Foldscope: The World’s First Paper Microscope
Have you ever heard of a Foldscope? It’s a paper microscope that costs just under $2 to make. These inexpensive microscopes are changing the way that everyone from students to scientists can see the world. Here, btw takes a “closer look” at how it came to be . . .and why this little invention may […]
Ancient Woolly Rhino Fossil Discovered
Imagine a rhinoceros that is: six feet tall and sixteen feet long; is covered in fur; and has a horn the length of a human child. That’s the woolly rhino–a creature that roamed northern Asia during the Ice Age, tens of thousands of years ago. Recently, a very rare woolly rhino fossil specimen was discovered […]
India’s Farmers Struggle with Climate Change
Climate change is altering weather patterns around the world and conditions like rainstorms and dry periods are becoming more extreme. These sudden and dramatic shifts are affecting many industries, especially farming. Farmers in the Asian nation of India have been especially hard hit. Too Much Rain, Too Little Weather in the southern regions of India […]
Senate Passes Bill to Protect Minors Online
The U.S. Senate passed two bills to increase the protection of children and teens online. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), and the Children and Teen’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) were approved with a vote of 91-3 on July 30, 2024. The COPPA 2.0 bill is sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., […]
Widespread Northern Lights Delight Many
In mid-May 2024, many people in the United States and around the world enjoyed a rare opportunity to view the spectacular, colorful night skies of the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights. While the northern lights are commonly visible at the northern latitudes of Canada and Alaska in North America, the viewing areas […]
The 2024 Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse will occur across a large part of the United States on April 8, 2024. Although solar eclipses happen every year or two, this eclipse is different. It is expected to be the most watched eclipse in history. In addition, new technology will allow people who have visual disabilities to experience the […]
Discovery of 240-Million-Year-Old Reptile Species
Two-hundred-forty-million years ago, a serpent-like creature swam the seas near southern China. Based on newly discovered fossils, scientists say the creature looked like a mythical Chinese dragon with a long neck, torpedo-shaped body, and long tail. In February 2024, an international team of scientists unveiled the entire fossilized body for the first time. The reptile […]
Scientist Hopes to End Malaria by Changing Mosquito DNA
Abdoulaye Diabate is a scientist from Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa. His goal is to end the deadly disease of malaria in Africa and elsewhere. He has studied ways to reduce the mosquito population that transmits malaria. Diabate’s solution uses a process to change the genetic code, or DNA structure, of the mosquitoes […]
Using Technology to Help People with Disabilities Enjoy Nature in New Ways
Technology helps people with disabilities at home and in the workplace. Technologies are also making it easier for people with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors. Meeting a Need During the springtime at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia, ski slopes become dirt tracks for mountain bikers. The resort has partnered with Challenged Athletes of West […]
The Pima Canals: A Solution for Modern Water Problems in the Southwest
As early as the 1600s, Spanish missionaries considered the Pima people in southern Arizona as the gardeners of the dry American Southwest. The Pima used canals dug by their ancestors to water their fields of wheat, corn, beans, and fruit trees. That is, until American settlers upstream diverted the water of the Gila River, which […]