"Lot" and "Lot’s Daughter" by Ward Moore

Both "Lot" and "Lot’s Daughter" first appeared F&SF.  The first was filmed as Panic in Year Zero and was reprinted by Everett F. Bleiler, T. E. Dikty, Anthony Boucher, J. Francis McComas, Brian W. Aldiss, Sheila Schwartz, H. Bruce Franklin, Walter M. Miller Jr., Martin H. Greenberg, Isaac Asimov and Peter Haining. The sequel story, "Lot’s Daughter", was reprinted by Robert P. Mills. They were published together in a slender volume by Tachyon Publications.

            Summary

Mr. David Jimmon and family are packed and hurrying out the door to escape the effects of a nuclear blast. A neighbor, Warbinn, tries to intercept them before they leave, but Mr. Jimmon is in hurry. They meet briefly on the highway for Warbinn to say that he had Jimmon's tire jack back at the house. Mr. Jimmon is angry but brushes it off thinking he had one in this particular car. Meanwhile, Mrs. Molly Jimmon talks about going back to L.A. in a few days and wants to check to see if the lines to L.A. are working.

            Commentary with Spoilers

Of all his kids, only Erika seems to be most like him, seems to realize the magnitude of what is occurring although there are hints that maybe Jimmon doesn’t really know the magnitude of what is happening. Are there as many nuclear blasts as he assumes there will be? Will civilization be wipe out?

Mr. Jimmon is clever enough to drive in the inbound lanes, which were empty except for a bunch of military, fire, and police department vehicles. Jimmon is written a citation and told to turn around. But he doesn't.

This section provides a clever solution and complication. However, it seems dubious, even pointless, that anyone would remain with the fallout radius. Staying behind sounds noble but also foolish and deadly. Surely, no one would have these groups drive into a dangerzone. Why? To save victims, they'd become victims. Maybe something else is going on.

Besides, once Jimmon leads the way, at least a third of the traffic would follow suit, speeding up both sides of traffic. 

This was a major story that writers continued to talk about into the nineties, demonstrated by Tachyon republishing the two stories as short novel/chapbook collection. Michael Swanwick in his introduction, puts the story into historical context, pointing out the era’s concern for school children surviving an atomic bomb by hiding under a desk, which may have done little to protect the kids. Children today still drill for potential shooters and tornados although the scale of an atomic bomb (and survival) would have been a far greater destructive and long-lasting effects. Those who drilled for an attack were probably the most moved by nuclear holocaust narratives so prevalent between the fifties and the eighties, which has dropped off even though nuclear explosion is still a possibility today.

The story’s details and dialog are mundane, focusing on the thoughts of a survivalist who has thought hard about this possibility. The family dwell on minor issues in the face of a graver danger—the father seeming to be the only one aware of the true danger of a nuclear bomb although presumably the kids were educated in the classroom, to some extent.

It has few speculative eyekicks, but its strength lies in a clever take on the Biblical tale of Lot, which immediately comes to mind today since the story is often paired with its sequel, "Lot’s Daughter."

One must take this in mind when interpreting the ending where he abandons his sons and wife—too concerned about the trappings of the past and civilization. In the Bible, Lot was told to leave Sodom and not to look back. In the story, none of his family wanted to leave, despite how abominably they treated his guests (and Lot promised them his daughters). Here though, we may only be expected to remember that they were told not to look back, but Lot’s wife did and she was turned to a pillar of salt. Here Jimmon takes the more active role of God and abandons her and their sons. Maybe they would be in the way in this new way of life that Lot expects. His wife does seem critical of a pudgy, aging David Jimmon surviving in a new world.

That Lot takes off with just his daughter suspends a second, suggestive meaning in their escape and abandoning the rest of the family. In the Bible, Lot’s daughters get him drunk and sleep with him to carry on the family seed.

But one should not forget the other possible meaning of “Lot” as in “much” and “portion” and “destiny.” Is Lot too much? What is Lot’s lot? Is it too much? Does he deserve it? Do his wife and children?

 “Lot’s Daughter”

If you’ve read “Lot,” you don’t need “Lot’s Daughter” (published about a year and a half later, so it’s difficult to tell if the story was written to answer questions that readers had) as the same theme carries on although it does answer some plot questions while leaving some of the same ones open.

The daughter becomes his wife, both physically and mentally (the incest stays mostly in the background). She has him explain why he left his family. He explains he left her $20,000, which would be a tidy sum, but she points out that that money would be useless to her if the economy collapses. After spotting jeep tracks and being dissatisfied with their present life, she sets out for what she hopes will be civilization. He, meanwhile, surmises what she did, sees the missing gun and carries on with their son despite the pain of molar that could be aided by civilization.

The story does answer that civilization was more devastated than his previous knowledge suggests as they have been using the car’s radio. Unfortunately, radio would have not have worked since the car battery, tires, gasoline, and even the engine itself might have all been dead after six or seven years. When Dad fell ill, we let Dad’s truck sit for two years without using it, and it had seized up. Gas goes bad over winter so they usually add additives to protect it, regular use of the battery would use up its energy unless they recharged it by driving it and he didn’t want to draw attention themselves by driving it.

The original editors, Boucher and McComas, insinuate that they saw David Jimmon as careful yet selfish. (They seem to be the ones who urged the sequel, according to their introductory material).

Editor Robert Mills, like Swanwick, calls the second story (and presumably the first) “a real treatment” of the nuclear scenario. The incest, despite being carefully worded and never displayed, apparently did not go without controversy, according to the back matter in the chapbook. Little wonder it got so few comparative reprintings, apart from the problem of being a sequel, much as it tried to stand alone.

It’s a good story although it depends heavily on the first, or it wouldn’t have lacked the proper impact. It is best read as a pair although the first story could stand alone. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect is how Erika both is and is not his daughter through this one act. These narratives are probably a critical piece of the genre in terms of discussing nuclear holocaust.

The Author

Ward Moore won no awards or nominations yet was respected by writers. Despite the appearance in several best-of anthologies, he seems to have never had a collection. Apparently, he appears as a character in books by Kenneth Rexroth, himself, and Jean Ariss. He is also well known as the author of the critically acclaimed novel, Bring the Jubilee, which I [will] discuss here. 

Chemistry textbooks

A recent headline reads, "Periodic table gets four new elements, making science textbooks around the world out of date."

If the teacher needs new textbooks, by all means, he should get new textbooks. Some school systems, though, are strapped. The primary teacher who would need new textbooks would be the chemistry teacher (maybe physical science) who likes to have students memorize the periodic chart.

Otherwise, we're looking for patterns. The new elements--rather, uncommon--will be unlikely to be used.

On the one hand, science is always "out of date." On the other, the basic processes will remain the same. Better is the [old or new] textbook that explains itself well than one with all the latest information. The teacher can fill in any necessary gaps.

On the other other hand, a retired teacher pointed out to me that we assumed that a school was better simply because it had the latest stuff. While getting the latest is irrelevant to a quality education, perceptions can have positive effects: e.g. the white coat effect, the placebo effect.

"The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family" by Usman T. Malik

First appeared in Qualia Nous. I believe it will be reprinted by Rich Horton. Online.

Summary:

Tara Khan loses her brother, Sohail, to revenge himself on those who took his love.  Meanwhile, Tara loses the last of her family, her mother, so that she is seen as a seductress and troublemaker to the villagers. She leaves to educate herself. When terrorists attack the City, she goes off to find the Monster: Annunaki.

Discussion:

The story's successes are its title, metaphors, turns of phrases, prose, and a beautiful structure, mirroring a family's dissolution to both the states of matter and the state of the nation. Some phrases, though, need work: Mostly abstractions trying to be concrete and metaphors that don't quite work:

"She shuddered at the thought," 

"leprous grins" 

"Kites and vultures unzipped the darkness above in circles" 

"It impaled her with its familiarity and a dreadful suspicion grew in her that the beast was rage and wore a face she knew well."

Primarily, though, Tara outside much of the action, outside the heart of the story. If we don't experience critical events, it's harder to feel what we're meant to feel at the tale's climax.

No doubt these habits will disappear as Malik grows as a writer.  We do see much skill in rendering a culture uncommon to the genre and a loving care for his prose and characters. One looks forward to Malik's bright future as a writer.

A discussion of his earlier story, "Resurrection Points", can be found here. Both stories admirably treat the problematic issue of violence within a culture.

Star Trek: season one: episode one: Man Trap

Summary:

Capt. Kirk, Dr. McCoy, and crew member Darnell beam down to planet M – 113 to investigate an archaeological site and its scientists. They encounter Nancy Crater, a woman who has a different appearance for each person. Darnell is enchanted to the dismay of his commanding officers. Nancy’s husband, Prof. Crater, is unwelcoming and wants no medical examinations, but does want salt.

Nancy finds Darnell that with red pucker marks on his face, said toward eaten a native plant, a type of nightshade. However, there is no trace of memorable and poison in his system.

Uhara flirts with Spock, who doesn’t react. In fact, Spock is unusually cold, not just emotionless. Spock seems not to have mastered his role yet, or maybe they were still exploring who Spock is at this point. Either way, Spock becomes adorably emotionless, rather than cold.

Analysis with spoilers:

Darnell has no salt in his body, which makes it pretty clear what happened, although it takes a while for Kirk and crew to figure it out. Prof. Crater is unhelpful. He runs off to give Nancy salt. Two more crewmembers are dead – – one of whom is named Sturgeon (see note below). Nancy takes the shape of one dead crew member, Green, and is teleported aboard the ship. Green pursues a crew member with the model salt. Green, or Nancy, takes on various crew member forms. More pucker-faced bodies appear. Kirk and Spock go back to the planet to find the professor for answers. They get none, but they discover Green ‘s body. The alien is masquerading as Dr. McCoy gets on the bridge.

A little slow on the uptake, Kirk and Spock figure out that the alien can take any form and warn the ship. Professor says the alien is the last of its kind. Nancy voluntarily(?) gave her life to the alien to help it survive.

Spock accompanies Prof. Crater and the alien masquerading as McCoy to help administer truth serum so that Prof. Crater will tell where they alien is. Nancy beats up Spock and then kills her buddy, Prof. Crater. The alien flees to McCoy for his help and pleas in the body of Nancy. Capt. Kirk lures out her alien personality with salt, so she attacks him. After some convincing, McCoy shoots the alien.

The alien is not too bright. It suddenly eats way too much salt. Supposedly, the alien ate less than 25 pounds of salts in the period of a year or two, so it doesn’t make sense that it would need to kill so many people in so short a time.  That comes out to about 15 to 30 g of salt per day. I guess that might make someone a little anxious to be so low on salt. I couldn’t find how much salt the body has. It may be 15 to 30 g, but that would only mean one person per day.

Yet you’d think Nancy would use the same caution she’s used for two years. Why not continue to eat the salt you do have instead of potentially exposing yourself?

Plus, where does the salt go? How does she use the salt? Sodium and chloride, as a metal and gas respectively, do have a lot of energy, but in their ionic state, which is how Nancy’s eating it, they have low energy. This makes sense. Something highly reactive will react and tend to remain at its low reactive state. Chemicals are like little kids. If they have a lot of energy, they will run around until they use it up. Once they use up their energy, they want to take a nap. So there can’t be a whole lot of energy in a salt. Maybe they process it as a nuclear being, but you’d expect Prof. Crater to be dead by now, if so.

It seems to have had a good symbiotic relationship with Prof. Crater but suddenly decides that it will ditch the professor. This doesn’t make sense, especially because if she had waited, she could have had all the salt she needed before she attacked (albeit, it sounds like she needed an extra ration of salt, up to five times as much, so they probably should’ve asked for more). Moreover, if they needed salt why was Prof. Crater chasing the Corey and Capt. Kirk off the planet?

That said, it’s still a pretty cool alien. It’s sad it had to die. This episode provides a good concept that needed a little more developing.

George Clayton Johnson, a Twilight Zone writer, wrote this episode.

Notes:

1. Capt. Kirk does a little more narration in the story than normal, as if he’s the narrator as opposed to the audience occasionally overhearing his Captain’s log. Potentially, the difference could mean everything in interpreting this series.
2. When getting in the elevator, crew members hold on to a knob on the wall.
3. Sulu and Chekhov are not on the bridge. Although Sulu makes an appearance elsewhere, Chekhov has not.
4. It would appear that the latest incarnation of Star Trek that the idea for Spock and Uhura’s relationship began here.
5. A character named Sturgeon dies. A tribute to Theodore Sturgeon?

Studying, Science, Grammar links

Studying

• You learn better with a pen in your hand, even than a laptop.  Though I wonder if laptop users follow a similar method of note-taking.

Science

• NBC's Science Behind the News -- mostly not standards based, but questions that students will ask

Grammar

• Here's a 10-question grammar quiz.

• Here's your cheat sheet:  Grammar Girl.

Free and reduced ebook lunches (nonfiction)

How to Give a TED Talk 
(2-in-1 set): 
Complete Guide on how to Create and Deliver a TED Talk 
Akash Karia 
Free

Hidden In Plain Sight: 
The simple link between relativity and quantum mechanics 
Andrew Thomas 
$0.99

Hidden In Plain Sight 2: 
The equation of the universe 
Andrew Thomas 
$0.99

How To Diagnose Your Character: 
Using Psychology To Create an In-Depth Character 
Joshua Hoyt 
$0.99

50 Genetics Ideas You Really Need to Know 
Mark Henderson 
$1.39

Periodic Tales: 
A Cultural History of the Elements, from Arsenic to Zinc 
Hugh Aldersey-Williams 
$1.99

Great Formulas Explained
Physics, Mathematics, Economics 
Metin Bektas 
$2.99

More Great Formulas Explained 
Metin Bektas 
$2.99

A Most Incomprehensible Thing: 
Notes Towards a Very Gentle Introduction to the Mathematics of Relativity 
Peter Collier 
$3.30

"Corruption" by Lisa Mannetti

First appeared in Nightscapes: Volume 1.

Lisa Mannetti has won the Bram Stoker, but these two stories are my first of hers (here's the other, "Hunger Artist"). Clearly, she is a talented writer. Both evoke well the early twentieth century--the problems and concerns. She has a sentence-level mastery that's impressive, which rarely gets the better of sense (one sentence spoke of a hand "curving" an object when it wasn't creating a curve but simply following it). She is one of those writers to watch. At least I'll be looking out for her name.

In these two stories, it is the center nugget where the author draws her narrative strength although both might benefit from shearing off their beginnings. This one has the stronger ending.

In this, a young woman opens the tale contemplating suicide, holding a bottle of carbolic acid (despite having a degree in chemistry, I had to look it up. It's a weak acid--now called phenol--that numbs your throat when you gargle Chloraseptic). You could say I'm spoiling the story, but the opening intends to hint at the ending anyway.

She falls in love with a beloved playmate she's grown up with. However, they are not the same class, so she's harassed, even maimed. When she's displaying the wound to another who hopes to share her pain, she's discovered by other girls who concoct an affair between girls.

It's an  effective story of doom and conspiracy where people, who could come forward to your aid, don't. As it sheds light on humanity's uglier side, it's one that should be read. Mob mentality and fear of it are still too common.

"Eye of an Octopus" by Larry Niven

First published in Galaxy. Caveat:  I will "ruin" some of these Larry Niven stories as it is impossible to discuss the science without revealing the key plot points.

Mars explorers find they weren't the first.  The prior inhabitants appear to have adapted to the acidic environment.  When they find something that looks like a well, it turns out to be used for the exact opposite purpose.  The explorers add water to a corpse they found:

"That nitric acid wasn't dilute, exactly, but there was water in it.  Maybe this guy's chemistry can extract the water from nitric acid."

What they'd achieve is not clear--  However, the corpse explodes.  Remember, kids:  "Add acid to watuh, as you oughta."  Assuming this is the reaction intended.  Below is a video of a kid pouring water into acid (out to prove his chemistry professor wrong).  The mixture only heats up (in his other video he does not measure before and after, nor account for different volumes, nor the fact that the water he adds has not been in the sun).  As an undergraduate, I've had the mixture fizz and splatter acid out.

Niven may have had another reaction in mind although the corpse is dry, so when heated, maybe it becomes kindling.

Science Articles (How to Read) pt 2

Here's a recent article you might want to use in the classroom to prove that science articles can be deceptive (see earlier "How to Read Science Articles"). This one overstates its case, from Space.com:  "Earth Life Likely Came from Mars, Study Suggests"  If you know that no life has been found on Mars (as the article itself states), then the term "Likely" should set off red flags.  The article reads:

"No indigenous Red Planet organisms have ever been discovered. But it is possible that life on Mars — if it ever existed — may have made its way to Earth at some point, many scientists say." [emphases mine]

The "likely" term is chiseled away by the more realistic terms of possibilities.  It is interesting that the author chose the term "many" to describe scientists.  Why?  Perhaps, to give the possibility more weight than it deserves and lend credence to the use of the term "likely."

After reading the article, I wonder if the author should have stated "Some chemicals that life may require may have come from Mars."  Or maybe the author thinks, despite the lack of evidence for life on Mars, the conditions on Mars may have been more conducive to life and maybe it started there, survived a necessarily violent upheaval in order to fly it off Mars toward Earth, survived radiation and vacuum and atmospheric reentry and a crash landing to seed life on Earth.  Maybe.

If you read this for class, you might ask the students to come up with questions like:  Why is life "likely" to come from Mars?  How many is "many?"  What does it mean that scientists acknowledge the possibility of something?  Why do some scientists believe that life must have these chemicals to begin life?  Are they saying that life on Earth is unlikely to begin without rocks from Mars?  Is there evidence?

Science Fair procedure

Here is my new science fair procedure.  It is probably good to introduce science fair with the scientific method so that 1) students can get a head start on projects, and 2) reinforce the scientific method with practice.  I also teach how to read and write lab reports at the same time.  My lab reports differ from science-fair models in that mine are based on what some scientists/journals actually use.  More on this later if I remember or if people express interest.

Procedure:

1. Come up with a scientific field you enjoy.  (Class, subject:  i.e. Physics)  Or a favorite hobby, food, sports, game, etc.  Or read random science articles:  Which tend to capture our interest?  Are there local science interests?  (If you chose something more specific than a field, skip to #3)
2. Come up with a topic you enjoyed within that subject. (i.e. magnetism)
3. Study topic generally (i.e. read in book, or read general topic book).
4. Based on study and brainstorming ideas about it, ask a question about said topic.  (i.e. Can magnets...?)
5. Look up answer to question.  Does an answer exist?  If so, use study to come with a new study, one they did not investigate.  Rewrite question.
6. Repeat the above until you have a unique question.
7. Reexamine question.  Does it include/imply a method to incorporate numbers for purposes of graphs, etc.?  If not, rewrite.
8. Follow your lab notebook procedure, writing down what you did each day AS you do it.

 Again, please let me know if you use this and what modifications you come up with.  I will pass on any modifications I come up with.

The Experiment: Laboratory Notebook (Lab Notebook)

Because inquiry sounds wonderful but is too time-consuming, this is my concession.  Labs are conducted by questions that they have to answer.  They have to come up with everything after the problem or question.  However, some labs do require more guidance than others.  If possible, lead them with questions.  Some will be frustrated that they don't know what they should do, but this is part of the learning curve.  This should rate rather high on Bloom's taxonomy, including the upper register, requiring creativity, evaluation and analysis.

In general, I like to keep questions simple enough that students should be able to guess what to do next.  I have had success with this format from seventh to twelfth grade.  I also like having students encounter "mistakes" where what they're learning is met with some impediment.  For instance, "Problem:  What is the acceleration of gravity?" will force them to encounter air friction.  Or in chemistry, using something like vinegar with a base to examine why the reaction didn't go as planned (ah, the concentration is important).  As a scientist, error will be their constant companion.  Why do we take it out?

Another advantage is that this allows students to apply the scientific method, again and again.  They will be thoroughly familiar with the procedure by year's end.

The set-up:

• Problem (question):
• Hypothesis (possible answer to be explored):
• Materials (what kinds of materials will you need to test question?):
• Procedures/Observations (Make a “T”:  what you did on one-half of the page/what you noticed on the other):
• Calculations (if any):
• Conclusions (include possible errors, and future experiments):
• Name/Date:
• (scribbling, white out, pencil all lose points)

Let me know if you use this and any advantageous modifications you came up with.

She blinded you with science links

Buzz Aldrin and Thomas Dolby Perform "She Blinded Me With Science"

Education

Newsweek's top 13 most useful majors (& the bottom 13) -- yay, science!  

Student, who conducted an unauthorized experiment that led to her being charged with a felony, receives a scholarship to Space Academy.  Good deal.  She no doubt knew what she was doing, and probably the school was making an example of her to show the seriousness of her actions, but a felony  is way overboard.

Graduate school is a state of mind, not a career step, according to this writer

Social Sciences

Linguistic differences in the US

Complaint that Wikipedia is flawed because one of its editors is (the story is interesting, but the conclusion seems weak, especially since it's such a tiny corner and available for scrutiny at any time)

Color film of London in the 1920s

Chemistry

Before and after images of a chemical reaction

Imaging quantum entanglement

Physics

What's a tornado like?  Scientists steal from movie plot.

Underwater roller coaster in Japan

Astronomy

Get in on the ground-level of asteroid mining

Of these three applicants, David Brin is the most articulate is saying why he wants to go to Mars--as well he should be as an SF writer.

Has our universe collided with another?  Possible evidence discussed.

Black holes: portals to other universes?

What all happens to a body when exposed to a vacuum?

Biology

Bleeding mammoth preserved in ice.

Frozen 400-year-old plants live again!

Nearly barren rock in the middle of the ocean houses giant bugs

Images of lesser-known varmints

Mathematics

New work on prime numbers (this reminds me of a cool concept story, Julian Todd's critically acclaimed (most critics liked it although some found it flawed) "Mine the Primes" which Allen Ashley discusses briefly here)

Technology

Human dolls being printed in Japan.  A cultural wonder for some, disturbing to others.

3D printing saves baby's life

Simulated artificial life, starting with worms

Science Links

Science

Earth's crystalline core hotter than supposed

NASA developed powerful filter to filter Coke from water

Despite earlier chilling trend, Earth warmed more 1970-2000 than any other 3 decades

Chirality--molecules that are exactly the same except for a twist, preventing them from bbeing processed--may be formed in stars.

Solar sail, Sunjammer, pays tribute to Arthur C. Clarke

Technology

Mind reading?

Smallest flying robots

Life without internet, says author, is not what it's cracked up to be.

History

Having your neighbors over for dinner:  Jamestown did dine on its residents, one harsh winter.

The Sciences (links)

 A tatoo that makes you telepathic and telekinetic?

Doomsday Scenario #5,791:  Another Universe collides with ours


Advanced alien quantum tech can heal your pets (humor)

The Future of Space Colonies


Dark matter found? (no news, really; just a teaser)

Mexican island of the dolls

Hindenburg (75 years later) [also "lost map of route"]

James Van Pelt on motivating students (part II)

Midway film (Importance of trash although some looks rather large for eating)

Review: From Iron to Car

From Iron to Car 

Shannon Zemlicka
Lerner Publishing Group
Lerner Publications

Target Audience:  Grade K-3

This book traces the process of manufacturing a car from the iron to the car itself.  The pictures are fantastic--the molten ore, the shaped steel, melding of shape to shape--giving a sense of insider knowledge on the process.

The scientist in me, however, desires a few more details--such as why do they add limestone and charcoal to the iron ore?  A sentence might give readers insight or at least an early glimpse into the chemical processes occurring.  But maybe this might be asking too much for younger readers.

The book is ideal for the young who can't get enough of cars.  Scientific aspects will need to be brought in from outside the book.  The back of the book includes a glossary of new vocabulary used.

Book Review: Candy Experiments

Candy Experiments
by Loralee Leavitt  

Andrews McMeel Publishing 

U.S.: $14.99 Canada: $16.99
ISBN: 9781449418366
Format: Paperback
On Sale: January 1, 2013
Category: Cookbook – Baking and Desserts – Cooking with Kids

With a title like Candy Experiments, you know these will grab kids’ attention.  Subject matter is clearly chemistry and biology where they overlap (and also includes brief allusions to astronomy, geology, and physics:  comets, rock formation, and gas laws, respectively).  Most of the experiments in here are not quantitative, so the book is primarily aimed at grade school students (including your young precocious ones or possibly a sweet-toothed youth whom you’d like to see grow a deeper fondness for science) and junior high as well if terms are taught as part of the experiments.

What’s nice about these experiments is that they explore the edges of a topic.  It does not just deliver the take-home message (i.e. candy has acid in it), but it also discusses ramifications such as, for instance, in the acid-in-candy experiment, it mentions damage to teeth, the formation of carbon dioxide and how that impacts cooking.  They even make a cabbage indicator to check for acidity.

Types of experiments:

• ·         Acidity (checked with baking soda)
• ·         Miscibility
• ·         Separation
• ·         Density (liquids and solids)
• ·         Dispersion
• ·         Chromatography (paper)
• ·         Convection (& factor determining -- unequal temperatures)
• ·         Chemicals break down due to sunlight
• ·         Solubility
• ·         Gas Laws: Temperature’s effect on volume, pressure on volume
• ·         Chemical properties (gelatin, sugar)
• ·         Crystal shape and formation
• ·         Election and light emission
• ·         Solids and liquids (properties)
• ·         Enthalpy of solution or heat of solution
• ·         Capillary action/adhesion
• ·         Hygroscopy
• ·         Rate of dissolution and reaction (factors determining--heat, surface area)

If you wanted students to learn some of these terms, you’d want to incorporate them with your regular textbook.  Unfortunately, the above terms are not used in this book or are not thoroughly explained, which may indicate this book is more for the grade school student.  An issue that should probably be addressed--since both melting and dissolving are introduced but not explained--is the difference between melting and dissolving.  Most students do not know that there is a difference and confuse the two.

A number of these experiments could easily be made quantitative by the enterprising upper-level instructor who would like to increase interest-level of his class (most kids do love candy).  For example, use titrations with a known concentration of a base to see how much acid is inside the candy.  Density experiments could include weight and volume measurements with subsequent calculations.

All in all, this book is ideal for the grade-school student and for instructors looking to increase student interest using something that young people have a natural affinity for.

Garden of Tian Zi by Emery Huang

Writers of the Future XXV

Tian Zi is a genetic-engineering industrial spy for The Movement, stealing from big companies to sell to the smaller ones. Tian Zi sets up genetically modified organisms like frogs who will release peptide to be used in DNA computing. The Movement sets up cells all around China at a price cheaper than most corporations but still expensive. This makes him a target of thugs who are more than willing to kill. So he tries to blend in to the villages he lives in without getting close to anyone. But then a young lady, Khulan, gets nosy and wants to get involved, which just makes trouble for Tian and Khulan.

The science may be somewhat dubious (which could be a fun project to investigate), but the ride a roller coaster--one with some emotional impact.

Alien matter

Non-solar-system material spotted in our solar system.

Make Ice Cream

It's also useful for ambitious science teachers let loose and make something like ice cream. This should be useful for any class of chemistry, physics, or physical science. You can make them discuss how it works or calculate final temperatures--just to ease your mind that it's educational.

One recipe to try.

Science and Math Interactives

Phet.colorado.edu has a gold mine of interactives for physics, physical science, chemistry, biology, earth science, and mathematics. Some of these have become integral--particularly "Reversible Reactions," which is probably one of the best tools I've seen to make this abstract concept more real. I tell students they can't break the equipment because it's so expensive. They generally break the apparatus and fail to cough up the millions the equipment costs. Kids these days.