A team of researchers who just finished analyzing 20 years of data from locales around Los Angeles said that particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter poses the greatest risk of causing early death as it can penetrate deep into the lungs and sometimes even enter the bloodstream. Such particles are often found in smoke, vehicle…

Although previous studies have found a decline in health-care use during major sporting events, the Children's Hospital Boston researchers are the first to quantify the magnitude of the events--using television Nielsen ratings--showing that the bigger or more suspenseful the event, the quieter the emergency department. Borrowing data from a…

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the National Center for Atmospheric Research say the number of category 4 and 5 hurricanes (called typhoons or cyclones in other parts of the world) worldwide has nearly doubled over the past 35 years. The North Atlantic appears to be the area worst affected. Category 4 and 5 hurricanes have…

While the goal of science education used to be to produce more scientists, that goal has changed with the introduction of the National Science Education Standards (NSES) (NRC 1996). Society has recognized that it is essential for everyone, regardless of vocation, to understand the fundamentals of science and technology. The phrase that has come to…

Active engagement in the classroom is one of the best tools available for overcoming conceptual difficulties. Science educators agree that students of all ages learn more by participating actively in the interpretation of scientific phenomena (NAS 2003; NSF 1998). In this article, the authors describe demonstrations in class using paper wads as an…

Although electronic instructional media are becoming increasingly prevalent in science classrooms, their worth remains unproven. Here, student perceptions and performance using CD-ROM delivery of lab materials are assessed. Numerous learning barriers that produced lower lab grades for students using a CD-ROM lab manual in comparison to a print…

Lab reports are the dreaded assignments of the laboratory course. Students dislike them, because they can be tedious and time-consuming. Instructors dislike them, because they significantly increase the grading load. For this reason, lab reports are often omitted or replaced by alternatives such as responses to lab questions, fill-in-the-blank lab…

The gradual, ongoing transformation of a large general education astronomy class is presented. Emphasis is on student reaction to and academic impact of changes in the teaching/learning environment introduced over a five-year period. In-class, cooperative, and small group exercises are discussed, along with web-based materials and Just-in-Time…

There have been many systematic approaches to solving the problem of how to make science courses interesting to students. One that is currently receiving attention in the sciences is the use of civic engagement within the classroom. This approach works well in small enrollment courses, but it is logistically difficult to implement in large…

MOS, or Minds-On-Science, is the foundation of conducting educationally valuable science demonstrations. It is a teaching strategy equally effective as hands-on-learning. Plus, it proves much more effective at reinforcing abstract science concepts than traditional lectures, readings, and audiovisual presentations. Adding MOS to a demonstration…

Graves (2005) suggested that academic freedom might impede efforts to improve institutional performance and achieve the goals set for learning outcomes, cost efficiency, and preparing students for the workplace. The author's initial response to threats to academic freedom and calls for efficiency is to bristle, because he views these as threats to…

Every time an English professor assigns a novel, poem, or play for a class to analyze, he or she is using the case study method. Why shouldn't scientists do the same? They don't always have to write their own material. After all, there are some pretty good writers out there, and some of them actually slip a lot of science into the nooks and…

On the first day of classes, 81% of students in an introductory biology course claimed that they would submit extra-credit work if given the opportunity. When given two chances for extra-credit work, fewer than one-fourth of students submitted one or both assignments. Students who submitted extra-credit work were more likely to attend class,…

Scientists have shown that a genetic element on one chromosome may direct gene activity on another. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers report that a multitasking master-control region appears to over-see both a set of its own genes and a related gene on a nearby chromosome. The findings reinforce the growing importance of location…

This brief article describes a new global wind-power map that has quantified global wind power and may help planners place turbines in locations that can maximize power from the winds and provide widely available low-cost energy. The researchers report that their study can assist in locating wind farms in regions known for strong and consistent…