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What will the effects be on the Earth when the magnetic poles flip? Mrs Cook, age 48, Westfield School.

9/25/2016

 
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The liquid iron outer core of the Earth is in constant motion due to convecting heat and the rotation of the planet. This causes the magnetic field to move and shift around. Roughly every million years the magnetic field flips entirely about 4 or 5 times, so that the north and south poles swap places. The last one took place about 780,000 years ago during the Stone Age.

We see evidence for this in the new crust that is created between tectonic plates as they move apart. The mid-ocean ridge in the floor of the Atlantic Ocean shows many field reversals, with magnetic patterns in the hardened lava showing the history of the Earth’s magnetic field.

There seems to be a reduction in the magnetic field at present, suggesting that a reversal may take place in the next couple of thousand years. A reversal happens gradually and so would go largely unnoticed. There is no scientific consensus as to the effects that would be experienced. With the weaker magnetic field providing less protection to Earth, it is possible that the effects of the solar wind may be stronger. This might cause holes in the Earth’s ozone layer and increase the rates of skin cancer. However, the atmosphere would still provide considerable protection and so it is also possible that these effects may be minimal.

Some animals, such as pigeons, bees and whales, are thought to use the Earth’s magnetic field for navigation. It is therefore theoretically possible that they may become disorientated at this time. However, the slowness of the reversal may also mean that individuals are able to adapt.
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- Catherine Bell

Why do we have an equator and how did we find it? Louis, age 10, Westfield School.

9/25/2016

 
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Planets are roughly spherical because they form in a rotating dust cloud around a rotating, newly-forming star. Gravity pulls the material together as it collapses into a “ball”. The equator is an imaginary line around a planet, exactly half-way between the two poles. The rotation also causes a “bulge” to form at the equator so that the Earth is more of a slightly “squashed ball".

It is hard to say who first found the equator. Ancient Greeks and Polynesians who travelled by sea, navigating by the stars, would have been aware that the Earth was spherical. Christopher Columbus is often believed to have proven that the Earth was spherical rather than flat, but this appears to be a myth; the Earth was known to be spherical before his time.

- Catherine Bell.

Can you do x-rays in space? Ellis, age 10, Westfield School.

9/25/2016

 
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An X-ray machine is made up of a source of X-rays and a detector. When a doctor (or radiographer) makes an X-ray image of your body, X-rays are fired towards you. X-rays can pass through the soft tissues of your body to reach the detector but X-rays that hit your bones reflect and so do not hit the detector. Technically there’s no reason why this couldn’t happen in space. You’d need a power source (probably solar power), an X-ray source and a detector. And an astronaut in between!

As it happens there are lots of astrophysical sources of X-rays already in space, including our sun. The gravitational fields around, in particular, white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes are very strong and pull stellar material towards them. The material gets very hot and emits lots of X-rays, some of which have much more energy than the X-rays used in medical X-ray machines and would be damaging if fired at your body. 

There are also a fair few X-ray detectors in space at the moment. X-rays are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere and so astronomers need to use space telescopes to detect them. XMM, Chandra and Swift are three satellites with X-ray detectors that have been orbiting the Earth for over 10 years each, detecting X-rays from stars and galaxies and sending data back to astrophysicists on the ground. The data are analysed and provide lots of information about the stars and galaxies from which the X-rays came.
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- Catherine Bell.

Is it possible for the Sun to blow up and if so what could cause it? Tali, age 11, St. Paul's CE Primary. 

9/25/2016

 
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Dear Tali, Brad here. Thank you for your excellent science question. And a heavy one at that! The Sun has always mystified people, even back to the Egyptians. They called the Sun god ‘Ra’. And long before, the Sun is why we are here. Not too hot, not too cold, just right…
The Sun is a living thing, like all of us. It was born about 13.7 billion years ago and will live its life, then get older and eventually pass away.

The Sun is a nuclear furnace turing hydrogen into helium at a temperature of millions of degrees. Eventually, like a fire around a campsite, it will use up all its fuel and go out. Sometimes a star will fall in on itself and explode into a supernova. But our star probably isn't big enough for that, so chances are, in a few billion years, it will just start to go out. Get smaller. Make us colder. Much colder.

If you look on the internet about how to make a pinhole camera, a solar telescope, or a filter on glasses, you can experiment with safe ways of checking out the Sun - but only under strict supervision. It can be dangerous. With the correct filter, you can look directly at the sun. And it's amazing. You can buy special astronomy glasses for about £5. Very cool. Then you could bring them in, let your class have a go.
But you have summer in Hastings to look forward to. And a few billion summers to go. So don't let it get you down. Enjoy the sea and the Sun (wherever it was this week?!!!?!) and thank you for your excellent science question. St. Pauls is awesome. Be cool to your school. Thank you to Lucy for sending it, and we hope to see you again. 
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- Brad, Blast Science. 
P.S. Don’t forget about the free science events happening on the Pier this summer. First come first serve! Have fun, and ask good questions! That’s what a good scientist does.

What is your favourite science project and why? Kyle, Sundown Primary School.

9/25/2016

 
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Dear Kyle, Brad here from Blast Science. Thanks for writing in, and thanks to your Dad for helping to send it. I had an awesome day at Sandown. You guys were full of energy and a great audience. Thank you.
Now, to your excellent question. Science project? I used to work at London's Science Museum, as a member of a science gang called Punk Science. We travelled all over the UK and Europe doing crazy fun dangerous science performances. We did a bit of TV, radio… a few kids books, and even met the Queen! It was awesome.

One time, to demonstrate non Newtonian fluids, I rented a cement mixer. We filled it with cornflour and water and mixed up this goo that acts very strange. We filled a small swimming pool with this messy stuff, and ran over it barefoot!!!

If you stop, you sink. If you continue to apply pressure, it stays solid. You can make it using cornflour or custard powder and a little water. Mix it in a small bowl. Then give it a punch. Solid!?! Then try to pick it up. Gooey!!!?! It's crazy. But it's also a great demonstration of material sciences.

Good luck with your schooling, and your excellent question asking. And keep up the good work at Sandown, Kyle.
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​- Brad, Blast Science.

How much heat does Mars absorb?  Daisy, age 8, St Paul's Primary School CE.

9/25/2016

 
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Hey Daisy. What a unique and interesting question. Thanks for writing in. My guess, in a nutshell - in response to the answer to your question is… Not much.

If you remember the sentence to help you remember the order of the planets from the sun, you'll remember Mars is one planet further down the line from us. So... Mars gets about 40% less sunlight than Earth does. So how much heat does Mars absorb? Very little. A cold, red, lifeless rock of rust. But an amazing planet, named after the ancient God of War. 

Scientists think Mars may have been a more living, active planet, a billion or so years ago. With rivers, lakes and seas. And this time of year is an excellent time to see Mars, with your own eyes, floating in the southern sky. A large red "star" that doesn't twinkle, clear sign of planetary behaviour.
I hope you enjoyed our visit to St Paul's, a fantastic school and always a treat for us. Blast Science are doing a series of free science shows on the Pier this summer. Check it out with your family.
And I hope you continue to be an inquisitive scientist. And have a fantastic summer.

- Brad, Blast Science.

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Hello Daisy. Quick answer : very little.
Long answer: 
Mars is much colder than Earth, not only because it’s farther from the Sun but because its thinner atmosphere does not support a strong greenhouse effect. When visible light from the sun strikes the surface of Mars, it’s absorbed and converted to heat. The planet re-radiates some of this heat into space in the form of infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases such as CO2 are transparent to visible light but absorb strongly in the infrared part of the light spectrum. The gases act as a blanket that traps the heat and raises the temperature. This effect is similar to greenhouse glass, which keeps the air warm inside.
The Martian atmosphere is more than 95 percent CO2 by volume. The remaining gases are a mixture of nitrogen, argon, oxygen and carbon monoxide. CO2 is a potent greenhouse gas, so Mars does have a greenhouse effect. But it is very weak because the Martian atmosphere is so thin -- 100 times less dense than the Earth’s atmosphere.

Some scientists have speculated that Mars once had a stronger greenhouse effect. In 1971, for example, data from the Mariner 9 spacecraft showed that the surface temperature on Mars increased significantly during a dust storm, which temporarily trapped more heat near the planet’s surface. Astronomer Carl Sagan pointed out that under the right conditions, a sufficient increase in surface temperature would melt the Martian polar ice caps. This was possible because Martian clouds are made of frozen CO2. When heated sufficiently, the CO2 would thicken the atmosphere and contribute to further warming. Sagan and other astronomers speculated that events of this kind might have occurred earlier in the Red Planet’s history.

Currently, the greenhouse effect on Mars is very weak. However, some scientists wonder whether it is possible to make Mars more habitable by thickening its atmosphere. This approach, they say, might create a stronger greenhouse effect and make Mars a warmer planet. Because it’s not clear how much CO2 the Martian polar caps contain, scientists aren’t sure how much additional CO2 would be needed to warm the Martian surface. Other possibilities include adding different greenhouse gases such as perfluorocarbons (PFCs) to the atmosphere.
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- Alex Nicholls.

What radiation does an x-ray use and why does it work? Jack, age 10, Westfield School.

9/25/2016

 
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X-ray. Amazing stuff, dude. X-rays saved my life, twice. An x-ray changed medicine forever. Finally, we could look inside without cutting anyone open!  X-rays are not great for you. Like two days on a sunny beach with no sunscreen. But the benefits FAR outweighs the risk.

Wilhelm Röntgen was the first to get x-ray right. X-ray is electromagnetic radiation. Its wavelength is shorter than UV, sunlight. But longer than gamma ray, visible light.

Individual x-ray particles are fired through the body out of a quiet looking machine. It's painless and has no real side effects. Only a moment of exposure is required. It makes a recorded image on the other side. Bone, denser than muscle and skin, appears darker.

Being an X-ray Technician is a serious profession. Helping people who are broken and sick is a great responsibility, and learning to read x-rays are a real skill. Look up x-ray images online. Learn the names of all your bones. Get yourself a good job.

A friend told me that fractures have tripled at Conquest since The Source BMX skate park opened. We might need you sooner than you think, Dr Jack!
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- Brad, Blast Science.

Why do people from different countries have different accents? Kaytlin, age 10, Westfield School.

9/25/2016

 
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Good question. Every time I open my big mouth over here, everyone knows I'm a Yankee. 14 years I've lived among you nice folks. I grew up near NYC, and I've learned one thing: just because we both speak English doesn't mean I have any idea what you are talking about sometimes, and vice versa.

You inherit an accent from the people around you. You are not born with an accent. You learn to speak in the place you live. When you learn another language, you filter it through your native one. When I go back home, people say my accent has changed, and that I use different words. I do. And I have. Because where I live and where I learned to speak are two different places.

The best way to learn new things, meet new people and try new things is to go places. The world out there is a fascinating place. Culture, language, religion, history, style, weather, geography, music… all there in the world around you. And by traveling you learn two things at once: about others, and about yourself. Bonus.
Why is everyone different? It may seem that way… buuuuuut they aren't. Scientifically, you are 99.9℅ identical to every other human being on this planet. Your DNA is unique, but very similar. You share 99℅ of your DNA with primates. And 50℅ DNA with a cabbage. Hmm.

Weather, culture, and hereditary traits might make some hair curlier, redder or thicker... skin lighter or darker, or eyes rounder or more almond shaped. But your brain, heart lungs, eyes, hands, feet, tongue and sense of self are exactly the same as every other human. 
Now… your style, persona, voice and vibe - on the other hand, make you unique. So focus on that. That's what I do.
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- Brad, Blast Science.

How is metal made?  Ave Marie, age 10, Westfield School.

9/25/2016

 
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Metal? Ask Ozzy Osbourne! That’s a joke, but he did help invent heavy metal music. Heavy metal as a material though changed the course of history for human beings on Earth. We used to live in a thing called a stone age and made stuff from things we could readily find: bone, stone, skins, wood… But it wasn’t very good for making big things, or precise things.

Slowly, people started to experiment with materials found in the ground and in caves. Chemistry comes from the Arabic “Al Khemia”, meaning alchemy: to cast together. Gold, copper, tin… they are all taken from the ground using mines, and it's unpleasant work for those who toil in them. Hope you never work in a mine!
People started experimenting with alloys, which are combinations of metals. We moved away from an age of stone, and moved onto bronze. Lovely, shiny… but still not beefy enough. Then we reached the age of iron.
48 of the 117 elements on the periodic table are metals. Of all of them, iron, mined from iron in the ground, right here in Sussex, was a game changer. We started making buildings, trains, tanks, bridges, water pipes, cars, and the industrial revolution was born.

And we never looked back. Now we use steel, and other heavy metals to make big stuff.  Read up on the industrial revolution; people like Brunel, Stevenson, Whitney and the men who used iron to shape the future. Then have a think about how you might like to shape your future. And get busy. Thanks for your question. 
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- Brad, Blast Science.

Abel age 7, St Richards School QU: How is cornflour a solid & a liquid?

9/16/2016

 
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Hi Abel – great question. We showed you the non-Newtonian substance made of custard and powder and water in the Wizard Science Show we did in your brilliant school – so great you want to know more!

A solid as we discussed is made up of molecules that are tightly packed together. A liquid is made up of meolecules that are further apart and can move around more easily and take the shape of what they are in.
The molecules in cornflour (or custard powder that is made of cornflour) can move very close together when they are squashed and act like a solid. When you let go, the molecules move apart and start acting like a liquid which is why the substance can then fall through your fingers. So it is really both a solid and a liquid at the same time! If you fill a whole swimming pool (or even a paddling pool) with cornflour and water you can then walk across the top of it – the pressure of your feet pushing down keeps it solid under your feet. However if you stop walking, the molecules move apart and you sink (like quick sand!). There is a fantastic youtube video showing this, where Richard Hammond from Brainiac walks on custard. Check it out below!

Thanks for your brilliant question, stay curious and see you soon!!
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- Lydia from Blast Science
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    Please email us with your questions!!
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    VID 3: What is your favourite experiment?

    Our team of Scientists...

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    Lydia Samuel  
    As Director
     of Blast Science and a Primary Science Teacher for more than 15 years, Lydia has answered unending questions about Science from hundreds of children for over a decade and has a wealth of Primary Science classroom experience. She has a particular passion for Wizard Science, Chocolate Science and all things Gross!
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    Tom Holloway
    ​is a Primary Science Teacher and Space Enthusiast. Alongside being a full time teacher he runs Star Gazing evenings, is a Science Advisor, has established a Darwin Garden in his school in Caterham and won Primary Science Teacher of the Year in 2013/14. Watch the video here!
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    Steve Evans
    ​has recently joined Blast Science as a performer after working for several years at Herstmonceux Observatory. He knows a huge amount about physics, chemistry, space and.... Star Wars! So can answer all your intergalactic questions..
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    Keita Lynch 
    has helped Sussex 'stay curious' by coordinating the Brighton Science Festival for three years.  She's passionate about sharing science in simple 
    and engaging ways; without all the big words. 
    Keita's also a keen supporter of campaigns 
    like Let Toys Be Toys that encourage toy makers and retailers to stop limiting children's imagination by branding things for 'girls' or 'boys'. Astronaut suits and dinosaurs for all!
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    Dr Sarah Newnham
    I am 26 and have a degree and PhD in biochemistry. I enjoy learning new things and have spent 7 years at university studying and experimenting with molecules and microorganisms. I mainly like to play with bacteria and get them to do new things and produce different chemicals.  I also enjoy helping with Science projects in schools and enthusing children about my subject.
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    Dr Matt Edwards 
    Dr Matt decided to become a doctor when he ran out  of his own scabs to pick. He used to work in Accident and Emergency in Brighton,  pulling broken bones back into place and sewing up cuts. He now works in Brisbane, Australia as a Family doctor. This involves cutting out lots of funny lumps and sticking his fingers in every hole that people have. In his time he has been covered in every body juice you can think of, and once juggled with three hearts. Ask him anything about bodies and Gross Science.
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    Jonathan Brown 
    (Engineer at Ricardo) Had a strange fascination with all things mechanical from an early age and would often spend time 'fixing' his Dad's car without telling his Dad first. Rarely did it end happily, so of course he decided to continue this into a career than now spans almost 2 decades of designing engines for big names the world over. Having studied Mechanical Engineering at university he has been working since at a world leading technology consultancy, principally creating models and simulations of engines big and small for everyone from McLaren to Volvo. These days you're as likely to find him on a ship or looking at a tidal turbine, but it's still engines that keep him running.
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    Ivan Teage
    Ivan is a experienced all-round scientist. He studied astrophysics after a childhood of being obsessed with going to the moon, and now works at the Natural History Museum in London using technology to explain Science to young and old audiences. Ivan is interested in the science of music and is keen to help people understand the natural world, how it works, and what it has to offer. He is looking forward to your questions about nature, space, music, sound & the meaning of life.
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    Alex Nicholls
    With A-levels in Pure Maths, Applied Maths, Physics and Chemistry he went to Uni to read Nuclear Physics, but in the end switched to Law. He nevertheless retained a great interest in Science and has an encyclopedic general knowledge about nearly everything. Alex is also the linchpin of the Blast Science props dept but helps out answering complicated questions about Science for light relief from complicated carpentry. 

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