There's more to a hot chook than herbs and spices
Published on 22 January, 2004
Budding young scientists attending the Siemens Science Experience at Central Queensland University Rockhampton may not look at KFC or Red Rooster the same way again.
CQU’s Dr Bob Newby served up an exciting practical workshop titled ‘Flights of Fancy’ for some of the 50 students visiting campus this week.
Dr Newby said the session gave students an opportunity to investigate some of the macroscopic and microscopic features of successful flying animals. Students dissected a cooked chicken wing, identifying the bones that contribute to their ability to fly.
Flight is a remarkable method of travel that has only been perfected by relatively few classes of animals. Wings and flight therefore provide an interesting example of exploring the themes of analogy and homology in biology.
‘Heavy Breathing and Sweaty Bodies’ was another workshop that intrigued the year 10 participants.
Students observed, participated and experienced physical capacity testing for both aerobic and anaerobic performance.
Aerobic performance testing was performed on a wired exercise cycle, with a student riding until they displayed fatigue. Expired gasses were then analysed online as the subject breathed through a mouthpiece.
Anaerobic testing involved 10 and 30-second maximal cycle effort to determine peak power output and to calculate fatigue.
Students were on-campus as part of the three-day Siemens Science Summer Experience 2004.
Hosted by CQU, the school has been developed to provide students starting year 10 with some hands-on experience in science and technology-based fields.
Other exciting workshops students will participated in included tissue culture, electronics, engineering and artificial intelligence/robotics.
Students from Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Blackwater, Moura, Emerald, Chinchilla, Biloela, Dalby and Yeppoon are taking part in the school.
Photo above: Clare Buckley (The Cathedral College), Samantha Lo Monaco (Rockhampton Grammar School) and Lucia Dixon (Rockhampton Grammar School) dissected a cooked chicken wing as part of the ‘Flights of Fancy’ workshop during Siemens Science Experience this week.
Photo left: Lauren Jeffery (Rockhampton Grammar School) and Benjamin Grading (Blackwater State High School) monitor Sandy Graham’s (Chanel College, Gladstone) aerobic performance during a workshop at today’s Siemen’s Science Experience.