First in Combined Science in Spain 2014

Adriana C. was awarded her certificate for achieving first place in the IGCSE Combined Science exam in Spain for June 2014. This is the third consecutive year that students have managed to achieve this accolade. Let’s see how this year’s group does.

Well done to Adriana! Another achievement to add to the long list!

Physics Ig Nobel Prize for Slippery Banana Research

We all know what will probably happen to us if we have the misfortune of stepping on a banana peel; we will end up lying on the floor with a sore bottom. But does anyone know the reason why?

Kiyoshi Mabuchi and his Japanese team decided to do some research on the subject by measuring the friction of banana skins in the lab and demonstrated why other fruit skins (such as orange and apple’s) aren't as perilous.

The Japanese scientists were awarded with the physics Ig Nobel for their research. Ig Nobel Prizes are a parody of the famous Nobel Prizes and are organized every year by the scientific humour magazine Annals of Improbable Science (AIR). Prizes are given out in an annual ceremony early in October at Harvard University and they honour research that “first makes people laugh and then makes them think”.

Although, at first, the investigation may seem slightly absurd and meaningless, it actually has much more to it than we would have ever thought. The team are interested in how lubrication and friction affect the movement of our limbs. What gives banana skins their slippery properties are polysaccharide follicular gels, which are also present in the membranes where our bones meet. They believe that this concept may be useful and relevant in devising a joint prosthesis.  

If you are interested, information on all 2014 winners is available in the following link:Ig Nobel winners 2014 . There are very interesting and surprising projects worth giving a look! 

Bojos per les Partícules

Els dies 29 i 31 de maig al CCCB dins del programa DOCSBARCELONA  i el 5 de juny als Cinemes Aribau Club de Barcelona es presenta el documental "Bojos per les Partí­cules", un documental on s'explica  el LHC, l'accelerador de partícules que ha detectat la partícula de Gibbs, la màquina més gran creada per l'home, i com són les persones que hi treballen en aquest projecte.  

En aquests enllaços podeu trobar informació més detallada

• Bojos per les Partícules a el Documental del Mes

Family Day 2014 in the Science labs

To Oak House School family day 2014!!!

Have you been to the Science labs yet?

Look at the Torre and look right and there we are! Come and see us!

In Drosophila, on the right, we have work that has been presented by our 1st and 2nd ESO students, both in their Science classes and their enrichment afternoons. Also lots of cool experiments for you to try, even the Van der Graaf (shocking!)

In Gaudí, in the middle, we have robots, models, bridges and bizarre applications of physics. This is work presented by 2nd ESO and 4th ESO technology and 4th ESO Physics students.

On the right we have Marie Curie. Outside, where it's hopefully shady, you will find the poster presentations for the first ever Oak House School Science Fair. Have a look, decide the winner and learn some cool Science. Inside you will discover lots of things to interact with and to learn from. Also there will be demonstration experiments every half an hour as follows:

Time	Demonstration
10:30	Exploding bubbles
11:00	Electrostatics
12:00	Burning Money
12:30	Flour bomb
13:00	Volcano

Come and see us, have a chat and see some Science!!

Google Science Fair 2014

Un any més Goolge convoca el certamen de ciència Google Science Fair on es poden presentar projectes científics. El concurs va adreçat a persones de tot el món amb edats compreses entre els 13 i els 18 anys, i els premis són força variats.

La data límit per presentar projectes és el 12 de maig. Aquí podeu trobar algunes de les propostes d'altres anys.