Illegal toxic waste spotted from space

Today's environmental detectives can use radar, helicopters and even satellite images to help them spot illegal toxic waste dumps and help to catch those responsible.
               
Ironically, the tightening of the restrictions on waste disposal and the enforcement of new recycling laws have made illegal dumping more likely, turning into big business for the criminals involved.

The trouble is digging up suspect dumps to investigate their contents can release toxins into local water supplies.

But with new remote sensing techniques, such as ground-penetrating radar you can find toxic trash without disturbing the soil.


By Ryan McDonnell and Jordan McCormick

Junior Cert Ecology Survey

2A4: Stephen, Saulius & Gary
Collecting Insect specimens from trees

1st & 2nd year students have just completed the practical aspect of their survey of the Lough Lannagh habitat. There was 2 sections to the project:

1. Qualitative Survey:

• Identify 5 plant and 5 animal species
• Assessing water quality by testing for pH, Oxygen content, Foam content &Temperature 
• Soil quality (pH, moisture content, humus content)

      2. Quantitative Survey of the plant and animal species by measuring the % frequency of species

      

Students worked in small groups of 3 to 4 to carry out the various tasks in the field. Groups then      collaborated in the lab to identify all species collected, take photographs and share data obtained. 

This project will form a significant portion of the students assessment this term as it directly covers objectives OB59 - OB63 of the Junior Certificate Science Syllabus. Check out the photographs taken by the students by clicking on the slideshow in the sidebar.

Junior Cert - Coursework B Titles

Biology: 

Carry out an investigation to study the anaerobic respiration of yeast with particular reference to:

(i) The change of temperature with time
(ii) The evolution of density with time

Chemistry:

Carry out an investigation to study the pH changes that take place when neutralisation reactions occur between two named acids and a named base.

Physics:

Investigate the factors that determine the force of friction between a wooden block and the surface on which it is resting.

Finding the inner you: Google's Body Browser!

"Google Maps and Google Earth already allow us to find our way across the planet. Now Google's latest innovation, the body browser, is designed to help you navigate your body! Whether you're looking to find nerves and neurons or travel from your oesophagus to your intestine, the Body Browser lets you zoom across the human body, through skin, muscle and bone, just as Google Maps lets you zoom in from continents to city streets"  

Djuke Veldhuis, contributor to New Scientist magazine.

This resource is sure to revolutionise the study of Human Anatomy and it's free of charge!

To try the Body Browser for yourself go to:
http://bodybrowser.googlelabs.com/  

Science News: Fetal genome mapped from mother's blood!

For the first time, a fetus has had its entire genome mapped from a sample of its mother's blood. This technical tour de force could open the door to new methods of prenatal genetic diagnosis of conditions like:

Down's Syndrome, Cystic fibrosis, Haemophilia, Rhesus disease and many more.

To find out more go to: http://www.newscientist.com

Life Electric: Bacteria that wire up to share energy!

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have evolved a very unusual colony of symbiotic bacteria. The bacteria, which belong to two different species, cannot live without each other and grow biological wires to share energy in the form of electrons.

"They can just wire themselves up to each other," says Derek Lovley, a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. "I think it's probably one of the most surprising things I've seen working in microbiology."

To read more go to: www.newscientist.com  

The Science of Snowflakes!

Since the country is covered in a blanket of the white stuff, why not follow the link below and discover the wonder and science behind the humble snowflake!

Starry Skies

Mayo Science Week Blog Competition

Congratulations to Barry Redmond Class 2A4 on winning the Science Week Blog Competition run by Mayo Education Centre!

Barry's post to the Mayo Education Centre Blog proved to be the most thought provoking to the thread "Do violent video games and television programs encourage people to become more violent?" His prize was a Sony Ericsson Android Smart Phone! Not bad for an evening's science homework!


To find out more about the Mayo Education Centre go to http://www.mayoeducationcentre.ie

Mayo Science & Technology Exhibition 2010 Photos and Report

The T.F. Royal Theatre was the venue for the Science & Technology Exhibition 2010.

Here is a sample of some of the exhibits on display. It was a great day's entertainment and education for all the family.

The Main Performances on the day were:
Supermarket Science
Recycle Magic with the Magician Marvin
Fun with Science
Life in your own backyard with Dale Treadwell
The Night Sky with Astronomy Ireland
Madlabs - electronics workshop
Space encounters - Planetarium
Teen Zone

There were many stands displayed by various organisations including:
The Defence Forces
An Guarda Siochana
Fort Wayne Metals
Ballinaboy Corrib Gas Project
Sligo Institute of Technology
Coca cola
Mayo County Library




More photos of the exhibition will be uploaded soon to the slideshow

Science Library

Books can now be requested by filling out the online form linked to this blog. The Science library is located in the Biology Lab (Mr. Daly's Room)

There are many interesting titles available including New Scientist magazines, Encyclopaedias, Revision texts, Topics such as: Astronomy, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Maths, DIY and much more.

When returning books you must give the book directly to Mr. Daly so he can check the book back in.