Terrifying Speed

 According to Wikipedia, the fastest roller coaster in the world is called Formula Rossa. It’s in Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, and it reaches a speed of 240km/hour. 

 Picture by Jazon88  🅒Copyright CCBY-SA 3.0

Definitely too frightening a ride for me. There’s speculation and some research suggesting that the DRD4 gene, which has an effect on dopamine receptors, influences thrill-seeking behaviours. It seems clear to me that I don’t have that gene.

But there’s a faster ride than Formula Rossa, right here in Toronto. More than four times as fast. This one travels in a circle, at a speed of over 1,100 km/hour. Unlike the Formula Rossa, this ride has no height restrictions, doesn’t require a seat belt and is free. And we’re not afraid of this one. In fact we’re all already on it. As you may have guessed: we're all rotating at that speed around the axis of the earth. At the equator they're going even faster. Their speed is over 1,650 km/hour.

That speed is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The earth is traveling around the sun at 107,000 km/hour. Along with the sun, we’re moving towards other stars at 74,000 km/hour. As part of the milky way galaxy we’re spinning at 885,000 km/hour. Our galaxy is moving towards the Andromeda galaxy at 405,000 km/hour; and also towards the Hydra galaxy at around 2 million km/hour!

So the question is: why does a piddly speed of 240 km/hour scare the heck out of me, while I don’t even notice a speed of millions of km/hour. The answer – thank you Professor Einstein – is that speed is relative. I can’t actually tell if I’m whizzing around at a million km/hour, or if I’m sitting still and the universe is whizzing around me. 

What does make a difference is acceleration. I can tell – thank you Professor Newton – when a force is acting on me and changing my velocity.So when the back of my seat on Formula Rosso punches me in the back and accelerates me from 0 to 240 km/hour in under 5 seconds, I know all about it.

And that’s why I won’t set foot on Formula Rosso!

CRISPR and Kids

 by Yolanda Ridge

CRISPR and KIDS

When I say my new book is about CRISPR, most people look confused. Going on to explain that CRISPR is a biotechnology used to edit DNA doesn’t help much. Sometimes, people make reference to GMOS—which are not quite the same—but mostly it’s just:

The first two chapters of CRISPR: A Powerful Way to Change DNA  aim to clear up this confusion. The first chapter provides an overview on chromosomes, genes and DNA. This information’s targeted at 10^th grade readers to tie in with the high school curriculum. Chapter two gets into detail about how gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 actually works.

The rest of the book explores the potential applications of CRISPR technology. I ask a lot of questions and encourage readers of all ages to consider the pros and cons of gene editing on everything from mosquitoes to potatoes to humans. To give readers a preview of this, I wrote a set of articles on how CRISPR can be used to change:

Coffee

Cats

Vision

Space Travel

Coronavirus

Before writing CRISPR: A Powerful Way to Change DNA, I didn’t know much about gene editing despite my background in genetics. I hadn’t given much thought to how CRISPR could be used, how it should be used, or how it should be regulated either.

My opinions are still mixed on this. But one thing is clear to me: it’s important that we all understand just how much CRISPR has the power to change… everything.

Yolanda Ridge is a middle grade author and science writer from Rossland, BC. Visit her website at www.yolandaridge.com to find out more.

Photo credits:

Confused Smiley Clipart by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay

Geocaching - A Fun Way to Enjoy the Outdoors

by Margriet Ruurs

Geocaching - A Fun Way to Enjoy the Outdoors

What is geocaching?

Geocaching can be called a worldwide treasure hunt where you use a GPS to search for hidden objects. It’s a fun and exciting way to enjoy the great outdoors. Geocaching combines the sport of walking with the excitement of discovering treasure. ‘Geo’ means ‘earth’ and ‘cache’ means ‘hidden’ in French.

Nico is 10 years old and an avid geocacher. “Geocaching has taught me all about navigating with maps, how to use GPS and coordinates,” he says, “I’ve become a better hiker and better at spotting things because of it.”

This sport will get you outdoors and actively walking, whether it is in a city or in a forest.

The easiest way to get started is to go to the website:

https://www.geocaching.com/play

You can download the app on your phone or tablet. Using maps, it allows you to navigate geocaches anywhere by GPS. You pinpoint your current location and the app will show you where, near you, there are hidden treasures. After creating a (free) account, it takes you to your home location, from where you can navigate anywhere in the world to see caches.

Not only will you see the approximate location on your map, there is also a description and a hint of the location and container for which you will be searching. The coordinates are such that you will need to use your eyes, and your legs, to find the actual spot once you get close. The map brings you to within a few meters from the container and that’s when the real search begins. Searching is half the fun. Perhaps the container is inside a post, or under some branches. The coordinates might lead you to within 5 or 10 meters but then you have to start turning over rocks and peeking under logs, using the information you read in the description.

A traditional cache will be a small container, a tin or a plastic box. Inside you will likely find a tiny logbook in which you can record your name and the date you found it. There will also likely be some small ‘treasures’ - a coin, a toy, a pin…. You can pick one and leave a new gift for the next person so come prepared with some tiny gifts in your pocket to leave behind. You might also want to carry a pen or pencil in your pocket.

Besides traditional caches, there are many different caches, including trackables. This comes in the shape of a key chain which you can purchase. On it is a code. Once you enter it online, and then hide it in a cache, you can track its location. Online you can learn where the trackable came from. It is given a name and a description. This also tells you what the owner would like his or her trackable to accomplish. For instance, Nico has a trackable out there named Frogo the Froggie Travel Buddy. He hopes his frog hops around the world and that it will return home in 5 years. Meanwhile, he can follow its location online. A fun and unique way to learn about the world.

There are many more types of caches. And, once you know what you’re doing, you can start making and hiding your own.

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Once the new location, description and hint were approved, Nico had to go hide his creation well and it became an official cache. One of thousands of caches around the world that you can now go out and find!

Nico’s geocache: https://coord.info/GC8PWVW

To learn more, visit: https://www.geocaching.com/play