Developing green biofuels for Australia
In times of global concern about food security, there is a serious ethical debate about using food crops and arable land for biofuel production.
The Conversation: 14 May 2012
Secondary teachers: TechNyou Nano- and Biotechnology Webinars
Dates
2 webinars over two days.
The first, nanotechnology on 16 May
The second, biotechnology on 17 May
Start times for both:
8.00 pm Eastern states
7.30 pm SA/NT
6.00 pm WA
10.00 am UTC
What and how
The webinars are being hosted by ASTA (Australian Science Teacher Assoc) Online Professional Learning and based on TechNyou’s new Science Education Resource. Each webinar will include discussion of a number of classroom activities in the Science Education Resource, plus discussion with experts, TechNyou, ASTA and the developers of the Science Education Resource.
You will need to register with the ASTA Online Learning Portal to access the webinars. It is free, simple and quick and once done you can access the other information and stuff you can read and watch to prepare for the webinar – eg watch our videos and read the relevant resource worksheets for discussion.
Registration
To register for the Nanotech webinar go here for details. To register for the Biotech webinar, go here for details.
Anyone interested in science education is welcome to establish a login on the site, and the only requirement is a valid email address.
Nanotechnology webinar 16 May
Presenter – Francesca Calati, Latrobe University and Joe Shapter, Flinders University.
This hour long seminar will open with a presentation introducing nanotechnology and its possibilities by Dr Joe Shapter, followed by Q&A and then discussion with Francesca Calati on the nanotechnology activities for the classroom below. Please review the videos and accompanying materials for each experiment and have questions ready for Francesca to address.
Videos for review
- Synthesis of gold nano particles
- Synthesis of ferro fluid
- Smart memory alloys
- Measurement of the diameter of a human hair using diffraction patterns
Biotechnology Webinar 17 May
Presenter – Jason Major, TechNyou, University of Melbourne
This hour long seminar will open with a presentation on the possibilities of biotechnology followed by discussion and Q&A on the topic and the classroom activities on biotechnology below. Please review the videos and accompanying materials for each experiment and have questions ready for Jason to address.
Videos for review
Non-toxic nanoparticle could boost medication and MRI
A bio-engineered protein-based nanoparticle capable of transporting various drugs can cross the blood brain barrier and improve MRI scans 8000 times relative to existing agents.
EurekaAlert: 1 May 2012
PLOS One paper
The $1000 genome map: do you really want to know?
The race to develop fast and affordable methods for sequencing an entire genome means the $1000 genome sequence might soon be within reach for all of us.
The Conversation: 26 April 2012
Turning up the heat on biotechnology
Scientists have inserted a foreign gene into a heat-loving microbe to create the first genetically-engineered microorganism which thrives at very high temperatures.
COSMOS: 18 April 2012
Homepage image:
Naturally occuring in hot springs hyperthermophile archae thrive at high temperatures.
Credit: veer
The strange new craft of making life from scratch
Will it be of critical importance to building the nation’s wealth, the next industrial revolution? Synthetic Biology and how it works
BBC News 26 March 2012
Inspired by nature: One-kilo boat could float 1,000 kilo
The secrets that let water striders walk on water and give wood its lightness and strength has yielded a new material so buoyant that a boat made from 1 pound of the substance could carry five kitchen refrigerators, about 1,000 pounds.
Science Daily: 25 March 2012
Device for harvesting energy and water from human waste
UK researchers will develop a prototype system for an inexpensive device for people in the developing world to generate clean water and energy from waste and a sustainable source of hydrogen energy.
Imperial College London 14 March 2012
National Plants Day. Video competition
By Jason Major
TechNyou
Attention Secondary School Teachers
An opportunity for your students to celebrate the international Fascination of Plants Day May 18th, 2012 www.plantday12.eu
The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics www.acpfg.com.au is running a national competition for Secondary School students to make a 3 minute video clip highlighting the benefits of plants and plant science. There will be prizes, and winners will be announced on Fascination of Plants Day, May 18th, 2012. TechNyou is providing some of the prizes and I will be one of the judges of the videos. If you are wondering, I believe in bribery and chocolate has worked in the past.
Some ideas
- sustainability of food production
- science in agriculture
- horticulture
- forestry, paper, timber
- chemicals
- energy, biofuels
- pharmaceuticals
- conservation
Details on how to enter can be found on the website www.acpfg.com.au/videocomp
Please help to promote this competition to students and teachers in the science/drama/media fields. We have promotional material available for distribution so you just need to email back and we’ll send it to you!
Also, look out for events in your area on the 18th of May and in the weeks leading up to this day. There will be many organisations around the country running their own activities to celebrate plants!
More info
Alison Hay
FoPD Assistant Coordinator
(on behalf of Monica Ogierman, ACPFG Education Manager and FoPD National Coordinator)
Alison Hay B.Sc (Hons)
Research Officer and Local Lab Manager (2.38)
Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Plant Genomics Centre
University of Adelaide, Waite Campus
Hartley Grove
Urrbrae
SA 5064
Phone 08 8303 6078
Fax 08 8303 7102
$1000 genome is here – or very close
A new genome sequencing technology demonstrated by Oxford Nanopore could see an entire genome sequenced in under an hour by 2013.