STEAM Saturday
Solar Probes and Turbine Blades
January 8, 2022
STEAM Saturday debuts! This time, with solar probes, turbine blades, and composting humans.
NASA – NASA Enters the Solar Atmosphere for the First Time, Bringing New Discoveries (Dec 14, 2021)
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe entered the Sun’s atmosphere and sampled particles and magnetic fields.
Business Insider – How one company keeps wind turbine blades out of landfills (Dec 10, 2021)
Wind turbine blades are notoriously difficult to recycle. One company has a solution, but is it the right one?
BBC News – Scotland to ban most single-use plastic from June 2022 (Nov 11, 2021/Jan 4, 2022)
The legislation will ban the use of plastic cutlery, drink stirrers and food containers made from expanded polystyrene. An exemption will be in place for people who need plastic straws for medical reasons or to ensure they can continue to live independently. Scotland is the first UK nation to pursue the ban.
TED-Ed – Blood, concrete, and dynamite: Building the Hoover Dam (Dec 23, 2021)
The engineering of the Hoover Dam, a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Colorado River in the southwestern United States, in five minutes.
It’s Okay to Be Smart – A PBS Digital Studios science show hosted by Dr. Joe Hanson (Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology).
Physics Girl – Hosted by Dianna Cowern, a science communicator and physics alumna from MIT, this show was part of PBS Digital Studios until 2020. She uses her platform to explore complex physics, astronomy, and science-related topics in simple terms.
Ask a Mortician – Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, author, blogger, and YouTube personality known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of Western funeral industry practices. You got death questions, she’s got death answers. Ask a Mortician was suggested by Sue Kisenwether. [S]
NASA – James Webb Telescope
The James Webb Telescope has launched and you can keep track of its progress courtest of the Goddard Space Flight Center. Named after James E. Webb, the administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968 who played an integral role in the Apollo program, the telescope is intended to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA’s flagship mission in astrophysics.
Practical Engineering – Grady Hillhouse is a civil engineer in San Antonio, Texas. His channel aims to increase exposure and interest in the field of engineering by highlighting the connection between the world around us and the energy, passion, and thought that goes into making it a nicer place to live.
Mark Rober – An engineer and inventor, Mark Rober presents popular science concepts and do-it-yourself gadgets in easy-to-understand terms. He was previously a NASA engineer (where he worked on the Curiosity rover) and a product designer at Apple’s Special Projects Group (where he authored patents involving virtual reality in self-driving cars). One of his best known series involves the development of a glitter bomb to combat porch pirates and internet scammers.
Nick Zammeti – A woodturner and artist based in the United Kingdom, Nick Zammeti thrives in funky and creative projects fueled by a healthy love of pop culture, especially Back to the Future. [A]
The Smugglers Room – Building something out of nothing with a Star Wars flair is the order of the day in the Smugglers Room.
Moonpie Creations – Ken is a woodworker and creator who likes to have fun. A combat veteran, he uses his tools as a way to relax and deal with everyday stress. He loves to try new things, think outside the box, and stay cool.
JackJack – YouTuber JackJack is based in the United Kingdom and does phenomenal work with models and resin.
PF Woodturning – Peggy Farrington is a woodturner from Maine who allows the wood to speak for itself as she crafts it into works of art.
Veritasium – A combination of the Latin for truth, veritas, and the suffix common to many elements, -ium, this show is literally an element of truth. It is hosted by Australian-Canadian science communicator, filmmaker, and inventor Derek Muller (Ph.D., Physics Education Research). [S]
Emmymade – Whether it’s trying to figure out if it’s really worth it to wait a hundred hours for a batch of brownies, finding out what Ranch gummies or giant centipedes taste like, making mayonnaise from a vintage gadget, or tasting desserts and dishes from around the world, Emmy wants to learn about our world through food.
Smarter Every Day – Mechanical engineer and aerospace engineer Destin Sandlin explores the world using science in this series. He was one of three YouTube personalities chosen to conduct a one-on-one interview with President Barack Obama after his final State of the Union address. His secondary channel provides additional details and interviews to supplement his primary channel’s videos.
Frank Howarth – A Portland, Oregon based architect and woodworker, Frank Howarth uses stop-motion animation to demonstrate his design and building process for a variety of projects and art pieces.
I Like To Make Stuff – Bob Clagett likes to make stuff, whether it be home renovations, fixing up a vintage car, or building an astromech droid.
Sam the Cooking Guy – Sam Zien is a Canadian-born television cook, restaurateur, and cookbook author Based in San Diego, California, his often-irreverent cooking channel on YouTube focuses on the simple fact that everyone can cook. He makes it easy and fun.
If you have any suggestions for STEAM Saturday, please leave them below in the comments. Thanks for stopping by. I hope that something inspired you to get out there and explore the universe.
STEAM Saturday is a periodic celebration of curiosity and imagination through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, the very building blocks of the universe around us.
For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.
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