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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE SPECTATOR
April 11, 2008
 
 

Did You Know That?
Wacky Facts: Water

by Kate Tummarello '11

  • Roughly 70 percent of an adult's body is made up of water.
  • At birth, water accounts for approximately 80 percent of an infant's body weight.
  • For children under age five, water-related diseases are the leading cause of death.
More. . .
 

How to live green this spring

by Alyssa White '11

    The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and it's 60 degrees outside—welcome to spring!  It turns out that loving Mother Earth is downright easy when she's not making you slog home through a wintry mix.  As you shove your winter boots to the back of the closet and break out those flip-flops, here are some ways that you can show her your appreciation. More. . .
 

Is your Nalgene more dangerous than you thought?

by Nick Berry '09

    In their search for a reusable, environmentally-friendly alternative to bottled water, students have made Nalgene bottles a staple on many college campuses nationwide; however, recent studies have raised concerns that a chemical used to make the bottles may pose health risks.  Most Nalgene bottles are made from polycarbonate plastic, which is mostly comprised of bisphenol A (BPA).  Research has shown that BPA, an endocrine disrupter that mimics the female hormone estrogen, can leak out of the plastic bottle and into its contents, which, if ingested, can potentially lead to myriad adverse health conditions. More. . .
 

PROFESSOR PROFILE:
Barbara Tewksbury, Geosciences



THE FACTS:

Name: Barbara Tewksbury
Department: Geoscience
PhD From: University of Colorado
Research Includes: Investigation of deformation in Proterozoic metamorphic rocks of the Grenville Province in northern New York State, structures in volcanic rocks under glaciers in Iceland.
More. . .
 

What's On The Web?: TreeHugger.com

by Kate Tummarello '11

    At first, the name TreeHugger.com sounds a little extreme.  Just because you avoid using Styrofoam and turn off the lights when you leave a room doesn't mean you're ready to be labeled a "tree hugger."  Well, no worries.  Just checking out TreeHugger.com doesn't mean you actually have to go hug a tree.  Instead, the site encourages you to follow three simple steps: 1. Get Informed, 2. Interact, and last but certainly not least, 3. Take Action, which does not necessarily involve any tree hugging. More. . .