STEM STUFF GWUOHS STEM CLUB
DANDELION SUPERNOVA A SPHERE OF
FILAMENTS AROUND A DEAD STAR
2024 FIRST EDITION
TRY IT MATH & SCIENCE
STEM CLUB PRESENTS
About Us GWUOHS STEM CLUB
STEM Club is for students who are curious about science, technology, engineering, math, and everything in between. In each meeting, we dive into fascinating topics, explore real-world applications, and discover exciting career paths in STEM. We’re also planning to bring in guest speakers and do activities that will keep things fresh and interesting. The monthly STEM STUFF will cover everything from the latest STEM news and club activities to fun STEM facts, student resources like summer camps, competitions, and challenging math and science problems.
If you’re a student who shares a love for STEM, I hope you read this and discover just how much more inspiring STEM can be!
Best regards, Editor Zoe Yoo
STEM news topic of the month
ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER COMPLEX CARBON BLOCKS IN SPACE
Carbon is essential for life on Earth and possibly in space, yet astronomers often struggle to locate the volume of carbon they expect to find in the cosmos. Recently, researchers discovered a complex molecule, 1-cyanopyrene , which challenges current understanding of where carbon-based molecules exist and how they evolve. Traditionally, scientists believed that large carbon molecules, like Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), could only form in high-energy environments , such as around dying stars. However, 1-cyanopyrene was detected in the cold Taurus Molecular Cloud-1 (TMC-1), which is only 10 degrees above absolute zero and has not yet formed stars.
This molecule, composed of four benzene rings , was identified with the NSF Green Bank Telescope, thanks to its unique rotational spectrum. PAHs like 1-cyanopyrene could account for a significant amount of carbon in space , based on their infrared emission bands. The detection in TMC-1 expands scientists’ understanding of the types of molecules that can exist in cold interstellar environments. This interdisciplinary research, involving synthetic chemists, spectroscopists, and astronomers, was critical to the discovery, as CfA's specialized microwave spectrometers were essential for precisely identifying 1-cyanopyrene’s "radio fingerprints." This finding hints that more complex molecules may be detectable in the future, pushing the boundaries of known interstellar chemistry and astrophysics.
WWW.CFA.HARVARD.EDU/NEWS/ASTRONOMERS-DISCOVER-NEW-BUILDING-BLOCKS-COMPLEX-ORGANIC-MATTER
REVELATION OF THE DANDELION SUPERNOVA REMNANTS FROM THE YEAR 1181
^ the remnant of the supernova (left) and the 3-D rendered image of the supernova (right)
For nearly six months in 1181 , people across East Asia looked to the skies and saw a bright new star in the constellation Cassiopeia, marking the rare event of a supernova explosion . It wasn’t until centuries later, in 2013, that scientists finally identified the remnants of this ancient blast. The discovery came when amateur astronomer Dana Patchick uncovered a nebula, now known as Pa 30 , through images taken by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Recent findings, however, have revealed even more striking features: filaments within Pa 30 that resemble the delicate tendrils of a dandelion , giving the supernova its new nickname, the “Dandelion Supernova.” Using advanced imaging techniques with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI), astronomers have mapped these filaments in three dimensions. The KCWI’s high-resolution “red arm” addition , which captures light from the red to infrared parts of the spectrum, allowed astronomers to measure the filaments' motion with precision.
Tim Cunningham, a NASA Hubble Fellow leading this study, explains that the filaments are moving outward at a remarkable speed of 1,000 kilometers per second. Their trajectories appear to be unaltered since the explosion in 1181, suggesting the material has expanded ballistically rather than slowing down. By tracing these velocities backward, astronomers pinpointed the explosion to nearly the exact year the supernova was first observed. This offers a rare and direct link between modern astronomical data and historical records. The explosion itself is thought to have been a Type Iax supernova , a partial explosion of a white dwarf star that left behind a “zombie star.” This incomplete explosion was likely dimmer than typical supernovae, consistent with the historical brightness observations. Despite these breakthroughs, questions remain about how the dandelion-like filaments formed. Cunningham suggests a possible “reverse shock wave” may have condensed surrounding dust, but further study is needed to confirm this theory.
WWW.CALTECH.EDU/ABOUT/NEWS/DANDELION-SUPERNOVA-REVEALED-IN-3-D
GWUOHS STEM CLUB
GWUOHS STEM CLUB
COMING SOON
November 8, 2024 | AI & technology
FOR THE MEMBERS
Join the STEM club meeting
MONTHLY DOSE OF SUMMER PROGRAMS
brat summer? more like STEM summer. 😎
RSI (Research Science Institute)
WHERE/ HOW LONG? Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, 6 weeks HOW MUCH? free of charge, including meal and housing WHICH GRADE? rising senior INTERNATIONALS? YES WHAT IS IT ABOUT? various STEM topics: mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, etc. hands-on research. APPLICATION WHEN? November (it’s open now!) ADDITIONAL INFO https://www.cee.org/programs/research-science-institute
UIUC Young Scholars STEMM research program
WHERE/ HOW LONG? University of Illionois Urbana-Champaign campus, 6 weeks HOW MUCH? free of charge, transportation NOT included WHICH GRADE? rising 10th ~ 12th INTERNATIONALS? NO (only students from IL, IN, KY, MI, and MO are eligible) WHAT IS IT ABOUT? STEMM research : cancer immunology, medicine, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, physics, quantum mechanics, bioengineering, electrical engineering, etc. APPLICATION WHEN? date to be announced ADDITIONAL INFO https://wyse.grainger.illinois.edu/summer-programs/young-scholars-summer-research
MMSS (Michigan Math and Science Scholars
WHERE/ HOW LONG? University of Michigan-Ann Arbor campus, 2/4/6 weeks (option) HOW MUCH? $1,300 for 2 weeks session, $1,000 for housing. financial aid available for MI residents WHICH GRADE? rising 10th ~ 12th INTERNATIONALS? YES WHAT IS IT ABOUT? STEAM topics: mathmematics, biology (genetics), synthetic chemistry, physics, geometry in music, etc. depends on which course but generally lecture & class > lab research APPLICATION WHEN? date to be announced ADDITIONAL INFO https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mmss/
CLEMSON CALCULUS CHALLENGE STEM COMPETITION The Clemson Calculus Challenge (CCC) is a mathematics competition designed specifically for calculus. It has two components: an individual examination given in the morning and a team competition that takes place in the afternoon. There may also be a short research presentation given by an invited speaker. Form a team of at least 3 and win $500 dollars. The CCC follows the AP Calculus AB syllabus, but has no age or prerequisite restrictions. 11 APRIL 2025 | ONLINE & IN-PERSON LEARN MORE: HTTPS://MTHSC.CLEMSON.EDU/CCC/
ASHG DNA DAY ESSAY CONTEST STEM COMPETITION The ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest invites high school students to explore complex genetics-related topics, encouraging them to think critically about the impact of genetics on society. Each year, students write essays responding to a new question about genetics, heredity, and related research or ethical implications. Winners receive cash prizes, with the top award reaching up to $1,000, along with recognition for both the students and their teachers. 6 JAN ~ 5 MAR 2025 | ONLINE LEARN MORE: HTTPS://WWW.ASHG.ORG/DNA-DAY/
PARADOX FEAT. QUANTUM MECHANICS, SPECIAL RELATIVITY The more you know: fun STEM this & that
THE TWIN PARADOX
THE GRANDFATHER PARADOX
The grandfather paradox is a classic time travel paradox that questions what would happen if someone went back in time and prevented their grandfather from meeting their grandmother, which would stop one of their parents—and therefore themselves— from being born. If they were never born, they couldn't have traveled back in time to cause this event in the first place.
The twin paradox is a thought experiment in relativity where one twin travels in a high-speed spaceship, while the other remains on Earth. Due to time dilation, predicted by Einstein’s theory of special relativity, time passes more slowly for the traveling twin. When the traveling twin returns, they are younger than the twin who stayed on Earth, illustrating how relative motion affects the passage of time.
THE BOOTSTRAP PARADOX
The bootstrap paradox is a time travel paradox where an object or information is sent back in time, becoming the original source of itself, with no clear origin. For example, if someone receives a book with information from the future and then uses that information to write the same book, the book exists without a true point of creation. This creates a loop, where cause and effect are tangled, challenging our understanding of time and causality.
ART OF PROBLEM SOLVING GIVE IT A TRY. I BET YOU CAN DO THIS
solutions to be released next month send the answers to zoey8348@gwuohs.com
IT’S A LOT EASIER THAN YOU THINK ART OF PROBLEM SOLVING
solutions to be released next month send the answers to zoey8348@gwuohs.com
SCIENCE IS MAGIC THAT WORKS. STEM CLUB LEADERS
Fernando Gutierrez Ella Delgado Zoe Yoo STEM CLUB MENTOR
Mrs. Elloree Cox
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