News

The first week is over, and after the sudden bombardment of live chats and questions, we’re able to have a rest, have a cuppa and go through all the questions. We thought we’d find you some of the gems from the week, there were so many, over 1,200 questions asked by over 1,100 registered students  – but there were obviously a few stand out questions that made us giggle and some that made us think. I’m sure we’ve asked this about many annoying noises before how do you drown out the noise of justin bieber? Bromine bring religion to the table, when they answered is god real if not why is there religion?? Sarah and Austin from Krypton, describe Why aren’t gases as heavy as liquids and solids? to a class of 9 year olds – which meant, even I could understand it. Will from Strontium gives us tips on … Continue reading →

As day four draws to a close, the mods continue to go through the mass of questions, which came flooding in after the very lively livechats. A lot of todays questions took quite a delicate approach, with a very interesting conversation between students and scientists in a Bromine live chat: “kirstynic99 : @caroline – Do you think IVF is right?” “speccy4eyes : @caroline who do you think should pay for IVF” “carolinedalton : @speccy @kirsty those are very interesting questions. I think if we look at infertility as a disease then it is right to treat people who are suffering from it if we have the technology and the knowledge to do so safely”. As well as can you really die of a broken heart? and What is your opinion on people ending their own life? Obviously we still had a lot of ‘If the zombie apocalypse happened what would … Continue reading →

Today was busy, with more live chats and a sudden influx of questions in Rubidium! Animal Behaviour is still ahead with the most questions.. Students really want to know about the emotional wellbeing of animals.. have you ever heard a whales cry underwater?, why do dogs wag their tails when they are happy?, do animals form bonds with people and other animals? There were also some diverse questions and theories in the Live Chats “noogieman : can too much exposure to methane kill you? “ from Bromine Zone and “homasoftamre123 : Do shadows have particles?” and “alysha : why is ice clear and snow white?” from Rubidium Zone. We also witnessed a beautiful coming together of zones and events (even mods joined in) for one very scientific question.. A question we’ve all asked ourselves at some point.. how fast can you type the alphabet? Catch up with what happened on … Continue reading →

Day two is over, we had lots more live chats today, which resulted in some interesting questions.. “laurajoseph : is there anything you can do to stop a heart attack?” and “reem : ants dont sleep. is that true?” and “vanessa1234 : Isit true that even if your brain is working but your heart isnt, you can still surive?”. We also ploughed through questions, the mods were quick to spot the JLS, One Direction and new to the ‘who’s your fave band’ bench.. The Wanted.  A very important question! It also seems the Animal Behaviour Zone has gone mad with dolphin questions (I have heard that dolphins can kill sharks, is it true?) and cat questions (Is it true cats are more likely to survive falling from a larger height than a smaller one?) The mods managed to approve over 390 questions from over 800 students registered so far on the site. And … Continue reading →

I’m a Scientist kicked off today with scientists answering lots of great questions queued up by students over the last few weeks. Scientists started with some of the really important questions, like… “How many hobnobs and cups of tea do you could have in one sitting?” ” is there scientific proof that having a moustache makes you more attractive?” and “Do cats actually like their owners?“. Students then asked more questions including.. “do you think cells can kill themselves?” or “is it possible to clone a person” and the tough decision of “If you were the last thousand of people on earth and you had to make a desicion between saving the knowledge of mankind, setting up a new goverment or finding food and shelter which one would you chosse“. The two common themes that have appeared today are cats and dolphins, unsuprisingly in the Animal Behaviour Zone as Kevin … Continue reading →

It’s time to announce the scientists and schools taking part in the Los Angeles I’m a Scientist event from 25th June – 6th July. Nearly 70 schools will be taking part with schools from Newcastle to Torquay. We’re hoping that, as in previous events, energy levels will be high and classes at these schools will have a great experience. One teacher in March 2012 said the best part of the event was “Seeing the excitement of the students as they received feedback to their questions”. Scientists As ever competition for scientists was tough, and choosing the final scientists to take part was hard. We had to turn down lots of scientists doing fascinating research. Scientists have thoroughly enjoyed previous events. One scientist who took part in March 2012 says “I hugely enjoyed it. There are clearly some smart kids out there”.   Molybdenum Zone Scientists SarahJayne Boulton Newcastle University I’m a … Continue reading →

GM foods have been hitting the headlines again recently. Debate has become argument and positions have become entrenched leaving it hard sometimes to work out the facts, and what’s relevant. I’m a Scientist, GM Food allows you to put your questions to a range of people with knowledge about the issues and hear  all the angles on something that may be central to the future of how we feed ourselves. The Zone will open on Monday 18th June for members of the public to pose their questions. Today we are asking you to help us choose the experts by nominating who you think should be participating. We’re looking for a range of people: plant geneticists, ecologists, food security policy experts, development specialists. We want people who support GM Food. We want people who oppose it. We want people who lie in between. Please use the form below to suggest who … Continue reading →

The I’m a Scientist Amsterdam event kicks off in 2 weeks time, on June 11th! The scientists are raring to go and students and teachers are now registering on the site and exploring their zones. Students, once you’ve registered using the access code card your teacher gives you, you can read all about the scientists in your zone as they’ve been busy updating their profiles for you. If you’ve got a question for the scientists already you can ask it now, although they won’t get a chance to answer it until June 11th. Teachers, we’ve already had over 30 live chat requests so you can book one for your class now, using the booking form at https://imascientist.org.uk/live-chat. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to get the slot you want! Scientists, now you’ve filled in your profile you can sit back, relax and wait until June 11th to … Continue reading →

It’s only a matter of days before I’m a Scientist starts in June, so it’s time to announce the scientists and schools taking part. The Amsterdam event will be running from 11th-22nd June, and we’ll update you nearer the time about the Los Angeles event (taking place 25th June – 6th July). Over 50 schools will be taking part and as usual there’s a big variety in schools involved, from Omagh to Orkney, and even Singapore. We’re hoping that, as in previous events, energy levels will be high and classes at these schools will have a great experience. One teacher in March 2012 said “my boys were inspired by the answers – still buzzing now!”. Scientists As ever competition for scientists was tough, and choosing the final scientists to take part was hard. We had to turn down lots of scientists doing fascinating research. Scientists have thoroughly enjoyed previous events. … Continue reading →

Here are the resources for scientists taking part in the ‘Los Angeles’ event from June 25h – July 6th 2012. The scientist briefing notes are designed to help you get the most out of taking part, and to guide you through the site. The key dates sheet gives you an idea of what happens when, and there is also sign to hang on your door if things get busy! Scientist Briefing Notes Key dates sheet – June 2012 LA scientists ‘Do not disturb, intense brain activity!’ sign We believe that information should be free, so this part of the site is accessible to everyone. All scientists are free to use anything we’ve created on the site. This material has been created by Gallomanor (unless otherwise stated) and we have NOT copyrighted it. All material is licensed under a (CC) Creative Commons attribution license.