Technologys Child

How did forgetting to wash a jar make cars safer? A scientist named Édouard Bénédictus accidentally dropped a plastic-coated flask that did not break. This invention was tested and engineered to help today's windshields protect drivers better.

People have always liked to know what's going on in the outside world. Today we can instantly access the news through the Internet. But how did people get the news before cell phones and TV? From ancient Rome to newspapers and telegraph machines, this story takes a brief look at how people have gotten the news throughout history.

When Thomas Edison was a boy, he loved performing experiments and coming up with new inventions. His curiosity sometimes got him in trouble, though, like when he accidentally burned down his dad’s barn! By the time he turned 12, he had found ways to make a living by learning how to print newspapers and send telegraphs in Detroit, Michigan. Imagine what he did as an adult!

Have you ever gotten bored when the weather is too bad to go outside for recess? Bored students and bad weather inspired James Naismith to invent the game of basketball in the late 19th century. Using a soccer ball and peach baskets, Professor Naismith worked out the rules of the new sport at the local YMCA.

Many things look very different seen up close. To us, the sun is a giant ball of light in the sky, but to other solar systems, it might look like just another star! Those tiny lights you see in the night sky are what our sun might look like from another planet far out in space. The sun gives light and energy to our entire solar system, and is necessary for many other things. Can you name them all?

Why does a baseball travel much faster when hit with a bat than if pitched? Learn how force is applied in this fun experiment! Using a marker, a ruler, and a can, you can perform your own lever experiments. You'll understand the power of weight, such as how a balance beam operates, but on a smaller scale, while learning about the science behind balance.

A bicycle is a fun and efficient way to get from one place to another. But have you ever wondered what parts make up a bike? Some bikes have hand lever brakes while others do not. Riders with more experience usually set their seats a bit higher than those with less experience.

What comes to mind with you think of fungi? Is it mushrooms, or perhaps mildew? Mold and yeast are fungi, too! Learn all about how fungi reproduce with spores, and how their bodies are made up of mycelium!

Kaboom! Find out how explosions are used to demolish large buildings. Demolition experts say it's the safest way. Learn why!

Did you know hot air balloons were dreamed up by a French boy in the 1700s? Joseph Montgolfier devoted his life to experiments that he hoped would allow him to fly. With the help of his little brother, his invention allowed humans to fly for the first time in history!

Have you ever wondered how the Hoover Dam was built? Follow along as the Colorado River itself tells you its story! A lot of work went into the construction of this giant dam, but it was worth it—we now have Lake Mead and a way of converting the river’s energy into electricity!

Do your shoes fasten with Velcro straps? Have you ever wondered where this strange invention comes from? Sometimes nature provides excellent inspiration for new solutions! Plant burs stuck in his dog's fur gave Swiss engineer George de Mestral a good idea.

Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? As one of the world’s seven wonders, millions of people have visited this landmark. Have you ever wondered how it was formed? Learn how the 3 "R"s- Rock, Rivers, & Erosion, have led to the formation of the Grand Canyon and the changes it undergoes in present day.

From water, to paint, to breakfast cereal, who could have guessed that all of these things have metal in them? There's metal all around! This story includes a fun experiment to pull iron out of cereal.

Tugboats are tiny boats that fill a big role. Kids will discover how tugboat push and pull larger boats, like barges, through narrow waterways. Using a thick, strong rope, the tugboat guides big cargo boats through the harbor by helping to turn them.

Have you ever wondered how a river forms, which animals live near rivers, or where those rivers lead? Rivers are a vital part of life and the ecosystem. Rivers help transport water to humans and animals as well. It can also be used to create energy. Water from rivers can end up in many different places downstream!

Follow along with this class as they explore a creek near their school in Pennsylvania! They want to learn about the water and its ecosystem, so they perform a survey to determine its quality and biota. What do you think they will find?

Aluminum was once more valuable than gold. A breakthrough in refining aluminum from rock transformed it from rare matter to sandwich wrapper. In this science story, you'll learn how two chemists, Charles Hall and Paul Héroult, solved the problem.

Where do all the metals on earth come from? They were all made by stars! In this science story, you'll discover how the fusion of atoms in dying stars in space creates enough heat and energy to make metals.

Follow along this brief history of the pursuit of perpetual motion machines and how this endeavor led to the laws of physics we have today. From Robert Park's generator-rigged bicycle, to Robert Fludd's self-running bicycle, to the steam engines of the 19th century, these stories offer a peek into some of mankind's successes and failures when it comes to the exploration of science and advancement.