Copernicus Channel Guide — July 1999

Can you tell a human embryo from a dog embryo? Probably not since all vertebrate embryos look nearly identical. Do you know how to spot an oncoming storm? Just watch the clouds for clues.#

Unable to reach a compromise before Wednesday's midnight deadline, Northern Ireland rivals in the Protestant Ulster Unionist Party and the Catholic IRA-linked Sinn Fein Party thwarted further progress toward establishing a Protestant-Catholic government.#

S.Y.M.O.N. is no longer so simple, not at "Speak Your Mind On The Net" where teens write for other teens. Be heard, and submit your original poems, articles, stories, and more.#

At the U.S. State and Local Gateway, you'll find federal educational publications, statistics, and the results of federally-funded educational studies. Apply for a grant, or keep up-to-date on legislation that may affect your school.#

What did Thomas Jefferson do to fill his days after retiring from politics? During a day in the life of Jefferson, he wrote many letters, devised new inventions, entertained guests, and more. How does sunscreen work to protect your skin on sunny summer days? By absorbing the ultraviolet light that causes sunburn.#

A new public opinion poll reveals that while U.S. citizens have become increasingly protective of their flag, they only slimly endorse a Constitutional amendment to ban flag burning and are even less supportive today of freedom of the press than in 1977.#

From the depths of the Mediterranean Sea, explorers are rescuing the ruins of Alexandria, famed home of Cleopatra. Hear what they have to say about the centuries-old artifacts already retrieved from the sea's floor.#

Each year, Americans and American businesses produce over 200 million tons of garbage, much of which is recyclable. Discover what you can do locally to make an environmental impact throughout the world.#

What do sandcastles and bridges have in common? Interstitial liquid bridges are what hold sand molecules in sandcastles together. Why did Thomas Jefferson not want to use the bald eagle as a U.S. symbol? Because he thought it was of bad moral character; he preferred the wild turkey.#

Gathering Sunday in Philadelphia for the "Photo of the Century" 112 people celebrated birthdays they share in common with each other and the nation; each one is an Independence Day baby, born on the Fourth of July between 1900 and 1999.#

If school reform is on your agenda, McREL can help. Check out their articles, products, and book reviews, all geared toward improving academic standards.#

Not sure what your kid is saying? Translate today's slang into plain English.#

The National Association for Independent Schools offers workshops, publications, and more. If you teach at or administer an independent school, stop by this comprehensive website.#

Make ice cream the old-fashioned way -- in a can! You'll need cream, sugar, vanilla, ice, rock salt, and a lot of muscle.#

With the Epson Stylus Photo 750 Inkjetprinter, you can process and print your own film, even without a darkroom. Protect your PC from viruses and the Y2K bug, safely clean your hard drive, and prevent system crashes, all with McAfee Office 2000.#

What three pounds are most important to your body? Your brain. Though it accounts for only 2% of your body weight, it controls everything you do. Did you know that flowers can speak? Throughout history, people have used the language of flowers to send coded messages.#

Time is running out for rival parties in Northern Ireland who have only 10 days to make good on last year's Good Friday peace accord and realize their goal of self-government.#

Explore the 4,500 miles of the Great Wall of China and become an expert on the dynasties that built this physical and cultural phenomenon.#

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America offers guidance and accurate information for parents on the best way to approach their kids about drug abuse.#

How do you make art from mathematical equations? M.C. Escher used patterns drawn from numerical formulas to fill his canvas. A black hole is similar to what household appliance? It is like a vacuum cleaner that sucks up space and time.#

While corporate America concentrates on setting up suburban shops, it may be missing out on the chance to cash in on inner cities where residents have more money to spend than local stores in which to spend it.#

With its comprehensive list of educational Internet resources, the Library in the Sky has something for everyone this summer. Teachers working on fall lesson plans, bored students, and exasperated parents will all find fun projects and useful information at this Net compilation.#

Take your family on a monster ride on one of 100 new roller coasters constructed this year alone.#

What is the largest airship flying in the U.S. today? A 200-foot long blimp. What creature is more than 95% water? A jellyfish.#

As the World Wide Web swells, search engines are lagging behind -- indexing a decreasing amount of sites and taking longer to list new sites -- which means that even the most comprehensive search engine covers only one-sixth of the pages on the Web.#

Teachers who want new ideas for their tired lesson plans will find Learning Center a terrific resource for improving curriculum standards and creating exciting classroom projects. Parents and kids should also check out the Voyager Adventure Station, as well as our other links, to keep the summer fun.#

Participate in discussion groups, go to friendly chat areas, or find an electronic pen pal, locally or from across the world.#

How do your school's academic standards measure up and what can you do to foster improvement? Many federal and state agencies publish free information for school communities, and the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education is a great resource. Even if your school isn't part of a localized Copernicus community, School Biz offers valuable information for educators and parents alike.#

Though school's out, continue your child's education "after the bell." Read movie and music reviews, conduct science experiments from home, or even plan your entire family vacation online using our featured family resources.#

Just because you can't travel to Washington D.C. this summer doesn't mean you can't tour the nation's monuments and historical sites while saving your feet the walking.#

How fast can a shark swim? Up to 60 miles an hour. Where was Leonardo da Vinci born? In Vinci, Italy, of course.#

Today, as the Senate deliberates over a patient's bill of rights, it will wrestle with the issue of who determines what treatment is "medically necessary," a question central to current debates over managed-care medicine.#

Did Pythagoras develop the Pythagorean theorem? Maybe not; his followers may have created the formula. Which Peanuts comic strip character first appeared today in 1954? Grubby buddy Pig Pen.#

When sworn in to the Supreme Court, justices promise to uphold justice, democracy, and freedom, but they do not pledge to produce great literature -- or even good writing -- in the process, as critics of the Court's dense prose point out.#

It might take some adjusting to get used to your new home: a 14th century castle, especially since it's haunted with ghosts. Explore your new abode from the gatehouse to the dungeon, but beware of invisible inhabitants.#

What famous author is being applauded in centennial celebrations this year? Ernest Hemingway. How many new or rebuilt roller coasters are opening this summer? 100.#

Poised to revolutionize the health care industry, the Web is emerging as a major source of medical information for patients, 22 million of whom searched the Internet last year to find answers to their questions about illnesses and treatment options.#

NASA officials deny that their new project, Deep Impact, is named after last year's movie, but the plan to explore the inside of a comet by smashing it and then studying the left-over debris sounds like science-fiction fantasy.#

How do iguanas protect themselves from enemies? Using their razor-sharp tails. What skateboarding technique do skaters use to hop over curbs, bushes, and little dogs? The ollie.#

Eileen Collins, the first female spacecraft pilot, will soon make history again as the first woman to command a space mission when she takes control of the Columbia space shuttle mission scheduled to begin Tuesday.#

Why is the Bible called the Bible? Because of the paper on which it was written. Before deciding to build the capital city in Washington, D.C., in which state did people suggest it be built? New York.#

Continuing a decline that began 7 years ago, U.S. citizens reported a 7% drop in violent crime and an 11.4% drop in property crime, indicating that both of these crime rates are at their lowest levels since 1973.#

With just 6.5 seconds remaining in the countdown, NASA engineers aborted the space shuttle Columbia's launch yesterday because of an abnormally high and potentially dangerous concentration of hydrogen gas in the engine compartment.#

What do you call the skin that hangs under a turkey's bill? The wattle. Through what continent does the Amazon River flow? South America.#

Alarming the world community, Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui looks poised to spark war with China if he moves on his plan to declare Taiwan an independent country free from Chinese rule.#

Is seal a mammal? A seal is a special mammal called a marine mammal. How many immigrants passed through Ellis Island in the early 20th century? 12 million.#

Though rarely thought of as such, the Internet is a tool of social revolution, one that shifts power from institutions to individuals by giving people the freedom to control what they experience. But can all this democracy and autonomy backfire?#

Of the 10,000 Kosovo refugees who fled their war-torn homeland for safety in the U.S., nearly one-third want to go home when free government flights to Kosovo begin on Monday.#

Which vitamin helps you see in the dark? Vitamin A. What was Florence Nightingale's nickname? The Lady with the Lamp.#

According to NASA officials, the Columbia space shuttle fell 7 miles short of reaching its intended orbit because of a hydrogen fuel leak in the main engine which, if more serious, could have forced an unprecedented emergency landing.#

By winning cycling's prestigious Tour de France race on Sunday, Lance Armstrong proved that it is possible to beat cancer with medical treatment, spiritual strength, and perseverance.#

How many dimensions does a hologram have? 3. For what model is the astronomer Copernicus famous? The heliocentric model of the universe.#

Instead of suffering through a shot, people will be able protect themselves from getting the flu this winter by using a special breath inhaler.#

Laws already on the books to regulate political campaigning may soon be used to govern Web politicking, a move some opponents warn will unfairly constrain free speech on the Internet.#

How many chicken eggs does it take to equal the volume of one ostrich egg? Two dozen. What do you call a thin strip of land that connects two larger land masses? An isthmus.#

Next week, NASA researchers will go full speed ahead, literally, with their plan to search for water on the moon by smashing a crater with a spacecraft traveling 3,800 mph in the hopes of releasing water vapor from ice locked in the frozen soil.#