In addition to the letter and number of the day,Sesame Streetwill be featuring some exciting new topics in the show’s 42nd season: engineering, science, and math!
Researchers have long noted that students who watch the show as children tend to do better in school, so incorporating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts can be seen as part of a larger effort to boost STEM learning in the U.S.
Qatar, a small Middle Eastern country that has been designated host of the 2022 World Cup, is not known for its mild summers. In fact, temperatures in July regularly average over 115 degrees F (50 degrees C), which presents a serious challenge to the event’s organizers.
But not to fear – engineers from Qatar University’s Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering have a clever solution. Over the next ten years they plan to develop an artificial cloud that will hover over the soccer stadium and provide crucial shade to players and audience members.
Called AutoFrost, the machine combines electronic sensors, computer programming, and precise mechanics with delicious gooey confections. Just doodle your design on a basic Microsoft Paint-like program, hit the button that says, “I’m ready to design an amazing cake,” and watch the frosting begin.
This clip from the Science Channel show How It’s Made provides a fascinating look at the complex processes and machinery behind everyone’s favorite coloring tools.
In this amazing clip, Jem Stansfield, the host of BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory (sort of a UK version of Mythbusters), visits the Solar Furnace Research Facility in Southern France. There a researcher demonstrates the power of intensely concentrated sunlight, using a special furnace that can reach temperatures of 3,500 degrees C (that’s about 6,332° F), and even melt solid rock!
