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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 2016)
10 Wednesday,February24,2016The Nugget Newspaper,Sisters,Oregon SCIENCE FAIR: Exhibits andcompetitions werehighlights Continued from page 1 explainedtoThe Nuggethow the BackwardBrainBicycle works. “It’ssomethingbrand-new this year, a reverse-steering bicycle. When you turn the handlebarsrightthewheels go left.And the question is: Howfarcanyourideit?And theansweris:It’simpossible toride.Yourbrainisfixedby what you know. It took the inventoreightmonthstolearn howtoridethisbicycle.And then it took him three hours to learn how to ride a nor- malbicycleagain.Youradult brain is wired-in to know what you’re supposed to know.” Sisters High School teacherJonRennerwasspot- tingridersastheytriedtheir hardest to ride that unique bicycle. “I tried the bike out and decided that it is basically impossible to ride,” Renner said. “But I noticed that for the younger kids it wasn’t quiteasimpossible.” Fair-goers could easily spot the Science club mem- bers and volunteers in their creativebicyclehelmetsthat SistersScienceClubPresident BobCollinsdesignedforeach ofthem. “My garage was full of scientificthingsthatI’vecol- lected over the years, and I putsomeofittouse,”Collins said,chuckling. Pocket billiard fans lined up to experiment with the ellipticalpooltabledesigned inacircularfashionwithjust onepocket.Itisbasedonan ellipse, which is a closed, symmetric curve shaped like and oval, which can be formedbyintersectingacone withaplanethatisnotparallel orperpendiculartothecone’s base. In other words, when youhitthecueballrightitwill alwaysendupinthepocket. SHS freshman Nancy Montecinos took time to explainwhatherdisplaywas allabout. “It’s the Myers-Briggs Personality Test. This is an independent study for those of us interested in psychol- ogy.The purpose of the test is to find your personality type,andwhyit’sunderstand- able and useful in people’s lives. People are filling out ourshortenedversionandit’s beenveryinteresting.” Theplanetariumisafavor- iteattractioneveryyear,and lookingatmoonrocksundera microscopeoverattheSisters AstronomyClubdisplaytable photo by Jodi sChneider mCnamee Mousetrap team winners Spencer Bordonaro and David Novotny. was an eye-catching experi- ence.Therewassomethingfor everyone,evenifyouweren’t asciencebuff. The Central Oregon Rocket Club had a display tablewithmodelrocketsfor viewing.Andmodelkitsfor puttingtogetherforthesmall modelrocketlaunchoutdoors inthebaseballfieldforspec- tatorstowatchattwoseparate timesduringthefair. I tried the bike out and decided that it is basically impossible to ride. But I noticed that for the younger kids it wasn’t quite as impossible. — Jon Renner Newthisyearasahands- on challenge was a bicycle wheel weighted on a long poleoragyroscopicumbrella that demonstrated angular momentum. The spinning bicycle wheelresistseffortstotiltit and point the axle in a new direction.Any rapidly spin- ningwheelexhibitsthisgyro- scopic property — and you canusethistendencytotake yourselfforaspin. “It’s really a test of cen- trifugalforce,”saidvolunteer Bonnie Malone, who was helping with the hands-on challenge. E N E R G Y n e e r i n g Solutions,Inc.,alocalcom- pany, drew a big crowd as usual with their 3D flight simulator.Youcanflyitlike you’re piloting a real plane. Manykidslineduptotrythe flight simulator to test their flyingskills. The Design, Construct, Compete(DCC)contestwasa competitionofhand-designed mousetrap cars navigating aroundbarriersandgoingthe distanceforcashprizes. TheDCCcontestwasheld inthegym,conductedbyRob Corrigan. The cars had to travelacertaindistance,then stopwithinacircle. This year there were two contests: the first was for Spirited Nights Two Events In One Night! Mon., Feb. 29 • 5 p.m. Tasty appetizers! Learn to make California Wine Class crafty Cocktails Space is Limited — Register Early Call 541-549-1082 photo by Jodi sChneider mCnamee Jon Renner spots a rider on the Backwards Brain Bicycle. elementary school students, andthiscontestwasaboutthe furthestdistance.Thewinner was Bergen Grisson and his teammate,R.J. Thefirst-placewinnerfor the middle- and high-school mousetrap car contest was the “The Noodles” with SpencerBordonaroandDavid Novotny designing the win- ningcarasateam.
