CCHS HAS THE BEST SCIENCE DEPARTMENT...PROVEN THEORY!
VANESSA FRAVEL
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The CCHS Science Department was nominated and selected as the
Utah Science Teacher Association’s 2021 High School Science Department of the Year. Also, Vanessa Fravel was nominated and selected as the Utah Science Teacher Association’s 2021 Biology Science Teacher of the Year |
Welcome fellow humans to the wonderful world of Science and Technology
The magic of robobees
National Geographic: Can robot bees help save our crops?
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By Emma Johnson
Science and Tech Editor Is it possible for a robot the size of a bee to exist? Most people would say no, surely a robot would have to be bigger than a bee. Well, before 2009 they would have been right. But now, they’re dead wrong. Scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biological engineering at Harvard University have been developing a drone half the size of a paperclip. It’s called: the robobee. First, the design process. The project first began in 2012. It was started by Robert Wood, who is a professor of Engineering and applied sciences at Harvard University. The team consists of neurobiologists, evolutionary biologists, materials scientists, computer scientists, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, and bioengineers. In 2016, the team presented a robot that can perch while flying, similar to what bats, birds, and butterflies do in order to conserve energy. Wood stated, “When making robots the size of insects, simplicity and low power are always key constraints.” |
In order to make the robobee able to perch, the researchers had to fit it with an electrode patch, which requires 1,000 times less energy to perch than it does to hover. In 2019, the robobee was updated to be able to switch from swimming to flying, says the Wyss Institute. The plan is to make it capable of sensing the environment around them with lasers; however, Wood estimates that it will take another 5 years to complete the project.
Next, the purpose of the robobee. The Aggie Transcript says that the main goal is to be able to help bees in their pollination. They serve other purposes, as well, including search and rescue, and reconnaissance. The scientists wanted to create a robot that mimics the ability of a bee, in that it functions well in groups, and it can fly in self-contained groups.There are plans for them to make individual colonies of robobees, and from the first colonies that they have made, it seems as though the project will be a success. Nothing is certain yet, because they still need to run a few tests, however they’re well on their way to accomplishing their goal. |
Robobees are technological wonders that might one day be commonplace. But, who knows? For now, everything is up in the air.
Posted 10/19/21 Cool facts about bees
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CLIMATE CHANGE: WHY IT IS HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENt
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By Alaina Mast
Entertainment editor The Climate change crisis has been changing for the worse over the past few years. Many people would agree that the world has had an abnormal amount of climate issues, including 30 named hurricane storms, 10 of which hit the US coastline, Texas freezing over and losing power, the highest annual increase in concentrations of methane, which is a potent gas connected to climate change, sea levels had reached the highest on record, and the average global surface temperatures were among the hottest on record, and that was only in 2020 alone. Yes, 2020 was an especially abnormal year, but that doesn’t exempt it from being counted in the overall climate change. According to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)’s Evidence of Climate Change page, “Most of the warming occurred in the past 40 years, with the seven most recent years being the warmest. The years 2016 and 2020 are tied for the warmest year on record.” Are people causing climate change or are they contributing to help it? The question has a few different answers. People are helping diminish climate change by cutting down the use of fossil fuels like oil, carbon, and natural gases. The car company Tesla, for example, creates its cars in a way that emits 60 percent less carbon dioxide emissions. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla said in a Recode interview that “If we do not solve the environment, we’re all damned.” While some companies and some people are genuinely trying to help with environmental issues and the warming of the Earth’s core, there are still a lot of things that people aren’t doing to help. Prominent oil and gas companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, and Shell are major contributors to the increase of carbon dioxide emissions since their entire business relies on burning oil. According to the European Commission, other things that cause carbon emissions to rise are deforestation, the act of cutting down trees, which reduce the absorption of CO2, the increase of livestock farming because animals like cows and sheep produce a large amount of methane, fertilizers containing nitrogen, and fluorinated gases. Avoiding climate change would not only decrease the average core temperature, but it would also decrease the number of extreme weather events, would help us predict future weather conditions, and help us prepare among many other things. Posted 10/5/21 |
Ways to Reduce Carbon Emissions
While Driving:
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The genius of apple air tags
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By Stephaine Guzman-de la hoz
Staff writer Ladies and gentlemen we have a new technology from one of the most renowned companies of technology in the world. Apple. Apple Airtags are being introduced in the college community and business community. It is very cheap and can be bought by literally anybody. At just $30 this simple tiny but visible circle can track objects so you don’t lose them. How does it work? It’s simple as 1, 2, 3. You connect it through your iPhone and it alerts you when you lose something that is connected to it. this is very useful for the college students who need their Student ID’s or keys to get into their dorms or the cafeterias. |
It helps for them to keep track of where it is and not be locked out of their dorms or of amazing food. Apple Airtag in reality doesn’t have GPS; it uses bluetooth from FindMyiPhone technology to pinpoint where the airtag is. Sending a message to only you or whoever has it registered on their phone. There have been concerns on what this has to do with society and trackers. What if someone puts an Apple Airtag on you to track you?What then? CNN states, “You’ll get notified if you depart without an AirTag, which is helpful, as we’ve noted above. But also, if someone attaches or places on AirTag on you that is not registered to you, your iPhone (running iOS 14.5 or newer) will eventually spot it and send a notification to you.” So people don’t have to worry about being tracked.
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So people don’t have to worry about being tracked. So people if you have an iPhone always have the new software update so you don’t get tracked. We wouldn’t want that. This little tracker is 1.3 inches in diameter, and is black and white. It is visible if you put a keychain on it for a backpack.The accessories you will have to pay for. Roughly buying an accessory so you can put it somewhere and the Airtag is about $43. However, human beings who do not have an Apple Phone… you will not be able to use Apple Airtag. There are, however, different trackers that you can use for Androids or Samsungs. People recommend looking for Tile or Chipolo. The world is changing and technology is too! For the better. So we don’t lose things so easily, because I for one do that too much.
Posted 10/1/21 |
MummificationBy Madison McGee
Staff Writer There is an exhibit at the Natural History Museum of Utah called “Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs” showing until January 2022. I recently went and it was really interesting to see all the different artifacts that they had and to read about their life and culture. “Featuring more than 350 original artifacts, some more than 4,500 years old, Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs sheds new light on spheres of life along the fertile Nile Valley—from everyday people to their dynastic rulers. Detailed models of famed pyramids, temples and Egyptian homes, as well as extensive multimedia overlays, films, and interactives guide visitors through the fantasy and facts of ancient Egypt.” (https://nhmu.utah.edu/museum/exhibits/egypt-pharaohs) One of the exhibits was an actual mummy and a sarcophagus, and it made me wonder how the ancient Egyptians actually mummified people. It takes about seventy days to complete mummification. The first step of mummification was to remove all internal organs that would decay quickly. The brain was removed by putting up special hooked tools into the nostrils, which is a process called Excerebration. Abdominal and chest organs were cut out, however the heart was kept in the body because it was the core of the body and of intelligence. The stomach, intestines, lungs, and liver were kept in jars called canopic jars, which were buried with the body, and these jars protected those vital organs. The human head Imsety held the liver, the jackal head Duamutef held the stomach, the falcon head Qebehsenuef held the intestines, and the baboon head Hapy held the lungs. The next step was to remove all moisture from the body. They used natron, a type of salt that helped bring out moisture, and placed it all over inside and outside the body to dry it out. The body was fixed up with linen and other materials to make it look more life-like after the drying out process. Wrapping the body was the next step. Priests wrapped the body in layers of linen. Amulets were placed on the body to aid in the afterlife, and masks were also placed on the face in between layers of linen. After layers of wrapping and coats of resin, the mummy was complete. “But why preserve the body? The Egyptians believed that the mummified body was the home for this soul or spirit. If the body was destroyed, the spirit might be lost. The idea of "spirit" was complex involving really three spirits: the ka, ba, and akh. The ka, a "double" of the person, would remain in the tomb and needed the offerings and objects there. The ba, or "soul", was free to fly out of the tomb and return to it. And it was the akh, perhaps translated as "spirit", which had to travel through the Underworld to the Final Judgment and entrance to the Afterlife. To the Egyptian, all three were essential.” (https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/mummies) Posted 9/27 SpaceX Launches first all-civilian mission By Janica Stocking
Editorials editor Over the weekend, SpaceX was able to make history with its Inspiration4 mission. This mission lasted 3 days and was the first all-civilian flight in human history. While the mission was operated by SpaceX, Shift4 Payments CEO and billionaire, Jared Isaacman, funded the mission. Isaacman was given a seat on the flight and was given the title “commander.” The mission was part of an initiative supporting St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude’s treats and researches pediatric cancer and other terminal illnesses in children. The hospital costs approximately $2.8 million a day to run, but patients are not charged anything and are even given housing, food, and other necessities. Shift4 Payments donated and raised $150 million for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Center and Elon Musk pledged an additional $50 million. An additional $10 million was raised over the course of the mission’s duration. While the mission is an amazing breakthrough, the fundraising was deemed the most important part by Jared Isaacman. This flight, while similar to Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos’s missions just recently, has broken many boundaries that the other missions did not. SpaceX’s flight went much farther. It reached an altitude of 366 miles, which is higher than both the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. The mission was also able to achieve an orbital speed of over 17,000 miles per hour. The crew members of SpaceX represented a diverse range of professions compared to other space missions. The commander of the mission, Jared Isaacman, is a high school dropout and CEO of Shift4 Payments, but shockingly, not all of the members of the crew are billionaires. Hayley Arceneaux is a 29 year old physician assistant at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Sian Proctor is a 51 year old professor at a community college in Phoenix. The final member of the crew was 42 year old Christopher Sembroski, a data engineer based in Washington. The crew left Earth on Wednesday September 15, 2021 and splashed back down to Earth near the Floridian coast at around 7 o’ clock Saturday night. Posted 9/27 
CBS News
90% of Utah in extreme drought
Utah is very dry right nowBy Emma Johnson
Science and Tech Editor Water. The most important liquid on the planet. No living thing can survive without it. But what happens when there isn’t enough of it? Could there be long-lasting effects of a lack of water? In short, yes, and yes. Utah’s water supply is currently, to say the least, not great. Utah is one of 11 Western US states to be experiencing a severe drought this year. Let’s take a look at the facts. First off, what exactly is a drought? According to the national weather service, a drought is, “a period of abnormally dry weather sufficiently prolonged for the lack of water to cause serious hydrologic imbalance in the affected area." So, it’s when the land is so dry that there is a lack of the usual amount of water both in the air and in the ground. Obviously, drought will be different depending on the area. For example, the amount of water in the air in Utah would be considered a drought in Washington state, because Washington state has a higher amount of moisture in the air. Now, given that, Utah is most definitely in a water crisis. Utah will receive most of its water from precipitation, usually snow. In fact, almost all of Utah depends on the snowfall from the rocky mountains, given that most people in Utah live in the Salt Lake Valley. This year, the snowfall peaked (meaning it stopped) 10 days earlier than it should, says the Utah Division of Water Resources. The effects of drought are tragic and very, very bad for all of us. The main effect which is most likely one of the first things to come to mind is the effect on crops and plants. When there is no water in the ground, the plants can’t survive, and so they die. Farms can lose crops, houses can lose their gardens, etc. But that thing we probably don’t consider is the economic effect of drought. When a farmer loses their crops, that’s a lot of money down the drain. And what about businesses that rely on crops from farmers? They lose money when the crops fail as well. Imagine how much money is wasted, and how much more money is spent when the crops die. With more demand, but not enough supply, prices will shoot way up, and that leads all the way to you. So, drought is very bad. But what can we do? Conserve water! The future of our water supply is up to us. Posted 9/20/21 |
FUn Facts About mummification
Animals that have been mummified.
From Patient, to Physician’s Assistant, to Astronaut
Hayley Arceneaux, crew member, pediatric cancer survivor, and physician's assistant at St. Jude's Research Hospital.
By Janica Stocking
Editorials editor Hayley Arceneaux, one of the crew members of SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission, has a very personal connection with the mission and the fundraising mission associated with the launch. Arceneaux, a 29 year old physician’s assistant at St. Jude’s Research Hospital, was once a patient at St. Jude’s as a child. Ms. Arceneaux had to battle cancer as a child and received treatment and aid from St. Jude’s, the hospital that she now works for as a physician’s assistant. In an interview, she stated, “I think for my patients to see someone just like them and for other survivors to see somebody who's been through cancer going to space, I think it’s going to mean so much for them.” Posted 9/27 Please Conserve water myownwater.com
20 Ways to Conserve Water
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Augmented Reality: what is it?
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By Emma Johnson
Science and Tech editor 57 million people in the US used virtual reality in the year 2020. Virtual reality has become something most people are aware of, or at least have heard of, but what is it exactly? Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of an alternate world. Recently, technology companies have developed new versions of this called augmented reality. Augmented reality uses your smartphone camera to produce images based on your settings. It’s becoming more and more popular, and could potentially replace virtual reality. Augmented reality is more common than you might think. It’s already a part of almost every smartphone device. Ever played Pokemon Go? That’s a perfect example of augmented reality: using the things around to give you something fake to chase. It’s not just video games either, augmented reality is being used in professional fields. According to the Franklin Institute, some forms of augmented reality include things that neurosurgeons use to perform surgery, archaeologists and historians use at Pompeii to see ancient ruins, and things that project images on military pilots’ helmets. Those aren’t useful for everyone, of course, and they can be difficult to use, but it is extremely helpful in making new discoveries, and helping people learn. In fact, Pomona College ITS says that AR provides opportunities for collaborative problem solving and creativity in the classroom. As such, augmented reality is helpful in the modern world. Augmented reality isn’t just educational, it can also be fun. Recently, Northeastern University’s RISE program has been trying to develop an augmented reality escape room. Usually in an escape room the clues are hidden in areas such as a drawer, or in a specific book on the bookcase. However, an augmented reality escape room would require you to use your phone in order to find some, if not all, of the clues. That is more difficult to access than other forms of augmented reality, such as an app. There are so many augmented reality apps that you can buy on your smartphone: simulation games, shooter games, sports, strategy, puzzles, e.tc. As previously mentioned, Pokemon is perhaps the most well-known example of an augmented reality app. Conclusively, augmented reality can be both educational and fun. Go get those pokemon! Posted 9/14/21 |
Most Popular AR GAmes of 2021
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Image courtesy of the world wildlife fund.
rhinos being lifted out of endangerment and relocated away from poachers & trophy hunters
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By Emma Johnson
Science and Tech editor Now, what is going on in this picture? Contrary to what you might believe, they're not trying to hurt the rhino; they're trying to help it. A recent study conducted by Dr. Robin Radcliffe, senior lecturer in wildlife and conservation medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine, found that flying the rhinos this way is safer and better for their health. The question of how to transport animals, particularly larger animals, has always been a matter of debate. Not only is it complicated to find the best materials for transportation, but animals are hurt by prolonged travel, so it can be difficult to decide how to move them from place to place. Previously, researchers had flown rhinos on their sides, because they were worried the drugs they were using to knock them out for transportation would cause impaired breathing. According to Radcliffe, "These drugs are potent opioids- a thousand times more potent than morphine, with side effects that include respiratory depression, reduced oxygen in the blood, and higher metabolism." These side effects are dangerous when lifted, so researchers had always carried them on their sides in some kind of large vehicle, usually a truck. So, when confronted with this problem, the scientists did what scientists do best: they conducted an experiment. They tranquilized 12 rhinos, and transported each individual rhino both on its side and lifted by its ankles to see which position was most efficient. The data proved that this method was actually more comfortable for the rhinos; it improved their ventilation. Not only is this a great step forward in rhino conservation, but it could also be helpful in other issues. Elisa Allen, director of PETA says, "The results of this research must be used in tandem with other efforts, which include habitat protection, stronger laws to prevent trophy hunting and poaching, and adequate enforcement of these laws.” Knowing how to better transport the rhinos could very well save their lives from poachers and trophy hunters. These rhinos are especially susceptible to poaching, which is why it was so important to discover how to better transport them. After all, it would be counterproductive to remove them from a high poaching area only to have them become sick from the travel. To help the conservation of rhinos, visit sites such as https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjw4KyJBhAbEiwAaAQbE-LCMP-DMNE9-z5PLqlmIT6Bwzc0PhUBPMuh21Oj1wh7qoGBzjsUSRoCu4gQAvD_BwE Posted 8/28/21 |
African Rhinos-WWF
9 cool Facts About Rhinos1. There are 5 species of rhino. 2. Both black and white rhinos are actually grey. 3. Male Rhinos are called bulls. 4. Female rhinos are called cows. 5. A rhino horn is made from the same material as human fingernails. 6. Rhinos have poor vision. 7. They communicate through honks and sneezes. 8. They love mud. 9. Rhinos are endangered. 
Image courtesy of the world wildlife fund.
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COVID-19: WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW AND HOW DOES cchs FEEL ABOUT IT?
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BY MADISON MCGEE
STAFF WRITER Thousands of Americans are dying everyday from such a preventable disease: COVID-19. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19 The strand currently responsible for this outrageous number is called the Delta variant. It’s a mutated strand of COVID-19, and is currently the predominant strand affecting the United States. The Delta variant is 2x more contagious than previous strands of the virus. It spreads faster than earlier forms and leads to more severe symptoms and hospitalization. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019 “‘The results suggest that patients with the Delta variant had more than two times the risk of hospital admission compared with patients with the Alpha variant.’ researchers from Public Health England and the University of Cambridge wrote in their new study.” (https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/27/health/delta-covid-19 The vast majority of people who have been hospitalized are not vaccinated. Clearly there is some correlation. The vaccine helps protect against the virus and lessens symptoms from it. “If everyone is vaccinated, our rates of community transmission will decrease. This means that our hospitals and ICUs will have more space for non-Covid patients that need important medical treatments…” -Anonymous Junior at Corner Canyon. |
People who are not vaccinated are more vulnerable to getting the virus, and are therefore more likely to spread it around.
While fully vaccinated individuals can still get the variant, their symptoms will be incredibly less severe, and they’ll spread it for a shorter period of time than unvaccinated people. On August 23, 2021, the FDA approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 16 and up. This is an extremely important milestone in this pandemic, and it will help in the health and safety of our country. In an interview with TODAY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju_ySuTfLbM), Dr. Fauci explains the importance of this approval. He explained how 30% of eligible people said that they wanted to wait for the FDA to approve of the vaccine before getting fully vaccinated. He goes on to say that with the approval, places such as schools, companies, the military and other locations are now able to have a vaccine mandate. Pfizer is now also allowed to advertise more to help spread the word and get more people vaccinated. “If you pay attention to world events, you’ll know that citizens of other countries are racing for a shot. Their governments have to compete to buy doses of vaccine, and people are even willing to take leftover doses. I hope that more Americans |
recognize the privilege of being vaccinated.” -Anonymous Junior at Corner Canyon.
It’s important to take care of our community and to actually care about the health and safety of each other. According to health experts, the best that we can do is get vaccinated and continue to wear a mask. POSTED 9/8/21 TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT
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Cute animal video of the week
we want your blood
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HOSA BLOOD DRIVE:
Wednesday, September 8 9:00-2:00 pm In the atrium arupbloodservices.org enter sponsor code E014 |
DO NOT DONATE BLOOD IF YOU:
have cold or flu symptoms have taken antibiotics withing the past seven days have received a blood transfusion within the last 12 months |
