tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post4098472772506794371..comments2024-03-21T17:46:01.393-03:00Comments on Polar Soils Blog: Nitrogen FixationDr. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8048267408706307219.post-50501600710517644602009-01-21T07:08:00.000-03:002009-01-21T07:08:00.000-03:00Some more questions from my friends at Thetford El...Some more questions from my friends at Thetford Elementary, and the answers:<BR/><BR/>Q: We loved reading about all those other organisms. It was fun to watch them dance. Our favorites were the "funky rotifer" and the "groovy water bear." How did you make them move like that?<BR/>A: We didn't do anything to make the rotifer and tardigrade move. That's just what they naturally do! They walk around trying to find a mate or something to eat. So they kept moving when we put them in a dish to look at them through the microscope.<BR/><BR/>Q: How long does it take for a nematode to completely unravel when you put water on it?<BR/>A: It can take a nematode anywhere from one hour to one day to uncoil when you add water. That video was sped up.<BR/><BR/>Q: Why do you have to wait until you get back to Dartmouth to get your results from those vials of gas samples that Ross and Elizabeth were getting from the soil?<BR/>A: We can't process the gas samples until we get to Dartmouth because it requires a very expensive piece of machinery that we don't have down here in Antarctica. The machine is called a gas chromatograph, and can read the concentration of gases. So we have to send the samples back home to get processed, where the machine is.<BR/><BR/>Q: How's your knitting going? What are you making?<BR/>A: My knitting is going well. I finished the ear-warmers I was making in that photo from Lake Fryxell (when we were watching the movie). I also made a pair of baby booties for my cousin (who is having a baby girl in March). Now I am making a pillow. I also taught Katie how to knit! She's made a hat, and is working on a scarf.<BR/><BR/>Q: Do you have the weekends off to do what you want or are you working each day?<BR/>A: We work pretty much every day of the week. When we're in town, we take Sunday mornings off to relax and sleep in, but are back at work after brunch. In the field, we work all day, every day. Usually, we only have time in the evenings to do what we want. We work very hard to get all of our work done in the two months we're here!<BR/><BR/>Q: Here is a math problem from Owen and Alden:<BR/>Becky found 395 tardigrades. Each tardigrade carried 3 rotifers on its back. How many rotifers are there?<BR/>A: Ooh, sounds like there's a lot of rotifers in Owen and Alden's math problem! 1185.Dr. Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01391779948019143052noreply@blogger.com