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This week, we will be discussing U.S. inflation, spotlighting STEM news, and as always, providing STEM opportunities for students.
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U.S. Inflation
In October, inflation in the United States reached an all-time high for the first time in 30 years, bringing broad and significant price hikes to families for everything from groceries to vehicles to the cost of living. Consumer prices are more than 5% higher than they were a year ago. This rise in prices is a result of ongoing supply constraints and the high demand for goods by consumers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is known to have caused an economic recession around the world due to businesses shutting down.
Many American families and businesses believe that price inflation is going to continue. Given that two major holidays are impending (i.e., Thanksgiving and Christmas), local food banks are facing an existential crisis due to increased demand for food items. For individuals who are trying to make ends meet, food banks are a vital resource. In addition, this year’s Thanksgiving is bound to be the first Thanksgiving without many lockdown restrictions. As a result, whole frozen turkey prices are about 20% up this year. In fact, inflation in prices is not only happening in the United States but across the globe as lockdowns are being lifted.
The White House believes that the solution to slowing down the inflation in prices is alleviating the root cause of the inflation. Many people in the White House believe that reducing the Democrats' major spending bills would reduce inflation and encourage economic growth. It is unclear whether the cause of the inflation is attributed solely to the pandemic, the government spending bills, or a combination of both.
Regardless of the cause of inflation, “The reality is you can’t flip the global economic light back on and not expect this to happen,” Biden said during remarks on the economy on July 19, 2021.
The principal reason behind the production of pearls by marine oysters and freshwater mussels is self-defense. Whenever a foreign particle or parasite enters between the mantle and shell of an oyster, its immediate response is to trap the particle by producing a natural mineral called nacre, which encapsulates and forms layers around the particle. Eventually, the production of nacre layers formed around the particle will begin to slow down, marking the finalization of the pearl’s formation.
One of the main functions of a snake’s split tongue is to offer a multi-dimensional sense of smell. If a smell is coming from a specific direction, the part of the tongue closer to it will have greater sensory reception and will give the snake a better sense of where to go in the pursuit of food or prey. Because snakes contain noses in addition to their forked tongues, this vomeronasal sense is an additional sense, illuminating the fact that there are more than five senses across all creatures.
Diabetic eye disease refers to the eye-related problems in patients diagnosed with diabetes. This includes diabetic retinopathy (damage in red blood cells forming the light-sensitive tissues in the retina) or glaucoma (damage in the optic nerves). The best way to ensure proper control and maintenance of healthy eyes during a diabetic state is to frequently manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels in the blood. It is also important to schedule an annual eye dilation exam to ensure that there are not any lingering issues that might pose health risks in the future.
Images taken from unsplash.com
Just a few days ago was Veterans Day, a national holiday that celebrates America’s defenders. In honor of those veterans, this STEM Spotlight is going to spotlight six inventions that came to be as a result of war or created by a veteran!
US Army x Jonas Salk - Flu Vaccine
Jonas Salk was an American virologist. During his time in the early 20th century, many lives were taken by the flu and polio. When World War I first broke out, he was backed by the US Army to create a life saving vaccine for troops overseas. He developed one of the first effective polio vaccines and an influenza vaccine!
Percy Spencer - Microwave
Frozen tater tots would not be half as enjoyable without the invention of the microwave. Percy Spencer is credited for the invention of the microwave oven, but the technology stemmed from World War II when two European scientists were looking to make short waves or microwaves to send more accurate messages at farther distances.
Frank Whittle Royal Air Force - Jet Engine
Frozen tater tots would not be half as enjoyable without the invention of the microwave. Percy Spencer is credited for the invention of the microwave oven, but the technology stemmed from World War II when two European scientists were looking to make short waves or microwaves to send more accurate messages at farther distances.
Laurens Hammond and the Hammond Organ
Captain Laurens Hammond served in World War I, but his passions were in engineering. He designed numerous innovations during wartime and not. He invented the Hammond Organ which used a tonewheel generator to generate electronic tones with the press of piano keys. During World War II, he helped design the fledgling systems for guided missile control systems, light-sensing devicess.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is used in pretty much every facet of manufacturing. Industries from all walks of life can find use in this material which is formable, ‘rustless,’ and has high heat resistance. Its invention came around by accident by Harry Brearley in his quest to stop the inside of gun barrels from being eroded for the British. Now, continuous inventions of improvements continue to build off of his work.
Alexander Fleming
Sir Alexander Fleming was not a military man, but he saved millions of lives during wartime and at home. Prior to the mass production of penicillin, a small cut could mean infection and fatal results. Penicillin was the first generally effective antibiotic, and it became mass produced during World War II.
The National Cyber Scholarship has created a cybersecurity training game to encourage high schoolers to try out the growing field, especially as demand for workers is increasing. The free game-like user experience creates a fun learning environment for the complex topic, making it a great learning tool for beginners. The program allows experience with problem solving in different cybersecurity situations, and as you continue to level up and develop skills, students will be able to get connected with related scholarships to further encourage their academics in cybersecurity. Registration for the training game is open and students may begin whenever!
STEM Journal Student Challenge
Oak Ridge Institution for Science and Education often hosts challenges for different months, and they’re making November focus on STEM observation and journalism. ORISE is encouraging students to be more aware of their physical surroundings and to record their observations down in either a journal or online blog for five days. Entries have to either include a proposed solution to a problem found, or an explanation of a phenomenon seen. The Institution is opening entries to four categories of ages, ranging from kindergarten all the way to twelfth grade, with prizes ranging from a robot to 3D printers. Applications are due through a form by November 30th; perhaps you can even gain some inspiration based on our past Sci-Fi or Fact, or the STEM News sections of the newsletter!
World of 7 Billion Video Contest
With climate change on the rise as well as world population, Population Education is hosting a video contest open to students to bring more awareness of growing problems with a focus on highlighting problems that rising populations bring, and a sustainable solution to it. Videos must have one of the following themes: Agriculture and Food, Ocean Health, Urbanization. There are multiple prizes to be handed out for middle school, high school, state, regional, and international student entries! Deadline for entries is February 22nd, 2022, but it’s wise to begin planning ahead as filming and editing may take longer than anticipated.
Undergraduate Minorities in STEM Scholarship
Bold.org is an organization that aims to lessen student debt by providing a platform that connects donors (scholarships, grants, fellowships) with students who are seeking financial aid. An upcoming one due on November 30th targets undergraduate minority students who are pursuing a STEM field. The student must also be attending a historically black college or university, and have at least a 3.0 GPA. Applicants must respond to one essay question in 150-300 words talking about their career goals.
How Does Vinyl Work?
According to the Record Industry Association vinyl exploded during the pandemic, growing 28.7 percent in 2020! But how do vinyls ("electromagnetic devices that change sound vibrations into electrical signals") even work? Before you listen to Red (Taylor's Version) or prepare for Adele's album release soon, learn more about the science of vinyls by watching BBC Earth Lab's explanatory video below!
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