A Week of Science and Discovery

A Week of Science and Discovery

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We as EtonSTEM are delighted to announce that it is the start of British Science Week, which is a ten-day celebration for anything and everything STEM. Throughout the week, we’ll be exploring fascinating science news and showcasing how STEM shapes the world around us.

Stay tuned for daily activities, fun facts, and ways to put your problem-solving skills to the test. Let’s make this a week of discovery, innovation, and curiosity!

This Year's Theme: Adapt and Change

Credit: The Team

Every year, British Science Week brings a new theme to spark curiosity and creativity in science. This year’s theme focuses on Adapt and Change, prompting us to think about how STEM will change our world in the future. Here are some exciting ways you can get involved and make a difference during this year's celebration of scientific discovery:

  • Pursue That One Passion: follow the idea in the back of your head about building a robot, conducting an experiment in the lab and anything else
  • Try Something New: experiment around with AI, pursue a new skill and learn from others who have done amazing things
  • Challenges With Your Friends: the egg drop challenge, marshmallow tower and paper airplane challenge all test areas of STEM including engineering and physics

On This Day:

The Birth of Einstein: the Start of a New Scientific Era

By Kevin Li • Published 8 Mar 2025 at 4:44pm


We all know Albert Einstein was a revolutionary theoretical physicist, who made breakthroughs in our understanding of space, time and gravity. However, you might not have known just how smart he was.

Born on March 10th, 1879 in Germany to a middle-class Jewish family, Einstein quickly showed his prowess by discovering an original proof of the Pythagorean theorem before the age of 13.

Outside the lab, Einstein was a passionate civil rights advocate, who often spoke out against the world’s pressing issues. This day marks the birth of a genius, activist and a global icon in the world of science. 

In the year 1905, Einstein first published a collection of four papers which revolutionalized science, the called Annalen der Physik journal: inside one was his renowned E=mc^2 formula.

Annalen der Physik by Albert Einstein (1905)

This formula shows how energy (E) and mass (m) are interchangeable, meaning that mass can be converted into energy and vice versa. This discovery has had a profound impact on the field of nuclear science, regarding nuclear weapons, radiotherapy and power plants.

Einstein also made other major discoveries in 1905, such as the discovery of the Brownian Motion Effect. This explained how the random movement of particles in a medium is caused by many fast collisions with invisible particles. This discovery, among others rewarded him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921

Besides these scientific breakthroughs, Einstein was also a pacifist and civil rights advocate throughout his life. Fleeing Nazi-Germany in the 1930s, he spoke out about the mistreatment of Jewish refugees. He was also a strong civil rights advocate, supporting figures from W.E.B. Du Bois to Rosa Parks in the 1950s. Through his advocacy for peace and equality, Einstein remains a prominent figure for social justice. 

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding."

Due to Einstein's actions, many modern items exist such as GPS technology. His lifelong accomplishments earned him praise even after his death in 1955, with him being awarded the Copley Medal in 1979. As we celebrate Science Week, we should remind ourselves of the great scientist, father and pacifist: Albert Einstein.


Marshmallow Build-Off!

Try this fun challenge with your friends which tests your engineering skills. You only need two materials: marshmallows (whatever size you want!) and toothpicks

Directions: Only 1

  1. Compete with your friend to build the highest tower possible!

ANNOUNCEMENT: SCIENCE QUIZ NIGHT

Come for a fun, relaxed night of science to test your knowledge, and earn sweet treats!


Your DAILY Riddle for Skittles

A challenging Question of the Day with a sweet treat as a reward!


The Mysterious Floating Ice

I place a solid ice cube into a glass of pure water and another identical ice cube into a glass of saltwater.

Question:

  • In which glass will the ice melt faster, and why?
  • What scientific principle explains this phenomenon?

Note: Please do not use external references, the winner will be announced tomorrow


Global Science News:

The Start of the End of Butterflies?


By Kevin Li | Published on 8 March 2025 at 8:29am

In a recent study published on March 6th, US butterfly populations are reported to have decreased by 22 percent in the past two decades. There is also no evidence that this trend will stop: according to Nick Haddad, a Michigan State ecologist, the alarming rate of decreasing butterflies can have a disastrous effect on the environment.

“In my mind, I was nodding, thinking, ‘Oh, they just went out on a bad day,’ ” he initially told the Washington Post.

Now having conducted the survey, Haddad concluded: "Butterflies have been declining the last 20 years," he reported to CNN. "And we don’t see any sign that that’s going to end."


However, this has a much bigger toll on the environment than what you might think. If butterflies were to go extinct, it can have a significant impact on biodiversity, food chain and science as a whole

Butterflies pollinate over 80% of the land plants on earth, meaning that without the presence of butterflies, plants would heavily rely on bees to produce seeds and reproduce. This could have ripple effects on the food chain, as there would be less plants for herbivores to consume.

They are also environment indicators for other animals, meaning they "tell" whether a place is healthy to build a habitat. If butterflies were gone, more habitat destruction is likely to ensue as animals would not have the guidance of butterflies.

It is crucial that we protect these creatures by eliminating pesticides, protecting their habitats and raising awareness. Otherwise, who knows what environmental consequences will follow if butterflies go extinct?


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British Science Week is a great opportunity to explore, experiment and immerse yourselves in the world of science. So, let's start this new week with curiosity!