Month: September 2011

Lighter Science

Mummies With Hair Gel

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The Ancient Egyptians probably used hair gel to style their hair, new research on mummies shows.

Scientists at the University of Manchester, UK published an article in the Journal of Archaeological Science that said, “…in cases where the (mummies’) hair was styled, the embalming process was adapted to preserve the hairstyle.”

In other words, when the bodies were turned into mummies, the embalmers made sure their hair didn’t get mussed.

The researchers studied hair from 18 mummies who lived around 300 B.C. in Egypt.

Under a microscope, the scientists noticed that the hair on nine of the mummies had a coating on it. When they analysed it, it turned out to be made of plant and animal fats.

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Politics

Young People Can Get Involved In Upcoming Election

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Ontario, like four other Canadian provinces, will hold a provincial election this fall.

Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) and the Premier of the province will be chosen.

Depending on the province and district, other positions will also be elected.

In one of Ontario’s districts, Scarborough-Agincourt, Soo Wong is running for MPP.

TKN asked her what young people can do to feel part of the political process when they’re not yet old enough to vote.

“It is the responsibility of every Canadian to understand what elections are about,” she said. “All of the young people will sooner or later become adults. It’s not just about today, but about moving this province forward.”

She said that young people need to be knowledgeable about the candidates and the issues so that when it is their time to vote, they are prepared.

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Breaking News Politics

Where Is Moammar Gadhafi?

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The leader of Libya has fled his country and is in hiding.

No one knows where he is, but many people are looking for him.

Earlier this year, the people of Libya demanded that Colonel Gadhafi step down as leader of the country because, since the 1960s, he has used bullying and violence to make the people do what he wanted.

The United Nations International Criminal Court has charged him with “crimes against humanity.”

A war broke out in Libya between the people who support Gadhafi and the people who want him out – the “rebels.”

The war continues to this day, although the rebels have taken over most of the country including Tripoli, the capital city, and they are creating a government of their own.

Gadhafi and his supporters are not giving up.

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Science Technology

Space Junk Re-Enters Earth’s Atmosphere

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A bus-sized chunk of space trash fell out of the sky on Friday or Saturday, and NASA isn’t quite sure where it landed.

They say it likely landed in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of the United States. They are fairly certain that it didn’t cause any injuries.

The space junk was made up of fragments of a 6.3 tonne satellite that is no longer in use.

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) was sent into space in 1991 and hasn’t been used since 2005. Its job was to collect information about chemicals in the atmosphere.

As many as 26 pieces of the satellite weighing up to 135 kilograms likely survived re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Most fragments burned up before reaching earth.

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Science Technology

Faster Than The Speed Of Light

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How fast does light travel? Scientists have known for a long time that light always travels at the same speed: 299,792,458 metres per second.

The speed of light is the fastest speed that all energy, matter and information in the universe can travel.

The speed of light is very important in science. Because it is always the same – it is a known constant – it defines many things, including the length of a metre.

Using the speed of light scientists calculate many things. The speed of light is part of Einstein’s famous theory of relativity, E=mc2.

That is why there was such a shock within the scientific community this week when it was announced that a group of scientists has been recording some particles going faster than the speed of light.

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News Sports

Blue Jays New Logo “Leaked” Online

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The Blue Jays baseball team is changing its logo.

Teams often change their logo when they want to portray their team in a new way.

In this case, the Jays likely want their logo to emphasize the fact that they are Canadian.

Their new logo design is a big secret. They don’t want anyone to know what it will look like until they unveil it to the media and the public at a big event.

The logo they posted on their site looks quite a bit like an old logo they used to have, with the Canadian maple leaf quite a bit bigger.

However, the website Uni Watch (Uni stands for uniform) has obtained what it says is a copy of the proposed logo.

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Lighter News

The 20 Richest People In The United States

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Every year, Forbes magazine publishes a list of the 20 richest people in the United States.

This year, the 20 richest people are even richer than last year’s list. Together, they own $52 billion more than the top 20 did in 2010.

At the #20 spot on the list is the Mars family, the owners of the world’s largest candy company. Mars also makes Uncle Ben’s rice and Whiskas cat food.

The three family members have more than $13 billion each.

At #15 are the co-founders of Google (the company that owns the Internet search engine), Sergey Brin and Larry Page. They have $16 billion each.

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Health

Physical Activity Can Boost Kids’ Brains

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Most people agree that doing schoolwork, puzzles, math and reading help kids get smarter. But did you know that a good workout can also help you learn more easily?

Scientists say that physical exercise gets more blood flowing through a person’s brain, and helps them think better.

It also causes the brain to release a protein (called brain-derived neurotrophic factor) which makes new brain cells grow.

Researchers say kids who are active and fit perform better on memory tests. It affects certain areas of the brain, like the hippocampus and the basal ganglia.

Children who aren’t as active are more likely to become easily distracted.

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Animals Lighter

Rare Albino Hummingbird Seen In Colorado

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A rare albino hummingbird may have been spotted in Colorado.

Albino hummingbirds have a genetic condition that prevents their body from producing a natural chemical called “melanin.” Melanin is a chemical that gives most birds their beautiful colours.

Because Albino hummingbirds aren’t coloured, their feathers are white. They have pink bill and whitish or pink legs and feet. They may either have red or pink eyes.

The pink or red colour is caused by the red of their blood vessels.

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Arts Lighter

Artist Only Draws In His Sleep

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Lee Hadwin is a talented artist. He has drawn sketches of horses, celebrities, and beautiful landscapes. He only draws in black and white. Oh, and there is one other thing. Hadwin only draws in his sleep.

Ever since he was about four years old, he has been waking up to discover detailed drawings beside his bed.

But he doesn’t remember ever having done the drawings.

When he is awake, Hadwin says he can’t draw at all. In fact, he has no interest in art. During the day, he works as a nurse.

When he was young, Hadwin, who now lives in London, England, used to cover his walls and tables with his sketches.

In his teens, the drawings became more detailed and intricate.

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