Technology: Recent Episodes
Solve It For Kids - Podcast
Solve It! For Kids (podcast) hosts Jennifer Swanson and Jed Doherty talk with real scientists and engineers to get the stories behind their jobs — and challenge kids to solve a problem related to each guest’s work. Kids: you’ve got what it takes to solve the world’s biggest challenges!
Meet the Expert: Rémy Morgan, Network Operations Analyst for Deep Space NetworkRémy Morgan, is a life-long space enthusiast and science communicator, always ready and eager to talk all things galactic, stellar, planetary, or even alien! What started with library rentals of Magic School Bus VHS tapes led to a degree in astronomy and atmospheric science, as well as a passion for education and outreach.
She worked as a planetarium operator, presenter, manager, and script writer/performer for four years in Colorado before relocating to Southern California last year. Currently, she works as a Network Operations Analyst for the Deep Space Network (DSN), helping dozens of satellites out in deep space talk to us back here on her favorite planet, Earth.
Challenge:
Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this Episode!Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer SwansonBook List:The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)The Ultimate Guide to Music: A Fascinating Introduction to Music and the Instruments of the Orchestra by Joe Fullman (Sterling Books)
The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson, Tracy Read (Firefly Books)
The post Episode 210: What is the Deep Space Network? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Christine Lewington, Founder and CEO of PIP InternationalAn ambitious and focused entrepreneur, Christine, is also a thought leader. She has an amazing career journey which she shared when speaking exclusively with Mirror Review. Christine was born and raised in Southern Alberta, Canada. The region where she was nurtured was the agriculture sector with over 100 food processing facilities. Moreover, she spent her life around food processing and farming; in short, agriculture is a way of life for her.
Speaking about her entrepreneurial driven career, Christine shares her amazing 20-year journey. To enhance her mechanical engineering degree from Brigham Young University, Idaho, Christine further developed a diversified skillset and has been a Project Manager Professional, PMP, for over 20 years. Over the course of these 20 years, she has managed and directed innovative and complex projects. She spent more than 10 years leading projects for a large multinational food company, where she won their coveted national project manager award. Projects including automation, sustainability, capacity growth, raw supply, warehousing, packaging, commercialization, and the construction thereof, developed her sharp leadership skills. Later, she worked with other multinational food companies and learned various aspects of business operations and how to successfully navigate finances, human resources, government relations and external stakeholders.
Learn more about PIP INTERNATIONAL at their website HERE PIP International (PIP), based in Lethbridge, Alberta, is a disruptive player in sustainable plant protein development. Their innovative approach using peas to create a neutral tasting and high functioning plant-based protein has attracted attention from around the world.
PIP is taking advantage of the region’s abundant renewable energy sources to power their operations and drive innovation in sustainable plant protein development. With a strong commitment to sustainability, PIP International has invested in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power that will charge an innovative thermal energy storage system, enabling them to eliminate their carbon footprint and responsibly treat the environment.
By leveraging these advantages, PIP International is driving innovation in sustainable plant protein development and helping to create a more environmentally friendly food system with an affordability advantage that helps put Southern Alberta on the global stage.
CHALLENGE: Try to find 3 items in the grocery store that have pea protein in it.
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this Episode
The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons
Book List:
Let’s Get Gardening by DK
Gardening Lab for Kids: 52 Fun Experiments to Learn, Grow, Harvest, Make, Play, and Enjoy Your Garden by Renata Brown (Author)
We Garden Together!: Projects for Kids: Learn, Grow, and Connect with Natureby Jane Hirschi, Educators at City Sprouts, et al.
Trees, Leaves, Flowers and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom | by DK and Smithsonian Institution
The post Episode 207: How Do You Make Peas Taste Great? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Peter Kuperman, CEO and Founder of Hatch CodingPeter began coding at the age of twelve. Now, as a seasoned entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in finance and technology, Peter founded and lead Hatch Coding, a company that teaches kids how to code. He has a dual degree in finance and computer science from the University of Pennsylvania, and he uses his skills and knowledge to create a multi-year progressive curriculum that covers over 600 projects, from beginner to advanced levels. Peter’s mission is to empower the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers with the skills and mindset they need to succeed in the digital world.
At Hatch Coding, Peter oversees the strategic direction, operations, and growth of the company, which has reached thousands of students across Canada and beyond. Hatch has a talented and dedicated instructors, mentors, and developers who deliver high-quality online and in-person coding programs. Hatch has established partnerships with schools, libraries, and community organizations to promote coding education and digital literacy among children and youth.
From the cars we drive to the clothes we wear, there is no doubt that technology is influencing our future. Hatch Coding started in 2014 as a school to teach children the art of computer programming. Spurred on by the belief that children who are given real tools can build real things, our goal remains to turn bright minds on by teaching skills to create.
With thousands of projects and themes, children get to code the projects and games that truly interest them. And when kids work on projects they love, the amount they learn is limitless.
CHALLENGE: See if you can write the script to create an app using AI.
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Code This!: Puzzles, Games, Challenges, and Computer Coding Concepts for the Problem Solver in Youby Jennifer Szymanski
Book List:
Code Cracking for Kids: Secret Communications Throughout History, with 21 Codes and Ciphers by Jean Daigneau (Author)
Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark (Author), Katy Wu (Illustrator)
Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie Wallmark (Author), Katy Wu (Illustrator)
The post Episode 204: How Will AI Affect Learning to Code? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Chris Sembroski, Engineer and Inspiration 4 AstronautChris “Hanks” Sembroski represented the pillar of Generosity as part of the crew of Inspiration4 by serving as Mission Specialist on a 3-day mission to orbit. He grew up with a natural curiosity about outer space. He could be found stargazing late at night from the roof of his high school and launching high-powered model rockets deep in the Florida swamps in college. As a U.S. Space Camp counselor, he conducted simulated space shuttle missions and supported STEM-based education designed to inspire young minds to explore these areas and find their passions. As a college student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Chris volunteered with ProSpace, a grassroots lobbying effort that promoted legislation in Washington, D.C., to help open up space travel and allow companies like SpaceX to exist. He then served in the U.S. Air Force, maintaining a fleet of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and deploying for service in Iraq before leaving active duty in 2007. In his civilian career, he has sought innovative, industry-disrupting methods to monitor and maintain mechanical equipment, reduce energy consumption, and use data to drive preemptive action making everything from data centers, to hospitals, to aerospace manufacturing facilities more efficient.
Chris now works as an Avionics Testing Engineer for Blue Origin’s New Glenn program. This reusable rocket stands over 310 feet (95 meters) tall, making it nearly the size of the Apollo program’s Saturn V vehicle. He resides outside Seattle, WA, with his wife, and two young daughters.
Learn More about Inspiration 4 HERE –> https://inspiration4.com/*********************
CHALLENGE: For the challenge, how about encouraging the audience to send a postcard to space? Go to https://clubforfuture.org/postcards/ to learn more about the program, and to learn more about how Club for the Future is “inspiring future generations to pursue careers in STEM and helping invent the future of life in space.”
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this episode!
Space Care: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson (Mayo Clinic Kids Press)
Book List to Learn More:
Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.
Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet by Buzz Aldrin (Author), Marianne Dyson (Author)
You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O’Brien
The post Episode 202: What’s it Like to be a Civilian Astronaut? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: John Shoffner, Axiom-2 pilot and astronautIn May 2023, astronaut, STEAM advocate, and business pioneer John Shoffner served as Pilot on Axiom Space Ax-2 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Throughout the duration of his mission, he hosted live events with schools around the world, demonstrating life in microgravity. While on orbit, Shoffner captured educational videos to excite the next generation of space enthusiasts, facilitated an International Art and Poetry contest that garnered over 930 entries from 26 countries, and participated in multiple life science research experiments that will shape the future of space exploration. The Ax-2 mission makes Shoffner the 598th person to orbit the Earth. He is also the first Alaska-born astronaut of record.
Today, Shoffner aims to use his recent space flight experience to help educators find new ways to excite young students to become curious and life-long learners. Through the launch of the Perseid Foundation, his new mission is to promote STEAM education and encourage educators/students to discover their inner voice so they don’t have to wait a lifetime to fulfill their dreams like John did. The Perseid Foundation works to bring world leading partnerships to its schools across Appalachia with programs for improving the learning culture in classrooms and STEAM curriculum development.
The International Space Art Poetry Contest
From Classroom to Cosmos: Kids and Educators Invited to Enter Second AnnualInternational Space Art and Poetry Contest for Chance to See Their Creations in Space
Learn more HERE –>33 https://www.competitionsciences.org/competitions/international-space-art-poetry-contest/
Challenge: Enter the Space Art Challenge with a drawing, a poem, or a story of your own!
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode!
Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
Book List:Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)
Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)The Ultimate Guide to Music: A Fascinating Introduction to Music and the Instruments of the Orchestra by Joe Fullman (Sterling Books)
The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson, Tracy Read (Firefly Books)
The post Episode 199: What Would it Look Like if We Lived in Space? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Natasha Carr, MPhysicsI’m Natasha, I am a planetary and instrumentation physicist, researching at the University of Leicester and Space Park Leicester for my PhD! I have has a focus in space instrumentation throughout my Masters degree and PhD, from Raman spectroscopy to X-ray telescopes and for planets from Mars to Jupiter. I love talking about life in the Solar System, where we can use the development in technology to understand the possibility of life on other planets!You can follow Natasha on X here -> https://twitter.com/astronat11And here is her blog –> https://natashacarr1501.wixsite.com/natashasadventures ******************
Challenge: What type of instrument would you design to find life in the universe? Where would you send it?
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Alien Worlds: Your Guide to Extraterrestrial Life by David A. Aguilar
Are we alone? Or could life on alien worlds really exist? David A. Aguilar, space artist extraordinaire, shows readers what creatures living on extrasolar planets might be like, using real science and stunning otherworldly illustration.
Just as Earth creatures have adapted to use the air, water, gravity, and other elements of Earth, creatures on planets orbiting distant stars would adapt to their environments. In Alien Worlds, David A. Aguilar explores seven types of alien-friendly worlds and the fun ways the creatures would adapt to the conditions. Accompanied by beautiful photo-realistic artwork, this book will open any kid’s eyes to the likelihood that we are not alone.
Book List:
DK Readers: Invaders From Outer Space by Philip Brookes (Author)
Where Are the Aliens?: The Search for Life Beyond Earth by Stacy McAnulty (Author), Nicole Miles (Illustrator)
Alien Deep: Revealing the Mysterious Living World at the Bottom of the Ocean by Bradley Hague (Author)
What Do We Know About Alien Abduction? by Kirsten Mayer (Author), Who HQ (Author), Tim Foley (Illustrator)
The post Episode 197: Where Can We Find Life in the Universe? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Dr. Katy Grimm, Associate Professor at California University State East Bay, researcher at CERNKaty Grimm is an Associate Professor of Physics at California State University East Bay. She is a particle physicist and does research at the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. She was part of the team who discovered the Higgs boson particle, particularly showing that the Higgs bosons is responsible for giving mass to ordinary matter. She continues to work with her students to better understand the nature of the Higgs boson and its role in the history of the universe.
Katy is also committed to diversifying and expanding the physics community. She likes to engage with people over physics-themed baked goods, and she has used proton cookies to discuss the building blocks of the universe with hundreds of visitors to science events in California and at CERN.
What is CERN? At CERN, we probe the fundamental structure of the particles that make up everything around us.We do so using the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments. https://home.cern/aboutClick HERE to take an immersive tour of the accelerator complex at CERNThis is an image of particle tracks that you might see from the detector at CERN
Challenge: Make your own proton and neutron cookies. Bake a sugar cookie (with your parent’s help), then add frosting (the gluon part of the atom) and sprinkles, nuts, or M&Ms of different colors to show the “up” quarks and “down” quarks. Make a proton: 2 up quarks and 1 down quark Make a neutron: 1 up quark and 2 down quarks
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our X (Twitter ), Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode!
Particle Physics: Brick by Brick by Dr. Ben Still, PhD (Firefly Books)
A simple and entertaining introduction to the building blocks of the universe.
In 2014 the Lego® Group sold 62 billion Lego® pieces. That’s 102 Lego® bricks for every person in the world. That’s nothing however to the estimated seven billion billion billion atoms that make up each of us, let alone the between ten quadrillion vigintillion and one-hundred thousand quadrillion vigintillion atoms in the known observable universe.
Book List
Explore Atoms and Molecules!: With 25 Great Projects by Janet Slingerland (Nomad Press)
Albert Einstein and Relativity for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities and Thought Experiments by Jerome Pohlen (Chicago Review Press)
Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Author), Gregory Mone (Contributor) (Norton Young Readers)
A Black Hole is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano (Charlesbridge Publishing)
The post Episode 192: How Do You Study the Smallest Things? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
The Solve It for Kids Podcast team is on their last week of holiday break. Please enjoy this out-of-the-world episode about launching rockets.
You’ll hear clips from guests who are talking about getting ready for a launch — Episode 171 How Do You Get Ready for a Rocket Launch with Nathalie Quintero
moving rockets — Episode 152 How Do You Move a Rocket with Dan Zapata
and what it’s like to blast off in a rocket– Episode 185 What’s it like to blast off in a rocket with Astronaut Nicole Stott
Look for our new season to start 1/16/2024!
The post Episode 191: The BEST of Launching a Rocket! first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Bob Cabana, outgoing NASA Associate Administrator and astronautCredit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Robert D. Cabana is a former NASA astronaut, currently serving as the agency’s associate administrator, its third highest-ranking executive and highest-ranking civil servant. He is the senior advisor to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. In his role, Cabana leads the agency’s 10 center directors as well as the mission directorate associate administrators at headquarters. He acts as the agency’s chief operating officer for more than 18,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $25 billion.
Before taking that position, Cabana was director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In that role, Cabana managed all NASA facilities and activities at the spaceport, including the team of civil service and contractor employees who operate and support numerous space programs and projects.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cabana graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and completed Naval Flight Officer training in Pensacola, Florida, in 1972. Cabana then served as an A-6 bombardier/navigator with Marine Air Wings in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and Iwakuni, Japan.
Cabana was selected as an astronaut candidate in June 1985 and completed his initial astronaut training in July 1986. A veteran of four spaceflights, Cabana has logged 38 days in space, serving as the pilot on STS-41 and STS-53 and mission commander on STS-65 and STS-88. His fourth flight was the first assembly mission of the International Space Station in December 1998. Following his retirement as a colonel from the Marine Corps in September 2000, Cabana was appointed a member of the Federal Senior Executive Service. He served in numerous challenging senior management positions at Johnson Space Center in Houston, ultimately becoming deputy director.
In October 2007, Cabana was appointed director of NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. A year later he was reassigned as the tenth director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center.
Cabana’s many achievements have been recognized with induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame and being named an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He has received numerous personal awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award, and the National Space Club Florida Committee’s Dr. Kurt H. Debus Award. He also is a recipient of the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement’s National Space Trophy.
Challenge: Spend some time learning about astronauts. See if you can find one of them that you identify with. It could be where they are from, what they love to do, or what they are interested in. See if you can imagine yourself becoming an astronaut like them one day.
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our X (Twitter ), Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this episode!
Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
Filled with answers from actual astronauts, Spacecare is the perfect book for kids who dream of going to space!Have you ever wondered how astronauts stay healthy in space? What if an astronaut gets sick on the space station? Does snot run in space? This fascinating photo-illustrated look at space and medicine explores how scientists and physicians study astronauts in space, how they help keep them safe, and what we’ve learned about the human body through space exploration. Questions from real kids and answers from astronauts, along with photos from NASA, combine for an out-of-this-world exploration of health.
Book list:
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids by Alicia Klepeis (Author), Hui Li (Illustrator)
The Fascinating Space Book for Kids: 500 Far-Out Facts! by Lisa Reichley
Astronomy Activity Book for Kids: 100+ Fun Ways to Learn About Space and Stargazing by Aurora Lipper (Author), Victoria Stebleva (Illustrator)
Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.
The post Episode 187: How Do You Build a Space Station? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Astronaut Nicole StottPhotograph “I Am Orion” portrait of astronaut Nicole Stott.Photo Date: September 27, 2013. Location: Building 8, Room 183 – Photo Studio. Photographer: Robert Markowitz
Nicole is an astronaut, aquanaut, artist, mom, and now author of her first book Back to Earth ~ What Life In Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet – And Our Mission To Protect It. She creatively combines the awe and wonder of her spaceflight experience with her artwork to inspire everyone’s appreciation of our role as crewmates here on Spaceship Earth.
She is a veteran NASA Astronaut with two spaceflights and 104 days as a crewmember on both the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space Shuttle. Personal highlights of her time in space include performing a spacewalk (10th woman to do so), flying the robotic arm to capture the first free-flying HTV, painting a watercolor (now on display at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum), working with her international crew on science that is all about improving life on Earth, and of course the life changing view of our home planet.
Nicole believes that the international model of peaceful and successful cooperation we have experienced in the extreme environments of space and sea holds the key to the same kind of peaceful and successful cooperation for all of humanity here on Earth.
On her post-NASA mission, Nicole is a co-founder of the Space for Art Foundation — uniting a planetary community of children through the awe and wonder of space exploration and the healing power of art.
Check out Nicole’s Website — Nicole Stott, Earth from Space
Challenge: Accept your role as a crewmate, not a passenger on Earth. Take action!
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our X (Twitter ), Instagram or Facebook page.
Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet―And Our Mission to Protect Itby Nicole Stott
Inspired by insights gained in spaceflight, a NASA astronaut offers key lessons to empower Earthbound readers to fight climate change
When Nicole Stott first saw Earth from space, she realized how interconnected we are and knew she had to help protect our planetary home.
Book List:
Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)
Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)The post Episode 185: What’s it like to Blast off in a Rocket? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Vered Cohen-Barzilay, CEO of Out of the Box Space InnovationsVered Cohen Barzilay is an Israeli-born entrepreneur and advocate for aviation and space. She is the Founder and CEO of “Out of the Box”, an international social enterprise promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in aerospace. Out of the Box has 2 sections in the United States and Europe. They train hundreds of students from high school to university every week in 9 different countries.Vered is a mentor at Starburst IAI, she is a Global Women in Leadership Award (GCPIT) winner (2022), 100 TOP Women in Aerospace & Aviation To Follow on LinkedIn 2022, and 1000+ space tech leaders list (2021), Space tech analytics.
Learn MORE about what Vered does HERE–> OUT of the BOX
Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Aerospace
Out of the box Brochure BIG 5.10 (1)
Challenge: Come up with a plan for how to celebrate a holiday that you pick or create on the International Space Station as shown here: : https://www.canva.com/design/DAFt-8MWtL8/c6zODFlSnGA9b-TtRp214w/view
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our X (Twitter) , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this episode!
Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
Book list:
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids by Alicia Klepeis (Author), Hui Li (Illustrator)
The Fascinating Space Book for Kids: 500 Far-Out Facts! by Lisa Reichley
Astronomy Activity Book for Kids: 100+ Fun Ways to Learn About Space and Stargazing by Aurora Lipper (Author), Victoria Stebleva (Illustrator)
Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.
The post Episode 182: What Skills do Space Entrepreneurs need? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Julia Brodsky, astrobiology education researcher and STEM ED lead at Blue Marble Space InstituteJulia Brodsky is a STEM education researcher at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, a former NASA astronaut instructor, an independent school teacher, a math education book author, an educational consultant for gifted students, a University of Maryland lecturer in astrobiology, a homeschooling mom of three, and a parent of a young adult with special needs. Julia’s academic training is in astrophysics and science education. As the founder of the Art of Inquiry – an interactive online science program for curious pre-teens – Julia introduces students to space exploration, astrobiology, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence as means for developing their scientific reasoning, systems thinking, and questioning skills. Along with her amazing co-founders, Dr. Yulia Turchaninova, and Dr. Sasha Kaurov, Julia is a founder of an Earthlings Hub non-profit educational initiative serving displaced children in Ukraine. She also volunteers for the Alliance of Indigenous Math Circles.
Want to learn more about the Earth and life on our planet versus others? Check out this awesome website!
Julia is the founder of Art of Inquiry, where kids can learn more about space and the universe. It’s an online space science program for kids Learn more below!!
Challenge: Draft a message to an ET. What would you say? How would you say it? How would you deliver it?
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our X (Twitter) , Instagram or Facebook page.
Alien Worlds: Your Guide to Extraterrestrial Life by David A. Aguilar
Are we alone? Or could life on alien worlds really exist? David A. Aguilar, space artist extraordinaire, shows readers what creatures living on extrasolar planets might be like, using real science and stunning otherworldly illustration.
Just as Earth creatures have adapted to use the air, water, gravity, and other elements of Earth, creatures on planets orbiting distant stars would adapt to their environments. In Alien Worlds, David A. Aguilar explores seven types of alien-friendly worlds and the fun ways the creatures would adapt to the conditions. Accompanied by beautiful photo-realistic artwork, this book will open any kid’s eyes to the likelihood that we are not alone.
Book List:
DK Readers: Invaders From Outer Space by Philip Brookes (Author)
Where Are the Aliens?: The Search for Life Beyond Earth by Stacy McAnulty (Author), Nicole Miles (Illustrator)
Alien Deep: Revealing the Mysterious Living World at the Bottom of the Ocean by Bradley Hague (Author)
What Do We Know About Alien Abduction? by Kirsten Mayer (Author), Who HQ (Author), Tim Foley (Illustrator)
The post Episode 181: How Would You Send a Message to an Extraterrestrial? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Dr. Justin Sung, Head of learning iCanStudy, medical doctorDr Justin Sung is a learning coach, certified teacher, internationally published author and researcher, former medical doctor, top 1% TEDx speaker, guest lecturer at Monash University, and serial social entrepreneur. For the past decade, Justin has trained thousands of learners worldwide on self-regulated learning. He is passionate about educating at scale, and his teachings receive millions of monthly views on social media. Justin leads the research and development, product development, and innovation initiatives of iCanStudy.
Do you have problems remembering things? All you have to is to train your brain!
Challenge: Try to find the “edge pieces” of what you’re learning. Then use them to fill in the space in between.
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our X (Twitter) , Instagram or Facebook page.
Featured book for this episode!
National Geographic Kids Brain Games: The Mind-Blowing Science of Your Amazing Brainby Jennifer Swanson (Author), Hank Green (Foreword)
Book List:
Big Brain Book: How It Works and All Its Quirks by Leanne Boucher Gill
A Million Things To Ask A Neuroscientist: The brain made easy by Mike Tranter PhD (Author), Jodi Barnard (Author)
So You Want to Be a Neuroscientist? by Ashley Juavinett
The post Episode 180: How do You Hack Your Ability to Learn? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Janet Ivey-Duensing, Creator and CEO of Janet’s Planet, Inc., American Astronautical Society’s 2022 recipient of the Sally K Ride Excellence in Education Award.Janet Ivey, creator of Janet’s Planet is committed to enriching the lives of children via education and live performances ,TV, and online programming. With over 27 years in the children’s entertainment and education, Janet has captivated Nashville and beyond with her work. She has received 12 Regional Emmys, five Gracie Awards, for her children’s series Janet’s Planet that airs on 140+ public television stations nationwide. Janet is a NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador, President of Explore Mars, Inc, on the board of governors of the National Space Society and has won a STEM-FLORIDA Award for the “Exploring Microgravity,” educational video about gravity and microgravity, she wrote and produced for Space Florida. Janet’s Planet is a dynamic and fast-paced series is geared to 6-11 year olds and focuses on science, space, history and health. The short form series can be seen on public television stations nationwide as well YouTube, BatteryPop, Minnow and HighBrow in the UK.
Janet is advocate, educator, communicator and female role model of STEM/STEAM and is committed to sharing the joy of exploration and discovery with children around the globe. Janet’s mission is to encourage science literacy globally and particularly to embody female science mentor for the next generation of women in space and science.
BE sure to check out Janet’s Planet for AWESOME activities!! Janet’s Planet: https://www.janetsplanet.com/In early 2015, Janet’s Planet was asked by Chief Principal Investigator Alan Stern of the NASA’s New Horizons Mission to do educational outreach for the endeavor. Janet’s Planet created the #DearPluto project and garnered international attention and amazing letters from around the world.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellyoakes/pluto-should-be-a-planet – .mt2YYV80A
http://www.space.com/29565-dear-pluto-kids-campaign-new-horizons.html
http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/15/us/pluto-lovers-want-dwarf-planet-reclassified/
Challenge: What would you say when you took the first steps on Mars?
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our X (Twitter) , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode!
You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O’Brien (Author, Illustrator)
Book List:
Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover by Markus Motum
Mars: The Red Planet: Rocks, Rovers, Pioneers, and More! by Elizabeth Carney
Red Rover: Curiosity on Mars by Richard Ho (Author), Katherine Roy (Illustrator)
The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity by Elizabeth Rusch
The post Episode 179: What Would It be like to Live on Mars? first appeared on Solve It For Kids - Podcast.
Meet the Expert: Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA from 2016 to 2022 Thomas H. Zurbuchen, known in the space community as Dr. Z, is a Swiss-American astrophysicist, leader, and innovator.
He was the longest continually serving Head of Science at NASA from October 2016 through 2022, the leading program worldwide for doing science in and from space. During this time, he drove all aspects of leadership in space science, launching 37 missions and starting another 54. His achievements include bringing the international James Webb Telescope to launch, overseeing two Mars landings - the Perseverance rover and the first controlled flight away from the Earth with the Ingenuity helicopter - and developing the Parker Solar Probe, a mission to touch the Sun. He also conceived and led the Earth System Observatory, an advanced multi-platform observatory that creates a 3D holistic view of the Earth, from bedrock to atmosphere, and oversaw humanity’s first successful attempt at moving a celestial object, using a spacecraft impact.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Zurbuchen built multiple space instruments, such as the MASS sensor on NASA’s WIND spacecraft, launched in 1992, and the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer, for which he served as team leader, on NASA’s Messenger, the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.
Due to his achievements, Dr. Zurbuchen is a sought after international expert in innovation and leadership of pioneering organizations. He chaired the US National Academy of Sciences committee, for example, that produced a report on CubeSats in 2016, widely credited for diversifying Mission portfolios and tech approaches for science and Earth observations.
The Ingenuity helicopter is the first ever helicopter to have flown successfully on another planet!
You can learn more about its creation and amazing technology on NASA JPL's website
HERE
NASA Ingenuity helicopter image (credit NASA)
The James Webb Space Telescope has allowed humans to see further in space than ever before. The images are STUNNING!
Check them out and learn more about the JWST HERE
James Webb Space Telescope (credit: NASA)
https://youtu.be/xy6pn-6z76E
Challenge:
Take the time to sit outside and stare at the night sky. Watch how it changes, just as you are sitting still. What do you notice?
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
A Great book for Exploring!!
Astronaut- Aquanaut by Jennifer Swanson
Book list: Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids by Alicia Klepeis (Author), Hui Li (Illustrator)
The Fascinating Space Book for Kids: 500 Far-Out Facts! by Lisa Reichley
Astronomy Activity Book for Kids: 100+ Fun Ways to Learn About Space and Stargazing by Aurora Lipper (Author), Victoria Stebleva (Illustrator)
Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.
Meet the Expert: Sharon McDougle, former NASA Spacesuit Technician Sharon Caples McDougle is regarded as a “modern day hidden figure”. She joined the NASA family working in the Space Shuttle Crew Escape Equipment (CEE) department. She began her career as a CEE SuitTechnician and was responsible for processing the orange launch/entry suit assemblies worn by astronauts.
McDougle was one of only two women technicians and the only African American technician when she began her career.Everyone knows Dr. Mae Jemison was the first African American woman to go to space - but many don't know that an African American woman, with her own list of firsts, "suited her up". McDougle was Jemison's suit tech for her historic mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor.
McDougle was promoted to the position of Crew Chief making her the first woman and first African American CEE Crew Chief. In her new position she was responsible for leading a team of technicians to suit up astronaut crews. McDougle had the honor of leading the first and only all-woman suit tech crew. She would go on to become the only woman and only African American promoted to the position of Manager of the CEE department. She led the team responsible for suiting up and strapping the astronauts into the space shuttle for launch and recovering the crew upon landing. She held this position until the Space Shuttle Program ended. She continued working to help close-out the program, ending an illustrious 22-year career ith our nation’s space program.
Sharon dressing Astronaut Mae Jemison Sharon dressing Astronaut Charlie Bolden
Sharon now does motivational speaking and has written her own picture book!!!
Website: www.sharoncaplesmcdougle.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/SharonMcDougle
https://youtu.be/eKf3iHvER-c
Challenge:
Design your own spacesuit! What would you add, or leave off?
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this Episode! Suit Up For Launch With Shay! by Sharon Caples McDougle (Author), Cristielle Pimenta (Illustrator)
Book List:
Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
The Astronaut's Guide to Leaving the Planet: Everything You Need to Know, from Training to Re-Entry by Terry Virts (Author)
Meet the Expert: Herb Baker, the Former Manager at the Operations Support Office at NASA/JSC
NASA employee Herb Baker retired from a 42-year career at the space agency. Most of his work was performed at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, but during his career he also worked at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Baker holds a business degree, not one in engineering.
“I can assure you that you don’t need an engineering degree to work for NASA. They’re always looking for good people from a variety of fields,” he said. Baker followed in the footsteps of his mother, who also had a long career at NASA.
Basically, Baker was a ‘Jack of All Trades’ during his 42 years at NASA. He worked as support on almost every flight from the first Space Shuttle flight to the International Space Station to the Orion project, which is NASA’s hope to get men to Mars by 2030, to attempts to develop commercial space flight. During his time at NASA, Herb was a part of the team that brought the Super Guppy to NASA.
Learn more about the Super Guppy HERE
https://youtu.be/PvwM--R8i6U
Challenge:
Learn how airplanes have changed over the years. Then compare them with what you know about NASA planes today. We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this Episode! The Complete Guide to Space Exploration by Lonely Planet Kids (Author), Ben Hubbard (Author)
Book list: Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids by Alicia Klepeis (Author), Hui Li (Illustrator)
The Fascinating Space Book for Kids: 500 Far-Out Facts! by Lisa Reichley
Astronomy Activity Book for Kids: 100+ Fun Ways to Learn About Space and Stargazing by Aurora Lipper (Author), Victoria Stebleva (Illustrator)
Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.
Meet the Expert: Dr. Mike Harrison, Chief Medical Officer for Axiom Space Michael Harrison, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. is the Chief Medical Officer for Axiom Space. Dr. Harrison is also an emergency medicine and critical care medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. He is an aerospace medicine specialist. His interests include operational space medicine, hyperbaric medicine, and point-of-care ultrasound.Mike is the son of a military helicopter pilot. So he grew up around things that flew a lot as a kid. He loved the family days the Canadian military had because he could fly in a helicopter with his father. Mike always was very interested in things that flew."He went to UNB to study kinesiology, and went on to a masters and Ph.D in exercise physiology, statistics and biomechanics. During his doctorate, he became involved in a study of military helicopter pilots, coming full circle from those days as a kid on military bases. He took that love of flying and turned it into a career in aerospace medicine. What is Axiom Space?A commercial space company, "Axiom Space operates missions to the International Space Station (ISS) for customers, including space agencies, companies, and individuals. Axiom Space is also the builder and future owner and operator of Axiom Station, the successor to the ISS."-- per its website HERE.Learn more about this amazing and innovative company. Maybe YOU could even work for them some day! Axiom Space launching the first all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station
https://youtu.be/3jUxEF8jPLY ******************Challenge: Try to figure out how you can exercise without using weights. That means you don't have anythign to push against. Can you do it? Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.****************** Highlighted Book for this episode! Space Care: A Kid's Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson (Mayo Clinic Kids Press) Book List to Learn More:* Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer SwansonSpace Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet by Buzz Aldrin (Author), Marianne Dyson (Author)You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O’Brien
Meet the Expert: Dr. Darren Lipomi, Nano engineering professor at UC San DiegoDarren Lipomi earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in physics as a Beckman Scholar at Boston University in 2005. He earned his PhD in chemistry at Harvard University in 2010, with Prof. George M. Whitesides, where he was supported by a fellowship from the ACS Organic Division. From 2010 – 2012, he was an Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Prof. Zhenan Bao at Stanford University. He is now a Professor in the Department of NanoEngineering and Program in Chemical Engineering at the University of California, San Diego. His research interests include the chemistry of organic materials, especially the mechanical properties of pi-conjugated polymers for flexible solar cells, biomechanical sensors, and phenomena that occur at the intersection of materials chemistry with human perception and cognition. He is the recipient of the NSF BRIGE award, the AFOSR Young Investigator Program award, the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and the NSF BRITE award. He hosts a podcast, “Molecular Podcasting with Darren Lipomi” and associated YouTube channel (Darren_Lipomi) that together have >12,000 subscribers. https://youtu.be/fJ5ybiTgvR8******************Challenge: With your eyes closed, see if you can figure out how something feels, what it's made of.Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.******************Highlighted book for this Episode!* SUPER GEAR: Nanotechnology and Sports Team Up! by Jennifer Swanson (Charlesbridge Publishing)A close-up look at sports and nanotechnology, the cutting-edge science that manipulates objects at the atomic level.How are the sports played by Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, Michelle Wie, and Usain Bolt related? Nanotechnology! A rapidly growing scientific field, nanotechnology is used to create high-tech swimsuits, tennis rackets, golf clubs, running shoes, and more. It is changing the face of sports as we know it. Cutting-edge science; high-performance sports Book List:** Discover Nanotechnology by Lisa J. Amstutz (Lerner Books)Explore Atoms and Molecules!: With 25 Great Projects (Explore Your World) by Janet Slingerland (Nomad Press)Nanotechnology (Cutting-Edge Science and Technology) by Janet Slingerland (Essential Library)
Meet the Experts: Kasey Gaylord- Opalewski, Programs Manager for Earth Echo International and Youth Leader David Yoon Kasey Gaylord-Opalewski has been designing, developing and coordinating innovative digital programming for non-profit organizations since 2002. She has over 20 years of “on-air” experience as an educator and moderator for virtual interactive lessons. Over the years, Kasey has received innumerable accolades for her lively and engaging marine science and conservation presentations. She specializes in teen programs as well as public programming for adults, such as Science Cafes and professional development for educators and lifelong learners. Most recently, Kasey co-authored "Defining Interactive Virtual Learning in Museum Education: A Shared Perspective" (2019) in the Journal of Museum Education, Vol. 44, No. 3, 229–241.Kasey specializes in the interpretation and translation of scientific research concepts and utilizes strategic framing techniques to lead complex conversations, such as those focused on climate change. She is an Alumni member of the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, a year-long study circle that helps to bring climate change resources and training to communities of staff, volunteers and professionals. Kasey is a Certified Interpretive Guide for the National Association of Interpretation and has been a Certified Instructor for the Florida Master Naturalist Program. She is an active member of the National Marine Science Educators Association and the Florida Marine Science Educators Association.YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBERBorn in 2005, David Yoon has spent his whole life interested in the environment. As the older he grew, his passion only grew stronger which led him to take initiative and become a youth-leader. Living in Greenville, NC, home of the Tar and Neuse River, he was able to experience first-hand the effects of plastic pollution in our environment, so he understood the need for change - and quickly became that change.Starting in the summer of 2019, David led, engaged, and mentored over 2,500 underserved youth in outdoor STEM-focused environmental activities. As the founder and Executive Director of Plastic Free NC (PFNC), an umbrella organization dedicated to uniting and empowering youth leaders to increase global efforts tackling environmental and social issues. Over the course of a year (2019-2020), he designed and coordinated sticker-campaign promoting sustainable practices led by local businesses, social-media campaign (e.g., #SkipTheStraw); led educational outreach via community reusable bag and bottle giveaway events, public presentations at local city council meetings, environmental rallies, and participated in university sustainability film showings. Recently, David has engaged in local greenway cleanups and helped remove hundreds of pounds. of litter. He has also assisted with teaching thousands of at-risk youth how to ride bikes to maintain active lifestyles and contributed to revitalizing vacant lots into community gardens which utilize sustainable agricultural practices; donating 30,000+ lbs. of produce to 400+ at-risk families.Along with his impact, the skills, benefits, and growth that he gained in leading PFNC has inspired him to continue directing it. He has vastly improved his public speaking skills, learned how to lead a team, and— most of all— found his method of giving back to his community and beautiful environment.What is the Earth Echo OURECHO Challenge?THE OURECHO CHALLENGEThe OurEcho Challenge is a STEM competition that empowers students to take a closer look at biodiversity in their communities. Students will first identify threats to local ecosystems and then propose solutions to help preserve, protect, or repair those natural resources.To learn more and participate, click HERE https://youtu.be/hur9qaY028U******************Challenge: Consider doing the Our Echo challenge. Or, if not, look around the places you live and notice the biodiversity around you. See if there is anything you can do to help with conservation in your area.Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.****************** Featured book for this episode! Footprints Across the Planet by Jennifer Swanson Every footprint―from the physical to the digital and the permanent to the fleeting―leaves a mark on Earth telling a story of the past, the present, or the future. What type of imprint will YOU leave? Book List: Save the Ocean (Save the Earth) by Bethany StahlEnvironmental Activist Wangari Maathai (STEM Trailblazer Bios) by Jennifer SwansonBackyard Habitats (Introducing Habitats, 12) by Kelley Macaulay and Bobbie KalmanThe Backyard Bird Sanctuary: A Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Wild Bird Habitat at Homeby Alan BaczkiewiczAttracting Wildlife to Your Backyard: 101 Ways to Make Your Property Home for Creatures Great and Small by Josh VanBrakle* Share:
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Recent Episodes* Episode 132: How Do You Talk to a Spaceship? November 22, 2022 * Episode 131: How Do You Make Clothes Sustainable? November 18, 2022 * Episode 129: How are STEM and Sports Related? November 6, 2022
Challenges* Episode 82: How Do You Make Toilet Paper Soft? * Episode 81: Do Whales Have Germs? * Episode 80: How Much Can a Crane Lift?
Meet the Expert: Rob Chambers,Business Development Director Commercial Civil Space Space Systems Company, Lockheed Martin
Rob Chambers is the Business Development Director for Lockheed Martin’s Commercial Civil Space line of business.
In this role, he is focused on Lockheed Martin’s blueprint for extending humanity’s knowledge of our planet, our solar system, and the universe at large. With the company’s unparalleled heritage in robotic and human spaceflight, weather and Earth science, and communications, Lockheed Martin is working with our government, commercial, and international customers and partners to answer fundamental questions about where we come from, where we’re going, and whether we’re alone in the universe.
Rob has been with Lockheed Martin since 1993 and has worked on a variety of Space Systems Company programs including Earth remote sensing satellites, the Space Shuttle, Orion, and deep space habitats.
Rob has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University. Throughout his career, Rob has led the development of guidance and controls subsystems, avionics, and flight software.
Learn more about Callisto and how YOU can send a message to space HERE: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/space/callisto.html
https://youtu.be/MbGmVzwsrp0
WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU SEND TO A SPACECRAFT?
Challenge:
If you have an Alexa, ask it "Take Me to the Moon". See what happens! You can also send a message to Callisto by following the directions above.
Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted Book for this episode!
Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
Book list: How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids by Alicia Klepeis (Author), Hui Li (Illustrator)
The Fascinating Space Book for Kids: 500 Far-Out Facts! by Lisa Reichley
Astronomy Activity Book for Kids: 100+ Fun Ways to Learn About Space and Stargazing by Aurora Lipper (Author), Victoria Stebleva (Illustrator)
Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.
Meet the Expert: Joe DePasquale, Senior Data Imaging Developer
Currently, Joe is the senior Data Imaging Developer at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Joe. Prior to joining STScI in March of 2017, I he was the Science Imager for NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. If you've ever seen a space image with X-ray data in it, you've probably seen Joe's work. He has always been fascinated by the immensity and complexity of the universe and our search for meaning within it.
Having a background in both art and science has given Joe a unique skill set. He uses art and aesthetics to prepare astronomical data for the creation of press-quality imagery in support of STScI's outreach activities. Check out some of Joe's amazing images on his website: www.jdepasquale.com
https://youtu.be/geft37z1IfA
Challenge:
Go to NASA's website here NASA'S ASTROPHOTO CHALLENGES and see if you can process an image from space!!
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode! Beyond: Discoveries from the Outer Reaches of Space by Miranda Paul (Author), Sija Hong (Illustrator)
Book List: How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson and Tracy Read
Exoplanets by Seymour Simon
Exploring Exoplanets by Deborah Kops
Meet the Expert: LCDR Rebecca (Becky) Shaw, NOAA hurricane hunter
Rebecca Shaw is a Wp-3D Hurricane Hunter & Test Pilot at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Experienced Test Pilot with a demonstrated history of working in the Military industry, she has a Master’s Degree in Space Systems Engineering from John’s Hopkins University and graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in 2009. She is passionate about aerospace, education and advocacy for Women in STEM.
https://youtu.be/edlkeBUNci4
https://youtu.be/9aK4UhYfYho
Challenge:
See if you can track a storm by getting two positions from the National Weather Service to try and track a storm and predict where it goes.
And/OR see if you can predict how many major hurricanes we will have in a year, how many names we will get through, etc.
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode! Eye Of The Storm: NASA, Drones, and the Race to Crack the Hurricane Code by Amy Cherrix
Book List: All About Hurricanes (A True Book: Natural Disasters) by Cody Crane
Extreme Weather! Weather For Kids Book On Storms: Hurricanes, Tornados, Blizzards, Thunderstorms & Much More by Leanne Annett
National Geographic Kids Everything Weather: Facts, Photos, and Fun that Will Blow You Away by Kathy Furgang
Hurricanes by Seymour Simon
Meet the Expert: Dr. Will Grundy, Co-investigator of NASA's New Horizon Project and Planetary Scientist at Lowell Observatory
Dr. Grundy does spectroscopic, thermal, and imaging observations of outer Solar System bodies using numerous large ground- and space-based telescopes including Hubble, Keck, Gemini, DCT, IRTF, and MMT. Targets of these observations include icy satellites and Kuiper belt objects. Some of the larger bodies like Pluto, Triton, Eris, and Makemake have volatile surface ices that seasonally interact with their thin atmospheres, leading to a variety of complex and interesting phenomena. To support his observational work, he also studies cryogenic ices and ice mixtures in the Astrophysical Materials Laboratory at Northern Arizona University. Dr. Grundy is involved in projects to discover Kuiper belt binaries and to determine their mutual orbits and masses, using the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as laser guide star adaptive optics techniques at Keck and Gemini observatories.
Dr. Grundy is co-investigator on NASA’s New Horizons mission that encountered the Pluto system in 2015 and the Kuiper belt object Arrokoth in 2019. He heads the mission’s surface composition science theme team.
Listen to Dr. Grundy talk about the I LOVE Pluto festival!
https://youtu.be/Un6XC7XvjRE
Challenge:
Get some dry ice (be sure to use it safely!) then do some experiments with it. Add it to flour or sugar in a container and watch what happens.
We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode! Beyond: Discoveries from the Outer Reaches of Space by Miranda Paul (Author), Sija Hong (Illustrator)
Book List: The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson and Tracy Read
Exoplanets by Seymour Simon
Exploring Exoplanets by Deborah Kops
Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts: With Stem Projects for Kids by Alicia Klepeis (Author), Hui Li (Illustrator)
Meet the Expert: Kirsten W. Larson, Former NASA Public Affairs Officer, now Children's Author
Kirsten used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Now she writes books for curious kids. Kirsten is the author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek, 2020), A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything (Clarion, Fall 2021), illustrated by Katy Wu, and THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, illustrated by Katherine Roy (Chronicle, Fall 2022), as well as 25 nonfiction books for the school and library market. Kirsten lives near Los Angeles with her husband, lhasa-poo, and two curious kids. Find her at kirsten-w-larson.com or on social media @kirstenwlarson.
Here is an example of what NASA Public Affairs is responsible for doing:
https://youtu.be/WeA7edXsU40
Challenge:
As a Public Affairs Officer, you need to make science interesting and understandable.
Your challenge is to look up "seahorse" in the online encyclopedia. Then re-write a paragraph on the seahorse. Make it FUN! Make it INTERESTING! Make it UNDERSTANDABLE! Share it with your family and.. US!
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW about your exciting writing. We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode! Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten W. Larson (Author), Tracy Subisak (Illustrator)
NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book • NSTA Best STEM Book List
This riveting nonfiction picture book biography explores both the failures and successes of self-taught engineer Emma Lilian Todd as she tackles one of the greatest challenges of the early 1900s: designing an airplane.
Book List: How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson and Tracy Read
Exoplanets by Seymour Simon
Exploring Exoplanets by Deborah Kops
Meet the Expert: Dr. Ryan MacDonald, theoretical physicist
Dr. Ryan MacDonald is a theoretical astrophysicist researching exoplanet atmospheres at Cornell University’s Carl Sagan Institute. He develops techniques to characterize the atmospheres of these distant worlds using ground and space-based telescopes.
Dr. MacDonald is currently working on modeling exoplanet atmospheres in preparation for the launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope in late 2021.
He completed a PhD in Astronomy at the University of Cambridge, England, in 2019. His PhD research focused on deriving the chemical composition, temperature structure, and cloud properties of exoplanets - ranging from inferno gas giants to Neptune-mass worlds. These same techniques will soon enable astronomers to look for signs of life on habitable zone rocky planets.
Here are a few exoplanet concept videos. This one is of 51 PEG b
This one is of a Hot Jupiter Planet (courtesy of ESA space telescope.org)
LISTEN TO DR. RYAN TALK ABOUT ALIEN LIFE ON EXOPLANETS
https://youtu.be/0zAo_CXPncY
Challenge:
Find a planet!! Go to Planet Hunters TESS and learn how to look for a planet.
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW about your experience of searching for a planet. We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode! Beyond: Discoveries from the Outer Reaches of Space by Miranda Paul (Author), Sija Hong (Illustrator)
Book List: How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
The Hubble Space Telescope: Our Eye on the Universe by Terence Dickinson and Tracy Read
Exoplanets by Seymour Simon
Exploring Exoplanets by Deborah Kops
Meet the Expert: Dr. Colleen Kelley, Organometallic chemist
Colleen Kelley received her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Richmond, and herPh.D. in Organometallic Chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University. She continued her studies having been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship at the University Louis Pasteur with the Nobel Laureate, Professor Jean-Marie Lehn. Colleen was a tenured faculty member at Northern Arizona University with research focusing on metal toxicology and chemical education. Her teaching duties have spanned from graduate level courses all the way to high school courses. Moreover, in 2017, she taught chemistry in rural Kenya. Colleen is passionate about chemistry, discovery, chemical education and how to create a profound and robust learning environment for all students. Colleen now teaches organic chemistry at the University of Arizona. She is also creating a fun comic book series for kids ages 8 – 12 called CHEMysteries. www.CHEMysteries.com
Tips for Growing Water Hyacinth: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/water-plants/water-hyacinth/growing-water-hyacinth.htm
https://youtu.be/Ij3PF69Kb4w
https://youtu.be/c2pQ9guh27s
Challenge:
Put a white carnation in a glass of water with a few drops of food coloring. Put a timer on it to see how long it takes for this to happen. Figure out how long it takes to make the carnation brighter or
And/OR Design a water filtration system with a water hyacinth!
Let us know what happened by sharing with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page!
Highlighted book for this episode! A World of Plants by Martin Jenkins (Author), James Brown (Illustrator)
A conservation biologist and a printmaker team up for a fascinating, visually arresting guide to botanical history, biodiversity, and the rich inner lives of plants. A must-read for budding gardeners!
Book List: Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids: Fun, Hands-On Learning by Kristine Brown
Everything You Need to Ace Chemistry in One Big Fat Notebook by Workman Publishing (Author), Jennifer Swanson (Author)
The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems by Rachel Ignotofsky
Chemysteries by Colleen Kelly
Meet the Expert: Dr. Eric Thrane, Cosmologist and Astrophysicist
Dr. Thrane is a Professor at Monash University in the School of Physics and Astronomy where he studies cosmology, astrophysics, and gravity. He specialises in astrophysical inference using data from gravitational-wave observatories to answer questions such as: how do compact binaries form, what is the fate of massive stars, what is the nature of matter at the highest possible densities? Dr. Thrane also uses data from traditional electromagnetic telescopes to study extreme astrophysical objects such as supermassive black holes and gamma-ray bursts. He holds an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship andhe am the Data Theme Leader for OzGrav: the ARC Centre for Gravitational-wave Discovery. Dr. Thrane is the OzGrav Node Leader for Monash University and he has been a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration since 2008.
WHAT is LIGO?
"LIGO stands for "Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory". It is the world's largest gravitational wave observatory and a marvel of precision engineering. Comprising two enormous laser interferometers located 3000 kilometers apart, LIGO exploits the physical properties of light and of space itself to detect and understand the origins of gravitational waves (GW).
LIGO (and other detectors like it) is unlike any other observatory on Earth. Ask someone to draw a picture of an observatory and odds are they will draw a gleaming white telescope dome perched on a mountain-top. As a gravitational wave observatory, LIGO bears no resemblance to this whatsoever, as the aerial photo of the LIGO Livingston interferometer at right clearly illustrates." -- from the LIGO Caltech website See Dr. Thrane working at the LIGO Hanford Observatory HERE
https://youtu.be/WWP-ckIATOk
Challenge:
Listen to the podcast and see if you can tell which is a black hole colliding and how close or far away it is. Did you get them right?
Then look up information about a black hole or LIGO and draw a picture of gravitational waves or a black hole.
With your parent’s permission, send us your drawing
Send us a picture or share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page!
Highlighted book for this episode! A Black Hole is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano (Author), Michael Carroll (Illustrator)
A black hole isn't really a hole . . . is it? Get ready to S-T-R-E-T-C-H your mind with this beloved and best-selling science book. Updated with an all-new chapter about the first black-hole image ever!
Book List: Black Holes by Ker Than
Everything about Black Holes by Baby Professor
Astronomy for Kids: How to Explore Outer Space with Binoculars, a Telescope, or Just Your Eyes! Paperback by Dr. Bruce Betts
Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Author), Gregory Mone
Meet the Expert: Bailey Burns, Systems Engineer
Bailey Burns is a systems engineer working for Raytheon and now Paragon Space Development Corporation. She is involved in planning the next mission for the moon! Bailey is also the Rubik's Brand Amabassador. She first started solving Rubik's cubes in 7th grade when her math teacher taught the class during lunch breaks! Thanks Mrs. Doro! She is passionate about the educational origin of the Rubik’s Cube and is keen to get more young girls and women involved in STEM.
When did Bailey's love of science and technology start? "I'vee always loved STEM but I never thought I could do it. I though it would always be a side hobby. Until my junior year of high school I thought I'd go into journalism. When I found engineering and then got into a top engineering school, I decided to really chase my dreams." Read more of this interview HERE
Bailey is @ninjaneergirl You can follow her on Facebook Twitter and Instagram Watch this video to Meet Bailey in person!
https://youtu.be/XGxNhV8aYww
https://youtu.be/dqveqM94s0U
Challenge:
Make a list of all the ways that you can make your house (your spaceship) sustainable. For example, how can you save water?
or maybe cut down on food waste. What can you come up with?
With your parent’s permission, send us your list.
Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode! Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
Journey from the deepest trenches in the oceans to the farthest humans have ventured into space and learn what it takes to explore the extremes. You might just be surprised by how similar the domains of ASTRONAUTS and AQUANAUTS really are.
Book List: 100 Questions About Outer Space by Simon Abbott
Space Exploration for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Astronauts, Rockets, and Life in Zero Gravity by Bruce Betts Ph.D.
Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet by Buzz Aldrin (Author), Marianne Dyson (Author)
You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O'Brien
Meet the Expert: Dr. Kelly Elkins, biochemist and forensic scientist
Dr. Kelly Elkins is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Towson University and a founding tri-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Forensic Science Education. She earned her Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Keene State College in 1997 and Masters and Doctorate degrees in Chemistry from Clark University in 2001 and 2003, respectively. She conducted research in Heidelberg, Germany, as a Fulbright Scholar from 2001-2002 at the European Media Lab (now HITS) and at MIT as a Cancer Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellow from 2003-2004.
She is the author of the books Forensic DNA Biology: A Laboratory Manual, Introduction to Forensic Chemistry, and Next Generation Sequencing in Forensic Science: A Primer (in press). Kelly enjoys communicating science in the classroom, through professional presentations, via outreach activities, in interviews, and on television. She has been interviewed by NBC 9News Denver, FOX 31 News Denver, ABC 7 News Denver, The Denver Post, and Forensic Magazine as a forensic expert. Her contact info is here.
Here are the two books that Kelly has written:
These books may be a bit advanced for younger readers, but they are perfect for older ones looking for more information about Forensic Chemistry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtjnFKJLMZY
https://youtu.be/_58XsN6XJWQ
Challenge:
Do an experiment to extract DNA from a strawberry. You can search for one on the internet or try this here by Steve Spangler
OR if you're family has done one of the genealogy tests, look through it to see what traits have been passed down from your ancestors.
With your parent’s permission, send us a picture of your strawberry DNA.
Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this episode!
Everything You Need to Ace Chemistry in One Big Fat Notebook by Workman Publishing a and Jennifer Swanson
The #1 Best Seller in Amazon's Teen and YA Chemistry Books
Book List: Chemistry Made Easy: An Illustrated Study Guide For Students To Easily Learn Chemistry by NEDU
CSI Expert!: Forensic Science for Kids by Karen Schulz
Forensic Science: Discover the Fascinating Methods Scientists Use to Solve Crimes (DK Eyewitness) by Chris Cooper
Mark Twain - Forensic Investigations, Grades 6 - 12 by Schyrlet Cameron (Author), Janie Doss (Author), Suzanne Myers (Author)
Meet the Expert: Melinda Bradley, physicist and space educator
Melinda Bradley is responsible for implementing a range of the Space Foundation’s space-inspired STEM educational programs including the Junior Space Entrepreneurship Program, Discover the Universe field trips and virtual programs as well as the Space Foundation Discovery Center’s public programming initiatives for students, teachers, and families.
Bradley graduated from the University of Colorado with her Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Energy Science. During her college career, Bradley obtained an internship through Pikes Peak Community College and NASA to create a payload for high-altitude balloon launch where she won Best Interdisciplinary Engineering Project in 2015. Most recently, her senior research project explored the dangers of radiation in space and solutions that could be implemented on future space missions
Melinda works at the Space Foundation Discovery Center in Colorado Springs, CO. Here is more information on this amazing place! https://www.discoverspace.org/
Melinda at a NASA launch
https://youtu.be/TZaMh5H4zdw
https://youtu.be/pqYQwyxfx44
Challenge:
Experience Physics around your house. Look at gravity, friction, time, and more. Write down a few
experiments that you tried. How do you think these forces would work in microgravity in space? Draw a
picture or send us a note about what you learned?
With your parent’s permission, send us a picture or drawing of your pulley system.
Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page.
Highlighted book for this Episode: Dr. E's Super Stellar Solar System: Massive Mountains! Supersize Storms! Alien Atmospheres! by Bethany Ehlmann (Author), Jennifer Swanson (Author)
Book List: Our Solar System: An Exploration of Planets, Moons, Asteroids, and Other Mysteries of Space by Lisa Reichley
Super Cool Space Facts: A Fun, Fact-filled Space Book for Kids by PhD Bruce Betts
Mars: The Red Planet: Rocks, Rovers, Pioneers, and More! by Elizabeth Carney (Author)
Meet the Expert: Bryanne Leeming, Coder and Inventor
Bryanne is the Founder & CEO of Unruly Studios, and inventor of their award-winning product, Unruly Splats. Unruly Splats engage elementary and middle school students with learning STEM skills and computer science through active recess-style play. Unruly Splats was recently awarded MassTLC’s 2019 Digital Transformation in Education. Bryanne has a degree in Cognitive Science from McGill University and an MBA from Babson College. She was named a 2018 Inc Rising Star and a 2019 Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40.
Interested in learning to code? Check out UNRULY SPLATS
Their vision is to build ridiculously fun learning tools and experiences for the young people who will create the future. Unruly tools combine active physical play with tough-to-learn concepts in technology. We engage all kinds of kids in learning experiences to build resiliency to thrive in tomorrow’s world. In these pursuits we make high quality products, resources, and support systems that are learner-focused and lead to loyal long-term relationships with the community.
The Unruly team is made up of experts in cognitive science, toy manufacturing, education, and technology with experience on teams at Scratch, the MIT Media Lab, Hasbro, Mattel, Nickelodeon, iRobot, and Disney. Investors include Techstars, LearnLaunch, AT&T, and Amazon.
What is Coding? Watch this video to find out!
https://youtu.be/THOEQ5soVpY
Challenge:
Coding programs on a computer is a lot like creating the rules to your own game. Bryanne's challenge is to pick a game and make it better by adding your own rules!
1) Write down the rules to your favorite game (like Tag, Hide and Seek, or Simon Says). 2) Add three NEW rules made up by you. 3) Try playing your new and improved game with friends and family!
With your parents permission, send us the rules for your game via email at podcast@solveitforkids.com OR tag us on our Twitter or Instagram account @kidssolve.
Book giveaway for this episode!
Code This!: Puzzles, Games, Challenges, and Computer Coding Concepts for the Problem Solver in You Paperback –by Jennifer Szymanski (NG Kids)
Book List:
Coding Games in Scratch: A Step-by-Step Visual Guide to Building Your Own Computer Games by Jon Woodcock (DK Kids)
Coding Projects in Scratch: A Step-by-Step Visual Guide to Coding Your Own Animations, Games, Simulations by Jon Woodcock (DK Kids)
Coding Concepts for Kids: Learn to Code Without a Computer by Randy Lynn (Rockridge Press)