Winter Olympic science

Crumb-sized cameras

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1/24/22 Thank you for subscribing to The Cheat Sheet, from Science News for Students. If you like this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up for our weekly updates. Got questions, suggestions or comments? Email us at sns@sciencenews.org and put “The Cheat Sheet” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. In the News In just a couple of weeks, the world’s top athletes will gather in Beijing to compete in the Winter Olympics. With so many eyes across the globe trained on these frigid feats of athleticism, the Olympic games offer the perfect opportunity to talk about the science of sport and snowy weather. In competitions between elite athletes, the tiniest details can make the difference between silver and gold. The chemistry of ski wax, for instance, determines how well skis glide across or grip snow — and the wrong recipe can seriously mess up a skier’s performance. The structure of bobsledding shoes, meanwhile, can give athletes the boost of speed they need to slide into first place. But there’s one key piece of Winter Olympic equipment that no one can completely control: cold weather. And unfortunately, due to climate change, many cities may soon be too hot to host the games. Although some cloud-control technology does exist — and, in fact, was used at the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008 — tampering with Earth’s weather poses its own risks.   One thing many athletes must attempt to control, however, is their attitude toward competition. Watch for our story, due out early next month, that will address how athletes need to manage their mental health and preparedness, whether for a school-league challenge or the Olympic games. Science News is a nonprofit. We depend on our readers to support our journalism. You can help by subscribing for as little as $25.   SUBSCRIBE NOW   Catch up with the latest from Science News for Students We all imagine being friends with celebrities. Is that a bad thing?: One-sided relationships with celebrities and fictional characters are normal. They also can boost self-esteem and empathy. Readability: 7.5  Resources: classroom questions, power words, word find puzzle World’s biggest colony of nesting fish lives beneath Antarctic ice: Totally unexpected, it’s far, far larger than any other known community of nesting fish — fully one-third larger than the area of Washington, D.C. Readability: 7.6 Resources: classroom questions, power words, alternate version at Science News Let’s learn about glass: Unlike the atoms in other solids, the atoms in glass don’t exist in an orderly crystal structure. They’re more jumbled up, like the atoms inside liquids. Readability: 6.4 Resources: power words, word find puzzle This crumb-sized camera uses artificial intelligence to get big results: Researchers have developed a camera the size of a coarse grain of salt that takes amazingly clear photos. Readability: 7.9 Resources: classroom questions, power words Recycling a climate-warming gas could make ‘greener’ farmed fish: Instead of warming the climate, methane gas can be collected to help farmers. Along the way, it may also save some fish. Readability: 7.9 Resources: classroom questions, power words Scientists Say: Bacteria: Bacteria get a bad rap for making people sick, but only a tiny portion of these single-celled creatures cause disease. Readability: 7.7 Resources: power words, audio  Opportunity Applications are now open for the Society for Science’s Advocate Program. This program offers a stipend, training and year-round support to teachers and mentors who help students from traditionally underrepresented groups and low-income households enter STEM research competitions. Click here for eligibility requirements and the link to apply. Applications are due March 6. Find out more about the resources available for using Science News for Students stories for learning. And if you like this newsletter, please share it with a friend or colleague. Did someone share this with you? Subscribe to this newsletter here. If you’ve got questions, suggestions or comments, email us at sns@sciencenews.org. Thank you for reading! Privacy policy  |  Update Profile  | Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Society for Science 1719 N Street NW Washington, DC, 20036, US