. How much pasta? It’s up to you! (We used uncooked noodles)
5. Drop 1 tablespoon of baking soda into the glass. Be ready… adding the baking soda into the mixture might get a little messy!
6. Watch closely and check out all of those dancing noodles!
7. Are your noodles done dancing? Add more baking soda to the glass and start the dance party all over again.

Melt It, Blow It Up, Smash It But Don’t Eat It – New Book Shares Lots of Candy Experiments

By Blog Editor Susan Wells

Our office recently received a copy of the new book, Candy Experiments, by Loralee Leavitt. If you love candy, but don’t want it to all go to your waistline, this book is for you.

Candy Experiments covers a wide variety of activities with what else? Candy. Learn about secret ingredients hidden in your favorite candy, then blow it up, smash it, freeze it, melt it and experiment every which way with it. So don’t eat all of that holiday candy, experiment with it. The best part of this book is all of the activities use candy and other household materials.

The experiments have easy to follow step by step instructions and a What’s Happening section. It isn’t big on the science, but it is something all parents can do with their kids on a lazy afternoon.

We have followed Loralee on Pinterest for awhile and have enjoyed seeing her playing with her food. She even showed us how to sink a marshmallow and use up that extra Halloween candy.

We received a complimentary copy of Candy Experiments to

Comet Pan-STARRS Makes Bright Appearances in Night Sky

Grab your camera and a snack, the night sky will put on a spectacular show throughout March.

The comet, Pan-STARRS is visible without a telescope and will make regular appearances in the Northern Hemisphere throughout the month. It was named after the Hawaiian telescope (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System) where it was discovered in 2011.

It is believed that it will take more than 100 million years to make a single orbit around the sun.

Graphic courtesy NASA

Officially known as C/2011 L4, Pan-STARRS has brightened as the sun’s hot wind melts it, forming a long tail. On March 5th, it traveled its closest to Earth, getting about as close to our planet as the distance between us and the sun.

Pan-STARRS made its first appearance in the Northern Hemisphere on March 7th, but has been difficult to spot due to its low position in the sky. As of March 12th, the comet’s position is higher and the thin, dark crescent moon will help.

It will be visible in the night sky into April.

How to See the Comet

Pan-STARRS will be visible