The academy is designed to replicate the museum’s Aeronautical Science Pathway program.
science
Advancing Scientific and Historic Projects with… Citizen Science
“World’s Oldest European Hedgehog Found by Citizen Scientists,” trumpeted a recent Smithsonian Magazine headline. A 16-year-old male hedgehog dubbed Thorvald had outlived the lifespan of his species by 14 years, surviving habitat loss, pesticides and the No. 1 cause of hedgehog deaths — road crossings. That Europe’s smallest mammal could outwit modern-day encroachment was cause […]
The Art of Science — Pressing Marine Greens
The pairing of seaweed science and art may sound like an unlikely combination, but on May 28, 30 event-goers got a taste of the fun at a seaweed pressing workshop in Bremerton. WSU Kitsap Extension, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the SEA Discovery Center and Crane’s Castle Brewing partnered to bring this seaweed pressing […]
WSSEF — Inspiring Future Scientists and Engineers
Science project. For some students, those words conjure up nightmares. For others, it’s an opportunity for revving up their creativity and designing a project that might win them an award in the Washington State Science & Engineering Fair — and beyond. WSSEF (“Wussef,” as its 600-plus volunteers call it) has drawn students from across the […]
The ‘Secrets’ of Upwind Sailing, Explained
Have you ever noticed the grace and beauty of a sailboat silently moving about? Many, many years ago, sailing vessels had square sails. They pretty much sailed in the direction the wind was blowing, being pushed along toward a destination. This worked well, as long as the desired destination was downwind from the point of […]
The Impact on Our Weathers from the Mysterious Chehalis Gap and the Coriolis Effect
Our fall, winter, and springtime weathers here on the South Sound and the West Sound pretty much come from the same place. The Chehalis gap! And no, you can’t buy jeans there. This gap is the space between the southernmost of the Olympic Mountains and the Willapa Hills to the south. The gap is an […]
‘Tis The Season of King Tides
The oceans that surround us would really like to leave the Earth. Only Earth’s gravitational pull keeps them here. They are always seeking another gravitational pull with which to dance. Our sun and moon are both willing partners. And dance they do. The Earth rotates around the sun, making the focal point of the sun’s […]
NOAA’s West Sound buoys help us learn about winds, weathers and general Sound health
NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, part of the U. S. Department of Commerce, has deployed many distinctive, yellow data-gathering buoys globally. Six of them, all technically owned and managed by the University of Washington for NOAA, are located in Puget Sound. Five of those are in our West Sound region. Here’s a list […]
Scientific Names of Plants Demystified
My father, Dean Kelley, was a pharmaceutical representative for a drug company. When he retired, he volunteered his time as a Master Gardener in Pierce County. One time he was complaining to me that the scientific names of plants were hard to learn. I tried to put it in perspective for him by countering that […]
