NEUROSCIENCE+FOR+KIDS+JUNE+2013

NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS NEWSLETTER - Volume 17, Issue 6 (June, 2013)

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Welcome to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.

In this issue:

1. What's New at Neuroscience for Kids 2. Neuroscience for Kids Site of the Month 3. A Night at the Zoo (and Aquarium) 4. Book Review 5. Media Alert 6. Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia 7. Summer Email Changes 8. Support Neuroscience for Kids 9. How to Stop Your Subscription

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">1. WHAT'S NEW AT NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Neuroscience for Kids had several new additions in May including:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">A. May Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">@http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news175.html

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">B. July and August Neurocalendars <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">@http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/jul13.pdf <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">@http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/aug13.pdf

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">C. Chicken Dance Chicks Recalled <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">@http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/cdance.html

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">In May, 3 new figures were added and 29 pages were modified.

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">2. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS "SITE OF THE MONTH"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The Neuroscience for Kids "Site of the Month" for June is the "Association for Psychological Science" at:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">@http://www.psychologicalscience.org/

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Although the web site of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) is intended primarily for its members, there is still plenty of material for everyone else. Some articles from the association's journals are available to non-members. For example, a special issue about the teenage brain can be read in the "Current Directions in Psychological Science" (April, 2013). Articles from the APS "Observer" and news and videos covering the many subfields of psychology are also accessible to non-members.

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">3. A NIGHT AT THE ZOO (AND AQUARIUM)

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Last month I traveled to Omaha, NE, for a conference. For one of the dinners, the meeting organizers arranged a special evening tour of the Omaha Zoo and Aquarium. I was especially interested in seeing the aquarium because I have always had an interest in the ocean and in fact, when I started college, I planned to become a marine biologist before going into neuroscience. So, after I arrived at the zoo, I headed over to the aquarium first.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Although the Omaha aquarium had a variety of impressive displays, my favorite exhibit contained jellyfish. I could watch the jellyfish float up and down for hours; they appear so peaceful. The sting of some jellyfish have a neurotoxin so strong it could be lethal to people, so I am glad they were inside a tank.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">After visiting the aquarium, I made my way to the tropical house. Before I entered the main area of the tropical house, an exhibit showing how many medicines come from plants caught my eye. As some readers of this newsletter know, I am currently working on a project investigating the neuroactive properties of medicinal plants and herbs ("Sowing the Seeds of Neuroscience" -- <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">http://www.neuroseeds.org <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">), so this exhibit was interesting to me in many ways. Several plants discussed in the exhibit have been used to create medicines to treat neurological illnesses.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Once inside the tropical house, I approach a group of bats feeding on some cut fruit. The bats were not enclosed by any glass or fence, so when they flew off, they buzzed by me only inches away. Although some people believe that bats are blind, they actually have decent eyesight and they also use echolocation to navigate and find food. So, I was not concerned when the bats flew so close to me that I could feel the wind off their wings.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The rest of the tropical house had many birds, mammals, fish and reptiles that I had never seen before. I was not able to tour the entire zoo, but if it is anything like the aquarium and tropical house, then a visit to this zoo would be a great side trip the next time you are in Omaha.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">For more information about the Omaha Zoo, see:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">@http://www.omahazoo.com/

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">4. BOOK REVIEW

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">This review covers two new books, both for young readers (grades K-3): "A Tour of Your Nervous System" by Molly Kolpin (Capstone Press: North Mankato, 2013) and "Inside the Brain" by Karin Halvorson (ABDO Publishing Co., North Mankato, 2013).

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">In Molly Kolpin's book, "Nelly Neuron" takes readers on a tour of the nervous system. The book starts with a description of a neuron and then moves to the brain. In only 21 pages, the book does not provide too much detail, but the colorful comic book drawings are likely to appeal to young readers. Karin Halvorson also uses comic book drawings and adds photographs of kids to illustrate how the brain works; she also includes simple experiments to reinforce concepts. Unlike Kolpin, Halvorson does not discuss the structure of the neuron.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Unfortunately, both books contain a few scientific errors. For example, Kolpin's description of the brain's role in a reflex and Halvorson's description of right/left brain differences are not accurate. Nevertheless, both books still provide budding neuroscientists with a good introduction to the brain.

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">5. MEDIA ALERT

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">A. "Alzheimers Disease: The Great Morbidity of the 21st Century" by Charles T. Ambrose and "An Acoustic Arms Race" by William E. Conner can be found in AMERICAN SCIENTIST magazine (May-June, 2013).

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">B. "Mind in the Machine" by Adam Piore and "Standing Promise" by Nate Berg in DISCOVER magazine (June, 2013).

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">C. "Breaking the Brain Barrier" by Jeneen Interlandi (SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, June, 2013).

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">D. "A Bird's Eye View" by Tim Birkhead (AUDUBON magazine, May-June, 2013).

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">E. "Thought Experiment" by Jonathan Keats (WIRED magazine, June, 2013) describes the work of Henry Markram to simulate the human brain.

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">6. THE TREASURE TROVE OF BRAIN TRIVIA

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">A. The American Association for the Advancement of Science was established on September 20, 1848, in Philadelphia, PA.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">B. 99% of all animals are invertebrates; they do not have a backbone.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">C. Electric eels generate their shock using specialized cells in their nervous system. (For more details, see: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">@http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-do-electric-eels-gene <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">)

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">D. The word "physiology" comes from Greek meaning "the study of nature."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">E. Plessor, plexor and percussor are words used to describe the small hammer that doctors use to test reflexes.