SCIENCE

Official Journal of the Irish Science Teachers’ Association Eol-Oidí na hÉireann, Volume 52, Number 3, May 2017

Contents

Thanks Rory Geoghegan 3 Dates for Diary 4 ISTA Corporate Members 4 Chairman’s Report Seán Fogarty 5 Annual Conference 2017 Mick Moriarty 7 News & Views Mary Mullaghy 8 From the BT Young Scientist to the ... National Teacher Awards Yvonne Higgins 10 Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Mary Mullaghy 11 St Columba's College wins CanSat Ireland 2017 Stephanie O'Neill 12 Exam Paper Archive David Malone and Hazel Murray 13 NUI Galway science initiatives Enda Connell 14 Journey through the centre of the Earth! Russell Harris 15 The Association’s Presidential medal and chain of office Adrian Somerfield 16 The flour ‘bomb’ Randal Henly 18 IoP Frontiers of Physics 2017 Paul Nugent 18 Candle–light and Climate Change John Daly 19 Some plural nouns Rory Geoghegan 19 AGM Musings Ian McCulloch 20 Three poems by Paul Holland 22 The Wonderful World of Woodlice Declan Cathcart 23 Pioneers of Science Education Peter E. Childs 25 Goldilocks goes data logging! Padraig Egan 28 Kinetic Theory ― a check on student understanding Ted Forde 30 The Doppler effect in the Leaving Certificate Physics John Murphy 31 Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring and evolution Adrian Somerfield 33 Sowing the seeds in the Primary School classroom Padraig Egan 35 Old Man’s Beard John Daly 36 Phonescope — introduction to the microscopic world David Keenahan 37 Sky and Space: Summer/Autumn 2017 Seosamh Ó Braonáin 38 The science of champagne bubbles Mary Mullaghy 39 Ionising radiation and health hazards Rory Geoghegan 40 Rebel ecology Paul Holland 42 All that glitters is not gold Paul Holland 43 CROSSWORD Randal Henly 44

Cover picture: Aesculin fluorescence Aesculin occurs in the bark of the horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum). If you put a piece of horse-chestnut twig in a glass of water aesculin dissolves in the water and gives it a light yellowish colour. If the solution is illuminated with ultraviolet light the aesculin emits blue fluorescence. Aesculin occurs in several other plants, including ash and whitethorn. Although it is poisonous it has been used by homeopaths to treat a wide variety of ailments. Clearly visible in the photograph is the characteristic horseshoe shaped leaf scar which gives the tree its name. The fruit ('conkers') of the horse-chestnut looks somewhat similar to that of the sweet chestnut but the two species are not closely related. The aesculin hydrolysis test is used in the identification of some bacterial species, especially Enterococci and Listeria. The Irish-born physicist George Gabriel Stokes (1819-1903) coined the term fluorescence in his paper on the subject in 1852.

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 1 Eol-Oidí na hÉireann IRISH SCIENCE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION

Council Executive Association President: Dr Conor O'Brien, Past Chairman of PharmaChemical Ireland [email protected] Chairperson: Seán Fogarty, Rocklands, Hempfield, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. [email protected] Vice-chairperson: Mr. John Loughlin, 17 Drom Oir, Knocknacarra, Galway [email protected] Honorary Secretary: Dr Maria Sheehan, St Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare [email protected] Past-chairperson: Stephanie Leonard, Intermediate College, Killorglin, Co. Kerry. [email protected] Treasurer: John Lucey, ‘Copsewood’, Rock Road, Mallow, Co. Cork. [email protected] Assistant Treasurer: Joe Griffin, Intermediate School, Killorglin, Co. Kerry. [email protected] Membership Secretary: Dr Declan Kennedy, Department of Education, UCC [email protected] Website Administrator: Mary Mullaghy, 26 Bailis Manor, Athlumney, Navan, Co. Meath. [email protected] Editor of SCIENCE: Rory Geoghegan, 49 Seamount, Booterstown, Co Dublin [email protected]

Branch Representatives Cork: Sean Finn, 32 Old Avenue, Glanmire, Co. Cork. [email protected] Donegal: Dr David Doherty, Gortlosky, Donegal Town, Co Donegal [email protected] Dublin: John Daly, 13 Valeview Ave., Cabinteely, Dublin 18. [email protected] Dublin: Lynn Catherine Anderson, 65 Donnybrook Manor, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. [email protected] Dublin: Mary Sheridan, 83 Lambourn Park, Clonsilla, Dublin 15 [email protected] Galway: James Stephens, Banavane, Ballinamore Bridge, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. [email protected] Kerry: Una Moroney, Intermediate College, Killorglin, Co. Kerry. [email protected] Kildare: Dorothy Fox, Scoil Conglais, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow. [email protected] Kilkenny: Aodhagán Ó Súilleabháin, Heywood Community School, Ballinakill, Co. Laois [email protected] Limerick/Clare: Maria Sheehan, St. Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare. [email protected] Monaghan: Catherine Murphy, Carnbane, Smithboro, Co Monaghan [email protected] North Midlands: Irene O’Sullivan, Moate Community School, Moate, Co .Westmeath [email protected] Sligo: Lorna Davey, Na Caisil, Drumiskabole, Ballisodare, Co Sligo [email protected] Tipperary: Paddy Daly, 9 The Spa, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. [email protected] Waterford: Mary McDonagh. 5 Williamstown Village, Williamstown Road, Waterford [email protected] Wexford: Sean Fogarty, Rocklands, Hempfield, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. [email protected]

Editorial Team Editor: Rory Geoghegan, 49 Seamount, Stillorgan Road, Booterstown, Co. Dublin [email protected] Assistant Editor for Biology: Siobhán Sweeney, 22, Ashton Park, Monkstown, Co Dublin [email protected] Assistant Editor for Chemistry: Mary Mullaghy, Eureka Secondary School, Kells [email protected] Assistant Editors for Physics: Richard Fox, Wesley College, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 [email protected] Seosamh Ó Braonáin, Wesley College, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 [email protected] Assistant Editor for Primary Science: Dr Maeve Liston, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick [email protected]

2 www.ista.ie Thanks

Rory Geoghegan

'd like to avail of this opportunity to thank Changes in desktop publishing (DTP) all those who have contributed articles for SCIENCE since I took on the job of Honorary I often think of how difficult it was to put the journal together I in the days before DTP and Internet communication and so I Editor eleven years ago. During that time there have the greatest admiration for previous holders of this role. have been over two hundred contributors. Among I am thinking particularly of Randal Henly who was Editor them were four ISTA Presidents and six ISTA for 27 years (1977 – 2003), ably assisted during that time by Chairpersons: George Porter. Jerry Lynch was Circulation Manager for • Karla Lawless eleven of those years (1977 – 1987). • Matt Moran New Editor • Charles Dolan Niall O'Connor, a member of the Dublin • Dr Conor O'Brien Branch Committee, will be taking over as Honorary Editor from September next. • Seamus Ó Donghaile In the March issue (p. 35) Niall described • John Lucey how he has used modern technology • Yvonne Higgins to transform the teaching and learning process. I have no doubt he will bring a • Mary Mullaghy fresh approach to SCIENCE too. • Stephanie Leonard I wish him every success in this role and I will be happy to • Seán Fogarty. provide him with any assistance I can.

Special thanks must go to four major contributors, who between them contributed over 220 articles! Fake news (or false claims) At our Annual Conference this year • Paul Holland (travel, biology, mathematics, chemistry...) we had enlightening, inspiring and • Mary Mullaghy (events, diary dates, sourcing articles...) entertaining talks. The subject of Jonathan McCrea's talk at the opening • Randal Henly (articles and crosswords) of the conference was, I think, the most • Ian McCulloch (regular Musings) important. He highlighted the vital role that science education plays in teaching Other frequent contributors were: people the value evidence. • Dr Declan Kennedy He cited studies in the US which showed that, when presented with ten sensational false claims and ten established facts, • Dr Adrian Somerfield a large majority believed the false claims. This is a very • Sheila Porter worrying situation, especially in a world in which young • Richard Fox people get their 'news' from unverified social media rather than from reliable trustworthy sources. • John Daly • Paul Nugent The final talk of the conference, by Dr Brenda Corcoran from the National Immunisation Office of HSE, illustrated the same • Seosamh Ó Braonáin phenomenon. There has been a significant fall in the uptake of • David Keenahan. the HPV vaccine in Ireland because people are more willing to believe unfounded claims rather than real evidence. This I am also indebted to current and former Assistant Editors was highlighted in the March issue of SCIENCE (p. 19). The who sourced articles and whose keen eyes spotted the mistakes fact that some young people may have got ME, for example, I had missed: following vaccination does not prove a connection. Many more people get ME without being vaccinated. Proof of a link • Sean Finn, Seosamh Ó Braonáin, Richard Fox (Physics) requires proper research and statistical evidence. Coincidence • Mary Mullaghy (Chemistry) and causation are not the same thing. • Siobhan Sweeney (Biology) • Dr Maeve Liston, Dr Tom McCloughlin, Dr Marion Palmer Slán (Primary Science). Rory Geoghegan

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 3 Dates for Diary ISTA Corporate Members

SciFest Regional Finals ESA Robotics Teacher A list of dates and venues on Training Workshop www.scifest.ie 11th - 14th July 5th – 8th October Physics Busking www.esa.int Bloom 3rd – 4th June Dublin Maker 22nd June ESERA National Ploughing 21st - 25th August Championships 19th – 21st CASTeL & EPI-STEM September www.esera.org www.physicsbusking.ie Frontiers of Physics CASTeL Summer School 23rd September 6th – 7th June Analog Devices Building DCU UL Glasnevin www.iopireland.org www.castel.ie EMS RDS Primary Science Fair 4th – 8th September 8th – 9th June Helix, DCU Belfast www.ems2017.eu www.rds.ie Maths Week Ireland Robert Boyle Summer School 14th – 22nd October 22nd – 25th June ChemEd Conference Lismore, Co. Waterford 21st October www.robertboyle.ie UL

BASF Summer School Science Week 2017 27th th June & 28 June 12th – 19th November Eureka Centre, UCC www.ista.ie ISTA Senior Science Quizzes Regional Rounds - 16th Science on Stage: th nd November 29 June – 2 July National Final – 25th Debrecen, Hungary. November www.scienceonstage.ie www.ista.ie SSPC – Chemistry Demon- BT Young Scientist & stration Workshops Technology Exhibition 3rd – 7th July 2018 University of Limerick 10th-13th January www.sspc.ie RDS, Dublin GIREP-ICPE-EPEC Joint ISTA Annual Conference Conference 2017 rd th 2018 3 – 7 July CASTeL, DCU Athlone Institute of Bridging Research and Prac- Technology www.ista.ie tice in Physics Teaching and Learning www.girep2017.org

4 www.ista.ie Chairman’s Report

Seán Fogarty

nother school year is fast approaching its culmination and the state examinations are Ajust weeks away. From my perspective, it has been an interesting and rewarding year as chair of the ISTA with lots happening in this very vibrant organisation. My report in this issue of Science gives a flavour of the many activities happening in our association. Annual Conference 2017 Our recent AGM was a great success due in no small part to the participation of our members who are always so keen to attend in their own time all forms of relevant professional development. I do wonder if Committee members Seamus McManus & Paul Rooney there is any other subject area that has so many active members? This may be a reflection of the basic quest chairperson Dorothy Fox and secretary Mick Moriarty for knowledge that is the key to science itself. and all their team for their hard work and dedication Our AGM this year opened with a bang, quite literally, over the last eighteen months or so in preparing and with Eoin Gill and Sheila Donegan from CALMAST organising the conference. On behalf of all members, (based in Waterford Institute of Technology), many thanks for all the hard work; it was a great exploding a turkey – a large puppet version I hasten weekend. Thanks also to Maynooth University for to add – during their re-enactment of a lecture given hosting the event and to the Glenroyal Hotel for looking by Professor Nicholas Callan of Maynooth. Callan, after us during our stay. Next year we are off to Athlone during one of his experiments, is reputed to have passed – more about that in coming issues of Science. a large current through a real version of the bird in question causing its demise but perhaps without the same theatrical entertainment value — well not for the turkey anyway. To the poor bird’s credit, it did help contribute to our understanding of electricity. Eoin and Sheila’s presentation highlighted the very important position Maynooth held in the field of electrical research in Callan's era. The rest of the weekend provided many other equally stimulating lectures and workshops, covering topics from diabetes to climate change and everything in between, and by all reports those who attended were delighted with the array of items on the programme. I would like to take this opportunity to pay a special tribute to the Kildare Branch of the ISTA and their Committee members Claire Rooney & Bronagh Murphy

Launch of a major competition At our AGM we announced an exciting new competition that we are involved in to help promote STEM subjects in Irish schools. The amazing prize is a fully funded 7-week trip to the United States for two lucky second level students to train and get their Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL). The ISTA is delighted to be involved with this competition which arose out of an email I received last October from a fellow Wexford man, Mr. Seosamh Somers. He is originally from Monagear, and is a past-pupil of Enniscorthy CBS, the very same school I Late-night dancing at the Annual Dinner (eventually) attended many years ago. SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 5 Seosamh is the principal owner of Angel City Flyers Reception at Áras an Uachtaráin Inc of Los Angeles California. Angel City Flyers is a As I mentioned earlier, it has been an interesting year as flight training and aircraft services organisation. They are chair of your association. I was honoured recently to be seeking to encourage and promote STEM education and invited to Áras an Uachtaráin to represent the association want to do so by showcasing the practical application and its members at a reception hosted by President of science in aviation, their chosen business. With his and Sabina Higgins on St. Patricks Day for individuals Irish roots, Seosamh chose Ireland and requested the and organisations in S.T.E.M. This reception was to ISTA to assist in his project. We were delighted to be acknowledge the special contribution made by citizens involved. who have excelled in science and its The competition will be application to Irish life. open to all students in Since his inauguration in 2011, Irish secondary schools President Higgins has used many who shall be 17 by the st occasions to highlight the potential of 1 August 2018 (the science and scientific discoveries to minimum age to qualify find solutions to the world’s greatest as a pilot in the US). problems, such as climate change, The students must have global hunger and environmental a mentoring teacher degradation. He is a regular visitor at who is a member of the the BT Young Scientist festival and ISTA. patron of SciFest. As former Minister The competition for Arts, he has often highlighted will be in two parts. the many links between science and The initial round of creativity. the competition will be a team effort. Teams of up to four students must prepare a short (max. 5 min) video Editor of Science presentation on some aspect of flight training. The Three times a year our journal ‘Science’ is delivered teams that produce the best videos will then go on to to all our members and is part of the benefits of a second round. All members of these teams will have membership. It always contains interesting and relevant an equal chance to win the top prize of flight training articles along with all the news of association happenings in California. The second round will take place at an and events. Putting together this magazine is no easy aviation facility where the winning teams from the first task, articles must be sourced, potential advertisers round will get to experience an aircraft simulator. A final contacted and their requests satisfied, and of course, selection process will take place at this stage to choose there is the work of laying out the content and putting the two winning students as well as two backup students it all together on the computer and then getting it to the who would be available to take the place of the winners printers. For the past eleven years this work has been if for some reason undertaken by Rory Geoghegan, editor of they were unable to Science. Rory has toiled away quietly and travel or avail of the without any complaint even when deadlines prize. are missed by contributors or when last- minute changes are requested. But not only This is a fantastic the journal, Rory also puts together the AGM chance for any programme which takes an equal amount of student with work as any of the journals. After many years an interest in producing our publications Rory now feels technology or that the time has come to hand over the work aviation or who is to someone else and so he is stepping aside thinking of a career from his role as editor of the journal. I must in aviation. The US thank Rory on behalf of all our members for PPL can easily be the huge effort he has put into the production converted to the of the journal and for the contribution he has European version and can be extended to a commercial made to so many other areas of the association's activities pilot's licence. The total value of this prize for the down through the years. I would like to welcome Niall winners is in the order of €35,000. O'Connor of the Dublin branch who is taking over the Full details of the competition will appear in the next role of Editor of the Journal from September. We are issue of Science and the formal commencement of delighted to have him on board and wish him all the best. the competition will coincide with Science Week next autumn when teams can register online for the Finally competition. As well as in this journal, details will be on I would like to wish all our members a well-earned and our website and we will also be circulating information enjoyable summer holiday. After all the hard work of to schools. We intend to hold branch information the year, I hope that you get a chance to recharge your evenings to assist teachers who are mentoring students batteries and put the hustle and bustle of school life to in the competition. Make sure to keep an eye out for one side for a while. this exciting competition and alert your students to this wonderful opportunity. Sean Fogarty, Chairman ISTA

6 www.ista.ie Annual Conference 2017

Mick Moriarty

his year’s national conference proved to be a truly productive one for all those who attended. Catering Tfor both primary and post-primary science teachers, delegates had a huge choice throughout the weekend. Delegates attended lectures and workshops from some of the leading researchers in the educational field – both national and international, which helped to broaden our horizon in teaching methodologies. Sheila Donegan and Eoin Gill (as Rev Nicholas Callan) The official opening by our own chairperson, Dorothy Fox, Jonathan McCrea and Aidan Mulkeen had as one of its themes - “effective science communication”. This was followed by Eoin Gill and Sheila Donegan’s insightful and effective communicating of Rev Callan’s work through demonstration and explanation. (Sheila is related to his cousin Richard, whose daughter Marianne was her great grandmother and Callan was ordained a priest at Maynooth College…we thought that this was a nice connection to have as we held our conference in MU). Callan worked intensively on electricity, with his main claim to fame being the invention of the induction coil, a device for producing high voltages and the forerunner of the step-up transformer — a device that is essential in the today's energy-demanding world. The programme continued on Saturday with four high profile keynote speakers. Entertaining, riveting and educational were just some of the words used to describe their talks. Many thanks to Donal O’Shea, Marc Ó Gríofa, Marie Cassidy and John Sweeney for their considerable contribution to our conference. The parallel speakers allowed delegates to Tom and Dorothy Fox choose from a wide range of disciplines, from Understanding the Science behind Electricity Generation to Stereotypes and Biases in Children’s Accounts of What a Scientist Does to Variety is the spice of Life Science. This wide array of choice was to ensure that delegates would be spoilt for choice. There were more than 40 people presenting at the conference and I would like to thank them all for their contributions. A special word of thanks must be given to the Maynooth lecturers. From keynote speaker, to parallel speakers to workshops, they were a pleasure to work with and they are great ambassadors for their college. Sunday’s speakers included Alan McCormack, former head of the American Science Teachers’ Association and author of numerous textbooks. After Saturday's busy programme, it was nice to just sit back and enjoy the show. Dr. Brenda Corcoran, speaking on behalf of the HSE, emphasised the importance of vaccination against HPV. Each year 300 Stephanie O'Neill (SFI) with Marc Ó Gríofa and Tom Fox women in Ireland get cervical cancer, and 90 women die from it. Cervical cancer is caused by HPV. However, the HPV vaccine protects against 7 out of 10 cervical cancers. Congratulations must go to Seán Finn from the Cork Branch on receiving the Science Educator of the Year 2017 which was sponsored BioPharmaChem Ireland. The award was presented by Siobhan Dean (BCPI) and Dr Oliver Ryan who set up the awards in 1984. Finally looking back at a very successful conference I believe that we all have the same feeling that, as education changes, occasions like the ISTA’s national conference offer a great opportunity to improve our own expertise and professionalism. Mick Moriarty Secretary to National Conference Committee Seán Finn receiving the Science Educator of the Year award from Siobhan Dean (BCPI) and Dr Oliver Ryan SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 7 News & Views

Mary Mullaghy

The Cunningham Physics Conferences in DCU Medal Congratulations to Prof. Dervilla Donnelly, the first woman to receive the Cunningham Medal from the Royal Irish Academy.

The GIREP-ICPE-EPEC 2017 conference will take place in Dublin City University, Ireland. The conference theme will be "Bridging Research and Practice in DCU President’s Physics Teaching and Learning". This conference will Awards for Public be hosted by the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning (CASTeL) at Engagement Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland and is jointly Congratulations to organised by: Dr. Eilish McLoughlin, School of Physical Sciences in DCU, who won one of the • The Conference of International Research Group on DCU President's Awards for Physics Teaching (GIREP) Engagement for 2017. Eilish works in CASTeL and has • European Physical Society - Physics Education Division initiated and led several major (EPS PED) and STEM education initiatives, • International Conference on Physics Education (ICPE) of including Physics Busking, the Commission C14 of the International Union of Pure Science on Stage and Scifest@ and Applied Physics (IUPAP). DCU. She is also central to organising some upcoming th conferences in DCU. 12 ESERA Conference The 12th Conference of the European Science Education Research IoP Teacher Award Association (ESERA) will be hosted The Institute of Physics regularly presents awards to by Dublin City University and the teachers of physics (at second University of Limerick. level) in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The award is to recognise The theme of the conference, outstanding service in the classroom Research, practice and in the teaching of physics. Please collaboration in science education email nominations to ireland@iop. and underlines aspects of great org. relevance in contemporary science education research: the need to reflect on different approaches to enhancing our knowledge of School Student Physics learning processes and the role of context, designed or Awards circumstantial, formal or non-formal, in learning and Does your school have an annual prize day? Is there instruction. www.esera2017.org a prize for Physics? Would you like to reward and acknowledge the efforts of a special student in your Branch Annual General Meetings class? Do you think an award could raise the profile of Under the ISTA Constitution all Branches are required physics in your school? If so, the new Institute of Physics to hold an Annual General Meeting. The Dublin Branch in Ireland School Students Award Scheme might just be invited Mark Langtry to give what you need. a talk on Science Outreach. Here's how it works: Footballer by night, actor- turned-model by day, Mark has • The school physics teachers nominate up to two students a degree in Theoretical Physics who are at Leaving Certificate or N.Ireland A Level from UCD and works in science standard. Nominations may include students from last outreach with The Science year's Leaving Cert/A Level cohort. Nominations can be Gallery Dublin. Some of the submitted to IoPI via a short nomination form Science Banter video clips that he has created on You Tube might • IoPI issues a certificate or certificates which the school be of use in getting students more presents to the nominated student or students interested in Physics. • IoPI maintains a roll of honour on the IoP Ireland website The Monaghan Branch invited • The school may supplement the award with a trophy or Dr. Niamh Shaw, engineer, monetary prize. scientist and performer. Niamh is 8 www.ista.ie well known for promoting STEM careers and women in E-Learning from Nature STEM in her public speaking activities and contributing The E-Learning from Nature on national TV, radio, and press. Niamh is passionate project aims to: about all things Space. www.niamhshaw.ie • Promoting a proactive Angel City Flyers Competition students’ approach to scientific subjects learning In collaboration with ISTA, Seosamh Somers former Wexford man and • Propose innovative teaching owner of Angel City Flyers Inc, methodologies to scientific Los Angeles California, is going to teachers provide two fully paid scholarships To get the username and for two young Irish people to attain password for the web site contact the Irish national their private pilot license with them in coordinator: Los Angeles. Email: [email protected] The selection of candidates will be based on a competition to encourage STEM education and showcase the sciences through their practical application in aviation. The scholarship winners will train Celebrating Irish Science at Áras an with them in LA over the summer vacation (minimum 16 years to start training and 17 to get their license). It Uachtaráin is proposed that this competition would run every two To celebrate St. years. Patrick’s Day, President Michael D. Higgins and Sabina Chemistry in Ac- Higgins hosted a tion reception at Áras an Uachtaráin to Chemistry in Action is acknowledge the going digital. If you want special contribution to be added to the email made by citizens distribution list to continue who have excelled to receive the magazine and in science and its updates about their new application to Irish life. Pictured is Seán Fogarty (ISTA website please email Marie. Chairman), and Mary Mullaghy (IRC researcher & [email protected] Former Chair), with Michael D. Higgins. The event Put Chemistry in Action in was organised by Science Foundation Ireland. For more the subject line and include information see the official Áras an Uachtaráin website. the following information in the email: • Your Name Keep up-to-date • School address A comprehensive list of all competitions, • Subjects taught news and events Chemistry in Action and the annual ChemEd is available on our Conference were the brainchild of the brilliant Dr Peter website. www.ista. Childs of University of Limerick, and the first issue was ie You can also keep launched in May 1980. up-to-date with our Facebook and Twitter The latest version of Chemistry in Action is now available @IrishSciTeach SFI in digital format. A limited number of hard copies will have asked that we be available at various events, such as ChemEd and the use #ibelieveinscience ISTA annual conference. when tweeting this year.

Summer Workshops for Chemistry Teachers The 11th annual Chemical Demonstration Workshop for SEC Subject Reports science teachers runs from 3rd-7th Junior Science: Yvonne Higgins [email protected] July in UL. It was set up by Dr. Peter Childs and is now run by SSPC and LC Biology: Úna Moroney [email protected] offers professional development for teachers. LC Chemistry: Mary Mullaghy [email protected] The sixth annual BASF Summer LC Physics: Seán Finn [email protected] School will be held in the Eureka Centre UCC on 27th June & 28th June (day 2 is a repeat of day 1). The theme of the Summer School is Great ideas Mary Mullaghy and Teaching Resources for teachers of Leaving Certificate ISTA Website Administrator chemistry.

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 9 From the BT Young Scientist to the Better Examinations National Teacher Awards

Yvonne Higgins

In August 2015, two Trinity College graduates; Daniel Hobbs and James Eggers, set up their company ‘BetterExaminations’, https://betterexaminations.ie which enables students to search past exam papers for particular phrases or topics with ease. A subscription to the site costs €2.99 per month. Schools who wish to sign up multiple student accounts can take advantage of reduced rates. Hobbs and Eggers first met at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Business Bootcamp which aims to bridge the gap between learning business as a subject and using it in the real world. As well as setting up their website, Hobbs and Eggers have established the ‘Better Examinations’ Teacher Awards which aim to recognise and reward teachers who inspire their students to achieve their potential. Sponsors of the awards included Trinity College Dublin, Smart Futures, NAPD, BT On Friday, the 24th March, 2017, I was very honoured to Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, the ExamCraft attend the inaugural ‘Better Examinations’ Teacher Awards Group, Get Up and Go Publications, SpunOut.ie and Spin in the Dining Hall, Trinity College Dublin. I had received a 103.8 FM. Current and past pupils, parents and other teachers nomination for the Trinity College Most Inspirational in can nominate teachers online for these awards along with a the Classroom Teacher Award. Over 300 nominations were ‘story’ explaining why they were nominating their chosen received for the awards this year with most of the nominations teacher. There are five categories in the awards: coming from students. All nominees received a certificate recognising their achievement. In each category, there were 1. Trinity College Dublin: Most Inspirational in the three finalists, one of which was awarded the overall winner. classroom: As the awards for each category were presented, the three Teachers who inspire their students, can change lives. The finalists were called on stage and in turn their nominating Trinity Inspirational Teacher award recognises teachers who story was read to the assembled crowd by the MC on the night, share their passion for the subject with their students. Colm O’Regan. It really was a moving and hugely rewarding experience 2. Get Up and Go Initiative Award: to listen to each of the nominating stories from students This award will be given to the teacher who shows great describing the impact that their teacher had on their lives. initiative in their school. They must show imaginative and I was delighted to be one of two runner-up finalists in the resourceful qualities and be committed to engaging their Trinity College Most Inspirational Teacher Award category students to achieve something new. and wish to congratulate the overall winner Donal Enright, Desmond College, Limerick. The positivity emanating from the room was tangible and I would love to see a collection 3. ExamCraft best DCG Contribution: of these nominating stories printed to remind all teachers Ireland has a unique education system whereby teachers of the importance of our profession to society as a whole. I engage with their students across a variety of subject matters. look forward to seeing many of our colleagues getting the ExamCraft look to recognise the best contribution to Design by recognition that they deserve in these awards in the coming awarding their DCG award. years! Finally, I have to thank 4. BTYSTE Most Engaging Teacher: Daniel Hobbs and James Teachers who captivate their students in the classroom are the Eggers, two very inspiring ones who can help them reach their highest potential. The BT young men, for having Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition Award recognises the vision to set up these teachers who are able to engage their students in their teaching awards and I am sure that in the best way possible. they will go from strength to strength both with the awards and with their company 5. SpunOut.ie Wellbeing Award: ‘BetterExaminations’. Good mental, physical and emotional health and well-being are vital in students being able to reach their full potential. The Highlights from the night may be viewed at Well-Being Award rewards the teachers who help to empower the official video at: https://www.youtube.com/ students with the information and support to live active, happy watch?v=BBfDF8iU3aw&feature=youtu.be and healthy lives as they study. This award appreciates teachers who have gone the extra mile to introduce classroom or whole school initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of their Yvonne Higgins, Magh Ene College, Bundoran, Co. Donegal. students. Apart from the ExamCraft best DCG contribution, these awards were open to teachers from second level across ISTA Junior Science Convenor any subject discipline.

10 www.ista.ie Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI)

Mary Mullaghy

ducational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) is a voluntary, non-political body Ededicated to the advancement of educational research in Ireland. According to Prof. Donal The conference takes the form of parallel sessions with Mulcahy, one of the founding members, the idea for symposia and paper presentations. The keynote on ESAI was conceived at a gathering in University Saturday was entitled “Dancing in the Dark: working the College Galway in 1976 and the first annual spaces between policy and practice”, and given by Dr. conference took place in UCC in 1977. This year’s Anne Looney, who was both entertaining and informative. conference was back again in UCC and took place Among many of the in the Western Gateway Building during the Easter interesting observations holidays. that she made was that current education Policy appears to be drifting away from Research and Practice. “Why have TeachMeets and Edchatie arisen? In spite of policy? to spite policy? or to survive policy”? Anne referenced “Teaching in the Knowledge Society”, where teachers find themselves caught in a triangle of competing interests and imperatives: To be catalysts of the knowledge society and of the opportunity and prosperity it promises to bring; The theme of the conference was: Changing Research: • To be counterpoints for the knowledge society and its working the spaces between education policy and threats to inclusiveness, security and public life; practice. This theme invited participants to consider the challenges and expectations driving education research • To be casualties of the knowledge society in a world in contemporary Ireland and beyond. “Research is a lived where escalating expectations for education are being activity; it has its origins in curiosity or concern”. Dr. Conor • met with standardized solutions provided at minimum Galvin (ESAI President). cost. It attracted an eclectic mix of researchers, policy makers, According to Hargraves, the interactions and effects of practitioners and interested others from Ireland and the three forces are shaping abroad. The formal opening took place with a panel the nature of teaching, what it discussion to discuss the conference theme in The River means to be a teacher, and the Lee Hotel. Keynote speaker, Dr. Anne Looney, (Executive very viability of teaching as a Dean of the new DCU Institute of Education), was joined by profession in the knowledge several invited guests including; Prof. Kathy Hall (UCC), Dr. society. (Hargreaves, 2003) Mairín Glenn (NEARI), Mr. Tomás Ó Ruairc, (The Teaching Council), Dr. Emer Smyth, (ESRI) and Prof. Donal Mulcahy All teaching involves Research, (ESAI). The panel was chaired by Dr. Conor Galvin (ESAI Reflective Practice and most President). importantly Relationships The 2018 ESAI conference is expected to be in UCD at the end of the second week of the Easter holidays – to be confirmed. A very warm and welcoming community for anyone interested in educational research. You can find more information on www.esai.ie Twitter: @esai_irl

Mary Mullaghy ISTA Website Administrator SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 11 St Columba's College wins CanSat Ireland 2017

Stephanie O'Neill

t. Columba's College (Dublin) will represent Congratulating the 2017 CanSat Ireland National Winners, Ireland at the 2017 European CanSat Finals Stephanie O’Neill, ESERO Ireland Manager, Science in Germany. Following two days of strong Foundation Ireland said: “ESERO Ireland’s aim, with the S assistance of the European Space Agency, is to foster the skills competition in the CanSat Ireland National Finals, that are required by companies operating in the space sector transition year students from St. Columba's College at an early age. Irish teams have now enjoyed success at the in Dublin won the coveted national title and will European CanSat competition over a number of years, tackling represent Ireland at the 2017 European CanSat complex design, engineering and mathematical challenges as well as the softer skills of teamwork, problem solving and Finals, to be held at the Applied Space Technology communicating with the support of their mentors all the while and Microgravity (ZARM) at Bremen University, gaining exposure to the exciting opportunities which a career Germany from 28 June to 2 July 2017. in space science can offer. I would like to congratulate the The CanSat Ireland competition is a joint collaboration between team from St Columba's College on their great achievement ESERO Ireland (European Space Education Resource Office) and wish them every success as they go on to represent Ireland and the CEIA (Cork Electronics Industry Association) and is at the European CanSat Competition this summer. ” co-funded by the European Space Agency and SFI (Science “CanSat is a unique space project that simulates a real satellite Foundation Ireland). which fits into the volume of a soft drinks can – students get first-hand practical experience of a real space project. By encouraging and exciting transition year students about the possibilities of a career in space and STEM, this initiative is not only effective but great fun for students, and we look forward to seeing more entries across the country each year,” said Dr. Eamon Connolly, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Promotion Officer, CEIA – Cork’s Technology Network. Sixteen teams will participate in the 2017 European CanSat Finals, which will be held at ZARM in partnership with the University of Bremen from 28 June to 2 July 2017. There will be 14 winners of CanSat National competitions from Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Romania, the Netherlands, Spain, UK and Nordic countries as well as an additional two teams coming from countries without a national competition but selected by ESA. A CanSat is a simulation of a real satellite developed in the size and shape of a soft drink can. A European Space Agency In previous years students from Ireland have achieved notable initiative, CanSat is designed to inspire young people to pursue success in the European CanSat competition, run by the a career in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and European Space Agency (ESA). The competition is a joint mathematics) with the ultimate goal of ensuring the availability collaboration between ESERO Ireland and the CEIA and of a highly qualified workforce in the space industry of the is co-funded by the European Space Agency and Science future. In recent months, regional competitions have taken place Foundation Ireland. across Ireland, in partnership with the Institutes of Technology in Athlone, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Sligo. Industry Sponsors of the CanSat Competition are Limerick Based Arralis, and Dublin based Xilinx Ireland as well as Regional winners from Moate Community College (Athlone Industry Cluster Group MIDAS Ireland. Speaking on behalf IT), Mount Mercy College (CIT), Belvedere College and St. of Xilinx Ireland and MIDAS Ireland, Peng Lim said “Xilinx Columba's College (DIT), Colaiste Muire Ennis (GMIT), Kilrush and Midas Ireland are delighted to support this exciting Community School (LIT), and Mercy College (ITS), gathered competition which has all the right ingredients – Hardware in Emo Court, on Thursday 27 April, and launched their mini- Design, Software Design, Systems design and Team Work to satellites in rockets built and launched by the Irish Rocketry shape our next generation Engineers.” Society. On Friday, 28 April, these national finalists presented their analysis, recordings and flight patterns to the judging panel Stephanie O'Neill, Discover Science and Engineering Project consisting of Neil Murray ESA Engineer, Niall Smith CIT/ Manager with SFI (Science Foundation Ireland) Blackrock Castle Observatory and Stephanie O’Neill, ESERO Ireland Manager.

12 www.ista.ie Exam Paper Archive

David Malone and Hazel Murray

e often hear people telling us that the been supported by the State Examinations Commission, who Leaving Cert was much harder in the provided access to some of the more elusive exam papers, past, but what were the examinations and also by Maynooth University who provided a student W internship to help with the work of gathering and processing actually like? Over the last year, we have been the papers. collecting Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate examinations, so that people can find out. We were At times it has been quite an adventure, but we have also spent a considerable amount of quality time with the photocopier. sparked into action by a Twitter-based claim that We’ve learned many interesting things. For example, did someone had studied differentiation and complex you know that there was no Biology course before 1971? numbers for Intermediate Certificate mathematics in Instead, there were two courses “Botany” and “Physiology & the 1980s. (They hadn’t!). Hygiene”. We’ve also seen some interesting trends — papers seem to be growing longer (in terms of pages) and have more We have collected many of the STEM exam papers from 1925 pictures and figures than they used to. The pattern of pink for to the present day. Why 1925? Well, that’s the first year the higher level papers and blue for ordinary level also goes back Leaving Certificate and Intermediate Certificate programmes to at least 1930! were examined by the then recently-formed Department of Education. One correspondent pointed out that in 1969 we had the final version of the mathematics exam rather than the original issue. The archive includes papers from Mathematics, Applied When we asked for more details, it turned out that during Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Technical a break-in to a south Dublin school, unseen exam papers Drawing/Design & Communication Graphics at Leaving had been stolen. According to the Irish Independent, copies Certificate level. We have also collected Junior/Intermediate of some papers were circulating for “anything up to £5”. Certificate examination papers for Mathematics, Science and Students were required to re-sit Maths. and English Paper II Mechanical Drawing/Technical Graphics. again towards the end of June! Our correspondent was able to provide us with a copy of the original Maths. Paper II. We have The papers are all freely available at included this and some other material, such as official sample http://archive.maths.nuim.ie/staff/dmalone/StateExamPapers/ papers, in a supplementary section of the archive. or http://tinyurl.com/mathsyarchive for short. If you’re curious to see, for example, what questions were We’re hoping that people will be able to make use of them for being asked during World War 2, or to see if you can still do anything from nostalgia, to teaching and research. questions from your own Leaving Cert., please take a look The archive has been compiled by consulting various libraries at the archive. We’d love to hear from you if you find any and with the help of teachers/students around the country who interesting uses for it, or can fill any of the remaining gaps. have stashes of old exam papers in their attics! The work has David Malone and Hazel Murray

Extracts from the 1931 and 2016 Chemistry papers. The first was 2 pages long, the second was 12 pages long. SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 13 NUI Galway science initiatives Awarded €250,000 for Public Engagement and Education

Enda Connell

our NUI Galway public engagement and The project will run throughout 2017, led by Dr Heike education initiatives have been awarded Felzmann in the Centre of Bioethical Research and Analysis Ffunding of more than €250,000 through the at NUI Galway. Science Foundation Ireland Discover Programme, as announced by the Minister of State for Training, ‘Bright Club’ is a variety show with a twist. Academic Skills and Innovation, John Halligan T.D. The researchers become comedians for one night, using initiatives, which will improve public understanding humour to talk about their research. The researchers from of science, technology, engineering, and maths science, engineering, social science, and the humanities get (STEM) in the West of Ireland and across the training in humour as communication, before joining actual country, will engage over 40,000 members of the comedians on stage in front of the public. The night has public in 2017. been running across Ireland for two years, spearheaded by Dr Jessamyn Fairfield in the School of Physics at NUI Galway. ‘Cell EXPLORERS’ is a science education and public engagement programme delivering STEM activities regionally and nationally, led by Dr Muriel Grenon. It uses a unique model, originally developed in NUI Galway, for sustainable science public engagement in ten Universities and Institutes of Technology around Ireland. The programme uses hands-on activities and local scientists to engage the public in the importance of science in society with a diverse set of activities, including school visits and science festival workshops.

More information can be found at www.cellexplorers.com.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE: Reaching for the Stars as part of the ReelLife SCIENCE video competition are (l-r) Justina Smidtaite, Scoil Bhríde, Shantalla, Galway and Charlie O’Connell, Scoil Éanna, Bullaun, Co. Galway.

‘ReelLIFE SCIENCE’ is a nationwide video competition for primary schools, secondary schools and community groups which, since being launched in 2013 by NUI Galway’s Dr Enda O’Connell, has enabled thousands of students across Ireland to engage with STEM by communicating a topic (e.g. ‘Science and Me’, ‘How Things Work’ and ‘Science in Space’) via a three-minute video. The videos are screened at the Galway Science and Technology Festival each year and are Cell EXPLORERS: Young scientists from Galway Educate available online at www.reellifescience.com. Nationally, Together National School and St James National School, a total of 120 applications were received by Science Bushypark, Galway supporting the Fantastic DNA National Foundation Ireland for Discover Programme funding, and school roadshow with Cell EXPLORERS team member Ivor 44 initiatives were selected through rigorous international Geoghegan. peer-review for a combined investment of €2.8 million. ‘Genetic Testing: Engaging the West of Ireland’ aims to engage students and members of the public in the West of Ireland in reflection and conversation about genetics Dr Enda O’Connell is Senior Technical Officer in National and genetic testing. It combines an exhibition on genetics, Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES) in ethics and society with activities for secondary school National University of Ireland, Galway students and other interested groups.

14 www.ista.ie Journey through the centre of the Earth!

Russell Harris

can remember wondering when I was a (possibly odd) boy, why don’t I we just drill a tunnel from Ireland through the Earth to Australia? Then I could just jump in, accelerate for the first half of the journey until I passed the core, and then decelerate for the second half until I reached the other side, where I could just step out of the tunnel at the moment I came to a stop. Free travel to Australia! There are a few flaws to my plan, of course: the You can see that the proportional relationship holds up as far as the surface, impossibility of building it, reaching terminal after which the inverse square law takes over. Notice that the maximum value velocity in the atmosphere, and the fact that of g occurs at the surface (if for no other reason than that it is interesting). Australia isn’t actually opposite us, to name a few! But the idea came back to me recently as So what we are saying is that in my fictitious tunnel, the acceleration an older and wiser physics teacher and I began is proportional to the distance from the centre. Sound familiar, physics to wonder if it were possible, and if there was teachers? Yes! it's simple harmonic motion! no atmosphere to slow me down, how long would it take? A person in the tube would oscillate up and down from one side of the Earth to the other indefinitely (unless slowed by the atmosphere or if they scraped Any physics teacher off the side, eventually causing them to stop at the core). will tell you that gravitational force So, acceleration due to gravity is directly proportion to distance from the decreases in an centre. inverse square ∝ relationship as you i.e g r travel away from compare this to our standard SHM equation: the Earth. In other words, if you double a = ω 2 × s (ignoring the pesky minus) your distance from the centre, you and we can write: quarter the force, as was first worked out by Newton in his universal law of gravitation. But g = ω 2 × r what happens if you travel towards the centre? Logic tells us that we should be weightless At the surface, we know that g = 9.8 ms−2 and that r = the radius of the Earth at the centre, as we are pulled equally in all = 6.4 × 10 6 m (both approximate values) so we get: directions towards the mass of the Earth, 2 6 so gravitational force must decrease as we 9.8 = ω × 6.4 × 10 descend. When you think about it, the deeper So ω2 = 1.53 × 10−6 and ω = 1.24 × 10−3 s-1 you are, the less mass is below you to attract you towards the centre. It was again Newton Now, our other SHM equation is T = 2π/ω, where T is the period (the time for who did the maths for this, discovering that the one full oscillation) gravitational force is directly proportional to distance from the centre once you start to travel So T = 2π / 1.24 × 10−3 = 5067 seconds inside. (I’ve included the maths at the end for = 84 minutes (approx.) those of you who need to be convinced, or who just like maths). This is the time to get there and back, so we can now reveal, that the time to travel to Australia in the tube, with no air to slow you down, would be… 42 Let’s switch from talking about gravitational minutes! force, to acceleration due to gravity, g, which will be handier for our sum. Here is how the Just make sure you grab onto something when you get there before you fall graph of g vs. distance from the centre of the back! Earth looks, starting at the centre: SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 15 The atmosphere on the Earth clearly makes this impossible, but what if you did it with the Moon? That solves that The Association’s problem, but not the other one about the impossibility of drilling through the core. But here’s a thought (and here we move Presidential medal and even further into the realm of science fiction). What about on one of those big asteroids? We’ve already landed a space chain of office craft on one. What if we built our shelter Adrian Somerfield on one side and the lab on the other? We could then just pop home for lunch by just jumping in the tube. was thinking recently about It is a handsome piece of work in The asteroid Vesta is reasonably circular. the Presidential Medal, having silver-gilt with an enamelled plaque at It has a diameter of about 525 km and the centre based on the Association’s a surface acceleration due to gravity of come across a slide I had made early logo. The three sections of the −2 I about 0.25 ms . So here’s some physics of it for use in my own Address central circle show the three principal fun for you. How long would your daily in 1977. I imagine that many branches of Science, physics, chemistry commute take on Vesta? Before you members of the Association do and biology (although at that time there work it out, have a guess; do you think it not know that there is such a was no biology syllabus in the Leaving would be longer or shorter than the trip Certificate, only Botany, Agricultural to Australia? thing, let alone having seen it, Science, and “Physiology and Hygiene”. since it really only comes out at The physics one in white shows an To show that acceleration due to gravity an AGM. The Association must oscilloscope with electric wires, the is proportional to distance from the have commissioned it very early, chemistry one in blue shows a beaker centre of a planet, when inside that since one of my first instructions and a tripod stand, and the biology one planet: in green shows a rabbit and a flowering when I became Treasurer in 1964 plant. People would be less familiar As we descend towards the centre, we was to go to Weir’s in Grafton nowadays with a retort, but it was very only have to consider the mass below us. Street, Dublin, to collect it and useful for distillation in those days The pull of the mass above us cancels when one was dealing (as we did) with with that on the other sides (it may take a pay for it. It cost £35. (The subscription then was £1). I was things like nitric acid or bromine which while to convince yourself of that). attacked cork or rubber, and we had no also to be its “minder” and make “Quickfit” glassware, and not all that sure the President gave it back much of Pyrex-type glass either. after the AGM, so for years it spent most of its time under the The surrounding circle carried the name of the Association in English and also floorboards of my bedroom! in Irish using the old Irish script which I did, however, take it to various members of my generation were brought branches such as Sligo and Dundalk up to use and which I personally find where I gave talks in my own much more attractive, and easier to read, presidential year. with the accent and builte (dot) which avoided all those ugly h’s. [The original font for that Irish type came over from England in 1571 in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.] So we can reduce the problem to finding out what happens to g at the surface I have often wondered who of a shrinking (or growing if you like) actually designed the logo or sphere, in terms of the radius, r. ordered the Medal. I suspect it

3 may have been my predecessor Volume of a sphere, V = 4/3 π r as Treasurer, A.V. Henry, who taught in the (now long-closed) Density (ρ) of a planet with mass M : ρ Masonic Boys’ School in = M/V (we have to assume that this is Clonskeagh, Dublin 14. I have uniform, which is a bit of a fudge) been in touch with Weirs, but So M = V ρ = 4/3 π r 3 ρ they say their records do not go back so far, so the mystery The equation for the acceleration due to remains. Maybe someone might gravity at the surface of a planet is g = know, but there are not many G M / r 2 members of that era left! So g = G (4/3 π r 3 ρ)/ r 2 = 4/3 π G ρr Dr Adrian Somerfield, former Since G, π and ρ are constants, g is physics teacher at St Columba’s proportional to r. College, Whitechurch, Dublin

Russell Harris teaches science and is Deputy Principal in Temple Carraig School, Greystones, Co Wicklow.

16 www.ista.ie

SciFest 2017

 Free entry  Open to all second- level students

 Accessible

 Lots of prizes  Local - SciFest@School

 Regional - SciFest@College

 National Final

 International - SciFest@Intel ISEF

 8,000+ students in 2016 SciFest and Gaisce

SciFest: 086 379 6143

'Our experience of SciFest has been fun, inspiring and interesting for both students and teachers. We have seen students really enjoy the experience of research as they explore their interests and display what they have discovered. It is a great opportunity for all.' Loreto Secondary School, Mullingar

e: [email protected] SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 w: www.scifest.ie17

The flour ‘bomb’ IoP Frontiers of Physics Demonstration Experiment (Number 6 of 10) Randal Henly 2017

his experiment shows that back of powder into your mouth! Institute of Physics energy is contained in a If the lid is really tight, it can be Frontiers of Physics 2017 carbohydrate, and also, lifted by certainly two metres T into the air. Ergo: there is energy 17th Annual Conference at a more advanced level, that the combustion of finely-divided contained in carbohydrate! powders is extremely rapid. When for ALL Teachers of Physics - including Make the point that this reaction Junior Science the flour is ignited, the very rapid is similar to that which occurs rd combustion generates much gas inside the human body when any Saturday 23 September 2017 carbohydrate is being digested, (CO2 and H2O vapour) and this at but at a much much much slower exerts enough pressure to blow The Department of Physics, the lid high into the air. rate! Analog Devices Building, University of Limerick A large tin 1 with a tightly-fitting Randal Henly, former science lid is needed. Punch a hole in the teacher at Mount Temple bottom or the side of the tin large Comprehensive School, #FrontiersofPhysics enough to take the stem of a funnel. Dublin, and longtime Editor of This year’s Institute of Physics teachers Seal this in with a suitable adhesive SCIENCE. Conference takes place in the new Analog (recommended are epoxy resin or hot Devices Building, University of Limerick glue; no lab should be without such It will be a day of lectures, demonstrations, substances!). Blu-tack would also do 1 A catering sized coffee tin is and workshops, resources and networking ideal for all teachers of physics, including Junior the job but less satisfactorily. Science teachers. 2 The flour must be really dry Set up the apparatus as shown. for maximum effect. If the • To inform teachers of the exciting and experiment is unimpressive, use innovative work at the Frontiers of Place several grams of well- dried a 50/50 mixture of lycopodium Physics cornflour 2 in the funnel. Light the powder and flour, or 100% • To provide teachers with examples candle, put the lid tightly on (bang it lycopodium powder. The of simple and inexpensive physics down with a closed fist). Now, give latter substance is essentially demonstrations a sharp and sudden puff through the carbohydrate so there is no ‘cheating’ in doing this. • To inform teachers of the latest rubber tubing. Then immediately developments and resources available in ‘pinch’ the tubing to prevent a blow- physics teaching • To provide an opportunity for teachers to exchange ideas and network.

For further details see www.iopireland.ie

18 www.ista.ie Candle–light and Some plural Climate Change nouns

John Daly Test yourself with these

he darting flecks of carbon rotating in a pool of Singular Plural melted candle wax reminded me of the importance alga algae Tof convective flow as a driver of ocean currents, how bacterium bacteria dependent we are in Ireland on these heat transfer effects cilium cilia and how human sourced climatic changes are putting this at risk. fungus fungi genus genera An explanation of the effect can be found at: https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/221100/why-do-particles- mitochondrion mitochondria in-the-molten-wax-near-a-burning-candle-wick-get-pushed-away mongoose mongooses ovum ova ox oxen Lit by languid candle light, phalanx (*) phalanges A molten lake of wax, so bright, serum sera A still and almost wave-less lake, stigma stigmata/stigmas stoma stomata/stomas Flows slowly o'er, white drips to make. stratum strata

What are those black and spectral shapes, axis axes focus foci Scurrying about inside, formula formulae/formulas As if they were borne out and in, index indices On very rapid, flowing tides. matrix matrices polyhedron polyhedra quantum quanta The surface jettison from wick is quicker, radius radii It is hard to see them in the flicker, series series But, slowly sinking, they return, In lazy motion not to burn, automaton automata criterion criteria But rising up the wick, and flashing out, person people (but 'legal' persons) These specks resume their stately rout. phenomenon phenomena

addendum addenda The flames’ hot power, a thousand Centigrade, census censuses This burning fuel drives a convective grade. datum (*) data It’s turbulent energy invites us to view, die dice Venusian clouds and Saturn's storms, anew, medium media referendum referendums And close to home, our ocean-currents course,

Driven by climate, from an urgent solar source. stone (weight) stone (e.g. ten stone weight) foot (length) feet (six feet; but a 6-foot beam) We, with childish ignorance, may stall this turn, apparatus apparatus (or apparatuses) Edging closer to the wick, on which we'll burn. schema schemata/schemas syllabus syllabi/syllabuses John Daly, 2017, Convenor of ISTA Chemistry Committee; formerly of Blackrock College, Dublin *singular not commonly used nowadays

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 19 AGM Musings

Ian McCulloch

or various reasons, none an Sheila (Porter). I relayed to her that my There were also these aphorisms (not so Annual Meeting ideological project evaluation experience in Sand- sure that the last one is correctly classi- Fantipathy, I wasn’t able to ford Park earlier this year had been very fied thus). attend last year. This omission enjoyable. The participants seemed to be • If you have thin friends you are less made me more determined to more committed than usual, especially likely to become obese. make it this year. As usual, it was the Transition Year. Also, school co-or- • “Eye level” is “Buy level”. great to see so many familiar dinator Dana Kilroy had assembled a • Much wants more. faces. However, my life cycle has good number of assessors, which meant reached a point now when the that the load on each of us was not so • In diets, which attempt to deal with names to go with the faces aren’t onerous. One of my fellow judges at this, severe cases of obesity, the “meat element” can take the form of an always available. Alison Graham, was also in evidence in OXO cube. In this context it might I decided to go to the Dublin Branch Maynooth. be described as the “cube root of a square meal”. AGM in Newpark at the end of March It was soon time for the first lecture. I sat to get me in the mood. The tea/coffee beside our President, Conor O’Brien. I • There are three trillion bugs in a accompanied by copious fancy confec- commented that, in spite of his obvious gram of faeces. tions got proceedings off to a good start. intellect, my perception of him is as The next diversion was more classroom The official business was dealt with being down to earth. In response, he did orientated and featured an excellent efficiently and expeditiously by Branch confess to spending quite a bit of time in resource developed by Pearse Ahern for Chairperson, Lynn Anderson. Prepara- the clouds! the ESB. It is poster/booklet and internet tory work had obviously been done. The resource that uses the Aghada Power speaker was Mark Langtry, who enter- Donal O’Shea of Operation Transfor- Station in Cork to familiarise pupils with tained and informed us. mation fame (his other accomplishments basic heat & electricity principles as well are more worthy of renown than this, I Mark has been a League of Ireland soc- as making them aware of the notion of suspect) made light of his TV celebrity efficiency in electricity generation. cer player with UCD, Fionn The Terrier status and delivered an enthralling pre- at Croke Park, a model, an actor, film sentation. Despite a sketchy knowledge The basic generator is a gas turbine, maker, soccer camp coach and Science of the biological detail he outlined, I was which relies on the tried-and-tested Gallery facilitator. He has a degree in enthralled by the “general” thrust. Below four-stroke “suck, squeeze, burn, blow” Theoretical Physics and has availed of are some observations I noted. cycle to rotate a coil in a magnetic field. the opportunities afforded by the above • Not so long ago fat was considered This is about 37% efficient. However, list to do a bit of science proselytizing, to be an inert lipid energy store — in Aghada, the surplus heat energy from which he enjoys immensely. His main no longer. It and the mechanisms this process is used to produce steam communication tool at the moment is his associated with it are better to power a steam turbine. This supple- YouTube - Science Banter Mark Langtry. understood, though it remains to be discovered exactly how the body ments the gas turbine and the efficiency Do have a look — he is infectious. regulates weight. is increased to 58%. Interestingly, the practical maximum efficiency is about Anyway, back to the National AGM. • Obesity causes many, and worsens Having run the gauntlet of registration all, diseases. Yet it never appears on a 62%–63%. (painless), I bumped into Fiona Des- death certificate. Then it was time for “little break” which mond, with whom I share an interest • No matter what strategy (gastric provided an opportunity for more chat. in older cars. Her Fiat 500 misbehaved bands, diets, exercise etc.) is The most exciting news from this hiatus when she took it out of hibernation re- employed it is highly unlikely that was Randal Henly’s purchase of a robot cently. The dipstick broke when she was people will lose more than 10% of their weight in the long-term. lawn mower. He delighted in his de- checking the oil. The subsequent noises scription of its competence. When it is were sufficiently ominous to suggest • We shouldn’t be trying to develop “on the job”. It realises when its battery that some rehabilitation will be required strategies to treat obesity. We should be developing strategies to prevent it needs recharging and heads back to the before she can get out and about for a bit in the first place. docking station for sustenance. When of posing. replete it returns to work. If (that should • The effectiveness of vaccines is being I bought some “goodies” at the ISTA compromised by obesity; this has probably be “when”) it begins to rain, it shop before a quick visit to the “publish- implications for herd immunity. again heads for the docking station and ers et al” room where I had a chat with • Weight regulates the immune system. shelters until conditions improve. It can an arrestingly dapper George Porter at The immune system regulates even cope with the presence of Randal’s the SciFest stand. Equally elegant was weight. central flowerbed. The perimeter wire, which defines its domain, does a detour 20 www.ista.ie across the lawn, around the bed and one, 0.348 m. Dividing suggests a refrac- amongst other pathologists, remarked, back again. The “out” and “back” wires tive index of 1.2 — discuss! “The dead don’t answer back”. She are sufficiently close together that their claims that a lack of “bedside manner” Such was the actionpackedness of the associated magnetic fields cancel each was one reason she was tempted by pa- day that lunch had barely been ingest- other out, eliminating robotic confusion. thology. I suspect some self-deprecatory ed, let alone digested, than it was off to Despite the random nature of the mow- deception here. She opined that, nowa- Adrian Allan’s “Magic and Science”. er’s motion Randal reckons there are days, forensic scientists rather than pa- Despite being from the north of Scot- very few uncut patches after it has done thologists provide the answers. There is land, subtitles were not needed, though its work. a plethora of “ologists” and technicians some of his routines were difficult to involved, all of whom have a vital role My next visit was to the Science-on- decrypt. to play. She seems not to be a great fan Stage workshop. Seán Fogarty’s novel One of his most impressive tricks was of coroners and psychiatrists. The former electroscope, which utilises a Field persuading a coin to pass through a sheet ask questions like “How long does it Effect Transistor and an LED attracted of latex into a beaker. He made objects take somebody to die of strangulation?” my attention. It was David Keenahan, disappear in liquids by making sure She wondered if he/she might like to though, who provided me with most refractive indices matched, e.g. Hydrogel volunteer to take part in an experiment to ideas. I am sure the details of these are balls in water. He also did a couple of come up with an answer. The latter don’t to be found somewhere (on the infinite- card tricks in which the “forced” card impress her with prescriptions of “a ly informative Internet perhaps?) more appeared on a heat-and-reveal mug and 10-week course in YOGA” or “a series succinctly expressed than I might do in memory wire. The latter had been of novels to read”. As for the “time of here. Suffice it to say this interlude had prepared in advance to manifest itself as death” prognostications given in film & a subsequent impact on marital harmo- three hearts. He also rotated (slowly) a TV productions, she suggests that, as it ny and bank balance. The former was spiral with an electric drill. We concen- is so arbitrary in reality, if the pathologist unsettled somewhat by the hijacking of trated on it for 30 seconds after which says the victim died at exactly 6:22 pm, the cappuccino frother for a natty wave we looked at then the pathologist did it. speed demo involving a sink stopper Adrian’s head; “chain” and some elasticated cord. Also Before heading for home I nipped back it promptly and the attachment of my new Phonescope to the registration building to have a disconcerting- (Amazon outlay) on her iPhone — it quick look-in at the lab suppliers but ly appeared really does generate spectacular images there they were - gone. I did salvage to expand. He painlessly — was not appreciated. Fur- an abandoned bun, which went nicely repeated the ther financial frittering included a small with a cup of coffee, before I headed for exercise with bottle of Lucozade with a wide neck home. the drill rotating to accommodate a table tennis ball (in in the opposite Well done to all involved. stock), which retains the inverted bottle’s direction and his contents with the aid of atmospheric head shrank. pressure. It was Amazon again for some When downloading neodymium magnets and a strange little My last treat of the day was courtesy of images from my shop in Blessington for 12 mm ball bear- another Scot, State Pathologist, Ma- camera I usually ings, which were used in the assembly of rie Cassidy. Arthur Conan Doyle was connect it to the a Gauss gun. from Edinburgh but she doesn’t hold computer with a that against him (she’s from Glasgow!). When my time was up here, I passed USB cable. This Medical perceptions when she was Damienne Letmon as I was heading out has proved to growing up were coloured by Dr. Kildare of the lab. She had a clever idea for a la- be occasionally and Emergency Ward 10. She suspects ser distance meter (another Amazon ac- temperamental so I that Quincy may have had a subliminal quisition). The container (more expendi- have taken recently effect, of which she was not aware at ture) is part of a “desk tidy” set. Fill one to inserting the SD the time. She enjoyed Physics at school section with water. As you can maybe card directly. This and, for no particular reason, did medi- see, the distance recorded for the empty worked well until cine. As her predecessor, Jack Harbison, section is 0.422 m and the water-filled a couple of weeks ago when, thanks to a design feature of the iMac and my ineptitude, I put the SD card into the CD drive. The prox- imity of the two slots to each other (see photo) demonstrates how easy this is to do, especially when you are just doing it by feel. Fortunately, YouTube came up with a retrieval solution which I imple- mented to no avail. Val had a go and it reappeared in jig time - Phew!

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 21 I took the photo (below) at a motor- & feeding” of the lawn. At the time of ing event recently for the Motor Club writing, weather conditions have not Newsletter I put together. I “adjust” the been favourable for its deployment. The Three poems snaps in iPhoto and use Pages for the bags of “weed and feed” remain in the Newsletter. garage where, despite their being in thick Lo and behold, when I inserted the pic plastic sacks, they manage to make their by Paul Holland in the document, the rather less flattering presence felt olfactorily. image appeared. I have just one “grumpy old man” offer- It’s a great interference pattern though. ing. I had meant to include this last time. It is from the Irish Times of 14th February and quotes John Walshe, former special adviser to Ruairí Quinn and Irish Mother Physics Independent education editor thus. “My father loved noth- ing more than pouring over The ground is the Sunday papers.” I hope Secure as the he did it after he had finished Forces of gravity poring over them. Electromagnetism and The ISTA has been extreme- ly fortunate to have had the Nuclear forces allow expertise, enthusiasm and And if their laws commitment of Rory Geoghe- gan as Hon. Editor of Science Were to be repealed for the last eleven years. His There would be era followed what I suppose could be called the epoch of Nobody to know Randal Henly (similarly exceptional). The ground was I suspect that, without such an excel- The garden is coming back to life again lent journal, the ISTA would not be as No longer around as you can see. The complement to life strong an organisation as it is. “Science” is, of course, death and that is one of my contributes a sense of cohesiveness and missions at this time of year. As you may continuity. On a personal level, I would be aware, I prefer an inorganic approach like to thank Rory for providing me with to certain garden chores. This is not such a prestigious platform to wafflead In Orion necessarily a strategy endorsed by the nauseum. head gardener so I do it while she is off the premises. I now have two backpack Good luck to Niall O’Connor as he takes I see a point sprayers, one for glyphosate, the other hold of the baton. Of light that set diquat, to facilitate the elimination of Ian McCulloch formerly taught physics Out to join me flora growing in inappropriate locations. at Sandford Park School. The first spring dose has been applied. (Even though Another spring chore is the “weeding It could not know That I was Destined to exist) 800 years ago

Fossil fuelled for take-off

When plants and animals Died silently millions of Years ago, there was no One there to suspect that Their remains would roar

22 www.ista.ie The Wonderful World of Woodlice Extended Investigation, Inquiry, and Assessment

Declan Cathcart

Planning and Predicting Guided Inquiry irst year students were asked to carry out The investigation was run as a guided inquiry - students were an investigation into the living conditions presented with a broad question to be investigated (“What living of woodlice over 2 weeks. Students began conditions do woodlice prefer”) - but they were initially given F only limited guidance during their planning. As students discussed by collecting woodlice from the school grounds, their plans and wrote in their planning booklet, I was able to go and the woodlice were kept in a “woodlice hotel” from group to group, asking and answering questions, offering in the school laboratory (details available on advice if necessary. This was a valuable opportunity for formative request!) assessment, gathering valuable information about student prior knowledge, their understanding of terms such as ‘hypothesis’ and Students were then presented with the topic that they were ‘variables’, and any misconceptions that arose. I should point out going to investigate i.e. the living condition preferences of that these students had carried out some other similar but shorter woodlice. During a planning session, I asked them to identify investigations over the course of the year, during which they had to what environmental factors might affect woodlice (light, form a hypothesis, identify variables, and plan their experiments. humidity, wind, temperature), and what living conditions they might prefer (bright or dark, damp or dry etc.). When they came to designing their experiments, I advised students that they investigate one factor at a time. Once they had made a plan (and had run it by me), they set about constructing their “choice chambers” (not a word they used, but one that I introduced). Some used cardboard, others used plastic trays or boxes, some had two sections, some three. Most students settled on light as the factor they were investigating, but some chose humidity. It was all very messy, and involved an awful lot of sticky tape. Over the next few lesson periods, students carried out experiments, collected and evaluated data, repeated tests, re-designed experiments, refined the construction of their chambers, and revised their hypotheses. Having investigated the effect of one factor (e.g. light), most students then went on to carry out a second set of experiments looking at another factor (e.g. humidity).

Figure 1: Identifying variables

Each group was given a planning booklet in which they were asked to list the relevant factors, and to pick one that they Figure 3 (above): Collecting data could investigate in terms of woodlice preferences. They were asked to make predictions about how woodlice might respond to changes in that environmental factor, and to form Assessment a hypothesis. After that, they were asked to begin planning experiments to test their hypotheses. They set about Students reported on their investigations using a variety of digital identifying the variables that would be involved in their media (video diaries, fast-motion video, photos, animations, experiments and writing this up in their planning booklet as screencasts, etc.), as well as type-written reports. These were they went along. submitted as part of the students' individual digital portfolios using the iPad app, SeeSaw. This allowed me to provide online Figure 2 (below): Designing experiments feedback in the form of written comments. Assessment checkpoints (see Figure 4) involved the application of one of three different rubrics that provided by my applying three different rubrics (see Figure 5 for an example) through Schoology (our school’s online Learning Management Environment). These rubrics had been shared with them at the start of the investigation. Once each SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 23 Figure 6: Effect of temperature on rate of respiration. CO2 measurements collected at different temperatures using Pasco

wireless digital CO2 gas sensor on the SparkVue iPad app. After feedback to the class, groups were then asked to discuss if and when animal experimentation is justified. I then did a short presentation looking at whether invertebrates can feel pain, and why it is important that animals (in our case, the woodlice) didn’t suffer during our investigation. This prompted a whole class discussion in which students argued the case for and against animal experimentation. I wish I could assure the reader that no woodlice were harmed during the course of our investigation, but I am afraid that when we came to release our guests back into the wild, there were slightly fewer than we had captured the week before.

Conclusions Woodlice offer an excellent model organism for student investigations – they are safe to use, robust, and easy to look after. Even students who are not very keen on handling Figure 4: Sequence of lessons “bugs” are able to overcome their discomfort enough to carry assessment was carried out, and feedback provided, students out the investigation. Student learn how to work carefully were given the opportunity to revise their submissions, and and ethically with animals in the laboratory. They also gain submit additional items, by a certain date, on the understanding experience with the scientific inquiry processes of forming that I would re-assess their work. Most students took this hypotheses, designing experiments, presenting data, and opportunity, and were able to improve their submissions. communicating their findings using a variety of media. Assessment using rubrics is formative, transparent to students, and allows students to reflect on their work. The use of a class e-portfolio gives students a sense of ownership, allows both teacher and student to monitor progress, and provides students the opportunity to showcase their work. Using a variety of digital media with which to report their investigation gives students a chance to develop valuable digital literacy and communication skills. The activity is suitable for Junior Cycle students, but would be appropriate for Transition Years too. References Cathcart, D (2014) Assement of inquiry during a woodlice investigation. SMEC & SAILS Conference 2014 “Thinking Assessment in Science & Mathematics”. DCU Harrison, C. (2014). Assessment of Inquiry Skills in the SAILS Project. Science Education International Vol. 25, Issue 1, 2014, 112-122. JCT Science (2016): Completing the Extended Experimental Investigation JCT Science (2016): Features of Quality – EEI Figure 5: Assessment using rubrics Mats Lundström (2015): Woodlice - What are the living preferences of woodlice? In: SAILS Inquiry and Assessment Units Volume 1 Further investigation An extension of the investigation takes the form of looking at Nuffield Foundation (2010): http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/ practical-biology/using-choice-chamber-investigate-animal- the effect of temperature on the metabolic rate (respiration responses-stimuli rate) of woodlice. Students had recently been introduced to the idea of respiration as a fundamental characteristic of all cells/ living things. A digital CO2 gas sensor was used to measure the rate of respiration of woodlice at different temperatures. Dr Declan Cathcart teaches at Temple Carrig School in Greystones, Co Wicklow. He is a member of the Science on Stage team that will represent Ireland at this year’s Science and Society European Science on Stage 2017 Festival in Hungary, Finally, we had a group activity and class discussion on the where he will present his research on using woodlice in ethics of using animals in the laboratory. Students in groups student laboratory investigations. He is also the co-author were asked to discuss differences between human and non- of a new Junior Science textbook “Active Science – an human animals, the rights of non-human animals. inquiry-based approach”, published by CJ Fallon. 24 www.ista.ie Pioneers of Science Education

Peter E. Childs

n this series I will look at some of the pioneers of Edgeworth, as an educational science education, either in terms of pedagogy, reformer and innovator. She can be considered as a Icurriculum development or science education pioneer of science education research. Some of them, including our first subject, from her book, written Maria Edgeworth, have an Irish connection. with her father, on Essays on Practical Education (1798), in 2 volumes, 1. Maria Edgeworth (1/1/1768 –22/5/1849) which went into 3 editions ‘Practical Education’ and is usually referred to as Practical Education, Maria Edgeworth was which defended the place the daughter of Richard of science in elementary Lovell Edgeworth of education and its importance Edgeworthstown, Co. for both girls and boys. She Longford, an Anglo-Irish had earlier defended the family, the third child and education of girls in her first girl in a family of 22. book Letters for Literary She was born and spent Ladies (1795) and with her early life and education her father, promoted moral in England, but at the age education in The parent’s of 14 in 1782 she moved assistant (1796). Practical Title page of the first edition of to the ancestral home in Education, however, is Practical Education (1798) Ireland. Her father, Richard where the Edgeworth’s Lovell Edgeworth, had been educational views are given fullest expression, based on living in England and was extensive observation and experimentation and practice by the a member of the influential Edgeworth parents, Richard and Honora, and Maria. Lunar Society of prominent scientists and industrialists. Maria Edgeworth by John Although her father and one of her brothers contributed to In Ireland she helped to the book, and it drew on observations made by her step- bring up and educate the Downman 1807 (aged 39) moth Honra, Maria was the main author and in it she takes a tribe of young Edgeworths child-centred approach to education, promotes the education (Richard had 22 surviving children with four wives) and was of girls, and an inquiry and discovery approach to teaching also involved in the village schools that the Edgeworths set science, seeking to develop independent thinkers. Scantelbury up. She stayed there for the rest of her life, although she made and Murphy (2009) have pointed out that her contribution to extended trips to England and the continent. science education has been neglected, eclipsed by her literary achievements. In 1991 De Boer wrote (De Boer, 1991): She was well known as a novelist (Castle Rackrent, Belinda etc.) and also as a children’s author, and was probably the “Revisiting the work of Maria Edgeworth from the best known female novelist in the early 19th century, who perspective of science education rather than literary influenced, among others, Walter Scott and Jane Austen. Maria criticism provides science educators knowledge of the was known as a literary lady from her successful novels but life, times and works of a historical figure in the field. Martin Brück has pointed out, she was a scientific, literary Maria Edgeworth is also an important pioneer in the lady (Brück, 1996). Her main claim to fame in her day and communication of science directly to children in books since has been as a writer, but Scantlebury and Murphy (2009) which are set at their level and intended for interest and have highlighted her role as a pioneer science educator. Maria enjoyment, as well as learning of science. It is surprising was also known, together with her father, Richard Lovell therefore, that neither Maria, nor her father are cited in historical accounts of science education.” She and her father were also responsible for a series of children’s books featuring Harry and Lucy, which sought to introduce science and technology in the form of fiction. “The Edgeworth’s ambition was to write the history of realities in an entertaining manner; they held that it was better for purposes in education, and more suited to the tastes of children, than improbably fiction.” (Zimmern, 1898, p. 41) Helen Zimmern, an early biographer, went on to say: “It was Miss Edgeworth who really inaugurated for England the reign of didactic fiction. Though never losing sight of her aim, she also never lost sight of the amusement of her young readers. She rightly apprehended that only by captivating their senses could she conquer and influence their reason. Her children’s tales, written with motion and spirit, were told in the simple language of The House in which Maria Edgeworth Lived, now a nursing home the young.” (Zimmern, 1898, p. 42) (Lovett, 1888) Edgeworth House, Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 25 Her father was well known in cooperative and peer learning, where the older children helped scientific circles in England teach the younger ones. The family became a test-bed of their and Ireland, and was one of the ideas and they also put them into practice in several village founding members of the Royal schools that they opened in Edgeworthstown. Irish Academy (RIA) in 1785. Richard Edgeworth was a prolific As an example of their approach to teaching science, Box inventor and innovator. Through 1 contains an extract from the chapter on Chemistry from him Maria met scientists such Practical Education, vol. 2, which it should be remembered as Humphrey Davy, Thomas was designed for parents to use in the home instruction of their Beddoes (her brother in law), children. John Herschel, David Brewster, the well-known author Jane Marcet and Mary Somerville. She Why has she been forgotten? herself was elected an honorary The question may be asked as to why the educational work of member of the RIA in 1842 in the Edgeworths, and Maria in particular, have been forgotten? recognition of her literary work, Maria’s own reputation, particularly as a novelist, has eclipsed one of the first women to be that of her father, but in their day they were well-known in honoured in this way; the first both scientific and literary circles in Ireland, England and in was Mary Somerville a few years Europe. There are several reasons for this. She was a woman earlier. In many ways Maria was in an age when women had secondary roles in society, manly carried along in the slipstream Title page of Harry and as wives and mothers, and she was mainly seen as a successful of her father’s interests and they Lucy Concluded (1825) novelist, which probably obscured her educational work. worked closely together. Sydney She and her father belonged to the Anglo-Irish gentry and Smith referred to them as ‘The firm of Edgeworth and Co,’ lived in an out-of the way place in the Irish countryside, so (quoted in Zimmern, 1898, p. 39) due to their close working they were on the periphery of Irish society, which itself was relationship. She became his ‘right-hand man’ in efficiently on the periphery of Europe. More important perhaps was managing and administering the estate. When he died in 1817 the fact that their ideas she was left alone, and bereft, to continue his educational were seen as radical, legacy and her own literary career. progressive and possibly revolutionary, in an age when social revolution was feared, and they did not promote a religious view of education but rather one coloured by enlightenment values, drawn from Rousseau, John Locke and Joseph Priestley. They promoted the value of science in the education of boys and girls from an early age, and this was against the prevailing views in education, which was mainly provided for The Library in which Maria Edgeworth Wrote (Lovett, 1888) middle and upper class boys, in mathematics In the preface of Practical Education (vol. 1, p, iv) she wrote: and classics. Science “To make any progress in the art of education, it must be was not to become a core patiently reduced to an experimental science ..” Later on she subject in elementary Statue of Maria Edgeworth in outlined their educational philosophy: and secondary education Edgeworthstown in England and Ireland “In drawing out a list of experiments for children, it will http://www.longfordtourism.ie/ until the second half of heritage/literary-longford/maria- therefore be advantageous to place them in that order the 19th century. which will best exhibit their relative connexion ; and, edgeworth/ instead of showing young people the steps of a discovery, we should frequently pause to try if they can invent. In Their contribution to science education this our pupils will succeed often beyond our expectations Scantlebury and Murphy (2009) have done a valuable service ; and, whether it be in mechanics, chemistry, geometry, in rescuing the memory of Maria Edgeworth’s contribution or in the arts, the same course of education will be found to science education, although sadly the article will not be to have the same ad vantages. When the powers of reason accessible or widely read by science teachers. Other authors have been cultivated, and the inventive faculty exercised have recognised the Edgeworths’ contribution to education. ; when general habits of voluntary exertion and patient perseverance have been acquired, it will be easy either for “Based originally on Lockean principles and incorporating the pupil himself, or for his friends, to direct his abilities a century of natural philosophical ideas, Practical to whatever is necessary for his happiness.” Education was the first educational work to fully configure an experimental and holistic method of ‘discovery’ in Edgeworth, M & Edgeworth, R.L., (1811) Practical Education education.” (Doddington and Hilton, 2007, p.6) Vol. 1,3rd edition, London: J. Johnston & Co., p.40 This is Jürgen Oelkers assessment of their contribution to https://books.google.ie/books?id=1goBAAAAYAAJ& child-centred, active learning. (Oelkers, 2006) printsec=frontcover&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false “One field of reform was education, which Richard Science played a key role in their curriculum, along with and Maria Edgeworth understood experimentally as a mathematics and the humanities, and they made no distinction process of practical experience, or “trials of dexterity and between boys and girls. They emphasised hands-on, discovery activity.” Their treatise, Practical Education (Edgeworth learning and relevance to everyday life. They also practised and Edgeworth, 1798), appeared in 1798. It advocated 26 www.ista.ie that the methods of observation, experiment, and The Edgeworths promoted hands-on, discovery learning, and inventive spirit should guide learning, which is seen as the value of learning through play, in an age of dry, didactic an explorative process. What later came to be called book learning. Listen to what they say to their critics: “discovery learning” was described probably the first “When a pedantic schoolmaster sees a boy eagerly time in concise teaching terms. Teaching is not “filling watching a paper kite, he observes ‘What a pity that in” something, the child has to find it out an thus must be children cannot be made to mind their grammar as well “active.” The same holds for the importance of playful as their kites!’ A man of sense will see the same sight learning in the child’s world of experience, to which with a different eye; in this pernicious love of play he will the Edgeworths also counted children’s books and a discern the symptoms of a love of science, and, instead ‘rational toyshop’ of educative playthings. The principle of deploring the natural idleness of children, he will advocated by the book was a pragmatic one; whatever admire the activity which they display in the pursuit of promoted children’s learning was good. A number of knowledge.” (Edgeworth & Edgeworth, 1798, p. 30) members of the large Edgeworth family contributed to the book, including some of the older children, so We should also not forget her children’s books which aimed to that here the term “childcentered” can be taken quite introduce science and technology to children through stories. literally (see The Works of Maria Edgeworth, 2003). The Maria said in one of her letters (quoted in Zimmern, 1898, p. 46): Edgeworths' treatise was highly influential at the close of “My father long ago foresaw that the taste for scientific as the eighteenth century.” well as literary knowledge, which has risen so rapidly and spread so widely, would render it necessary to make some Extract from Practical Education, vol. 2, ch. XVIII on provision for the early instruction of youth in science, Chemistry in addition to the great and successful attention paid to When a lump of sugar is put into a dish of hot tea, a child classical literature.” sees that it becomes less and less, till at last it disappears. Martin Brück concluded his article thus: What has become of the sugar? Your pupil will say that it is “Maria Edgeworth is of course principally a literary melted by the heat of the tea: but if it be put into cold tea, figure. But she deserves to be remembered for her or cold water, he will find that it dissolves, though more enlightened educational ideas, maintaining girls to be of slowly. You should then show him some fine sand, some equal mental aptitude with boys, and placing science on a clay, and chalk, thrown into water; and he will perceive par with literature as a branch of culture. As her father’s the difference between mechanical mixture and diffusion, disciple she was very much ahead of her time in stressing or chemical mixture. Chemical mixture, as that of sugar in the importance of applied science in a young person’s water, depends upon the attraction that subsists between the curriculum.” (Brück, 1996, p. 54) parts of the solid and fluid which are combined. Mechanical mixture is only the suspension of the parts of a solid in a Maria Edgeworth was inevitably a child of her time and social fluid. When fine sand, chalk, or clay, are put into water, class, with circumscribed views on the role of women in the water continues for some time turbid or muddy; but society, but she was nevertheless a pioneer in science education by degrees the sand, &c. falls to the bottom, and the water – promoting active learning and inquiry through hands-on becomes clear. In the chemical mixture of sugar and water, science, related to the real experience of children, and promoted there is no muddiness, the fluid is clear and transparent, equally for boys and girls. She deserves not to be forgotten, even whilst it is stirred, and when it is at rest, there is no especially in her own country. sediment, the sugar is joined with the water; a new, fluid substance, is formed out of the two simple bodies sugar and In the next article I will look at the life and work of Rev. water, and though the parts which compose the mixture are Richard Dawes, apostle of ‘The science of common things.’ not discernible to the eye, yet they are perceptible by the taste. References Brück, M.T. (1996) Maria Edgeworth; scientific ‘literary lady’. Irish After he has observed the mixture, the child should be Astr. J. 23(1) 49-54 asked, whether he knows any method by which he can Doddington, C. And Hilton, M. (2007) Child-centred education: separate the sugar from the water. In the boiling of a kettle reviving the creative tradition. London: Sage of water, he has seen the steam which issues from the mouth Edgeworth, R. & Edgeworth, M. (1798) Practical Education, of the vessel; he knows that the steam is formed by the vols. 1 and 2, London: J. Johnson & Co. (3rd edition, heat from the fire, which joining with the water drives its 1811, available online at https://books.google.ie/ parts further asunder, and makes it take another form, that books?id=1goBAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&redir_ of vapour or steam. He may apply this knowledge to the esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false) separation of the sugar and water; he may turn the water into Lovett, R. (1888) Irish Pictures Drawn with Pen and Pencil. Available steam, and the sugar will be left in the vessel in a solid form. online at http://www.libraryireland.com/IrishPictures/VI- If, instead of evaporating the water, the boy had added a Edgeworthstown.php greater quantity of sugar to the mixture, he would have seen, Oelkers, J. (2006) How did the “active child” come into educational that after a certain time, the water would have dissolved no theory? A lecture given in Hiroshima, Japan. Available online at: more of the sugar; the superfluous sugar would fall to the http://www.ife.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:ffffffff-bb47-55f9-ffff-ffffe784ad38/ bottom of the vessel as the sand had done: the pupil should HiroshimaLecture.pdf then be told that the liquid is saturated with the solid. Scantlebury, K. And Murphy, C. (2009) Maria Edgeworth: nineteenth century Irish female pioneer of science education. Irish By these simple experiments, a child may acquire a general Educational Studies 28(1) 103-113 knowledge of solution, evaporation, and saturation, without Zimmern, H. (1898). Maria Edgeworth. London: W.H. Allen & Co. the formality of a lecture, or the apparatus of a chemist. In all your attempts to instruct him in chemistry, the greatest Dr Peter E. Childs retired from the Department of Chemical care should be taken that he should completely understand and Environmental Sciences at the University of Limerick one experiment, before you proceed to another. The in 2009. He started Chemistry in Action!, the magazine for common metaphorical expression, that the mind should have chemistry teachers in 1980, and inaugurated the annual time to digest the food which it receives, is founded upon ChemEd-Ireland conferences in 1982. He remains active in fact and observation. curriculum development and science education research, and Box 1. Extract from the chapter on Chemistry in Practical has been involved in several EU-funded science education Education (1798), vol. 2 projects, namely SALiS, TEMI and currently ARTIST. He is also http://www.hotfreebooks.com/book/Practical-Education- interested in the history of chemistry and science education, Volume-II-Maria-Edgeworth--2.html industrial archaeology and issues of science and faith.

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 27 Goldilocks goes data logging! A look at using data loggers in Primary School Science

Padraig Egan

• Collecting the data is automatic and can be carried out over a very long and short time frames • Light and sound are difficult to measure any other way What can be measured? • Light. It can even be used when the children are not in school. • Sound. A sound sensor can record sound even if you leave the room you can check if the class have been quiet • Temperature. You can do the same with a temperature sensor to see how the heating comes on and off. You might even conclude that you’re overheating the school building. Introduction • Movement e.g. speed of objects and heart rate According to research (Rogers, Y., Connelly, K., Hazelwood, Why use stories in data logging? W., & Tedesco, L. 2010; Royuk & Brooks, 2003), data- logging has the potential to enhance students’ sense-making The concern to develop investigative science in recent years or understanding of science contents. This argument has been has tended to strengthen the belief that ‘science is a practical supported by a series of studies that documented the benefits subject’ and that children should learn it through practical of data loggers in secondary school science for example activity. As Osborne et al. (1996) points out, this tends to blur Russell, Lucas and McRobbie (2003, 2004) investigated how a the distinction between doing science and learning science. constructivist-oriented use of data-logging may influence year Learning science involves developing an understanding of the 11 students about their understanding of thermal physics. In ideas that can be used to explain events and phenomena in the primary schools, sensors are incredibly handy tools for learning natural world and the evidence to support these ideas. Kirkland about graphs and measuring. The most commonly used sensors and Patterson, (2005) believe in order for children to learn in primary science are those which detect light, temperature science they must be taught in carefully planned environments that provide thoughtful and authentic conversation and sound and these can be connected to a computer via a th th th data-logger. This allows readings to be displayed directly opportunities. With the help of pupils from 4 , 5 and 6 class onto a computer screen. Alternatively the data logger can be we looked at the use of data loggers in primary science using used as a hand held device from which readings can be read. traditional stories as a basis for our experiments. Our aim Any changes monitored by the sensor show up clearly and was to plan a number of investigations which children at any immediately for example, loud noise produces a peak when school could perform to learn about data loggers and how to recording sound level. Data loggers can be useful in fulfilling use them as well as increasing their scientific knowledge by various National Curriculum requirements for both science and using sensors in an appropriate and useful way where other information technology. In this article the reader will briefly measuring devices may be less accurate or difficult to use. The be introduced to data loggers and explore some of their uses experiments are listed below. through the medium of traditional stories. I will give examples of planned and trialled investigations which children in a Goldilocks school performed using traditional stories as an orientation, in In short, Daddy’s porridge was too hot, Mummy's was too cold order to learn about sensors and how to use them. and baby bear's was just right. For this experiment we used 3 bowls of different sizes and 3 probes. We made the porridge What is Data logging? and poured it into 3 bowls. Following this we monitored the Data logging is the process whereby physical data e.g., effect of the heat over 15 minutes. temperature, humidity, motion, pressure or light is collected using electronic sensors, which are usually built in to a device known as a data logger. The data are then downloaded from the data logger and stored to a computer or other hardware such as a laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA) or graphics calculator. Specialised software programs enable this data to be displayed on a computer (or other hardware) in the form of charts, graphs and tables. It is also possible to open these collected data files in a spreadsheet program as tab delimited text or the more common CSV.

Why use data loggers in primary school science? • A display is easy to read • It shows changes instantly • It shows results in a variety of ways

28 www.ista.ie Rapunzel Relevant National Curriculum in using data loggers These are common from 1st up to 6th class Strand: Energy and Forces Strand Unit: Light, Sound and Heat

1st and 2nd class Data loggers can be used to measure these. Strand: Materials and Change Rapunzel is tired of the strong sunlight which she has look at so high up in the tower all day. She wants you to design Strand Unit: Material a sunglass that would be most effective for the sun. For this Heating and cooling: explore the effects of heating experiment you need different coloured filters or cellophane. and cooling on a range of liquids and solids; water, Design an investigation/activity that would be suitable for toffee, syrup, Blu-tac pupils to undertake using the light monitoring equipment. 3rd to 6th class (as well as the above activities) • Super sunglasses: do different coloured filters let The Human Body through different amounts of light? • Perhaps you could use this information to design pairs • Develop a simple understanding of the structure of sunglasses for different seasons. of some of the body’s major internal and external Design an investigation/activity that would be suitable organs for pupils to undertake using the light monitoring Electricity: equipment. Trial it with your group and evaluate the effectiveness. • Associate the brightness of a lamp or the volume of a busser with the number and voltage of cells Sleeping beauty used in the circuit (data loggers can record same) As sleeping beauty needs her beauty sleep she wants you to evaluate various fabrics and see which ones let through the most or least light. Perhaps you could use your results to experiments and investigations while encouraging them to use design sets of curtains for the different rooms in the house for language which is scientific. The biggest benefit about using example data loggers is that children’s excitement increases and they • Bedroom-needs to be very dark begin to come up with a plethora of activities to investigate. • Kitchen-very light (with a little privacy) • Sitting room-medium light with some privacy • Bathrooms need lots of light Padraig Egan, Senior lecturer in Science education, Roehampton University London Conclusion [email protected]

Acknowledgements My thanks to the 4-6th class children in Killenaive National School, Kileen, County Tipperary who enthusiastically engaged in these science activities. I am also grateful to their class teacher Emma McGrath and school Principal Therese McCormack. Referencs Developing Oral Language in Primary Classrooms. Kirkland, Lynn D.; Patterson, Janice. Early Childhood Education Journal, v32 n6 p391-395 Jun 2005 Osborne, J. F. and Collins, S. (2000). Pupils’ and parents’ views of the school science curriculum (London: King’s College London). Rodgers, Y., & Price, S. (2008). The role of mobile devices in facilitating collaborative inquiry in situ, Research and Practice in Once introduced to data logging, the children came up with Technology Enhanced Learning, 3(3), 209-229 many ideas for investigations that they wanted to carry out. Other activities which the children have undertaken include: Rogers, Y., Connelly, K., Hazelwood, W., & Tedesco, L. (2010), monitoring the sound level in the hall at break time as well as Enhancing learning: A study of how mobile devices can facilitate recording the temperature level of the assembly hall during sense making, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 14(2), 111- non-break times. This also increased their scientific knowledge 124. by using sensors in an appropriate and useful way where other measuring devices may be less accurate or difficult to use. Royuk, B. & Brooks, D.W. (2003). Cookbook procedures in MBL physics exercises. Journal of Science Education and Technology, Sensors and data-logging have many features that make them 12(3), 317-324. ideal for use in primary science. The software is relatively Russell, D. W., Lucas, K. B., & McRobbie, C. J. (2003). The role of easy to use and the hardware is straight forward to set up and the microcomputer-based laboratory display in supporting the operate. Children will also be able to print off their graphs construction of new understandings in kinematics. Research in from the computer and encourage them to write about their Science Education, 33(2), 217-243.

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 29 Kinetic Theory ― a check on student understanding

Ted Forde

Abstract: Air was partially removed from a flask and students (ii) A second aspect involves students who responded as in were asked to draw the air in the flask before and after diagrams B, C and D. They did not show air scattered evenly removal. Students were asked to imagine that they could see after removal. In particular, diagram B responses are interesting the air. in that air is shown as particulate but is not evenly scattered after removal. The suggestion is that such ‘particulate’ students The Kinetic Theory of gases includes the following statements: retain some sense of continuity in their concept of matter and have yet to fully accept the particulate concept. 1. A gas is composed of individual particles. Students who returned diagram A responses did appear to 2. Gas particles are evenly scattered in any enclosed space. accept the particulate view both before and after the air 3. There is empty space between the particles in a gas. removal. 4. Particles in a gas are in constant motion. Teaching and Learning An experiment Students appear to accept the particulate view gradually. Exposing students to commonly available kinetic experiments A group of 14-year-old students had been studying kinetic followed by discussion and identification of students’ theory. As part of the study they were shown an experiment interpretations help to make students more aware of the involving air. They were then asked to respond to the differences between their concepts and those of scientists1. experiment by carrying out a series of drawings. The experiment involved using a vacuum pump to remove These experiments include the following: some of the air from a flask. They were then asked to imagine a) Demonstration of Brownian motion. that they could see the air in the flask and to draw the air before b) Immersion of an empty bottle in a water tank to show and after the air had been removed from the flask. the air is blocked from entering. A series of responses were received showing the air both before c) Weighing a balloon before and after it has been filled and after removal from the flask. Diagrams of four responses with air. are shown below. d) The lifting effect of air in car tyres. Interpretation e) Showing that air pressure can collapse a tin can. f) Showing that air pressure can maintain a piece of There were two types of general response. cardboard on an inverted tumbler filled with water. (i) Students who gave responses as in diagrams A and B appear The air experiment cited above can always be carried out as to accept the concept that gases are particulate in nature. an exercise in imagination if a vacuum pump is not available. Students who gave responses as in diagrams C and D do not. Some students are slow to accept that there is empty space These students appear to believe that a gas such as air is non- between gas particles even when they accept particulate kinetic particulate in nature.1 theory. This second view is sometimes described as a continuous view of matter and is held quite commonly.2. Students who support Addenda the continuous view of matter might suggest that if sand (say) (a) Avogadro's number may be cited as evidence for atomic is ground down into tiny pieces that it is still sand. In their view particles in that particles can be counted using whole the process of dividing matter into smaller and smaller pieces numbers. can go on indefinitely. (b) Current interest in particulate-continuous theories of matter may be highlighted by a recent statement by physicist A B Richard Feynman. He was asked what one scientific statement should be passed to the next generation in the event of an impending cataclysm3 he replied: ‘All things are made of atoms — little particles that move around in perpetual motion…” (c) This view is reinforced by present-day subatomic work in areas such Higg’s boson and in quantum gravity.4. References 1. Nussbaum Joseph, in Driver Rosalind, (1985 ed.) Children’s Ideas in Science, Milton Keynes: Open University Press. 2. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/ discipline/science/continuum/Pages/particletheory2.aspx (2016) 3. Feynman Richard, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. 1, editors, Leighton, Robert and Sands, Matthew. London, Basic Books, (2011). 4. Rovelli Carlo, Reality is not what it seems, Allen Lane, (2016).

BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER Ted Forde, Ballinteer, Dublin 16, (retired Chemistry teacher) 30 www.ista.ie An argument for the inclusion of the Doppler effect in the Leaving Certificate Physics specification

John Murphy

Placing teachers at the centre of curriculum and assessment some knowledge of the Doppler shift. Indeed, development allows for innovations that require changes in rich avenues for discussion and related forms of teaching, learning and assessment methods to be trialled in assessment questions may be cut off without it. real classrooms, and reflected on in practical settings The Doppler effect is, put simply, the apparent change in the have borrowed these words from Dr. Anna frequency of a wave due to the relative motion of the source of Walsh’s learned and insightful work “From the wave and the observer. Red light has a longer wavelength Curriculum to Classroom in Upper Second Level than blue light. As an object moves towards an observer, the I light emitted from it is shifted towards the blue end of the Science”, so as to apologise for my honest assertion electromagnetic spectrum, whereas if the object moves away that the specific inclusion of the Doppler effect in from the observer then the light emitted from it is shifted the Physics Draft Syllabus will help achieve “a towards the red end of the spectrum. In the latter case, we say synergy that embraces curriculum, pedagogy and that the light has been “redshifted”. assessment”. The same work also points out how “Leaving Certificate assessment has been hostage to the syllabus, as examiners have been very restricted in the types of questions that they could set.” If the Doppler effect is not mentioned in the Physics Syllabus, I argue that its omission will lead to a narrowing of both the curriculum and the assessment. http://www.schoolphysics.co.uk Now, in section 4.2 of the draft syllabus, it states: The study of space is “considered to be one of the areas of science that engages students at all levels”. The Doppler effect use the Big Bang theory to explain the formation of is a key concept which links various strands of the proposed galaxies, stars and planets. syllabus together and also leads to deeper understanding. A central idea of the Big Bang theory is that the universe itself is expanding. It does not mean some kind of explosion A study of the Doppler shift might be used for the extended in space, but rather an explosion of space. This expansion of scientific investigation, but then it would only be studied by a space leads to all light emitting objects, which are far enough select few. Apart from students who choose to go on to study away from the Earth, to show a redshift in their spectra. This Physics at third level in Ireland, an increasing number are kind of redshift is due to the expansion of space itself and considering study abroad. They will have to compete against not due to the motion of the bodies concerned. This type of students who have successfully completed, for example, the redshift is often called the “cosmological redshift”. Here, the International Baccalaureate where the Doppler-Fizeau Effect is wavelength of light is seen to increase as it travels through a a core area of study in Physics at higher level. space that is itself expanding. This metric expansion is a central part of the whole Big Bang idea, and it really comes into play at the scale of galaxy clusters and beyond. The radiation from more distant galaxies has spent more time travelling through an expanding space than the galaxies that are closer to us and as a result the wavelength of the light reaching us from the more distant galaxies has lengthened towards the red end of the spectrum. The gravitational effects of matter within galaxies, like our own Milky Way, does not allow us to fully experience the expansion of space. The Big Bang theory developed out of the discovery of the cosmological redshift. The wavelength of light coming from distant galaxies was generally observed to be shifted to longer wavelengths. We know this because of analysis of emission and absorption spectra which are derived from the way the elements interact with light. Although the Doppler effect is http://www.jf-noblet.fr/doppler/intro3.htm different to the cosmological redshift, and is governed by different formulae, the effects of both are so similar, they are This is what it says in section 5.1 of the draft syllabus sometimes confused. Any discussion of the Big Bang theory discuss spectroscopy as a tool in science will necessarily involve the cosmological redshift. To mention Spectroscopy as a tool in science can be discussed without cosmological redshift in relation to the Big Bang, without reference to the Doppler effect. However, that discussion may, reference to the Doppler effect, will lead to a gap in students’ in several ways, become limited if the student does not have understanding. SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 31 The NCE-MSTL suggest a rewording of the learning outcome focusing on the Big Bang theory will be needed “so that students and teachers alike do not associate the formation of the Sun and hence the Earth directly with the Big Bang event”. Reference to the Doppler effect should help to address this issue. Some commentators suggest knowledge is now a verb, as opposed to a noun. The Doppler effect and cosmological redshift could also be described as verbs of motion: one involving relative motion and the other a kind of stretching. The process of inquiry is important. In recent years especially, the focus on “hands-on” learning has become part of the zeitgeist. At times this has been at the expense of “minds-on”. By the way, the word “zeitgeist” comes from the German words “zeit” (time) and “geist” (ghostly), and so is peculiarly appropriate here considering the “spectral” nature of light and http://image.slidesharecdn.com/ its relationship to “time” and “motion” - At any rate, what we dopplereffectflip-120314233457- inquire into is at least as important as the way we inquire. In the opinion of this ordinary teacher, the Physics Draft Syllabus If the Doppler effect is omitted, then opportunities to introduce certain synoptic questions that stimulate student engagement could be lost. The exploration of interrelated patterns and connections not just within but also beyond physics could also diminish. Linking the Doppler effect to other parts of the syllabus is useful. For example, the proposed syllabus mentions: 2.5 Dispersion: • explain the relative positions on the electromagnetic spectrum of radiations in terms • of wavelength and frequency and consequent properties 4.1 Kinematics and dynamics: • give examples of how new technologies are used to make observations and measurements that increase our knowledge of the Earth and our Universe. http://i.livescience.com By making the Doppler effect part of the syllabus, it should has so much to offer. When it is “set in motion” - hopefully also enable us to better achieve certain goals set out in the with the inclusion of the Doppler effect - both teachers and nature of science: students will get an opportunity to “stretch” their minds and feel their own personal universe expanding. • use observations as the basis for formulating a hypothesis • appreciate the limitations of scientific evidence It should also allow us to dovetail Senior Cycle Physics into Junior Cycle Science: 1. explore a scientific model to illustrate the origin of the universe 2. evaluate media-based arguments concerning science and technology Dr Walsh also mentions the Next Generation Science Standards which emphasised the importance of being able to “organise interrelating knowledge and practice from various science fields into a coherent and scientifically- based view of the world”. Knowledge of the Doppler effect should certainly promote such a cohesive view of the sciences. In addition, it should shed more light on the The Infrared Local Universe: this all-sky map shows galaxies in world and reality we all experience. Many universities now the 2MASS survey colour coded by their distance from us with offer courses involving both physics and philosophy. Didn’t blue showing the nearest sources, through green to the most Physics originate from natural philosophy? Georges Lemaître distant sources shown in red. suggested that the redshift of distant galaxies might be due to https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~dfabricant/huchra/2mass/ the expansion of the universe. He then wondered about what the universe would be like if we could rewind the clock ... and the rest is history. Phenomena like the Doppler effect are crucial in understanding the Big Bang theory – and “catching John Murphy, Regina Mundi College, Cork the knowledge wave”.

32 www.ista.ie Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring and evolution Adrian Somerfield

short time ago (March Stravinsky wrote this music for 2017) I was in a record Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes choreographed shop, Golden Discs, in the by Nijinsky, and when it was first A performed in Paris in 1913 it caused a riot St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, when I saw that there because of its revolutionary discords and was a new edition on DVD of violent rhythms. Strangely it grows on the film Fantasia. While I was one, and it is worth buying a recording. still a schoolboy in the 1940s, The ballet itself has been revived by the and beginning to show an interest Mariinsky Theatre and is now available on in music, my mother took me to DVD. The primitive elements that inspired the Astor Cinema in O’Connell the work were Russian and pagan — a Street to see this then-new Walt great sacrificial rite where the sage elders Disney film. In it, a symphony concert is played by watch a young girl dance herself to death to propitiate the god the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold of Spring. As the commentator puts it, Disney’s artists have Stokowsky, while the screen is occupied by drawn transferred the setting from primitive Russia to the primitive images created by teams of artists to accompany the Earth and, using the scientific concepts from the early 1940s, music. Whereas in many films, music is composed have attempted to portray the first few billion years of the to accompany the action, here the visual action Earth’s existence. was composed to fit the music, and it was an extraordinary achievement in those days. And, as I found it fascinating, and each time I watch it I see more my mother said, even if you did not watch, to hear detail. My reason for writing this article is that I think showing a symphony concert for one shilling and nine pence this sequence would be an interesting way to show children was good value! of various ages, even those quite young, some evolutionary ideas, and for older children it could provoke discussion; I had not seen Fantasia for a long time but I bought the disc science has learnt a lot in the last seventy years. Apart from and have greatly enjoyed it. The sound is not quite as good the biology, it would be a subtle way to introduce many pupils as it might be (I believe there has been difficulty with the to great classical music. They can absorb it almost without original sound track), but it is still a considerable technical noticing while watching the pictures. I have written below achievement; running for nearly two hours, there must have my interpretation of the visuals of the Rite of Spring. If here been over 150 000 drawings, and the precision and timing is and there you may disagree over my ideas and dinosaural superb, even if to modern tastes some of the commentary and nomenclature, but that’s fine. Argument, research and Disney sentimentality may cloy. I was particularly interested in discussion are essential to Science. the treatment of Igor Stravinsky’s ballet music for the Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du printemps). Although Disney has derived The music is taken from both parts of the ballet, Adoration of the music from a Suite prepared by Stravinsky, it is a shortened the Earth and The Sacrifice. To the Introductiom, Harbinger of version, at 22 minutes roughly half the length of the original Spring, we start in the darkness of space. As the bassoon plays Suite, and not in the usual order, but it does indeed include the in its extraordinary high range, a spiral nebula, our Galaxy, essentials of the work. drifts into view, majestically rotating. We enter one of its spiral arms and find clouds of glowing gas, and many stars. We pass The Rite is the fourth item on the programme, which starts a newly formed, blazing with Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, followed by ball of gas, our Sun. Tchaikowsky’s Nutcracker Suite and Dukas’ Sorcerer’s We pass more gas and Apprentice (with Mickey Mouse). The later works, after an dust clouds, comets imaginative interval streak across our view. demonstration on art Gradually we approach and music (“the sound two spheres, Earth and track”), are Beethoven’s Moon; more comets Pastoral Symphony or meteors shoot past, (No.6), Ponchielli’s one of which impacts on the Earth. We descend through the Dance of the Hours, atmosphere to the red-hot surface of the newly formed Earth; Moussorgsky’s Night to Dances of the Adolescents, volcanoes spew lava and debris, on Bald Mountain, and exhaling the gases forming the primitive atmosphere. With Schubert’s Ave Maria. Games of Abduction more vulcanism ensues, but gradually as SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 33 the Earth cools we begin to see evidence of liquid water. There Many sauropods are browsing; deinonychosaurs go hunting, a are thunderstorms with lightning flashes (lightning is thought stegosaur with little campsognathus playing among its spinal to have catalysed chemical reactions leading to amino-acids plates, rolls along. A pair of parasaurolophus eat from the and early life), and a watery tops of trees. Among the dinosaurs we glimpse a couple of ocean forms. small quadruped mammals playing; the mammals will inherit Plunging below the water the Earth from the reptiles. Around a pool, iguanodons and surface, we find more sauropods browse; brontosaur eggs hatch. volcanic activity. Then, to the quieter strains of Pagan Suddenly there is an air of apprehension; diplodochus and Night, we see primitive the rest raise their heads in alarm. As the music changes to forms of life; a single cell, Glorification of the Chosen One, Tyrannosaurus Rex appears an amoeba and a pair of in awesome majesty. Many animals flee. A gladiatorial fight flagellates. Simple organisms ensues between the tyrannosaur and a stegosaur, while other such as algae reproduce by animals look on from their hiding places in concern. Ultimately division. In three “snapshots” the stegosaur is killed. To Evocation of the Ancestors, the we see the underwater world tyrannosaur celebrates its triumph. As a carnivore, it proceeds at different later stages with to eat its victim while the other dinosaurs, safe for the present, ever more complex creatures. slink away. The first, perhaps, is the Cambrian; sea lilies catch The thinking at the time small animals, maybe crustaceans, and small jellyfish drift Fantasia was made was that about. temperatures rose in the last years of the dinosaurs, and we see them marching, to Ritual of the Ancestors, across increasingly arid deserts under a pitiless sun in search of ever scarcer forage and water, collapsing and dying of thirst and hunger, or destroying each other in squabbles over what sources remain, just as humans are doing today. This warming may not be accepted thinking today; one authority says the climate then was getting cooler. In the second, perhaps Silurian, there is more invertebrate life; Perhaps it was not the same everywhere, and certainly many worms, arthropods, corals, trilobites. Rising bubbles suggest dinosaur fossil finds in places like Wyoming suggest that many the formation of oxygen by photosynthesis, for the primitive deaths did occur as Disney’s artists suggest. We see them, world was anoxic. In the third, perhaps Devonian, we see many different types, even tyrannosaurs, wallowing, fighting, vertebrate fishes and, avoiding many perils, one fish survives drowning, dying in the sand. Their bones and footprints and rapidly evolves through many stages until, presumably as remain. a crossopterigan or lung fish, it prepares to leave the water and begin the colonisation of land and air by animals. Finally, to Dance of the Earth, we see another phase of earthquakes, vulcanism, and mountain building. Bones As dawn opens on the Age of Reptiles (mainly, I suppose, the become separated, broken and crushed; the land sinks and Cretaceous), there are land plants, and a group of long-necked the sea returns to cover them and aid their fossilisation. To a plesiosaurs are swimming. An ankylosaur wades ashore and few phrases of the Introduction, we see a solar eclipse. As the ichthyosaurs prowl. At the top of a cliff pteranodons await their Moon covers the face of the Sun, the solar corona blazes forth, prey. They dive and swoop, catching smaller prey in the water, the Sun sets and we return to the present age. and being caught themselves from under water by mosasaurs and tylosaurs. As Mysterious Circles of the Adolescents starts, we are in a steaming forest. Dimetrodon awakes and goes on (Original form published in Science, the journal of the Irish the prowl. Other animals Science Teachers Association, in February 1996.) browse; and ankylosaur, heavily armoured, watches Dr Adrian Somerfield, late of St Columba’s College, Dublin 16 the water; triceratops and Past President of this Association stalks among the trees. A small theropod stalks a pterodactyl; when it jumps, For more information about the original Disney production the pterodactyl loses a few see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasia_(1940_film) feathers, presaging the evolution of birds.

34 www.ista.ie Sowing the seeds in the Primary School classroom Padraig Egan

ne of the most important ‘big ideas’ we Using the garden want children to develop through science The following collection of ideas suggests some ways in which education is that plants are vital to all life taught experiments can be employed whilst addressing areas of O science on Earth. So what could be more important than children understanding the variety and needs of plants and learning to enjoy and value them? Plants Seeds and the outdoors may be something of a mystery to a Discuss what a seed is and what happens when it is planted in generation of children who are used to being indoors, the ground. Plant a range of different seeds, predicting what this inhibits real understanding of many complex will happen, record what happens with the aid of drawings, pick the seeds from the garden plants and keep to replant the biological processes. Taking children outdoors following year. You can also plant sunflower seeds and record introduces them to a world that they are becoming growth. The children should be encouraged to plant different increasingly distant from. As teachers we have a varieties of sunflower seeds for example ‘Russian Giant’ and responsibility to children to ensure that they are not ‘Baby Bear’ and encourage them to discuss the different sizes, disconnected from the natural world around them. varieties and shapes. So why is it important to take the children outdoors? Teachers have a legal requirement to ‘Maximise the Garden vocabulary time available for learning’ (OFSTED, 2008). Discuss and define the words associated with garden e.g. seed, plant, weed, fruit etc. and get the children to collaborate and work constructively on this activity. It is a great way to get children who have English as an additional language or children who have special educational needs using new vocabulary. Activities to be undertaken inside the classroom

Create your own plant Children design a new plant complete with adaptation to suit its environment. They could consider pollination and seed dispersal mechanism or write a short item for a seed catalogue giving instructions for care and maintenance of the plant.

The many use of plants Using the outdoor classroom as a medium of delivery can A variety of objects achieve many learning objectives in a short time scale, whilst can be presented offering an alternative and refreshing learning environment to the children for for children that stimulates their outdoors provides a valuable example cotton resource that has the potential to provide pupils with an ongoing t-shirt, wooden bowl project for the duration of their attendance at the school. Whilst and other familiar offering an avenue to promote ‘real; scientific knowledge objects. The children and understanding that is relevant to first-hand experience should be encouraged of a child. It is fulfilling social and moral responsibilities of to observe their practicing good citizenship. There is a justified drive within object and explore education to approach the curriculum in a creative manner. whether their object Although the creative solving of dilemmas within a school is derived from a plant or not. At the end of the activity garden may be on a small ecological scale, the fight for surgical children will appreciate the many functions of plants. and continuity of the species may be just as real for the plants themselves and for the small scientists caring for them. Green house Outdoors germination The garden can be used for a multitude of creative learning Using kitchen experiences that develop essential enquiry skills and build cupboard seeds for scientific understanding whilst promoting important life skills. example chickpeas, The garden need not be large, a small one would be a good lentils, mung beans starting point with additions such as raised beds being made children should later, if necessary. Ideally it should receive a good deal of be encouraged to sun, with an area of paving or grass around the site where the cultivate their own children can sit and observe the growing process. seed growth. SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 35 How to do it First, label bag with child’s name, date and seed name. Next, fold a paper towel so that it just fits inside the bag. Take a ruler Old Man’s Beard and measure 7 cm from the top of the bag and staple a row of A light-hearted tribute to Lichens and staples from one edge to the other through the plastic bag and paper towel. Next carefully pour enough water into the bag so in particular Usnea barbata that it will soak up through the paper towel but leave a small reservoir of water at the bottom of the plastic bag [about 2-3 John Daly cm]. Then, take the seeds and put them in the mini-pocket so they are sitting on top of the line of staples. Seal up the seed bag so no air can escape or get into it. Tape it to a window within a few days depending on the time of the year the seeds will begin to germinate. Children can clearly see the growth of Curled fronds, pale grey and olive green roots and then the shoot. When the plants reach the top of the Cling carefully and determinedly, almost unseen. bag they can then be potted. Fungal framework symbiotically enjoying life With his green algae’s food-producing wife. Internal symbiosis a tiny lesson for us all Homo ‘sometimes’ sapiens and mature, it’s definitely our call. Standing resolute, the leafless oak awaits the Spring An injured branch a perfect host for this small woolly thing. One more scaffold for an ancient lichen grip It’s primitive long life amused by our self-important trip. Air, moisture and light, all it needs to conjure up, Energy and structure, as it silently sups. It will not damage its host, high or low, Unlike the similar, but parasitic, mistletoe. Reproduction strategies, spores and flying bits, succeed Life cycles From Patagonia to Finland, wherever is deciduously treed. Flowers such as daffodils and lilies can be used to observe the male and female reproductive system. Children could be Providing ancient anti-biotic functionality encouraged to dissect a flower and identify the sexual organs Usnea barbata, used with wise women’s rationality. e.g. stamen, ovary etc. It does not thrive when polluted air comes by The garden can be SO , from burning coal & oil, will make it die. used for a multitude 2 of activities. The list It is a freely made, widespread, warning device is endless, particularly Showing when our environment is or isn’t nice. if one starts to consider the wonderful Some think it’s edible, and full of vitamin C opportunities for Have not tried it yet? maybe it’s time for tea. cross-curricular work. Perhaps the children could even think of their own learning John Daly, Spring 2017 experiences linked to the garden. More importantly we must ensure that science is exciting, stimulating and taught in such a way that it challenges and inspires children to search for answers. References Department for Education, 2012. Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Runcorn: Department for Education OFSTED (2008) Learning Outside the Classroom how far should you go? www.ofsted/resources/learningoutside the classroom (accessed 12th of February 2017).

Padraig Egan, Senior lecturer in Science education, Roehampton University London [email protected]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usnea 36 www.ista.ie Phonescope — a great way to introduce students to the microscopic world

David Keenahan

honescope is an inexpensive gadget that • Geography: examination of igneous rocks like granite and connects to a smart phone. The camera features sedimentary rocks like limestone. of the smart phone combine with the lens of • Forensics: examine the weave of different fabrics (perhaps P from a crime scene….or human hairs, or fingerprints. the phonescope to function as a low-power digital microscope. Thus one can zoom in to view small • Materials: synthetics like nylon or natural materials like objects or creatures in considerable detail and can silk, cork or balsa wood. photograph and film them if you wish. • Physics: Explore how the lenses combine to offer the A simple microscope human eye a magnified image of a small object. (magnifying glass) is a single For further information on using a Phonescope or where convex lens which typically to purchase one, email your query to David Keenahan at: offers magnification ×3. [email protected] A compound microscope (using a combination of two or more Historical note convex lenses) may typically While the telescope predated the microscope and early work offer magnification ×300. A on optics by Isaac Newton is more famous, a Dubliner by Phonescope is intermediate the name of William Molyneux published one of the earliest between the two and offers authoritative books on optics in 1692. magnification ×30 Molyneux was born in Dublin in 1656 and worked in Trinity College. In October 1683 he founded the Dublin Philosophical Society along the lines of the Royal Society which is still active in Trinity today. He was a member of parliament for the last 6 years of his life. Molyneux published Dioptrica Nova, in London in 1692. This was “a treatise on dioptricks in two parts, wherein the various effects and appearances of spherick glasses, both convex and concave, single and combined, in telescopes and microscopes, together with their usefulness in many concerns of humane life, are explained” The phonescope is inexpensive and robust and A first edition of Newton’s easily clips on to any smart phone. No software Principia and Molyneux’s is needed and the long-life button batteries Dioptrica Nova are in that power the internal light are replaceable. A Marsh's Library, which good starting point is to examine the detail in a is situated in St. Patrick's banknote. Close, adjacent to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Applications are plentiful and you and your This is a well-preserved students can exercise your imagination in how (300 year-old) library of the and where to use this simple and effective tool for late Renaissance and early inquiry and investigation. Enlightenment that is open to the public and is well The smart phone is such a versatile and powerful worth a visit. resource that it is great to find an opportunity to put it to use in science in conjunction with the lens of the phonescope for microscopic investigations. David Keenahan, formerly Some thoughts to set you of Gonzaga College, IoP Teacher Network thinking Coordinator in the Republic • Biology: Field studies, reproductive parts of of Ireland. flowers, a housefly, ant or mould, etc. • Chemistry: examining salt crystals, filming the evaporation of nail varnish remover, observing vinegar dissolve chalk and releasing carbon dioxide.

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 37 Sky and Space : Summer/Autumn 2017

Seosamh Ó Braonáin

f you have any feedback, comments or questions easily spot the red planet when it is near the brighter Venus. on these articles on easy-to-spot sky watching for Jupiter continues to be visible in the evenings from about 10 students and teachers new to astronomy, please pm until late July. It remains near the star Spica in the constel- I lation Virgo and you will easily notice it. get in touch with me at [email protected]. Saturn is visible at the moment in the morning sky and will How far can you see? become an evening sky object from mid-June until the end of Try this next term! August. A small telescope will show the rings, as we are seeing In the previous two articles, I concentrated on planets and them at a favourable angle form the Earth at the moment. As some brighter stars. These stars are all relatively close to us we go to press, the Cassini probe, which has studied Saturn up within our Milky Way galaxy. Arcturus is 34 light years away, close for the past 13 years, has begun a series of dives closer to Spica about 220 light years; the Galaxy is about 100,000 light the planet, which will cause it to end its mission by plunging years across. If you and your students want to see further than into the planet’s atmosphere in September. ) that, don’t use a telescope but instead try to spot the Androm- A star charting app eda Galaxy. If you succeed, you are looking at an object about (I use Sky Map for 2.5 million light years away (although it is estimated to be Android) will make getting closer to our galaxy at about 110 km per second!) it easy to confirm From the start of September through to February, the constel- to yourself when lation Andromeda becomes reasonably high in the evening you have correctly sky. I use the familiar W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia (see spotted a planet. November issue of Science) to help me locate the Galaxy. The “larger triangle” side of the W forms an arrow pointing to the Solar Eclipse August 21st 2017 Andromeda Galaxy, which is also known as M 31 ( see star If you are in the USA this August, you might see a truly map adapted from skyandtelescope.com). The M 31 Galaxy exciting event: a total solar eclipse. The map shows the path of looks like a fuzzy blob to the naked eye and can be seen better the eclipse, with a totality in a strip running across the US from using binoculars. Oregon to South Carolina. Observers there will be able to spot My key tip is to avoid strong moonlight around Full Moon. four planets in daytime during the totality! Urban light pollution obviously will also make it a bit more difficult to spot M 31. If you are interested in the problems of light pollution, you could download and try out an app such as Loss of Night, which we heard about in one of the workshops at the Athlone conference.

There will be great media coverage of this event; for us in Ireland, it won’t be any- where near as dramatic as the near-total eclipse of March 2015. We can observe a small partial eclipse here, as shown in the diagram. Planet spotting in the months ahead Venus will be shining brightly in the morning sky before dawn As always, FOR SAFETY DO NOT LOOK this autumn. In the first two weeks of October, it will be near AT THE SUN WITH A TELESCOPE OR the fainter planet Mars in the Eastern sky, coming particularly THE NAKED EYE. For more detail, see the th close together on October 5 . Mars has not been at its bright- NASA page on eclipse safety at est this year (watch out for it 2018) as it has not come close https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety enough as it orbits the Sun, so this is a good chance to more 38 www.ista.ie I always use the projection method. A small pinhole in a piece of card gives an image of the Sun projected on a second card. Keep your back to the Sun and hold the cards at least a The science of metre apart. The eclipse will happen for Ireland just after 8 pm when the Sun is very low in the West, about to set. So, you champagne bubbles need a clear view to the western horizon. From Galway, for example, a few percent of the Sun will be blocked from view by the moon so the projected Sun will look as if it has a “bite” Mary Mullaghy out of it. As only a small portion is blocked, use binoculars or a small telescope to do this projection if you can. (This is how my TY students safely observe the Sun for sunspots.) he science of champagne bubbles is complex, Credits/references: and recent findings on the bubbly beverage, Tunveiled the complexity of the neuro-physico- chemical mechanisms responsible for the aroma release and flavour perception in champagne. Appreciating the drink is not only down to concrete, measurable characteristics, such as the shape of the bubble, it also depends on how our brain perceives it. French scientists, who have been studying this beverage for many years published a paper on the life and death of champagne bubbles in January 2017. Eclipse map and prediction, pinhole method: timeanddate.com They found that the Star map and telescope projection: skyandtelescope.com delicate taste of champagne is a result of the complex interplay

Planet position predictions: Your Sky – Fourmilab between the level of CO2 and volatile organic compounds, which are the agents responsible for its aroma, dispersed in the champagne. In addition, they discovered that the ambient tem- perature, the glass shape, and the bubbling rate, also have an influence in giving champagne its very own unique taste. They also demystified the process behind the collapse of the bubbles. Apparently, when a champagne bubble reaches an air-liquid interface, it bursts, projecting a multitude of tiny droplets into the air, thus creating an aerosol containing a concentration of wine aromas.

Seosamh Ó Braonáin, Wesley College, Dublin

Flower-shaped structure, frozen through high-speed photog- raphy, found during the collapse of bubbles at the surface of a champagne flute. Photo credit: Gérard Liger-Belair

Article adapted from the Euroscientist

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 39 Ionising radiation and health hazards Ionising radiation and health hazards

What is radiation? Main kinds of ionising λ (m) E (eV) Main sources of ionising radiation

radiation 1 pm 1.24 GeV The pie-chart below shows the average contribution from different sources A candle radiates light and heat in all directions and can of ionising radiation to the average Irish person. Radon makes the biggest illuminate a room. From its source the light appears to travel The diagram shows the 10 pm 124 MeV wavelength and energy of contribution and is the cause of about 250 lung cancer cases each year in in straight lines, called rays, and if something blocks the path electromagnetic waves on a 100 pm 12.4 MeV Ireland. Radon is a radioactive gas that typically seeps into houses from the a shadow is formed. Light is a form of radiation. scale; photons on ground. It is a product of the radioactive decay of naturally occurring logarithmic rays Gamma 1 pm 1.24 MeV the next step up have ten times uranium or thorium. Since 1998, all new buildings in high radon areas must When sunlight is dispersed by a prism a spectrum is formed as Newton more energy and may cause ten 10 pm 124 keV have a radon barrier installed and, in other areas, a standby radon sump — a type of fan that draws air from under the floor and vents it to the outside. found in 1665. In 1800 Thomas Young showed that light was some kind of times more ionisations. Note that 100 pm 12.4 keV The EPA’s Office of Radiological Protection (ORP) is Both methods can be used to reduce radon entering the building. wave and he measured the wavelength of light of different colours; they the term ‘gamma ray’ refers to X-rays responsible for ensuring that people and the range from about 750 nm (red) to about 400 nm (violet). electromagnetic radiation coming 1 nm 1.24 keV

Ionising radiation Ionising It is very easy to reduce the radiation dose from radon by reducing the levels of environment in Ireland are protected from the harmful Also in 1800 Herschel discovered, using a thermometer, that the spectrum from atomic nuclei; they are 10 nm 124 eV radon in the home. There is little that we can do to reduce our exposure to other effects of ionising radiation.

otherwise identical with high UV contained some heat radiation in the dark area beyond the red; we now call 100 nm 12.4 eV sources of ionising radiation such as gamma rays, cosmic rays and radiation this infra-red radiation (IR). The following year (1801) Ritter showed that energy X-rays. from the buildings we inhabit, the food we eat and indeed from our own bodies. The ORP is a successor to the Radiological Protection Ionising radiation and health 1 µm 1.24 eV Institute of Ireland which merged with the EPA in 2014. there was some form of radiation beyond the violet end of the spectrum The kinetic energy of alpha Visible which could cause chemical change faster than any of the visible colours. particles is generally between 10 µm f (Hz) Measurement of ionising radiation It is called ultra-violet radiation (UV). 5 and 7 MeV while that of beta IR hazards 100 µm 3 THz The first thing to decide is what exactly to measure. particles generally ranges from The key functions of the ORP are: Rory100 keV Geoghegan to 20 MeV. However the 1 mm 300 GHz Option 1: How radioactive is a piece of material; i.e., how many nuclear What is ionising radiation? disintegrations occur in it every second. • Educating the public on the risks of ionising energy of cosmic rays may be 10 mm 30 GHz We now know that visible light, IR and UV form a small part of a much thousands of times greater but Unit: becquerel (Bq); 1 Bq = 1 disintegration per second radiation wider spectrum of electromagnetic waves. Those with shorter wavelengths is commonly about 300 MeV. 100 mm 3 GHz Non-ionising radiation This does not indicate how much radiation a person might Microwaves • Contributing to Government policy on radiation transmit more energy and often interact with matter as particles called 1 m 300 MHz absorb; gamma rays would be much less likely to be absorbed photons. What is radiation? The energy per photon is given by E = hf = hc/λ, where E is than alpha or beta particles. protection matters Non-ionisingthe energy in joules, f is the frequency in hertz and10 mh is Plank’s30 MHz Electromagnetic radiation whosecandle wavelength radiates is less light than andabout heat 300 nmin all directions −34 Option 2: Measure the amount energy absorbed per kilogram due to • Licensing and regulating the possession and use radiationconstant (6.6 × 10 J s). A useful alternative unit100 ofm energy3 MHz for radiation; this is the ‘absorbed dose’. is called ionising radiation becauseand it can can illuminateknock electrons a room. off some From atoms its source photons is the electron volt. It is found by dividing the energy of ionising radiation in medicine, industry, research and molecules causing ions to form,the light or to beappears more precise, to travel ion pairs.in straight Ionising lines, The boundaryin joules between by theionising charge on an electron, e (1.602 ×1 10km−19 C).300 kHz Unit: gray (Gy): 1 gray = 1 joule per kilogram (1 J kg −1) and education radiation can damage bio-moleculesA such as DNA, causing cells to die and non-ionising radiation is not called rays, and if something blocks the path a or malfunction. 10 km 30 kHz Option 3: A calculated measure of the potential damage to body tissues • Maintaining a national laboratory for the shadow is formed. Light is a form of radiation.universally agreed but is often Radio waves taken to beThe 100 nm main (i.e. with kinds of ionising radiation due to radiation. measurement of radioactivity levels in the When sunlight is dispersed by a prism a spectrum is formedphoton as energyThe ofdiagram about 12 (opposite) eV). shows the wavelength and energy of Unit: sievert (Sv): 1 sievert = 5.5% risk of developing cancer as a result environment Ionising particlesNewton found in 1665. In 1800 Thomas Young showed Radiationthat whoseelectromagnetic wavelength waves is greater on a than logarithmic that is classed scale; photonsas non-ionising on the of radiation exposure. Repeated doses of 1 Sv over minutes or In the 1890s certain materialslight was were some found kind to ofemit wave a form and of he highly measured ionising the wavelengthand includes next UV-C step, UV-Bup have, UV-A ten ,times visible more light, energy infrared, and microwaves, may cause radioten hours would be likely to lead to death within a few weeks. • Where appropriate, to provide, or oversee the of light of different colours; they range from about 750 nmwaves and timesvery low more frequency ionisations. radio Note waves that from the power term ‘gammalines (50 ray’Hz). refers provision of, specialist radiation protection services radiation which, unlike light, was strongly affected by a magnet and so was The sievert represents the biological effect of an absorbed dose. It is derived different from electromagnetic(red) to waves. about 400Some nm materials (violet). emitted positively to electromagnetic radiation coming from atomic nuclei; they such as personal dosimetry, radioactivity The fact thatare they otherwise may not identical cause ionisation with high does energy not meanX-rays. that these from the gray but employs a weighting that varies with the type of radiation: charged particles calledAlso alpha in particles1800 Herschel. Others discovered, emitted negatively using a thermometer, charged radiations that are always harmless. In large doses they can cause body measurement, instrument calibration, radon particles, or . Some materials also emitted high energy 1 Gy of gamma rays, X-rays or beta particles = 1 Sv beta particlesthe spectrum contained some heat radiation in the dark areatissues to heatThe upkinetic faster energy that blood of alpha flow particlescan dissipate is generally the heat. between Sunbathing 5 measurements and product certification electromagnetic waves beyondcalled gamma the red; rays we .now All these call this materials infra-red are radiationsaid (IR).can The cause andsunburn. 7 MeV Even while with that sunscreens of beta particles the skin generallyis damaged; ranges the from 1 Gy of alpha particles = 20 Sv to be radioactive. • Assisting in the development of national plans following year (1801) Ritter showed that there was sometanning form process100 keV is the to body’s20 MeV. reaction However to DNA the energydamage of in cosmic skin cells. rays may 1 Gy of protons = 2 Sv of radiation beyond the violet end of the spectrum whichExposure could to UV-A can lead to skin cancer. to deal with nuclear accidents and incidents In 1912 Victor Hess found — ascending above 5000 metres by balloon — that be thousands of times greater but is commonly about 300 MeV. The average radiation dose received by people in Ireland each year is about extremely ionising radiationcause increased chemical with change altitude faster and thanthat itany did ofnot the come visible colours. It is called ultra-violet radiation (UV). four millisieverts; 0.004 Sv = 4 mSv = 4000 µSv (microsieverts). However, • Conducting and promoting research on a range from the Sun. This cosmic radiation comes from outside our solar system some people receive ten times that dose due to high radon levels in their of areas relevant to radiation protection and at least some of it is extra-galactic It is by far the most strongly ionising homes. The greater the dose, the greater the risk. radiation known. About What90% of it is consists ionising of protons, radiation? often travelling at over • Driving forward programmes of radon A radon test kit can be obtained from the EPA, Office of Radiological 99% of the speed of light.We It nowalso containsknow that alpha visible particles light, and IR andlesser UV amounts measurement and remediation in homes, of heavier nuclei, neutrons and positrons. Protection. It contains sealed plastic film which is left in place for 30 days form a small part of a much wider spectrum and then returned to EPA. When the film is developed the level of radiation is workplaces and schools The speed of a wave is ofequal electromagnetic to the waves. Those with shorter f = c/λ indicated by the number of tracks left on it by ionising radiation. • Representing Ireland on international bodies frequency (f) multiplied wavelengthsby the wavelength transmit more energy and often interact (λ). For electromagneticwith waves matter this isas particlesE called = hf photons. dealing with radiation protection and nuclear written as c=f.λ where c is the speed. Common radiation doses and risk matters Electromagnetic radiationE = whose hc/λ jouleswavelength is less Rearranging this equationthan we about get f 100= c/λ nm. is called ionising radiation because The accompanying table lists some ‘Thoron’ is a 1 Dental X-ray 5 μSv • Cooperating with radiation protection authorities E = hc/eλ electron volts ‘Radon’ refers to The energy per photon itis cangiven knock by E electrons= hf = off some atoms and molecules traditional name for average radiation doses commonly and other relevant organisations overseas. radon 222 (222 Rn). 1 Dublin-London return flight 8 μSv causing ions to form, or to be more precise, ion pairs. radon 220 (220 Rn). received by people in Ireland. Radon hc/λ, where E is the energy in joules, f is It is a decay product Ionising radiation can damage bio-molecules such as It is a decay is clearly the most significant the frequency in hertz and h is Plank’s of uranium 238 (238 1 Chest X-ray 20 μSv For further infromation visit: www.epa.ie/radiation −34 DNA, causing cells to die or malfunction. product of thorium constant (6.6 × 10 J s). A useful alternative unit of energy for photons is U) with a half life of contributor to our overall radiation 232 (232Th) and has Annual cosmic ray dose 350 μSv the . It is found by dividing the energy in joules by the charge 3.8 days. exposure but fortunately it is the one electron volt a half life of 55.6 Find this and other lessons on www.sta.ie −19 (There are over 30 that we can most easily avoid. on an electron, e (1.602Ionising × 10 C). particles seconds. Annual radon dose (avg.) 2230 μSv isotopes of radon.) In the 1890s certain materials were found to emit a form of highly ionising radiation which, unlike light, was strongly affected by a magnet and so was different from Non-ionising radiation electromagnetic waves. Some materials emitted positively charged particles called alpha particles. Others emitted The boundary between ionising and non-ionising radiation is negatively charged particles, or beta particles. Some materials not universally agreed but is often taken to be 100 nm (i.e. with also emitted high energy electromagnetic waves called gamma photon energy of about 12 eV). rays. All these materials are said to be radioactive. Radiation whose wavelength is greater than that is classed as In 1912 Victor Hess found — ascending above 5000 metres non-ionising and includes UV-C, UV-B, UV-A, visible light, by balloon — that extremely ionising radiation increased infrared, microwaves, radio waves and very low frequency with altitude and that it did not come from the Sun. This radio waves from power lines (50 Hz). cosmic radiation comes from outside our solar system and The fact that they may not cause ionisation does not mean at least some of it is extra-galactic It is by far the most that these radiations are always harmless. In large doses they strongly ionising radiation known. About 90% of it consists can cause body tissues to heat up faster than blood flow can of protons, often travelling at over 99% of the speed of light. remove the heat. Sunbathing can cause sunburn. Even with It also contains alpha particles and lesser sunscreens the skin is damaged; the tanning amounts of heavier nuclei, neutrons and f = c/λ process is the body’s reaction to DNA damage positrons. in skin cells. Exposure to UV-A can lead to skin The speed of a wave is equal to the E = hf cancer. frequency (f) multiplied by the wavelength (λ). For electromagnetic waves this is E = hc/λ joules written as c=f.λ where c is the speed. Rearranging this equation we get f = c/λ. E = hc/eλ electron volts

40 www.ista.ie Ionising radiation and health hazards Ionising radiation and health hazards

Main sources of ionising radiation What is radiation? Main kinds of ionising λ (m) E (eV) TheMain pie-chart shows sources the average contribution of ionising from different radiation sources of ionising radiation for people living in Ireland. Radon radiation 1 pm 1.24 GeV makesThe the pie-chart biggest contribution below andshows is the causethe averageof about 250 contribution from different sources A candle radiates light and heat in all directions and can lung cancer cases each year in Ireland. Radon is a radioactive The diagram shows the gasof that ionising typically seeps radiation into houses to from the the average ground. It isIrish a person. Radon makes the biggest illuminate a room. From its source the light appears to travel 10 pm 124 MeV product of the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium or wavelength and energy of contribution and is the cause of about 250 lung cancer cases each year in in straight lines, called rays, and if something blocks the path thorium. Since 1998, all new buildings in high radon areas must electromagnetic waves on a 100 pm 12.4 MeV haveIreland. a radon barrier Radon installed is and,a radioactive in other areas, agas standby that radon typically seeps into houses from the sumpground. — a type Itof isfan athat product draws air fromof the under radioactive the floor and decay of naturally occurring a shadow is formed. Light is a form of radiation. scale; photons on vents it to the outside. Both methods can be used to reduce radon logarithmic rays Gamma 1 pm 1.24 MeV the next step up have ten times enteringuranium the building. or thorium. Since 1998, all new buildings in high radon areas must When sunlight is dispersed by a prism a spectrum is formed as Newton more energy and may cause ten 10 pm 124 keV It ishave very easy a radonto reduce barrier the radiation installed dose from and,radon by in reducing other areas, a standby radon sump the —levels a oftype radon of in fanthe home. that There draws is little air that from we can under do to the floor and vents it to the outside. found in 1665. In 1800 Thomas Young showed that light was some kind of times more ionisations. Note that 100 pm 12.4 keV reduce our exposure to other sources of ionising radiation such The EPA’s Office of Radiological Protection (ORP) is as gammaBoth rays,methods cosmic rays can and be radiation used from to thereduce buildings radon we entering the building. wave and he measured the wavelength of light of different colours; they X-rays the term ‘gamma ray’ refers to inhabit, the food we eat and indeed from our own bodies. responsible for ensuring that people and the range from about 750 nm (red) to about 400 nm (violet). electromagnetic radiation coming 1 nm 1.24 keV

Ionising radiation Ionising It is very easy to reduce the radiation dose from radon by reducing the levels of environment in Ireland are protected from the harmful from atomic nuclei; they are 10 nm 124 eV Also in 1800 Herschel discovered, using a thermometer, that the spectrum Measurementradon in the of home. ionising There radiation is little that we can do to reduce our exposure to other effects of ionising radiation. contained some heat radiation in the dark area beyond the red; we now call otherwise identical with high UV Thesources first thing toof decide ionising is what radiation exactly to measure. such as gamma rays, cosmic rays and radiation energy X-rays. 100 nm 12.4 eV The ORP is a successor to the Radiological Protection this infra-red radiation (IR). The following year (1801) Ritter showed that Optionfrom 1: theHow buildings radioactive is we a piece inhabit, of material; the i.e., food how we many eat and indeed from our own bodies. 1 µm 1.24 eV nuclear disintegrations occur in it every second. Institute of Ireland which merged with the EPA in 2014. there was some form of radiation beyond the violet end of the spectrum Visible The kinetic energy of alpha Unit: becquerel (Bq); 1 Bq = 1 disintegration per second which could cause chemical change faster than any of the visible colours. particles is generally between 10 µm f (Hz) MeasurementThis does not indicate how of much ionising radiation a person radiation

IR might absorb; gamma rays would be much less likely It is called ultra-violet radiation (UV). 5 and 7 while that of beta MeV 100 µm 3 THz The firstto be thingabsorbed to than decide alpha or isbeta whatparticles. exactly to measure. particles generally ranges from The key functions of the ORP are: Option 2: Measure the amount energy absorbed per kilogram 100 keV to 20 MeV. However the 1 mm 300 GHz Optiondue to 1: radiation; How this radioactive is the ‘absorbed is dose’. a piece of material; i.e., how many nuclear What is ionising radiation? Unit: gray ( ):disintegrations 1 gray = 1 joule per kilogram occur (1 J inkg −1it) every second. • Educating the public on the risks of ionising energy of cosmic rays may be 10 mm 30 GHz Gy We now know that visible light, IR and UV form a small part of a much thousands of times greater but radiation Option 3: A Unit:calculated becquerel measure of the potential(Bq); 1 damage Bq = to1 bodydisintegration per second wider spectrum of electromagnetic waves. Those with shorter wavelengths is commonly about 300 MeV. 100 mm 3 GHz tissues due to radiation. Non-ionising radiation This does not indicate how much radiation a person might transmit more energy and often interact with matter as particles called Microwaves Unit: sievert (Sv): 1 sievert = 5.5% risk of developing • Contributing to Government policy on radiation 1 m 300 MHz cancer as aabsorb; result of radiation gamma exposure. rays Repeated would be much less likely to be absorbed photons. doses of 1 thanSv over alpha minutes oror hoursbeta would particles. be likely to protection matters Non-ionising 10 m 30 MHz lead to death within a few weeks. Electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is less than about 300 nm Option 2: Measure the amount energy absorbed per kilogram due to • Licensing and regulating the possession and use radiation 100 m 3 MHz The sievert represents the biological effect of an absorbed is called ionising radiation because it can knock electrons off some atoms dose. It is derived fromradiation; the gray but employsthis is a theweighting ‘absorbed that dose’. of ionising radiation in medicine, industry, research varies with the type of radiation: and molecules causing ions to form, or to be more precise, ion pairs. Ionising The boundary between ionising 1 km 300 kHz Unit: gray (Gy): 1 gray = 1 joule per kilogram (1 J kg −1) and education radiation can damage bio-molecules such as DNA, causing cells to die and non-ionising radiation is not 1 Gy of gamma rays, X-rays or beta particles = 1 Sv or malfunction. 10 km 30 kHz 1Option Gy of alpha 3: particles A calculated measure = 20 ofSv the potential damage to body tissues • Maintaining a national laboratory for the

universally agreed but is often Radio waves 1 Gy of protons due to radiation. = 2 Sv taken to be 100 nm (i.e. with The average radiation dose received by people in Ireland measurement of radioactivity levels in the photon energy of about 12 eV). each year is aboutUnit: four sievert millisieverts: (Sv): 4 mSv 1 sievert or 4000 μSv = 5.5% risk of developing cancer as a result (microsieverts). However, some people receive ten times that environment Ionising particles Radiation whose wavelength is greater than that is classed as non-ionising dose due to high radonof levelsradiation in their exposure.homes. The greater Repeated the doses of 1 Sv over minutes or In the 1890s certain materials were found to emit a form of highly ionising and includes UV-C, UV-B, UV-A, visible light, infrared, microwaves, radio dose, the greater the risk.hours would be likely to lead to death within a few weeks. • Where appropriate, to provide, or oversee the radiation which, unlike light, was strongly affected by a magnet and so was waves and very low frequency radio waves from power lines (50 Hz). A radon test kit can be obtained from the EPA, Office of provision of, specialist radiation protection services RadiologicalThe sievert Protection. represents It contains sealed the plasticbiological film which effect is of an absorbed dose. It is derived different from electromagnetic waves. Some materials emitted positively left in place for 30 days and then returned to EPA. When the film such as personal dosimetry, radioactivity The fact that they may not cause ionisation1 doesDental not X-ray mean that these5 μSv is developedfrom the the graylevel of but radiation employs is indicated a weightingby the number thatof varies with the type of radiation: charged particles called alpha particles. Others emitted negatively charged radiations are always harmless. In large doses they can cause body tracks left on it by ionising radiation. measurement, instrument calibration, radon 1 Dublin-London return flight 8 μSv 1 Gy of gamma rays, X-rays or beta particles = 1 Sv particles, or beta particles. Some materials also emitted high energy tissues to heat up faster that blood flow can dissipate the heat. Sunbathing measurements and product certification 1 Chest X-ray 20 μSv Common radiation doses and risk electromagnetic waves called gamma rays. All these materials are said can cause sunburn. Even with sunscreens the skin is damaged; the 1 Gy of alpha particles = 20 Sv Annual cosmic ray dose 350 μSv The table (left) lists some average radiation doses commonly to be radioactive. tanning process is the body’s reaction to DNA damage in skin cells. received by people in Ireland. Radon is clearly the most • Assisting in the development of national plans significant contributor1 Gy of to ourprotons overall radiation exposure but = 2 Sv Exposure to UV-A can lead to skin cancer.Annual radon dose (avg.) 2230 μSv fortunately it is the one that we can most easily avoid. to deal with nuclear accidents and incidents In 1912 Victor Hess found — ascending above 5000 metres by balloon — that The average radiation dose received by people in Ireland each year is about extremely ionising radiation increased with altitude and that it did not come four ; 0.004 Sv = 4 mSv = 4000 µSv (microsieverts). However, http://sta.ie/lesson/radioactivity-in-the-environment Sourcemillisieverts • Conducting and promoting research on a range from the Sun. This cosmic radiation comes from outside our solar system Thissome article ispeople based on receiveone of the many ten lessonstimes that that you dosecan due to high radon levels in their http://sta.ie/lesson/ionising-radiation-and-health-hazards download from www.sta.ie. More than 160 lessons are available of areas relevant to radiation protection and at least some of it is extra-galactic It is by far the most strongly ionising http://sta.ie/lesson/xrays-uses-and-dangers on topicshomes. in biology, The chemistry greater and the physics. dose, Each the lesson greater is the risk. radiation known. About 90% of it consists of protons, often travelling at over accompanied by student exercises and learning resources. • Driving forward programmes of radon A radon test kit can be obtained from the EPA, Office of Radiological 99% of the speed of light. It also contains alpha particles and lesser amounts SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 41 measurement and remediation in homes, of heavier nuclei, neutrons and positrons. Protection. It contains sealed plastic film which is left in place for 30 days and then returned to EPA. When the film is developed the level of radiation is workplaces and schools The speed of a wave is equal to the f = c/λ indicated by the number of tracks left on it by ionising radiation. • Representing Ireland on international bodies frequency (f) multiplied by the wavelength (λ). For electromagnetic waves this is E = hf dealing with radiation protection and nuclear written as c=f.λ where c is the speed. Common radiation doses and risk matters E = hc/λ joules Rearranging this equation we get f = c/λ. The accompanying table lists some ‘Thoron’ is a 1 Dental X-ray 5 μSv • Cooperating with radiation protection authorities E = hc/eλ electron volts ‘Radon’ refers to The energy per photon is given by E = hf = traditional name for average radiation doses commonly and other relevant organisations overseas. radon 222 (222 Rn). 1 Dublin-London return flight 8 μSv radon 220 (220 Rn). received by people in Ireland. Radon hc/λ, where E is the energy in joules, f is It is a decay product It is a decay is clearly the most significant the frequency in hertz and h is Plank’s of uranium 238 (238 1 Chest X-ray 20 μSv For further infromation visit: www.epa.ie/radiation −34 product of thorium constant (6.6 × 10 J s). A useful alternative unit of energy for photons is U) with a half life of contributor to our overall radiation 232 (232Th) and has Annual cosmic ray dose 350 μSv the . It is found by dividing the energy in joules by the charge 3.8 days. exposure but fortunately it is the one electron volt a half life of 55.6 Find this and other lessons on www.sta.ie −19 (There are over 30 that we can most easily avoid. on an electron, e (1.602 × 10 C). seconds. Annual radon dose (avg.) 2230 μSv isotopes of radon.) Rebel ecology

Paul Holland

came to Charleston, South Carolina, to see The Bull Island ecosystem experiences stresses. Occasionally Fort Sumter where the Confederate states were it’s hit by hurricanes from which it takes up to a century to fully recover. It suffers enough from storm damage anyway. I manipulated into firing the first shots of the On the seaward side there was erosion and we walked through American Civil War 1861 – 1865. The city is built a tree graveyard. We failed to ford a river which Olivia told me on a low-lying peninsula which sometimes floods had not been there when she visited a few months earlier. She with spring tides. It was a place racked by yellow pointed out a sand dune which was gradually disintegrating. fever and malaria but was chosen as it could be Turtles had laid eggs there. The park rangers moved the eggs to a safer place, re-burying the eggs in the same order and at easily defended against rival Europeans and native the same depths as they had originally been laid. This was Americans. A tough call, maybe, but whereas to ensure the same temperature regime applied. Temperature disease was extremely likely, hostile attack was determines the sex ratios of the hatching turtles. Nature isn’t guaranteed. One hypothesis on the cause of yellow so kind – emerging turtles head straight for the sea where in fever was the large number of damp fallen leaves – short order the vast majority are taken by predators. No end to the cruelty. I watched snowy egrets wading nearby – fish are as good a reason as any before the germ theory... attracted by their yellow legs and maybe they die happy. After a few days, I had enough of the history of slavery, the Civil War, Southern architecture, alcohol and cuisine so I Bull Island is close enough to the mainland for animals to joined a guide, Olivia, for a trip to the Bull Island nature sometimes swim over, or hitch a ride on vegetation. There are reserve. Bull Island is one of the coral islands in the area, a signs that coyotes have been around, not good news for birds few km into the Atlantic. Coral reproduction involves external or turtles. On a branch sunning itself was a black racer snake, fertilisation with reproductive cells being released into the extremely aggressive but not venomous. Olivia advised me water. If an embryo coral falls into the mud, it’s finished. that snakes with knob-like heads are usually not dangerous. Venom glands take up space so these snakes often have a broad If it lands on a solid surface, it grows. Coral builds up and 2 can be overwhelmed by more coral developing on top of it. parabola-shaped head (think of the y = x graph). A snake may Oysters filter the surrounding water. Spartina grass has a salt not necessarily deliver venom when it bites a non-prey species, excretory system that enables it to thrive in the seawater. after all it can’t hunt without it and synthesising fresh venom is It is not generally eaten by herbivores but when it dies it is slow and metabolically demanding. It’s a complication because broken down by anaerobic decomposers, enriching the mud antidotes to venom are harmful chemicals in themselves and and allowing other plants and animals to develop. Indeed should only be administered when absolutely necessary. In early settlers used to spread this “pluff mud” on their fields. this area are found copperheads, cottonmouth moccasins and One time crops such as rice, indigo and cotton were grown rattlesnakes. A rattlesnake bite is serious. In the case of the on Bull Island but no longer. It is now a protected forest and other two, medics often find it sufficient to treat the symptoms marsh ecosystem which supports migratory birds. Limited deer and keep a victim hydrated. hunting with bow and arrow is allowed. There was more – beautiful flowers, myriads of butterflies The air was cloudy – with mosquitoes – and the weather and the Palmetto trees which bend in storms, afterwards to hot and humid. In the sky were two types of vulture. Turkey straighten up and carry on. A great place – I came to see Fort vultures have an excellent sense of smell which leads them to Sumter but I’ll remember Bull Island! carrion. The black vultures have good eyesight which enables them to spot when the turkey vultures have found a meal. Paul Holland, formerly Presentation College Galway A keystone species can be defined as one that has an influence on a food web out of all proportion to its numbers. Top carnivores can fill this role – think of what happens to the populations of species in the trophic levels below them if they are removed. On Bull Island, the alligator is such a species. Young alligators are cared for by their mother. She watches her eggs and trains her young in the necessary skills. Families break up and scatter. The alligator has a nose for water. Once it detects it, it digs and forms a pond. Other alligators come to the pond. So do insects, birds and deer – they depend on the alligator. Alligators eat dragonflies, frogs, birds and smaller prey in general. Fortunately for us, we’re a bit on the big side. Walking the pathways was for me a bit unnerving but, whenever we met them, the alligators yielded or ignored us. On the ponds and lakes, moorhen took off like a shot whenever an alligator slipped into the water – it’s a characteristic splash they instinctively fear.

42 www.ista.ie All that glitters is not gold

Paul Holland

ne episode of The Little House on the Prairie (an Oancient television series from the 1970s) sticks in my mind. Laura and a friend found some gold and, thinking it might represent a way out of poverty, took it to the local dealer. He sympathised with them – they had brought Fool’s Gold, Iron pyrites,

FeS2. Derided by gold miners, this compound may be worth a lot more to humanity than gold has been. It has been associated with volcanoes but is in fact ubiquitous – it’s this availability along with its usefulness that makes it important.

Most pyrites on Earth are made by microorganisms. They remove oxygen from sulfates in water, reducing them to sulfides. Sulfide reacts with iron to form pyrites. Incidentally, pyrites can be oxidised and broken down by other microorganisms. Depending on the chemical environment, pyrites form different crystals including cubic and octahedral forms (rare). An ongoing needed for other semiconductors, investigation involves making pyrite Fool’s Gold is often found next to real gold. The chemical is relatively low. Mining silicon crystals under different laboratory is currently about 50 times more conditions to see what results – one environment that precipitates pyrites from aqueous solution also destroys expensive than accessing iron pyrites. hope is that the conditions on Earth Moreover, pyrites is 100 times more at different times and places may the sulfide complexes that keep gold in solution. They precipitate efficient at absorbing solar energy be inferred from the types of pyrite than silicon – far less material would crystals that are present in a place. together, gold often being mixed in with the pyrites. To obtain be needed in solar panels. In theory at FeS is a source of sulphur, a gold from crushed rock, cyanide least, pyrites could make solar panels substance2 exploited for millennia. At solution is applied to dissolve it out competitive as an energy source – but times when sulphur was unavailable in a sludge. The gold mixed into who knows what devil may lie in the or expensive, people turned to pyrites. pyrites is not easily accessible. At detail? Sulphur is needed for the manufacture one time, the pyrites was treated Pyrites have been known for millennia of sulfuric acid which is the starting with acid under conditions of high and, even in ancient civilisations, were compound for the production of temperature and pressure. A later used to make fire. Their importance pharmaceuticals, catalysts, fertilisers, process, gentler and more economic, is undenied. Who knows, maybe in a explosives, dyes, detergents…. It involves the use of microorganisms future series of Little House on The is also used in water treatment. The to break down the pyrites. Cyanide Prairie, the dealer will reject the gold world as we know it owes a huge debt is subsequently applied. the children bring him, telling them to this acid. Ancient people used the it’s Fool’s Pyrites. vitriols – sulfates of iron, copper and Besides its role in providing aluminium (alum). Alum is used in sulphur- and sulfuric acid – pyrites Paul Holland, formerly Presentation medicine. The vitriols were used as features as the cathode in modern College, Galway mordants for fixing dyes in clothing lithium batteries (the anode is of but their supply was limited. A few lithium). It may also prove vital for hundred years ago, pyrites was roasted world energy supplies. Reference to produce SO2 gas which was then Pyrites is a semiconductor, a used to make alum – some people substance that can switch from American Scientist, May/June 2016 consider that process to be the birth of being an insulator to a conductor Image by CarlesMillan (Wikimedia the modern chemical industry. when energy is supplied. The Commons) energy required, compared to that

SCIENCE Vol. 52 Number 3, May 2017 43 CROSSWORD

Randal Henly

Clues Across Clues Down 23. Element found in all organic 1. Invertebrate with soft unsegmented 2. Connected with the eyes or vision compounds (6) body that lives in damp habitats (7) (6) 25. Remove undigested material from 5. Draw a circle to find your way! (7) 3. Venue of Galileo’s legendary an organ or body (7) 8. Chemicals that induce insensitivity experiment (7, 5, 4) 27. Marie and Pierre (5) to pain (12) 4. Polysaccharide built up of many 29. Unit of length found at the back of 12. A narrow valley (4) units of glucose (6) a house (4) 13. Method of heat travel (10) 5. Act a feline (3) 14. Nationality of Descartes and Pasteur 6. Edible plant tubers containing much (6) of 4 down (8) 15. Aristotle and Archimedes, for 7. Distress signal (3) €20 prize example (6) 9, 10, 11. Time-telling devices (7, 9, 5) The member with the first correct 17. Plant anchor (4) 14. Michael, who became Director of entry will receive €20, via their PayPal 18. A slain mollusc (5) the Royal Institution (7) account. 20. Charles, who voyaged on the Beagle 16. Circuit breaker (6) Please send your answer to the Editor, (6) 18. The sound of the shock wave when via your ISTA registered email address. 21. Units of leg extremities (4) an aircraft exceeds the speed of 22. Type of teeth (8) sound (5, 4) 24. An e-ray for a time (4) 19. Type of tube found in a laboratory (4) 26. Draw on metal with acid (4) 21. Changes from liquid to solid (7) 28. The period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity (7) 30. 10–1 (4) 31 0 (4) SCIENCE CROSSWORD32. Distinctive 76smell (5) 33. A neat volcano (4) 34. Morse code symbols (6) Clues Across 32. Distinctive smell (5) 1. Invertebrate with soft 33. A neat volcano (4) unsegmented body that lives in damp habitats (7) 34. Morse code symbols (6) 5. Draw a circle to find your way! Winner — March 2017 The first correct entry was emailed by (7) Clues DownAisling O'Sullivan, Shannon, Co.Clare 8. Chemicals that induce 2. Connected-- again! Well with done. the eyes or insensitivity to pain (12) visionAisling's (6) entry was quickly followed by one from Crena Shevlin, Carrickmines, 12. A narrow valley (4) 3. VenueDublin of Galileo’s18. legendary 13. Method of heat travel (10) experiment (7,5,4) 14. Nationality of Descartes and 4. Polysaccharide built up of Pasteur (6) many units of glucose (6) 15. Aristotle and Archimedes, for 5. Act a feline (3) example (6) 6. Edible plant tubers containing 17. Plant anchor (4) much of 4 down (8) 18. A slain mollusc (5) 7. Distress signal (3) 20. Charles, who voyaged on the 9, 10, 11. Time-telling devices (7,9,5) Beagle (6) 21. Units of leg extremities (4) 14. Michael, who became Director of the Royal Institution (7) 22. Type of teeth (8) 16. Circuit breaker (6) 24. An e-ray for a time (4) 18. The sound of the shock wave 26. Draw on metal with acid (4) when44 an aircraft exceeds the www.ista.ie speed of sound (5,4) 25. Remove undigested material 28. The period during which from an organ or body (7) adolescents reach sexual 19. Type of tube found in a 27. Marie and Pierre (5) maturity (7) laboratory (4) 29. Unit of length found at the 30. 10–1 (4) 21. Changes from liquid to solid (7) back of a house (4) 31 0 (4) 23. Element found in all organic compounds (6) einsteinTMTablet+2

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