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Welcome to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.
In this issue:
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Neuroscience for Kids had several new additions in August including:
A. August Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news2308.html
B. New Neuroscience in the News
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/inthenews.html
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The Neuroscience for Kids "Site of the Month" for September is "BioRender" at:
Do you need to make a poster, figure or graph but don't know where to get started? If so, then BioRender is for you. BioRender is an online resource that helps you make professional looking figures quickly. The program has thousands of icons that you just drag-and-drop into a picture. Just choose an icon you want and move it into your canvas. There are arrows and shapes, graphs and symbols, and cell types (many neurons). Need a picture of the nervous system? Just select the section "Human Anatomy" and then "Head and Neuroanatomy" to find images of brains, sensory organs, and spinal cords.
Use the text function to label your figure and drag an arrow to your image to highlight an area. When you are happy with the way your figure looks, click on the Export button (upper right) to save the image. Before using BioRender, there is a short registration process, but after your sign up, you can start making beautiful figures immediately.
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Another episode of the BrainWorks TV show is ready for your viewing pleasure! During this episode of BrainWorks, you will explore the world of sleep and learn about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. Watch the BrainWorks kids visit a lab to see how researchers measure sleep. The kids also talk to some researchers who investigated how students do in school when the school day starts later in the morning. You can watch the entire new show (and past episodes) online at:
https://www.washington.edu/video/brainworks/
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Dr. Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, a professor at Harvard University's Extension School, would like to know what questions kids have about the brain. She has started a research study to collect and analyze these questions to help better explain the brain and help kids learn. To participate in this study, parents and teachers can sign up and then have the kids they work with contribute their questions. If you would like to participate, sign up here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S8PVT8RAfter you answer a few questions on the survey, a link to the student page will appear where kids can send in their brainy questions.
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It's back to school time now. Are you ready? Start your new school year by:
A. Learning a new brainy word each day.
B. Keeping track of the dreams you have each night.
C. Writing a poem about the brain.
D. Visiting your local science museum and discovering something new about the brain.
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Late last month I was walking down the sidewalk, minding my own business, when a yellow wasp decided to fly down the collar of my shirt. First, I heard the buzzing of the little guy and then I felt its wings beating against the back of my neck. The wasp was probably as surprise as I was by our predicament. My immediate reaction was to grab my shirt collar and shake it. Sure enough, that did the trick and the wasp found its way to freedom. The entire ordeal did not last for more than five seconds, but a few people saw what happened and backed away as the wasp took flight from under my shirt. I did not panic or slap down at the insect, but instead I stayed calm. This reaction probably saved me from being stung.
A wasp sting usually does not cause severe symptoms: most people who are stung by wasps experience sharp pain at the site of the sting, followed by local swelling and itching. These symptoms usually go away after a few hours. Other people experience more severe reactions or even life-threatening symptoms if they are allergic to the chemicals in wasp venom. Also, unlike bees that have barbed stingers and can sting only one time, a wasp can sting multiple times.
Wasp venom is a mixture of many different chemicals including some that affect the nervous system. For example, some wasp venoms contain histamine, serotonin, catecholamines, and acetylcholine as well as various proteins and peptides. The different chemicals in the venom are responsible for the different symptoms such as pain, swelling, and itching.
Everything turned out fine for me and the wasp and we went our separate ways unharmed.
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A. SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MIND (September 2019, issue) has articles about laughter, ADHD and creativity, authenticity, and intelligence.
B. "Our Brains Tell Stories So We Can Live" by Robert A. Burton (NAUTILUS, August 8, 2019).
C. "Laugh Yourself Smarter" by Adam Piore (READER'S DIGEST, September 2019 issue).
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A. Approximately 3 million adults in the United States have epilepsy. (Source: Zack, M.M., Kobau, R., National and State Estimates of the Numbers of Adults and Children with Active Epilepsy -- United States, 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017;66:821-825. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6631a1)
B. In Greek mythology, Hypnos is the Greek god of sleep.
C. The resting membrane potential of a neuron is about -70 mV.
D. International Left-Handers Day is observed on August 13 of each year.
E. Diploria labyrinthiformis is the scientific name of a grooved brain coral found in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
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To remove yourself from this mailing list and stop your subscription to
the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter, send e-mail to Dr. Eric H. Chudler
at: chudler@u.washington.edu
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Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter and the "Neuroscience for Kids" web site are always welcome. If there are any special topics that you would like to see on the web site, just let me know.Eric
Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D.
(e-mail: chudler@u.washington.edu)
(URL:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html)