Scales, Of What?

Chapter 3 of Natalie Angier's The Canon, is called "Calibration: Playing With Scales" and is chock full of insight and observations related to how we measure the things in our world. These topics can be overwhelming and mind-boggling and to understand the chapter, we should start by understanding the chapter title. What is calibration and what does it have to do with measurement?

You've probably heard or used the word calibration in reference to the balances. I often ask you to check to be sure that they are calibrated. When I do, you look to see that when nothing is on the balance it reads zero. According to Wikipedia, (and yes, I am citing wikipedia, a thing I tell you never to do, but it just so happens, in this instance it gives a very good definition for calibration) calibration is:

"a comparison between measurements – one of known magnitude or correctness made or set with one device and another measurement made in as similar a way as possible with a second device. The device with the known or assigned correctness is called the standard. The second device is the unit under test (UUT), test instrument (TI), or any of several other names for the device being calibrated."

Calibration gives us a starting point or a point of comparison between measurements. We may have two different units of measurement calibrated to each other. This is where scales come in.

Angier is not talking about scales of a fish, or scales on a piano (although, scales on a piano are the same concept); she is talking about scales of reference or measurement of numbers. Something that is really tiny is on a small scale. Something that is really huge is on a large scale. All the metric conversions we have been doing are about changes of scale. Scientific notation provides a quick and easy way to change the scale of something.

OK, now that we have made sense of the title of the chapter, it is up to you to make sense of the rest of this. I invite you to post your thoughts.

Science in the Summer? Sure!

There are many wonderful summer science opportunities out there and this is the time of year when they begin accepting applications. Often these programs offer hands-on opportunities to do real science in the field. Whenever I read the descriptions I wish I was still in high school so that I could apply. Here is a sampling of some of the recent programs I have received information about:

The Huntsman Marine Science Center in St. Andrews, NB

In this program you will gain hands-on field experience collecting data for current research projects the scientists at Huntsman are working on.

The Ocean for Life Program

This program is a field research based program that is designed to inspire stewardship and a sense of interconnectedness and place. It focuses on ocean science, cultural sharing and youth media projects. (And if you get accepted, it is paid for.)

The Maine State Aquarium Junior Docent Program

For an experience a little closer to home, you can volunteer for the Maine State Aquarium. In this program you are trained to be a docent at the aquarium which means that you are the person interacting with the public, teaching them about the animals, facilitating use of the touch tank and helping out behind the scenes to feed and care for the animals.

Are you skeptical that being a research assistant during the summer won't really amount to much? Check out this story of a high school research assistant who helped a scientist make a big breakthrough in their research on North American mammals.

Scientist at Work: More Animals Found in Urban Forests

By ROLAND KAYS

Published: February 7, 2011

Camera traps show more and more varied animal life in suburbia than in wild forests.