Bat Ears: Nature’s Hearing Aid

The results of echolocation help bats navigate the night skies.  It makes perfect sense that bats would need an extra ability to have the best hearing possible.  Since their ultrasonic pulses bounce off many different objects around them, bats need an ability to pick these sounds up from multiple areas. 

To do this, bats can change the outer structure of their ears within 1/10^th of a second; the blink of a human eye takes twice as long.  This was discovered by researchers at Virginia Tech with the ability of computer analysis.  The change improves the qualitative hearing of the bat, creating different “spotlights” which allow the bat to know much more about its surrounding area. 

Interested in teaching your students more about ecology? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Ecology – Bats: Creatures of the Night.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about ecology? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://io9.com/5859780/bats-can-instantly-change-the-shape-of-their-ears-just-to-hear-better

Impending Ecological Imbalance

White Nose Syndrome has been wreaking havoc on bats in the US since 2006.  Since its discovery by a caver in New York, WNS has rapidly spread through at least 18 states from New Hampshire to Tennessee, killing millions of bats.  Biologists are baffled by this highly-contagious condition, and have yet to find a method for preventing the spread, or a cure.  The result?  2.4 million pounds of bugs will be left unchecked, as bats are highly predatory of mosquitoes. 

This impending ecological imbalance poses a real threat to the U.S.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services are recommending closing caves in the Northern and Southern states to prevent the spread of WNS.  The federal government is stepping in with funds and guidelines to help prevent the spread of, and find a cause and cure for WNS.  Researchers are investigating anti-fungal drugs as a way of decontaminating caves.  In the meantime, many species of bats are in danger of the rapidly spreading WNS. 

Interested in teaching your students more about ecology? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Ecology – Bats: Creatures of the Night.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about ecology? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://www.topsecretwriters.com/2011/06/white-nose-syndrome-in-bats-may-mark-the-start-of-ecological-imbalance/

Biofuels Growing Rapidly in Popularity

Biofuels is a growing industry in the wake of a global warming epidemic.  While consumption of biofuels have risen 16-fold since 2000, and wind has risen eight-fold, hydroelectric power continues to dominate the alternative energy industry.  Holding at 31% of the alternative energy market, hydroelectric power has maintained its stance in the past few years. 

Renewable energy accounts for 8% of the U.S.’s energy production; wood makes up 25%, biofuels 23%, wind 11%, waste 6%, and geothermal 3%.   The Energy Department reports that technology is the reason for the growth of wind power, which rose from 6 billion kilowatt hours in 2000, to nearly 95 billion kilowatt hours in 2010.  Earlier this month, a Continental Airlines flight made history as the nation’s first biofuel-powered revenue generating passenger flight.  Alaska Airlines followed suit and launched a round of 75 biofuel-powered flights. 

Interested in teaching your students more about energy? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Energy – Transforming Renewable Resources Part 1 & 2.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about energy? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/11/biofuels-wind-power-show-gains.html

Hydroelectricity Lighting Up Malawi Village

Hydroelectric power is bringing light to a small village in southern Malawi, where 13,000 people live.  The village is isolated 3,000 meters above sea level, and 22km away from where the national grid leaves off.   The Mulanje Renewable Energy Agency provides access to renewable energy to rural areas, and will be constructing a micro hydroelectric power station. 

250 liters will be diverted into a 620-meter-long canal, and will then descend 300 meters to a powerhouse at the riverbank.  The project is not expected to affect water levels of the river.  Feasibility studies have estimated the river will generate 75 kilowatts of electricity.  This is enough to power 3,084 households in seven villages, two schools, a clinic, and two small business centers. 

Interested in teaching your students more about energy? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Energy – Transforming Renewable Resources Part 1 and 2.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about energy? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105840  

Seamless Feat of Bridge Engineering Turns 75

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge celebrated its 75^th anniversary this week.  At its opening, November 12, 1936, the bridge was the longest in the world.  To this day, it remains one of the busiest bridges in the world.   The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge spans 8.4 miles, and was the longest bridge ever attempted. 

Interestingly enough, the technology in 1933 was not capable of producing a single suspension bridge linking San Francisco and Oakland.  The bridge is actually two separate bridges kinked to a giant concrete anchor in the middle of the bay.  The 75 year old bridge’s connections are so seamless, most drivers hardly notice the anchorage. 

Interested in teaching your students more about Engineering? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Engineering – Bridges by Design.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about Engineering? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/12/MN421LQRN2.DTL