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28th January 2005 Issue: 15

Here’s the first Hay-Wire of 2005, so a big Happy New Year to all our subscribers! Get ready for a fun-packed issue because here’s what’s coming up:

  1. THE BUZZ – It’s a bad hair day special!
  2. UP FOR GRABS – Are you poetic enough to win a telescope?
  3. WEB WATCH – Get your computer mouse at the ready.
  4. CRASH BANG – How to bend a pencil without using your hands!

First up is THE BUZZ...
1. THE BUZZ – Science news delivered to your inbox...

When you think of a famous scientist, do you think of a man with fuzzy white hair? I always do! The man I am talking about was called Albert Einstein. He was one of the greatest scientists of all time.

It has been one hundred years since Albert Einstein thought of some very important ideas. These ideas were all about energy, time and space. They have changed the way we think about the world.

To celebrate Einstein’s ideas, this year is called ‘EINSTEIN YEAR’! During 2005 there will be lots of events happening all over the country. You can visit the Einstein Year website by clicking here: http://www.einsteinyear.org Why not ask your parents to check out the website too?
2. UP FOR GRABS – You’ve got to be in it to win it...

If Albert Einstein was such a great scientist then why did he have such fuzzy hair? Unfortunately, Einstein worked so hard on his problems that he didn’t have time to comb his hair. He even had lots of holes in his socks too!

Which brings me to a little poem I made up earlier...

There once was a scientist called Einstein,
Who studied light travelling in lines.
He was interested in space,
But by the look of his hair and face,
For washing and combing – he had no time!

Could you make up a limerick or a poem about Albert Einstein? Or how about making up a rhyme about space, time or energy? If you think you’re up to the challenge then enter the Universe Poetry Competition by clicking here: http://www.the-ba.net/universe

You only have until Friday 11th February to enter the competition so if you want to win a telescope then put your thinking hat on now!
3. WEB WATCH – you don't have to surf the internet alone...

Now all you need are some ideas for your poem. Let’s see if there are any websites that might be able to help...

How about this website from the American Museum of Natural History? It is called WAY TO GO EINSTEIN and you can visit it by clicking here: http://ology.amnh.org/einstein/index.html

You might find some of the ideas a little complicated, but there are some great pictures of Einstein and you can even print off your own Einstein stationery. Choose from a picture of the wacky professor himself, or the scientists Einstein drew inspiration from. You can even have stationery with a picture of a person riding on a beam of light! Click here: http://ology.amnh.org/einstein/stufftodo/stationery.html

Just imagine the possibilities of travelling at the speed of light. You certainly wouldn’t be late for school ever again!
4. CRASH BANG – Exciting experiments for you to try at home...

All this talk about light is making me want to experiment, so ask the adult looking after you if they’ll help you complete this experiment (you might not really need their help, it's dead easy – but you can wow them with the explanation!).

First, let me shed some ‘light’ on what we’re going to do...

We’re going to look at something called REFRACTION. When light travels through one see-through (transparent) material to another, such as air and glass, it bends where the air and glass meet. This is called refraction and it happens because light travels through different materials at different speeds.

Stuff You Need…

  • Glass of water
  • Pencil

What To Do…

  1. It’s simple! Put the pencil in the glass of water. Make sure the pencil is resting on the side of the glass.
  2. Stand back and look at the pencil through the glass.

What’s Going On?

The pencil looks as if it is bent or cut in half! This is due to refraction. It happens because light passes through the air, glass and water at different speeds. This makes the light rays bend (refract) and the pencil looks as if it is bent in half!

Hey! Who turned the lights off?!
INFORMATION OVERLOAD

That’s all for this issue. The next issue of Hay-Wire will be with you in two weeks time so until then, why not ask your friends to join the Hay-Wire Club?

They can visit the Clubhouse for more details at:

http://www.planet-science.com/wired/hay-wire/clubhouse

We still have some Frisbees left for the new members!

Bye for now!