Touchpoint 1
New ‘Silicon Spikes’ Can Destroy Almost All Virus Particles
What is it?
When a patient is discharged from a hospital, the room has to be disinfected as well as all equipment that comes into contact with patients. This is usually done by wiping down surfaces with strong chemicals. But what if a surface could be made with tiny spikes that stabs the viruses once they touch the surface?
Potential message to students:
Do you think this has application outside hospitals? If the new surface materials are expensive, where would you suggest using them first?
Touchpoint 2:
Does your dog understand when you say ‘fetch the ball’? A new study in Hungary says yes
What is it?
We have known for a long time that dogs understand commands like sit and roll over. Scientists also believe that dogs understand objects that are external to them, such as ball.
Potential message to students:
Do you think 18 dogs were enough for this study? Do you think they picked smart, well-trained dogs to increase their chances of success? If you have a dog, do you think it understands the difference between objects like a ball and a frisbee?
Touchpoint 3
Three photosynthetic changes that boost crop yields
What is it?
Photosynthesis is critical to all living things on earth. But it’s only 20% efficient. Scientists developed a 170-step computer model for photosynthesis and found three areas where it can be improved. One is increasing SbPase, an enzyme found in plants. Another is increasing the speed that leaves can move to find sunlight. And a third is to prevent energy loss during the process.
Potential message for students:
Do you think computer models are going to help us engineer better plants? Do you think these models would work on entire forests? And should we be using these methods to improve crop yields?