The Scientific Method --- Science Blog Post

     The Scientific Method was developed during the 20th century to explain a process where science is carried out.  It has it has 6 steps: Form A Question, Hypothesis, Experiment, Collect Data, Analyze, Conclusion.

     Forming A Question is the first step.  Without it, there would be no reason to to follow this method.  For example, lets pretend you decide to answer the question Does Alfalfa Grass Grow Better In Freshwater Or Saltwater. Now you are ready to form a hypothesis.

    A hypothesis is an educated guess based on your prior knowledge.  You should ask yourself, what do I know about plants? One answer might be that plants grow quickly in places that receive lots of rain, and rain is freshwater.  So, your hypothesis might be: Alfalfa Grows Better In Freshwater.  

    Now you have to test it.  There are many different elements in an experiment, including variables, controls, and procedures.  After carefully planning what materials you are going to use and the steps you will follow, start the experiment.  

Materials:

1. 2 flower pots (1 for freshwater plant, 1 for saltwater plant)
2. Alfalfa seeds
3. 420 milliliters of freshwater water
4. 3 weeks of time
5. 420 milliliters of saltwater

Steps:

1. Set all of the plants on a table by the window
2. Give each plant 10 milliliters of water per day
3. Record the Alfalfa's growth once a week

Variable (There is only one variable per experiment.  Changing too many things will cause confusion):

1. Type of Water

Controls:

1. Time
2. Amount of water
3. Type of plant
4. Location

    During the experiment, you must collect and record the data.  It might be helpful to record this information on a table or a graph.  Also, repeating the experiment multiple times will lead you to more accurate data.

Week	Freshwater Height (cm)	Saltwater Height (cm)
1	1	0.25
2	1.5	0.3
3	2	0.35

    Now you have to analyze the data and form a conclusion.  After analyzing the results, you can form a conclusion.  For this experiment, you can conclude that Alfalfa seeds grow faster in freshwater than saltwater.   

Scott Kelly's Year In Space: How The Body Changes--- Science Blog Post

American astronaut Scott Kelly finally returned home from his Year In Space on March 3, 2016.  Now, researchers are in the process of monitoring his health, seeking to understand the effects of the body in space.  So, what exactly are the effects that scientists are trying to understand?

One effect is that astronaut’s bones become brittle, as astronauts do not walk in space.  Because of this, the bones release calcium.  Calcium makes your bones strong.  This release creates an increased risk of kidney stone formation, and bone fractures.

Also, in space, astronauts don't use their muscles like they do on Earth, leading to weaker muscles.  This is why astronauts are put in wheeled-chairs for a while.  They need time to get used to gravity!  Speaking of weaker muscles, an astronaut’s heart can become smaller because the heart doesn’t have to work as hard in space.    

Puffy faces and legs also occur.  This happens because, while astronauts are enjoying their time in space, blood flows more in the upper part of the body as opposed to the lower half.

Also, part of your inner eye using gravity to correct your sense of balance. Again, there is no gravity in space.  When first coming back to Earth, astronauts may endure things like loss of direction, space motion sickness, and disorientation.

Astronauts being exposed to radiation is very common in space, leading to an increased risk of cancer and cataracts.  

Also, the astronaut’s body clock gets a bit messed up.  It takes time to readjust to the light and dark hours of Earth.

Finally, astronauts get a bit taller during their stay in space.  The vertebrae in your spinal cord spreads out a bit in the absence of gravity.  Scott Kelly can back to Earth temporarily 2 inches taller than when he left! I say temporarily because gravity will eventually correct this.

Through there are many risks that come with space, but maybe someday in the future we will be able to conquer them and expand the human race to Mars and beyond! #YearInSpace #MissionToMars #NASA #InternationalSpaceStation

For More Information, Visit:  http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/nasa-s-scott-kelly-grew-2-inches-body-after-year-n530456