Look Up! Educator Network

"Engineering Units and Lessons"

""Out of the box smartphones offer capabilities needed for satellites, including fast processors, versatile operating systems, multiple miniature sensors, high resolution cameras, GPS receivers and several radios," said NASA. Add to all of those components the fact that cellphones are built to take a beating, and you can see why NASA has faith in the fact that these "PhoneSats" could bring about a new era of cheap space and earth science."

"It's called the Loopwheel, and its system of "tangential suspension"-essentially leaf springs folded back in on themselves-are not only workable, but they provide a gentler ride over sharp obstacles due to physics:"

"Discover the world of engineering for kids with our range of free games, cool science fair projects, fun experiments, interesting facts, amazing videos, quizzes, worksheets and more! Learn about bridges, buildings, electricity, flight and all kinds of interesting engineering topics. As well as activities for children, there are also lesson plans teachers, ideas for parents and free teaching resources for anyone interested in engineering and learning about science online."

"Learn about the properties of materials as you experiment with a variety of objects in this great science activity for kids. Discover the interesting characteristics of materials; are they flexible, waterproof, strong or transparent?"

"loads of stuff for you here. Some is just fun (like jokes, quizzes and games) and some is more serious... about things like Energy, Pollution, Climate change, Life in danger, Eating the future, Whose genes? Who owns life, Food and Planet Earth's nine lives: Our planet's limits."

"Watch how engineers are crossing engineering disciplines and industries to apply computing, technology, math and science to solve complex world problems. The video encourages viewers to think about how the 1.6 million engineers worldwide are behind some of the greatest innovations and inventions of modern times."

"10 of the Best Online Programming Tools for Students"

While early adopters were quick to jump on the renewable energy bandwagon for sustainability reasons, the rising cost of traditional energy has spurred growth in wind and solar.

"All magnetic fields are produced by moving or spinning charged particles…somewhere Magnetism is a force in nature that is produced by electric fields in motion. This movement can involve electrons 'spinning' around atomic nuclei, flowing through a conducting wire, or ions moving through space in an organized stream. The remarkable thing is that whenever a charged particle moves, the electric field it produces is also moving through space, and it is this moving electric field that is detected as a magnetic field. "

"Mary Kies was the first American woman to earn a patent in her own name. In 1809, she developed a way of weaving straw into hats that was an economic boon for New England. By receiving that piece of paper with her name on it, Kies led the way for other female inventors to take credit for their ideas. In this article, we'll salute 10 things invented by women."

"But as energy demand climbs, so have efforts to turn wind into a viable option for producing electricity on a large scale. Wind turbines in particular are what people think of when discussing wind power. These turbines can measure more than 400 feet (122 meters) tall and weigh in at close to 400 tons."

" The device uses layers of ultrathin materials that can make its wings flap 120 times a second, which is on a par with a housefly's flapping rate. This "required tremendous innovation in design and fabrication techniques", he adds. The robot's wings are composed of thin polyester films reinforced with carbon fibre ribs and its 'muscles' are made from piezoelectric crystals, which shrink or stretch depending on the voltage applied to them."

lots of ideas to give teachers a boost through the last weeks of the school year

"these last few weeks can be exhilarating for teachers, too, using lessons and activities that capture middle graders' energy, stretch their minds and engage their attention. Below are ideas shared by educators to do just that."

The Physics of Sailing Northern California has a storied, 500-year history of sailing. But despite this rich heritage, scientists and boat designers continue to learn more each day about what makes a sail boat move. Contrary to what you might expect, the physics of sailing still present some mysteries to modern sailors."

"In the future, ophthalmologists may be able to inject Prof. Nelson's microrobots into a patient's eye to progressively monitor the levels of oxygen within their retinas, potentially fending off blindness."

The Navy's UAV, the X-47B successfully performed a cable assist landing - its first simulated aircraft carrier landing. It takes off, flies and lands within a few feet of its predicted path. In the coming months the Navy will begin testing the X-47B in live carrier landing test.