Week of January 4, 2004

Dino Explorers

Be part of Project Explor-ation, a program giving kids hands-on, scientific research experience at www.projectexploration.org. In Kids' Work, you can read about Hugo Pelayo, a junior paleontologist, and other students who are involved in dinosaur digs. An interactive map allows you to see where people have recently discovered dinosaur bones. Analyze the work of Dr. Paul Sereno’s crew of paleontologists with field updates and photographs from dig sites.

Nominate a cool Web site at https://4Kids.org/nominations/

Going Greek

Learn about The Greeks, a civilization that changed the Western world, at www.pbs.org/empires/ thegreeks. An interactive tour of the Acropolis tells about its architectural significance. Experience what life was like for people living in ancient Athens. You’ll meet famous Greeks who helped shape the history of ancient Greece, including Cleisthenes, who established democracy in Athens. Catch a glimpse of Socrates’ life before he was killed for refusing to abandon his principles.

The Highest View on Earth

Conquer the world’s tallest mountain with Sir George Everest and other members of Britain’s Royal Geographic Society. At Imaging Everest at http://imagingeverest.rgs.org, you will get up close and personal with the icy landscape and warmhearted people of the Himalayas. Sherpas are well known for their ability to endure the harsh Himalayan climate and for their willingness to guide climbers. In Religion in Tibet and Nepal, read how Buddhist devotion inspired Tenzing Norgay to climb Mt. Everest and to make an offering when he reached the highest peak.

	Stop and Smell the Smells When you enter a bakery, you recognize the smell of fresh bread and cinnamon rolls because your olfactory system is active. The olfactory system allows us to smell and recognize scents. Nerve endings attached to tiny hairlike cilia catch molecules that enter the nose. The cilia send a signal through the nerves to the olfactory bulb of the brain. The bulb receives the signal and recognizes the molecule that is caught in the nose. Psychology researchers are learning about smell and its relationship to memories. Go to www.hhmi.org/senses/d130.html to read about recent smell perception research. Not only does the brain remember smells, but it also seems to link smells with certain memories. For example, the smell of banana bread at a bakery may trigger a memory of making banana nut muffins with your grandma. Let your nose take you on a trip down memory lane by noticing all the scents you encounter today and enjoying each of them. Whether it’s perfume from someone walking by or fresh rain on a spring morning, the smells you smell are bound to remind you of good times past. — Amy Ask Amy a Question

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