Ralph J. Coppola --- r_j_coppola<at>hotmail.com

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Feature

We’ve looked at water rockets --- now, how about kites?

My favourite kite has to be the Scott Sled, which I usually make out of a garbage bag and a couple of ¼- inch dowels. As with some of my other kites, I like to use flagging tape for the sled’s tail.

I also had an Eddy Kite, which was a tailless diamond kite that used an exaggerated dihedral to establish its stability.

One time my family and I (wife + 2 kids) were flying store bought Delta Kites on the beach. “Daddy” got the bright idea of tying them all together into a Kite Train to see how much altitude we could get. The train worked great until our kite flying activities ended with a broken string and the four kites escaping to parts unknown.

Kite Safety

The Flight of The Millibar Messenger --- Richard Synergy’s 14,509 ft flight.

Kites “R” Us

The Virtual Kite Zoo

The Brown Paper Kite Site

Navy Target Kite --- A novel design utilizing a rudder.

The Delta-Conyne Kite

The “Marc 2” Kite

Anthony's Kite Workshop

Anthony's Lifting Messenger

Leslie Hunt’s collection of kites.

The Picavet Kite Platform

Picavet Suspension for Aerial Photography

Scott Haefner’s Suspension

Thomas-Michael Rudolph’s Kite Site

Kite Life.com Magazine is a source of on-line kite information

Kite Links

More Kite Links

Kites and Science --- Sarah Mims used a kite to collect air samples.

The Amateur Scientist CD: September 2000; Using a Kite as an Experimental Platform; by Shawn Carlson

The Amateur Scientist CD: April, 1969; The Lore and Aerodynamics of Making Flying Kites; by C. L. Stong

The Amateur Scientist CD: February, 1978; Introducing the Musha, the Double Lozenge and a Number of Other Kits to Build and Fly; by Jearl Walker

Over the years, there have been many famous kit flyers such as:

Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin's Science --- a review by Shawn Carlson.

Alexander Graham Bell

Guglielmo Marconi

Dr. Marueen Clemmons. See --- Wanderings No. 88 --- 28 January 2005

Wanderings

In recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in frog populations around the globe. Some of the major reasons have been attributed to:

Ozone depletion and UV radiation

Pesticides

Habitat destruction

Pollution

Global warming

See --- Where Have All the Frogs Gone? UV Radiation and Amphibian Declines by Adrienne Howse

There is now speculation that a global outbreak of Chytridiomycosis (a Frog Fungus )is contributing to the demise of frogs and other amphibians.

See --- Origin of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus.

What is spreading the fungus across the globe? Some theorize that the fungus may be carried by human travellers (including scientists who study frogs), international trade or amphibian stowaways. It is also speculated that a type of pregnancy test could have been responsible for the spread of the fungus.

Perhaps some amateur, in search of a challenging project, could use a method, similar to the one Sarah Anna Mims used to detect living fungal spores and bacteria in biomass smoke, to see if they can detect air borne Chytrid fungus.

Several weeks ago I came across a novel wind tunnel that is being used by Dr. Stephen Childress in his investigations of insect flight. Watch the video --- Search on Bug Sized Flight-Simulator.

The Dominion of the Air: The Story of Aerial Navigation --- by Rev. J. M. Bacon.

A History of Aeronautics --- by E. Charles Vivian.

Marvin May’s article --- Albert Einstein and Navigation (search on Einstein).

This site shows us how to use a digital bicycle speedometer to build a DIY Anemometer. More on DIY anemometers.

Lose yourself in a Second Life, which is a simulation of a virtual 3-D world created by Linden Labs.

The Organic Chemistry Virtual Tutor

Paul Falstad's Java simulations of a Rectangular Membrane and a Drum Head.

Now for something a little different --- This one’s for Sheldon! Also see Dennis Havlena’s site.

Drive your neighbours crazy and build a set of DIY Wind Chimes.

The Kids Room

Toqwa'tu'kl Kjijitaqnn / Integrative Science is an innovative program at the Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, which brings together conventional western science knowledge and understandings from the holistic world views of aboriginal peoples, especially the Mi'kmaq First Nations Peoples of Atlantic Canada.

This is a bit more than a “game”. Try the Mixed Messages exercise on the Girls Go Tech Web Site.

It may be too late to gear up for the 2006 International ROV Competition for High School & College Students, but it is a good time to start the design phase for a 2007 entry.

Frog Swan Song: Climate Change and Frogs

Volcano World is a K-12 Public Outreach project of the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium.

Teachers, have a look at Donald Simanek’s --- The Dangers of Analogies.

The GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide hands-on, K-12 education and science program.

Science Buddies --- A source of science projects.

These Science Projects are grouped into different age categories.

Suppliers

Being listed here does not constitute an endorsement by SAS or me of any information, product or service.

Science Stuff is a supplier of science supplies for students, teachers, industry and scientific amateurs.

What can you do with eight 32-bit processors packaged on one chip?

On The Lighter Side

What do you do with all of your used gum wrappers? Why! --- you build a Gum Wrapper Chain, of course.

From The Far Side

It is said that Joseph Newman was given the design for the “Newman Motor” in a revelation from God. Now, you too, can build and experiment with your own motor.

The Reed Motor is another so called “over unity” motor.