2010 Siemens National Science Fair Champions

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/magazine/mag-27science-t.html?_r=1&ref=science

Given the opportunity to compete at a high level, would you give it a shot?

This interactive game demonstrates how computers can 'learn.'

Play the game with the computer on 'Novice' mode to have the computer learn how to play rock, paper, scissors from scratch.

Then, play the game on 'veteran' mode, to allow the computer to search a database of past experiences and use that knowledge against you.

Play 15 rounds in each and report your score in the comments section!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/science/rock-paper-scissors.html?ref=science

Similar to how salmon navigate the oceans and find the same river, out of thousands, that they were born in...

Navigational ‘Magic’ of Sea Turtles Explained | Wired Science | Wired.com


Can you think of any other species that accomplish incredible things that seem to defy explanation?

IBM Supercomputers have beaten the greatest chess players on Earth, once in a while.

Now, they've built one to conquer JEOPARDY! 

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/02/watson-jeopardy/

Named WATSON, after the Sherlock Holmes' character, this computer can read text and give answers in lightning speed.  This computer is going to play against the two best JEOPARDY contestants ever, tonight!  What do you think?  Is this either: cool, awesome, scary, terrifying, weird or shocking?  Why?


For some context,  here is a a video clip that explains it.

The jungles of Earth are sometimes so thick and remote that explorers have not penetrated into the deepest, darkest reaches of them.  Within the inner-most areas of these isolated and dense jungles, tribes of humans live as they have for thousands of years, having never been contacted by the outside world!

There are a few dozen tribes of people who have never been contacted by the outside world.  They are documented using airplanes, the locations of their villages are mapped and the forests around them are deemed "off limits" to logging and hunting to preserve the people's way of life.

A previously unknown tribe in the rain forests of Western Brazil has been photographed using an airplane for the first time.  Logging companies are already too-close for comfort to the tribe's villages.

Should this tribe be contacted or left alone?

Read this article.  At the end of each short section of paragraphs, click on the 'next' button to take you through the slide-show of pictures and explaining text.  In some of the photos, you can see the villagers pointing at the plane with looks of curiosity on their faces.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/02/uncontacted-tribe/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wiredscience+%28Blog+-+Wired+Science%29%2Ffeed%2F&pid=957&viewall=true

Take a look at this short list of species that some scientists think should be listed as endangered.  Which of them do you think deserves protection right away?  Are there any that you think do not deserve protection?


http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/01/endangered-species-battles/

National Geographic Magazine is hosting the 2010 Photography Contest.Browse these 47 images on this link and give us your top three in the comments section.
I will tally the votes at the end and we'll see which ones win first, second and third prize.


After you comment, feel free to explore the Nat Geo photography website itself.  It is a great resource.



National Geographic's Photography Contest 2010 - The Big Picture - Boston.com




Mr. Erdosy's Choices:
#1:  Photo 2, the Supercell Thunderstorm
#2: Photo 24, incredible exposure shot of a ridge road at night.
#3: Photo 41, very cool!

You and I share recent common ancestors with chimpanzees.  We share more distant common ancestors with monkeys.  We share still more distance common ancestors with lions, crocodiles, octopi and palm trees.


Our task for the next few weeks to wrap our heads around this startling truth.


There will be many things in this video that you will scratch your head at in confusion.  Darwin?  Who is that guy?  What did he do?  What is natural selection? 


Hopefully, we will begin to understand why the 'secrets of evolution are Time and Death.'  


We will examine "the unbroken thread that stretches from those first cells, to us."


In these few weeks, we will work to understand how and why organisms change over time.


What are some questions you have surrounding this complex but fundamental issue?

...but there are many, many types of cells that do specialized things.

Using Google, look up some of the differences between Plant and Animal cells.  List as many as you can find.


You're comments will not show up until I have read them first, so do not worry if they do not automatically appear.

From left to right, this is a picture of a red blood cell, a platelet, and a white blood cell.  What do you already know about cells?  What do you want to learn about cells?  Based on what you do already know about cells, is there anything that you find totally fascinating?