Shared Science Blog

October is here, and we're all set for some spine-chilling STEM facts and stories!  Spine tingling? Spine chilling?  The human spinal cord contains spinal nerves that work with your brain to form your central nervous system. It's like a highway of signals to and from your brain. Along this highway, there are  over 69 million neurons .  Link to Article:  https://spineina.com/ Howl to the double moons?  A second so-called “moon” has recently taken up residence in our orbit. The school bus-sized asteroid will be orbiting Earth until Nov. 25. At least five times further from Earth than our true moon at its closest approach, the asteroid is much too tiny to be seen with the naked eye or without the help of research-grade telescopes. Even calling the object a “mini-moon” is a bit of a stretch, says  Thomas Statler , the lead scientist for solar system small bodies at NASA Headquarters.  Link to article:  https://www. nationalgeographic.com/ science/article/second-mini- moon-asteroid?

Welcome back to school month! We're ready to get kids excited about science during STEM Lab and After School Enrichment for the 2024-25 school year!  September's Harvest Moon On September 17, 7:34p Long Beach Time, we'll experience a harvest moon. What makes it a harvest moon and not just a regular full moon? It's the closest full moon to the autumnal equinox. While this full moon may appear slightly bigger and brighter than usual, spotting this variance isn't always obvious.  Link to Article: https://www.space.com/ harvest-moon-supermoon- partial-lunar-eclipse- september-2024 An Awesome Color Change in Nature Amidst our local palm trees and pine trees, look for the dogwood and maple trees beginning their transformations of leaf color. During autumn, due to shifts in daylight length and temperatures, leaves halt their food production process. As chlorophyll diminishes, the green fades away, revealing vibrant yellow and orange hues that contribute to the beauty of fa

  As August heats things heat up, there's still time to "harvest" fun STEM facts! Keep reading to find out more! The Perseid Meteor Shower Check out the Perseid Meteor shower – its name originates from Greek mythology and sons of Perseus. Peaking August 11–13, the Perseids are forecasted to yield about 100 meteors per hour, establishing it as a reliable annual meteor event. Plus, this year we anticipate less bright moonlight to interfere with visibility. Link to Article: https://www.space.com/perseid-meteor-shower-2024-peak Coming Together for STEM-Aviation Day Every year on August 19th, pilots, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, and other aviation industry professionals come together to commemorate National Aviation Day. Initiated by former President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, this day celebrates the progress and innovations in aviation. Link to Article: https://www.sheffield.com/articles/national-aviation-day-august-19th Harvesting STEM Activity August is a mont

  In July, we commemorate a variety of occasions! While we observe the 4th of July, Pride Month, and Disability Month, let's not forget the numerous STEM discoveries worth celebrating and exploring! The Remarkable Landing on the Moon! July is a month filled with important events. Let's reflect on a remarkable astronomy STEM occurrence that happened on July 20, 1969! It marks the day Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on the moon. Subsequently, at 02:56 UTC on July 21, Armstrong made history as the first person to set foot on the Moon's surface.       Link to Article:  July 20, 1969: One Giant Leap For Mankind - NASA A Special Message from our NASA Astronauts!                                                                                                                     This month, alongside Fourth of July celebrations on Earth, NASA astronauts shared a special message from the International Space Station, det

  Summer has arrived and we are ready for all the fun!  Exciting STEM updates are coming your way. As the temperature rises this month, get ready for some hot science news from us! June's Summer Solstice! On June 20, 2024, the summer solstice will take place at its earliest moment since 1796 ! The summer solstice happens when one of Earth's poles is tilted most significantly toward the sun, occurring twice a year due to Earth's tilt. The summer solstice falls also represents the longest day and shortest night of the year! Link to Article: The  summer solstice - What is it and when does it occur? | Space Why sunsets look red! Throughout the day, after enjoying our summer activities, we are treated to the beauty of sunsets! Have you ever wondered why sunsets look red? During this time, sunlight travels through a wider portion of the atmosphere, causing more scattering of blue light. Since red light has the longest wavelength, a higher amount of red light reaches the Earth, g