There are many tools used to measure many different types of data sets. Thermometers give us various temperatures, odometers measure distance, and so on. Every now and then a new tool has to be created to gauge a new set of data. That is exactly what has just recently happened. So, what is a hedonometer? Listen to this Question Your World radio report produced by the Science Museum of Virginia to find out.
In this second installment of our Black History Month series honoring black scientists and inventors, we’d like to bring it home to our own state of Virginia. We have James Edward Maceo West to thank for the mechanics used in more than 90 percent of modern microphones.
Humanity has used science to answer a lot of questions about the future. First we figured out the lunar cycles and predicted tides. Soon after we were predicting seasons and growth rates of crops. Then we looked out into the cosmos and learned how to predict the motions of celestial objects near and far. We even have figured out predictions of population growth, technological progress, and beyond. How about something more personal though? Can science predict your longevity? Do you want to know how long you will live?
February is a great time to start thinking about your child’s summer plans. There are so many fantastic summer STEM programs in our community and we want you to know about them. To assist you with your research, Science Matters will feature some of the excellent STEM summer programs in Central Virginia.
Here at Science Matters, we hesitate to confine black history to a month. In fact, we strive to bring stories of scientists of all racial and cultural groups to the forefront as we pursue learning in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines. However, we would like to take the opportunity this February to acknowledge and highlight achievements by black Americans, as society often did not value their genius.
Sometimes great ideas are born before they world is ready for them. The story of the electric car battery would be a great example of that exact occurrence. Currently we live in a world that is about to usher in many more electric cars in the very near future. So, what was the first electric car battery? Listen to this Question Your World radio report produced by the Science Museum of Virginia to learn more.
