Awesome DIY Science Projects Must-Try

One of the most memorable moments in a kid’s life in school is when they did their first science projects. For most kids, that was their first hands-on experience with various scientific materials. But the learning does not end inside a school, as you can create your own DIY project ideas from the comfort of your own home. To get you started, here are some awesome DIY science projects you should try. Before trying these, it is important to have adult supervision during these projects for safety purposes.

Indoor rain experiment

Photo Courtesy: icanteachmychild.com

Ever wondered how clouds produce rain? Then this simple experiment can help you figure it out. For this experiment, you’ll need some hot water (adult supervision is needed), ice cubes, a mason jar, and a plate. To begin, pour some hot water inside the mason jar, the next step is to put a plate over the jar and place the ice cubes. The warm heat from the jar would make the ice cubes melt and cause condensation, which simulates rain.

Giant Gummy Bear Experiment

Photo Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org/

Another quick and simple experiment you can do with your kids. This nice experiment about absorption just needs a pack of gummy bears, and a jar of water. Drop in the gummy bear into the jar, and wait for a few minutes. The gummy bear will absorb the water and expand accordingly.

Homemade Hovercraft

Photo Courtesy: restlessmindboosters.blogspot.com

Ever wondered how hovercrafts work? This experiment would show you how hovercrafts float over the surface using simple materials you can find at home. All you need is a balloon, a CD, a push-up bottle cap, and some superglue. Attach the bottle cap on the CD using superglue, and then put the inflated balloon on the bottle cap. Once the balloon is attached, place your hovercraft on a flat surface, and see the whole thing hovers due to the slowly escaping balloon air.

Tornado in a Jar

This nifty little experiment shows you how a tornado looks like, and how it works. All you need is a mason jar, some water, and dishwashing detergent. Fill the mason jar with water until its almost full, and add drops of dishwashing detergent. Shake the jar hard, and then place on the table. When done right, you would be able to see a funnel shaped vortex inside your jar.

Shoebox Plant Maze

Photo Courtesy: room3puketeschool.blogspot.com

This is a fun and fascinating experiment which shows how plants always seek out sunlight. All you need is a shoebox, a few pieces of cardboard, a pair of scissors, some adhesives, and a bean plant.

To begin, add the pieces of cardboard to create your maze, and then put a hole on one end. Place the bean plant at the end of the maze and close the shoebox. Wait for a few days, and then open the box. You’ll notice that the plant’s stem would stretch and grow to reach the other end of the shoebox to get sunlight.

Here are some simple and fascinating science projects you can do at home with simple household materials. Not only are these experiments you can do outside of the school, but also a fun experience with your friends and family.

12 Fascinating Facts about Caffeine

Today, we’re going to step away from the job world a little bit to take a look at something that most of us engage with every day. Now, drugs are bad, mmkay, but this one is vital to American and global productivity and happiness.

No, it’s not alcohol. Come on guys…

It’s caffeine. A little white crystal that makes the world go round.

While you drink your coffee, tea, or double triple mocha frappa macchiato, take a look at this list of 12 caffeine facts.

Fact #1: Caffeine looks really pretty. Whether you’re a chemist or a casual consumer, you can’t deny the attractive shape of the molecule. 

Fact #2: Not only is the chemical structure pretty, the image of it under an electron microscope is breathtaking.

Fact #3: Caffeine is very fast acting, moving into the brain as quickly as ten minutes. Although, it probably would be faster if you just mainlined it into your veins.

IV Drip - Intravenous Drug

Fact #4: Caffeine stays in the body for up to 7 hours. This can increase in pregnant women, up to 10.5 hours.

Fact #5: Caffeine can kill you. Before you drink that tenth cup o’ joe, maybe just read this. About 5 grams of caffeine (about 30 to 50 cups of coffee) can cause seizures and heart fibrillation (that’s bad, mmkay?).

Fact #6: Caffeine withdrawal is a recognized mental health condition. You probably won’t be able to get Xanax with it, but your doctor might give you acetaminophen (that’s Tylenol by the way) for the headaches.

Pills

Fact #7: Caffeine acts on your brain. I won’t bore you with the neurochemical details, but basically it blocks a chemical thought to promote sleep and suppress arousal called adenosine.

Fact #8: There are better times to drink coffee than others. It basically has a lot to do with the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body and how they cycle. Peak times to drink coffee? 9:30-11:30 am and then again from 1:30-5:00 pm.

Fact #9: Caffeine is good for maximum gains, bro. Due to caffeine’s focusing effect and the quick energy boost, Dr. Michael Duncan, an exercise expert, says that your workout can be more efficient after about two cups.

Shotput

Fact #10: According to Dr. Peter Martin, caffeine addiction isn’t a real thing. Dr. Martin is an expert on addiction at Vanderbilt (evidently, they have a literal Institute of Coffee Studies) and says that caffeine addiction is “minor-league stuff” when compared to hardcore drugs.

Fact #11: Caffeine in the form of coffee can actually extend your life. This is due more to the other chemicals in coffee, such as antioxidants, but hey! Enjoy that caffeine too! 

Fact #12: Caffeine can help improve the efficiency of painkillers. Remember how I mentioned acetaminophen? Caffeine can help that chemical out, meaning you have to take fewer pills. There is also some evidence that caffeine itself has painkilling qualities.

Pretty cool stuff. A few of these may even come to mind the next time you take a drink of coffee.

What’s that? You’re mid-sip?

Huh, so am I.

-z

6 Surprising Health Benefits of Eating Chocolate [Infographic]

Chocolate is favorite of many of us but very few of us are aware of the amazing health benefits that are associated with eating chocolate. There are a plenty of benefits of eating chocolate in a small amount. Daily consumption of chocolate in small amount can lower the risks of diabetes and reduction in heart diseases. Not only this but apart from this eating chocolate make one physically more active. There is much more to explore in the infographic below created by the team at I Got Crazy a place for cool stuff online. So, have a look at the infographic below and share your views with us.

6-Surprising-Health-Benefits-of-Eating-Chocolate-An-Infographic

Why BIC cap has a hole on the top ? To save lives!!

Everyone’s familiar with these ballpoint pens. But very few people have ever really thought about why the cap has a hole on top of it.

In 1991, the BIC company presented the world with a new design solution for its pens which remained completely unnoticed by the majority of people: there was now a small hole in the top of the cap of their extremely popular Cristal Pen.

Many people paid no attention to this innovation. Yet at the same time, the decision to adopt this design has saved the lives of a large number of children. More than a hundred children, to be precise. As well as a slightly smaller number of adults. Every year.

Small children love to taste all kinds of objects which fall into their hands, especially small ones which they can fit whole in their mouths. Adults, on the other hand, love to chew on the cap of a pen when they’re concentrating intensely, or when nervous. A pen cap can very easily get lodged in a person’s windpipe, causing them to choke. In such situations, that little hole in the cap helps a person get enough oxygen whilst the ambulance is on its way.

BIC’s decision to adopt the design solution was backed by all the other large manufacturers of pens, whilst the the British Standards Institution produced an amendment into its existing recommendations for this particular item’s production and use.

source

Earth Hour Satruday, March 23 2013 at 8:30 PM – 9:30PM

 Earth Hour is a worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and held towards the end of March annually, encouraging households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change. The event, conceived by WWF and Leo Burnett, first took place in 2007, when 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights. Following Sydney’s lead, many other cities around the world adopted the event in 2008. Earth Hour 2013 will be held on March 23, 2013 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. during participants’ local time. Continue reading “Earth Hour Satruday, March 23 2013 at 8:30 PM – 9:30PM”