Virginia Helps Pioneer New Nuclear Reactor Technology

Nuclear Control Room

Another major development in the advancement of Virginia as a high-tech state occurred this week. The Babcock & Wilcox Company announced that the production-standard control room prototype for its small modular reactor is now operational. This engineering simulator is a key milestone in the B&W mPower development program. “Our vision is simple and I think it’s bold. We see that the future in Nuclear Energy lies with small modular reactors,” states Christofer Mowry, President of B&W’s mPower Division. WCVE Public Radio’s Charles Fishburne has more in this Science Matters video report. 

“ROBO Warriors” Get Ready for Regional Robotics Contest

Members of the “ROBO Warriors” FIRST robotics team at Henrico High School are gearing up for a regional qualifying contest December 15th that will challenge their teamwork and technical skills. The team participates in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), a program designed to give students hands-on experience designing and building robots, solving problems and competing in high-energy contests. “I love mechanical engineering, so I wanted a program that would help me explore that and develop the skills that I would need in college,” said Aaron Kane, a senior at Henrico High and a veteran of the ROBO Warriors. “I’ve been building things ever since I could walk.” 

Inside Nature’s Giants: Giant Squid

Giant Squid

Thought by many to be the stuff of legend, it was only in the late-19th century that the giant squid was first officially recorded by scientists, after one leviathan washed up on a New Zealand beach. Related to slugs and snails, this monster from the deep, along with its cousin the colossal squid, is the largest invertebrate in the world.  It's never been filmed in its natural habitat, thousands of feet underwater, but occasionally specimens are brought to the surface by deep-sea trawlers.

Your Brain On Music

Bob Milne

Music is a form of communication which, like language, is inherent to human behavior and brain function. The Richmond Academy of Medicine recently learned about Your Brain on Music in an evening presentation held at the Country Club of Virginia with a Penn State Professor and a rag time piano player–a classically-trained piano player with his own exceptional “brain on music” story to tell.

Epigenetics or “Outside Genetics” at Science Pub RVA

Science Pub RVA

Have you ever wondered how your brain cells came into being? Why didn’t those cells develop into muscle cells instead? How we develop and age is a complex process. DNA is not the whole story and nature versus nurture isn’t so clear cut. While every cell in our body contains the same genetic information, it’s epigenetics (or “outside genetics”) that distinguishes our muscle cells from brain cells.  

Sounds complicated, but it will be easier to understand when a pioneering scientist in the field of epigenetics leads a conversation at Science Pub RVA, Tuesday, December 4th. Dr. Shirley M. Taylor, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, VCU Massey Cancer Center, will talk about the chemical modifications that occur in our DNA and surrounding proteins. Join the conversation at this free, open-to-the-public gathering at The Camel.

Guitars: The Sounds and Science

Guitar Science

HP Newquist, Executive Director and Founder of the National GUITAR Museum and Prabir Mehta, guitarist for local rock and roll band Goldrush, are both passionate about guitars. I had the opportunity to talk with them recently about the guitar’s history and engineering while visiting the exhibition “GUITAR: The Instrument that Rocked the World” at the Science Museum of Virginia. This is a great exhibition to visit over the holidays for it runs through January 6, 2013. Watch the Science Matters video featuring Newquist and Mehta sharing their thoughts about the world's most popular instrument. 

My Life as a Turkey

My Life as a Turkey

Based on the true story of writer and naturalist Joe Hutto, portrayed by wildlife photographer Jeff Palmer, Nature: My Life as a Turkey chronicles Hutto’s remarkable experience of imprinting wild turkey eggs and raising the hatchlings to adulthood.

Thanksgiving Priceless Science

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! One of the most common misconceptions about this tasty holiday is based around some simple chemistry. The amino acid in question is Tryptophan! The most popular source of this culinary chemical on your dinner table is turkey, however there is a little myth that we need to clear up. Though turkey does contain tryptophan, you should know that turkey is actually not the most tryptophan filled food. In fact it’s not even close. There are several other foods that contain way more of this chemical than your Thanksgiving centerpiece. Watch this fun video by the Science Museum of Virginia to find out more.

Girls and Robotics – Do the Unexpected!

Members of St. Catherine's Middle School Robotics Team

I hope no one minds, but I would like to take liberty here with the words of Dean Kamen, the Founder of FIRST® Robotics. Kamen developed the vision for FIRST® which is for all young people – but I want to focus on young women today. My revision goes like this “Robotics can transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young women dream of becoming science and technology leaders.”

NOVA: Ultimate Mars Challenge

Curiosity Rover

In August, a rover named Curiosity touched down inside Mars’ Gale Crater, carrying 10 new instruments that will advance the quest for signs that Mars might once have been suitable for life. But Curiosity’s mission is risky. After parachuting through the Martian atmosphere at twice the speed of sound, Curiosity was gently lowered to the planet’s surface by a “sky crane.” This first-of-its-kind system has been tested on Earth, but there was no guarantee it would work on Mars.