We are happy to collaborate with the Engineering Technology Center, NEXUS and the Department of Music to present some exciting workshops! Workshops are free (but there may be an optional materials fee) and are on Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. Register online at lib.uiowa.edu/eng.
Library Resources
August 29th: Standards & Patents: Presented by Kari Kozak, Lichtenberger Engineering Library.
Do you have a product you want to create? Learn how to search for patents and standards from around the world. Learn about the various resources that can be accessed both on and off campus.
September 5th:Collect & Analyze Data Using LabQuest Devices – John Kostman, Engineering Electronics Shop (EES) & Kari Kozak, Lichtenberger Engineering Library
The Tool Library includes LabQuest Devices and a wide range of sensors. These devices and attachments allow for the collection and analyzation of data for a nearly endless number of possibilities. This course will provide overview of what the library has and instruction on how to use it!
Have you ever struggled with literature reviews? Try some strategies from systematic reviews that may give you some insight into your research topic through a more rigorous and structure approach. Systematic reviews are defined as “a research method that aims to locate and summarize all available evidence for a research question in order to guide decisions and practices” in medical and health sciences. Although systematic reviews originate from medical and health sciences, they are increasingly adopted by education, social sciences and, even, engineering. This workshop will introduce different review types (systematic reviews, scoping/mapping reviews and literature reviews), systematic review process, research question frameworks and search strategy, as well as point you to some available resources and services.
Through the following 5 course series, learn all the steps to make your own mini piano using a circuit board and Arduino. This light weight keyboard allows you to play an octave worth of notes using capacitive touch, no strings or hammers required!
September 19th: Printing Circuit Boards 1 – John Kostman, EES
Learn to create the keyboard circuit board with Multisim and Ultiboard. Part 1 is creating a circuit board from beginning to end. Part 2 goes into detail about special problems and challenges for circuit boards.
September 26th: Printing Circuit Boards 2 – John Kostman, EES
Learn to create the keyboard circuit board with Multisim and Ultiboard. Part 1 is creating a circuit board from beginning to end. Part 2 goes into detail about special problems and challenges for circuit boards.
October 24th & 31st: Engineering Halloween Costumes Part 1 & 2 – Brian Snider, EES & John Kostman, EES
Want to learn quick and easy ways to spice up your Halloween costumes? Learn to incorporate nano pixels, lights and sound into your Halloween costumes.
We missed you while you were gone – but we kept busy, too!
Shhh! We are in the process of updating our quiet study space on our lower level! New comfy chairs are here and soon there will be new study carrels! But, never fear, we still have gamer chairs and beanbags! It is the best place to study when you don’t want to be disturbed and need to concentrate.
We have added new tools to our Tool Library! We have added laptops, projectors, thermal imagining cameras and more! Now we have everything from 3D scanners, 360 Degree Cameras, Go Pro, computer mice, creative boxes to help you with programming & circuits, hammers, screwdrivers, phone & computer chargers, and SO much more! And, we add more tools all the time! We have over 170 tools available to help you be successful in your college career! Click on the Tool Library link and see everything we’ve got!
And, our tools go perfectly with our Creative Space! We have a virtual reality station, collaboration tables, modeling stations and a prototyping station – the perfect place to collaborate with team members on class projects! It is also the perfect place to tinker and be creative! As Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” So, stop in, be creative – who knows what you’ll invent!
If you want to work together as a team, but need a space that is a bit quieter – we’ve got 2 study pods! Pod 1 has a white board and Media:Scape! Media:Scape is designed for easy collaboration – up to 6 electronic devices can be connected to the large screen monitor! Pod 2 is smaller but has a large white board. Markers are available to check out in the Tool Library! The pods may be reserved – go to the Group Study Rooms webpage for instructions! We also have 27 ITC computers, 2 scanners, and 2 printers!
Did you know we have a youtube channel? We do! Subscribe to us – UIEngLib! We are adding more and more videos all the time – an overview of the library, instructional videos on resources such as Endnote Basic – AND we’ve added a Detective Jones series! Watch the short video which will pose a question at the end, choose the answer you believe is the best and it will take you to the next video! Stay tuned – there will more cases for you and Detective Jones to solve!
This is just a smattering of all the resources we have available! Have questions? We have live chat and texting, too! The number to text is 319.250.2176. Stop in and see us, too – we’re happy to answer your questions!
Explore our homepage – with inks to new books, resources, our blog, and how to get help. Then come explore the library! We are at 2001 Seamans Center – just off the Student Commons. Our hours are listed on our homepage – so stop in!
Head Librarian, Kari Kozak and Informatics Librarian, Qianijn (Marina) Zhang, are available for research consultations and all our staff are available to help you find the resources you need! We post information about resources, fun facts, and information about special events on Facbook and our Twitter feed! “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay current with all we have going on here!
Come see all we have to offer – we look forward to seeing you soon!
The Lichtenberger Engineering Library has partnered with the Engineering Electronics Shop, NEXUS, and the Department of Music to bring you some exciting Learn & Create Workshops this fall.
Library Resources
August 29: Standards & Patents – Kari Kozak
September 5th: Collect & Analyze Data Using LabQuest Devices – John Kostman/Kari Kozak
September 12th: Systematic Review – Marina Zhang
Mini Piano using Capacitive Touch
Through the following 5 workshop series, learn all the steps to make your own mini piano using a circuit board and Arduino. This light weight keyboard allows you to play an octave worth of notes using capacitive touch, no strings or hammers required! You do not need to attend all the sessions. Just pick and choose which parts you want to learn.
September 19th & 26th: Printing Circuit Boards 1 & 2 – John Kostman
October 3rd: Soldering Basics – Jeremy Roszell
October 10th: Building a Case with CREO and 3D printing – Brian Snider
October 17th: Programming and Music Theory – Jean-Francois Charles & Jeremy Roszell
Halloween Costumes
October 24th & 31st: Building Halloween Costumes Part 1 & 2 – Brian Snider/John Kostman
Greeting Cards
November 7th & 28th: Creating Pop-up and Interactive Greeting Cards Part 1 & 2– Deanne Wortman/Kari Kozak
In September 2016, the Lichtenberger Engineering Library, in collaboration with the Engineering Technology Centers opened a maker/creative space for students. This space is for students to imagine, tinker, design, and create and has a VR station, 3D scanners, quad monitors, and more. We also have a Tool Library which is available to students and staff. There are over 180 tools, which may be checked out.
We have continued to add tools to the Tool Library over this past year. Some of the tools added include:
Laptops
Thermal Cameras
Heat Gun
Sheet Metal Hole Punch
Projectors
Adapter, Cables and Chargers for computers and mobile devices – we are expanding the number and types which are added
We have a YouTube video channel and have added some exciting new videos.
Check out our latest video series that teaches how to evaluate information using a method similar to the choose your own adventure books: Detective Jones Evaluating Information
We have tutorials for specific library resources and how to get the most benefit when using them!
There are videos designed to help new (and returning) faculty, staff, and students become familiar with the library and what is available.
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4) Live Chat and Text Messaging!
Don’t forget we have both live chat AND text messaging available!
The MIT Press eBooks library – a computing and engineering collection is now available through IEEE Xplore
With almost 600 titles going back as far as 1943!
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7) Subject Guides
Check out our subject guides – available for each discipline. The subject guides are being continually updated with new information and resources. You’ll find information on popular resources geared toward your discipline. The guides also include helpful information on patents, standards, creating citations, and engineering ethics among other things. Check our homepage (http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/eng/) to discover it all!
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8) Classroom Assistance and Library Tours
Both Engineering Librarians are available for short- or class-length demonstrations on a wide variety of library resources.
Kari Kozak, Head of the Lichtenberger Engineering Library, is available to talk about resources and services to students, faculty, and/or staff. This could range from an overview of the library and services to in-depth researching strategies including evaluating information. Sessions can be to individuals, small groups, lab groups, or classes. Email Kari at kari-kozak@uiowa.edu for more information.
Qianjin (Marina) Zhang, Engineering & Informatics Librarian, is available to talk about data management, systematic reviews, and citation management programs such as Endnote. Email Marina at qianjin-zhang@uiowa.edu for more information
Kari is also available to give tours of the library, including the Creative Space. Schedule a time to visit individually or as a class, to see first-hand all we have available.
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9) Course Reserves
Course Reserves are being organized for the Fall Semester. If you have not already done so and would like to have items put on reserve for the Fall Semester, please email the Engineering Library at lib-engineering@uiowa.edu with a list of the materials and course number.
You are here – at the University of Iowa! You may be a first year, sophomore, junior or senior – but no matter what year, the excitement is there. The anticipation of new experiences and the trepidation of new experiences!
Stop in and see our new exhibit and see some of the ways we can help you adjust to, and survive, college life and all that it entails!
We have the resources to help you through your entire day – from morning to night! Afraid of the dark and don’t want your roommates to know? Aglow in the Dark: The Revolutionary Science of Bioflourescence explores the story of the discovery of green fluorescent protein and the human fascination with “living light.” Glow-in-the-dark fish could be the perfect nightlight!
These are just a few of the many ways we can help you make it through your college experience! What’s your concern? Check our resources – you’ll be surprised at all the information we have! (And, by the way, we have what you need to succeed in your classes, too!)
Stop in and see our exhibit (2001 Seamans Center), explore our space, and talk to one of our staff!
Welcome to the Fall 2018 semester! We look forward to working with you this year!
Resources:
Graham, Brad and Kathy McGowan. 2012. 101 spy gadgets for the evil genius. New York, NY : McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics. Engineering Library TK7882.E2 G685 2012
Markel, Howard. 2005. When germs travel : six major epidemics that have invaded America and the fears they have unleashed. New York : Vinatge Books. Engineering Library RC111 .M37 2005
Perry, Bruce W. 2012. Fitness for geeks : real science, great nutrition, and good health. Sebastopol, CA : O’Reilly Media. Engineering Library RA781 .P47 2012
Barrow, John D. 2015. 100 essential things you didn’t know you didn’t know : math explains your world. New York : W.W. Norton & Company. Engineering Library QA99 .B188 2009
Downs, Todd. 2010. The bicycling guide to complete bicycle maintenance & repair : for road & mountain bikes. Emmaus, PA : Rodale New York : Distributed to the trade by Macmillan. Engineering Library TL430 .D68 2010
Chaline, Eric Robert Brandt. 2008. Make 50 wild and wacky (but useful) contraptions. New York, NY : Collins. Engineering Library T339 . C45 2008
Pieribone, Vincent David; David F. Gruber. 2005. Aglow in the dark : the revolutionary science of biofluorescence. Cambridge, Mass. : Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Engineering Library QH641 .P54 2005.
This year the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) XLVI will stop in Iowa City on Friday, July 27, 2018. It begins in Onawa on Sunday, July, 22, 2018 and will finish in Davenport on July 28th. The total number of miles: 428 and there is 12,576 feet of climb – riders definitely need stamina and a good bike!
RAGBRAI has a fascinating history – starting in 1973 as a challenge between Des Moines Register feature writer/copy editor John Karras and Donald Kaul, author of the Des Moine Register “Over the Coffee” column. 114 riders made the ride that first year and it has since grown – it now has a limit of 8,500 week-long riders. For a more complete history of RAGBRAI check out their website: RAGBRAI history – Factoids.
So, what type of bike is best for RAGBRAI, or simply getting around town?
The type of bike you purchase does make a difference. Where you plan to ride, with whom will you be riding, your budget, and your previous experience all make a difference when choosing a bike. Mountain bikes are great for off-road and single track trails, but they are heavier, have thicker tires, are generally slower and require more effort. Road bikes are for paved roads, paths and smooth unpaved paths. They are lighter and designed more for speed. There are also hybrid and comfort bikes, tandems, recumbents, commuters and cruisers. If you are going to ride the entire RAGBRAI route or just a leg or two – check out this link – RAGBRAI – this is the forum where information is available from experienced riders.
Bicycle Components
The bicycle is a simple machine, but has many components and it is always a good idea to learn what each component is called. There are 10 bicycle shops that now participate in RAGBRAI, but it doesn’t hurt to know basic maintenance for your own equipment. Learning to repair tire punctures yourself can keep you from being stranded by the side of the road whenever and wherever you ride. Bike Repair & Maintenance for Dummies has a section on what to look for in a pre-ride inspection, how to clean and take care of your bike after your ride, and items that should be included in an emergency tool kit – including duct tape!
Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are becoming more popular. A modified or custom bike frame that has pedals but also an electric motor gives the rider the option to pedal or use the power of a battery and motor drive system. They are less expensive than gas-powered scooters and are safer than scooters and motorcycles. A 1 square foot solar panel is enough to power an eBike for 3,100 miles. (Would that be considered “cheating” on RAGBRAI?)
Montante Luxury Gold. The Bike Book. Engineering Library FOLIO TL410 .B54 2012
There are also luxury bikes – the Monanate Luxury Gold bike has 24 carat gold leaf and 11,000 Swarovski crystals. The fenders are steam-bent wood and there is python leather on the handlebars, seat and around the lock. There are only 10 Luxury Gold bikes in existence and cost about $33,000. I don’t know about you, but I would probably never ride this bike, if I could afford it, that is!
Vermont Sky. Cirrocumulus Cloud. Photo Credit: Roger Grow, Vermont
Do you remember lying on your back on the grass and looking at the clouds – finding the shapes, marveling at all the differences? The types, the colors? Looking through old family slides and photos I discovered my father took a lot of pictures of clouds – as do I, my brother and my daughter. There is just something endlessly fascinating about them.
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s clouds illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all
– Joni Mitchell, 1967
Here in the library we have, not surprisingly, a lot of books on the physics and chemistry of clouds (for resources, check the list below). But for this blog, I’m going to draw on the appearance of clouds in arts and culture. Perhaps it is their beauty and majesty that has attracted scientists to the study of clouds, for that has what has drawn poets, painters, songwriters, and photographers throughout the ages. (Interesting fact: The art of seeing shapes in shapeless forms is pareidolia.)
A “Rubber Ducky” Cloud – aka Cumulus. Kari Kozak, Utah
An example of how far back clouds appear in literature, back in the fifth-century, the playwright Aristophanes, “cast a chorus of clouds as the source of ‘airy’ thinking. (pg 7, Clouds). Indeed, there are many sayings about clouds: “head in the clouds,” “nebulous,” “foggy,” and “cloud the issue.” Richard Hamblyn, author of Clouds, wonders if the saying “on cloud nine” might come from a story from the early life of Buddha. The story is that Buddha summoned a small cloud which ferried him over the Ganges, and “the Buddhist cosmology contains a tenfold cloud taxonomy whose stages mirror the tenfold ascent to enlightenment.” The 9th step is “the great bright clouds of refuge,” hence (perhaps) being on cloud nine! There are also frescoes and paintings as clouds from as far back as the 1200s. The fascination with clouds has a long history!
The 2nd known tornado photograph, taken in Howard City, South Dakota, on Aug. 28, 1884. Clouds. pg 152
From the early days of photography, photos have been taken of clouds and storms. We may be used to taking cloud photos with our DSLR cameras, or our phones, but the technology in those early days made taking good photos very difficult. It took minutes, not seconds, to take a photo using the photographic plates, and those minutes often made the sky overexposed. One solution, used by many photographers, was to take extra, under-exposed photos and superimpose them over the overexposed plate. Superimposing one photo over another can be used in digital photo editing programs – there has been some controversy concerning the use – and overuse – of digitally edited photos. However, that practice has been going on a long time!
Talking about clouds and photography wouldn’t be complete with touching on clouds and storms in movies and videos. While we are talking tornadoes (see photo at left!), the famous tornado in The Wizard of Oz was constructed from a muslin wind-sock which was suspended from a metal gantry. It is still considered to be one of the most convincing tornadoes in Hollywood history!
And then there’s the music – see the Joni Mitchell quote above. Music and clouds just seem to go together. In 1867 the French astronomer and science writer Camille Flammarion was floating in his hot air balloon. He drifted into a high, thick cloud and could no longer tell in which direction he was traveling. Suddenly he heard instrumental music “which seem[ed] to come from the cloud itself and from a distance of a few yards only from us.” There was high humidity in the cloud and this helped funnel a band concert which was playing in a town square far below. Recently artists have begun to explore the acoustic resonance of the upper atmosphere. In 2004 Usman Haque launched Sky Ear – a cloud of 1,000 helium balloons with a payload of mobile phones, sensor circuits, and flashing LEDs. The phones picked up the whistles and hums that fill the sky – the phones were set to automatically answer therefore letting observers call the phones and listen to the “music of the spheres.”
Musicians and songwriters have long gotten their inspiration from clouds. Here’s a (very) short list (in no particular order)!
Get Off My Cloud; The Rolling Stones
Both Sides Now; Joni Mitchell
Cloud 9; George Harrison
Kickin’ the Clouds Away; George Gershwin
Small Dark Cloud; Kenny Rogers
Three Piano Pieces, EG 100: Storm Clouds
Floating Clouds; Rick Wakeman
Heavy Cloud No Rain; Sting
And the list goes on and on!!
Iowa Sky. Culumonimbus Cloud. Photo Credit: James M. Cox, Iowa
If you are someone who goes around with your “head in the clouds” most of the time there is The Cloud Appreciation Society. Really! It now has over 40,00 members from nearly 120 countries! The society has recently teamed with NASA and have a Cloudspotter app. The information gathered submitted by the app users (from around the globe) will be used by NASA to help calibrate their CERES cloud-observing satellite instruments! You can continue to look up to the skies and help NASA at the same time!
If signing up with the Cloudspotter app isn’t your thing, but you still want to know which clouds are which and what differentiates one cloud from another, The Cloud Book : How to Understand the Skies, has a wealth of information about clouds accompanied by stunning, full-color photographs of each type of cloud.
Click on the image for a larger size.
Here’s a Sky Watcher Chart. Go out – look up! How many different types of clouds can you see?
CloudSpotter : Your virtual guide to the wonders of the sky.The Cloud Appreciation Society. Date accessed: June 14, 2018.
Hamblyn, Richard. 2008. The cloud book : how to understand the skies. Cincinnati, Ohio : D&C David & Charles : In association with the Met Office. Engineering Library QC921 .H348 2008.
Qiu, Meikang; Keke Gai. 2017. Mobile cloud computing : models, implementation, and security. Boca Raton : CRC Press, Taylor & Francis. Engineering Library QA76.585 .Q58 2017
I am, obviously, not talking about the vast field of cloud computing – that is beyond the scope of this blog. However, if you’d like more information about cloud computing, check the resources below!
Foster, Ian. Dennis B. Gannon. 2017. Cloud Computing for Science and Engineering. Cambridge, Massachesetts : The MIT Press. Engineering Library QA76.585 .F67 2017
How did Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs, when a parsec is a unit of distance and not of time? Is it possible to build a podracer with our current technology? How about lightsabers – are they laser (i.e, light) or contained plasma? Could we possibly live in a cloud, like Cloud City on Bespin? And, in my mind at least, the ultimate question – is there actually a Force, a field what surrounds and penetrates all beings?
Author Patrick Johnson explores these and oh, so many more fascinating topics in The Physics of Star Wars. In sections ranging from Space, Planetary Science, Space Travel, Handheld Weaponry, Heavy Weaponry, the Force, Robotics, and other tech, Johnson provides a brief introduction, and then the backstory, before delving into the actual physics. He then progresses into “the physics of real life.”
Photo Courtesy: CT Cooper/Wikimedia Commons
Let’s look at the climates on various planets. For example, Hoth is an “ice planet.” The fact that Hoth is an ice planet is consistent with its distance from its star – that’s what we see in our own solar system. A big difference, however, is that Hoth has snow and frozen planets are generally made up of frozen nitrogen or methane, and not water. No water, no snow. Also, the temperatures would be so low that surviving in a tauntaun would be impossible…. Tatooine, on the other hand, is very hot and dry – consistent with having two suns. And that leads us to moisture farming. If an environment doesn’t provide easy access to water, organisms (in this case, humans) are inventive and find other ways to distribute the water necessary for life. Thus, moisture farming is developed on Tatooine. Luke Skywalker’s Uncle Owen’s moisture farm uses moisture vaporators. Basically, ambient air flows into the vaparator, the air comes into contact with a coiled pipe using some sort of coolant, which causes some of the moisture in the air to turn into water which is then collected and saved for later. Possible here on earth? Peru’s University of Engineering & Technology has combined atmospheric water generation and advertising. Yes, advertising. They designed a billboard which pulls water from the air, filters it, then delivers it to a cistern. Moisture farming on earth? Possible and happening!
Now. The Millennium Falcon. How can it make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs when a parsec is a unit of distance? Johnson explains it using an ant analogy. Two ants are walking at the same pace and moving from point A to point B. In the direct path is an antlion (think sarlacc). Ant 1 walks the long way around the antlion for safety. Ant 2 walks a bit closer to the antlion. Ant 2 will have traveled to point B in fewer parsecs than ant 1. Now add in varying speeds (because what would a race be if everyone was traveling at the same rate of speed?). So ant 2 is not only braver (by walking closer to the antlion) but also faster than ant 1. Voilà! The Millennium Falcon has now made the Kessel run in fewer than 12 parsecs!
How can twins, Luke and Leia, be different ages? In A New Hope, Luke is described as being 20 years old, while Leia is supposedly 18 years of age. What about Jedi mind tricks? Or the fascinating robotics of R2-D2, C-3PO, or BB-8?
For answers to these, and many other, fascinating facets of the Star Wars universe, you’ll have to check out The Physics of Star Wars! I shall share no more physics spoilers!
Resources:
Johnson, Patrick. 2017. The Physics of Star Wars : the science behind a galaxy far, far away. Avon, Massachusetts : Adams Media. Engineering Library QC75 .J64 2017
Guthrie, Julian. 2016. How to make a spaceship : a band of renegades, an epic race, and the birth of private space flight. New York : Penguin Press. Engineering Library TL795 .G88 2016
Wohlforth, Charles P. and Amanda R. Hendrix, authors. 2016. Beyond Earth : our path to a new home in the planets. New York : Pantheon Books. Engineering Library TL790 .W63 2016
Happy Star Wars Day – May the 4th Be With You! And the first Friday in May is National Space Day! So, tomorrow, May 4th, 2018, is truly a space-lover’s day! Besides a movie marathon, what better way to spend your day than by learning about what it actually takes to get to space!
Photo from “Packing for Mars.” Page 307
If you are like me you know – vaguely (read almost nil) – about how much engineering, technology, planning, creating, and training go into getting a rocket to the lift-off stage. Think of the engineering and mechanics of building a space rocket which can safely be launched into space, orbiting the earth or the moon and coming back to earth – or traveling across the galaxy to planets like Mars. How did we get to the point where we actually can put human beings into a machine and blast them into space?
Micahel is examined after his successful space flight. Photo by Robert Sisson, used with permission of the National Geographic Society. “Animals in Space,” pg 57
Between 1948 to 1960, animals, biologically speaking, were the space program. Animals were the test subjects who were used to understand the effects of acceleration and deceleration, vibration, noise, extremes in temperature, weightlessness, and all the other hazards which might be limitations to sending human beings into space. Briefly, dogs and monkeys were used in those first biological tests. Capsules were built around them and extensive training and preparation went into getting them ready for their flights. Engineering those first capsules was complicated – the engineers and scientists had to work together to design a capsule which would hold an anesthetized monkey, enough oxygen to last about 2 hours, chemicals to absorb the carbon dioxide from the breathing monkey, with enough room for the instruments needed to measure breathing and heart rate. The monkeys also needed to be chosen and prepared. Two Macaca mulatta rhesus monkeys were chosen because of high intelligence and physiological similarities to humans. The Project was dubbed “Project Albert,” although no one is quite sure why. The first capsule wasn’t pretty – it needed extra welding and caulking to be sure it was airtight, but was satisfactory! An anecdote about one of the 2 monkeys: One of the monkeys managed to escape through a broken window. Three weeks later the air force base received a letter from the Tampa City Police Station, stating they were holding a captive monkey. The wayward monkey snuck into a woman’s immaculate kitchen which surprised both her and the monkey. The monkey threw teacups and saucers at her and she chased him around her kitchen. She had to be compensated for her broken crockery and the monkey was taken into custody!
Kozyavka is readied for one of her flights in 1956. Photo from author’s collection, Colin Burgess, “Animals in Space” pg. 72.
The Russian space program worked with dogs. The dogs had to be small (between 13 & 16 pounds), and between the ages of 18 months to 6 years. They were separated by personality (i.e. restless vs lethargic), then were put through a training program to see how they would respond to situations such as small spaces, loud noises, & isolation. The dogs went through rigorous training, but also lived a rather pampered life; large wooden cages, daily walks, a well-rounded diet, and were closely monitored by a veterinarian. Here’s an anecdote about the dogs in the Russian space program: One of the dogs scheduled to fly was named Bobik. Bobik ran off the day before his scheduled flight. They quickly found a stray dog and named him ZIB – which stands for “substitute for missing dog Bobik.”
All the flights the animals took were the precursor to human beings rocketing into space. It has been said one of the biggest problem of space flight is the human machine. A person has a fluctuating metabolism, come in different sizes, needs oxygen & food, etc. . . . Planning for humans and space flight or life on a space station includes preparing for a myriad of possibilities. Ever thought about bathing in space? Gemini VII was launched on Dec. 4, 1965 as a medical “dress-rehearsal” for the Apollo program, before which there was a two-week simulation. Minimal meant “no bathing or sponging of the body, no shaving, no hair and nail grooming . . . no changing of clothes and bed linen, the use of substandard oral hygiene, and minimal use of wipes.” (Packing for Mars, pg 194). One team of subjects lived and slept in these conditions for 4 weeks. Socks and underwear deteriorated and had to be replaced. When the subjects removed their helmets (and the body odors escaped) the stench was literally nauseating. The test subjects were then ushered, one by one, into a shower and the scientists would collect the runoff for scientific analysis. (yes, really).
Now think about all the research, testing, and trials that have gone into how to handle bodily waste. . . and the training the astronauts must go through to use the space toilet. Without gravity the astronaut is actually not sitting on the toilet seat . . . And, oh yeah, there is drinking urine that has been run through a charcoal & osmosis bag… and motion sickness – are you throwing up? or down?
And food . . .The requirements for “Beef Sandwiches, Dehydrated (Bite-sized)” is six pages long . . . (the sandwich may not break when handled, and the coating must not chip or flake)….And, oh yes, the astronauts have to be willing and able to eat it…
I talked a bit about training the animals and testing to see how they would do in a confined space. Humans also have to be rigorously tested – living and working as a team in a confined space, weightlessness, and on and on. Japan has a unique and effective way of choosing teams of astronauts. For a detailed look read, “He’s Smart But His Birds Are Sloppy.” chapter 1 in Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. (I don’t think you’ll be sorry you read it – it’s quite fascinating!)
However you choose to celebrate Star Wars Day and International Space Day – think about all that goes into – and all that went before – launching a rocket, with human beings, into outer space!
This is the 48th anniversary of Earth Month® and the theme this year is Plastic Pollution. For the purposes of this blog, I’m only going to focus on marine plastic pollution. Learning about all the plastic pollution in our rivers and oceans is quite depressing and a bit scary. According to The OceanCleanup faq section – “we will never remove every last gram of plastic from the oceans.” However, they do go on to say that it is possible to facilitate a significant decrease – up to 50% – within 5 years (the web page is from 2018).
So, while this is perhaps the most depressing blog I have ever written, after I write about the seriousness of marine plastic pollution, I will present ways in which we – as individuals, communities, and corporations – can help reduce plastic pollution in our waterways and on our land.
Stop and think, really think, about all the plastic used during a day. You probably start out using a plastic toothbrush and perhaps a disposable razor. Do you use prepackaged meals (cold cuts, frozen meals, pre-cut vegetables, etc), plastic utensils when packing your lunch? Stop at the local coffee shop on your way to work or class and get a cold drink in a clear plastic cup? With a straw? Stop at the grocery store and pick up a few groceries, batteries, bottled water, and use the plastic shopping bags? Head to a local sports bar and have your drink in a plastic cup? Wash your dishes with dish soap in a plastic bottle? Have a baby or toddler? How many baby bottles, bottle nipples, and pacifiers do you have? You get the idea – I could go on and on.
Do you think about where all the plastics go when you are done with them? Hopefully you recycle as much as you can. If you use prepackaged food in plastic containers do you wash/rinse the dishes before you recycle? (did you know if you leave food in a recyclable container and put it in a recycle bin it contaminates the entire bin and everything must be dumped in a land fill? Clean your recyclables first!)
The vast majority of the plastic waste ends up in the world’s waterways and oceans. “It is only comparatively recently that the scale of marine contamination from plastics has been realised. Since plastics are light, strong, durable, and inexpensive, their usage is massive. Coupled with the fact that they can persist for centuries and are buoyant, it is perhaps not surprising that plastics make up between 60 and 80% of all marine debris.” (Marine Pollution and Human Health, pgs 84-85)
There is a sea of plastic garbage located halfway between Hawaii and California. It is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). It is the largest of 5 offshore plastic garbage zones in the world’s oceans. It is three times the size of France; two times the size of Texas. In 2015, Ocean Cleanup launched a fleet of 30 ships & boats to collect samples of the plastic in the GPGP. They collected 1.2 million plastic samples, which were hand counted, sorted, and classified by type and size. It took over 2 years to complete the classification.
Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, discovered the GPGP in 1997. Two years later he went back with a fine-mesh net and measured the weight of the plastic in comparison the weight of the plankton. He found six times more plastic than plankton. Moore notes that on Kamilo Beach in Hawaii there are more plastic particles than sand particles – until you dig a foot down. On Pagan Island (between Hawaii and the Philippines) they have a “shopping beach. If the islanders need a cigarette lighter, or some flip-flops, or a toy . . . they go down to the shopping beach and pick it out of all the trash that’s washed up there from thousands of miles away.” (Garbage and Recycling, pg. 24).
None of this includes the sheer magnitude of sea creatures and marine birds that are killed and destroyed by the 1,000s because of the pollution. I also have not mentioned that plastic is manufactured from oil, which will eventually run out. . .
Okay, that’s the tip of the garbage-berg, so to speak. Now, what can be done? As I mentioned earlier, we will never be able to remove all the plastic from the oceans. BUT we can all have an impact on preventing the plastic pollution from getting worse. Garbage and Recycling suggests we need to reuse plastic and design plastic which can be reused – very little plastic can be melted down and molded into something else. The vast majority of plastic is contaminated with chemicals, and therefore not reusable.
There are steps that can be taken by you, as the consumer. Garbage and Recycling suggests the easiest way to make a difference is to give up plastic shopping bags and plastic water bottles – these are the largest contributors to plastic pollution. When shopping for items packaged in plastic, be aware that some items are in packaged in more plastic (or cardboard…) than is necessary. It can make it more obvious on the shelf, but is not good for the environment.
Earth Day 2018 has created resources to help individuals “take a personal journey and get ready for Earth Day 2018.” Most of us have heard the 3 Rs of Recycling: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Earth Day suggests the 5 Rs of Recycling:
Reduce: Cut down on amount of plastic used. For example, carry a reusable water bottle.
Refuse: Refuse to use the plastic – check for a non-plastic alternative. Do you need a plastic straw? Bamboo and metal straws are available.
Reuse: Find products that are designed for multiple uses. Reusable shopping bags, waxed lined bags instead of sandwich bags. Purchase items made from recycled plastic (for instance, I own a door mat made from recycled flip flops)
Recycle: Check with your city’s sanitation department to find out what they accept for recycling.
Remove: This is easy. Pick up plastic trash when you see it. Participate in community clean-up days.
Garbage and Recycling suggests buying 2nd hand clothing or have a clothing swap with friends and neighbors. We don’t often think about what goes into producing our clothing. It will not only help the environment, it’s also easier on your pocketbook! It is also suggested to make art or other household projects. Try making this bottle cap lamp – find instructions here for 20 ways to reuse plastic bottles!
Known as “Mr. Trash Wheel,” this floating device sucks up plastic from polluted harbors. Photo: The Waterfront Partnership
Action is also being taken on a larger scale. Technology is helping businesses and communities become more creative with ways to clean waterways. For example, Baltimore is using “Mr. Trash Wheel,” and “Professor Trash Wheel,” which were invented by sailor and engineer John Kellett. A brewery, Saltwater Brewery, in Florida has created six-pack rings which feed marine life. They are made from beer by-products (barley & wheat) and are safe for both humans and fish to ingest. Magellan Manufacturers/We Conner have door mats made from recycled flip flops. Engineer Toby McCartney has been developing discarded plastic into asphalt which is being tested in the United Kingdom.
Photo from Earthship Global : Michael Reynolds official website.
In Garbage and Recycling we learn about an American architect, Michael Reynolds, who considers tires, bottles, and cans to be “natural resources.” He has used garbage and natural resources to design and build sustainable, self-sufficient homes called, “Earthships.” They are sturdy enough to withstand a force 9 earthquake and have been described as “magical,” and “beautiful.”
In 2009, Typhoon Ketsana flooded Taguig City in the Philippines. Water Lilies were partly to blame for the flooding – they multiply quickly and plugged drainage systems. However, a month before the typhoon hit, the city launched the Water Lily Project. The project trains residents to weave water lilies into bags, slippers, and Christmas decorations, which they can then sell, thus helping the local economy, too.
Jamil Shariff, author of 50 Green Projects for the Evil Genius, suggests paying attention to, and saving packaging which is not recyclable. Save the packaging and note where it was purchased. Then, take the packaging back to the store, ask to speak with the store manager, and explain that you think it is is not recyclable and you do not feel it is your responsibility, or the responsibility of the community, to bear the cost of recycling the packaging. An alternative method (and perhaps easier!) is to write to the manufacturer of the particular product. This can be especially effective if you state that this is why you won’t purchase the item. Companies need to sell their products and consumers who refuse to buy their products get their attention.
Want to discover how small or large your carbon footprint actually is? Go here for both an individual and small business carbon calculator.
Barnett, Sloan. 2008. Green goes with everything : simple steps to a healthier life and a cleaner planet. New York : Atria Books. Engineering Library RA770 .B37 2008
We envision a world free of plastic pollution.Algalita. Date Accessed: April 23, 2018
Other Resources:
From robotic bees to bacteria, the tech that is making for a greener tomorrow.Digital Trends : Emerging Tech. Date Accessed: April 23, 2018
Interested in learning more about whether recycling is the greener alternative when considering all the manufacturing costs? Check out the article Waste Not in New Scientist.
Waste Not. 7/22/17. New Scientist. v. 235, issue 3135, pgs. 39-43
Plastic Statistics : Plastic Ain’t so Fantastic.Ocean Crusaders. Date Accessed: April 18, 2018
For a list of plastics used in every day items, check this webpage from Robot Bonanaza
Using OpenRefine for Cleaning Up Spreadsheet Data!!!
We have joined with the Engineering Technology Centers to present a new series of classes!! The Learn & Create Xpress Classes will cover a variety of topics and are scheduled for Thursday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. in the Engineering Library Creative Space. The classes are half an hour long and are limited to 20 participants. Click on the link to register! They are also FREE!!
This Thursday, April 12, 2018, the class is Using OpenRefine for Cleaning Up Spreadsheet Data! OpenRefine is a free tool for reviewing and cleaning up spreadsheet or tabular data. Save yourself a lot of time by using OpenRefine to identify and fix problems in your tabular data. Automated functions easily and quickly handle common problems, such as splitting cells that contain multiple data values, detecting duplicates and typos, standardizing date formats, and trimming extra spaces from cells. OpenRefine also keeps track of all your steps, so you can easily reuse them or undo them if necessary.
Brian Westra from Hardin Library for the Health Sciences is the presenter!
Final Learn & Create Xpress Class:
4/19/2018: 2D & Vector Design with CorelDRAW. CorelDRAW is a vector graphics editor and image-editing software package. Learn about power that CorelDRAW gives you to create digital art! Presenters: John Kostman & Diem Nguyen, Engineering Electronic Shop.
Xpress classes are limited to 20 participants – and they are filling up! To register for each class head to the Learn & Create Xpress Classes webpage! Each class has a registration link and the option of being put on a wait list if the class is already full!
Don’t miss out on learning about OpenRefine – sign up now!
