Disney Educational - Bill Nye The Science Guy: Measurement
Telescopes, spectroscopes, microscopes, stethoscopes, radar, thermometers, scales, barometers - not to mention the humble ruler - are all used to compare stuff in our universe. We can measure the smallest atom or the largest galaxy!
Understanding the wonders of the universe begins at home -- on our home planet! All About the Earth gives children a close-up look at what makes the third planet from the sun so special. Why is there life on Earth? What is our planet made of? How does it fit into the rest of the universe? These questions and more are answered in this fun look at planet Earth. Spectacular NASA footage and lively animation will pique kids' curiosity. Hands-on activities are ideal for students to use as ideas for science fair projects.
The universe is limitless! It contains stars, solar systems, galaxies, black holes and much more. Universe looks at these wonders-all incredible, all unique and all just a small part of a larger entity. Students will explore some big questions about the universe, including: How was it formed? How big is it? How can we explore the far reaches of the universe? They’ll learn about light years and the electromagnetic spectrum and take a close-up look at a gamma ray telescope. A fun, hands-on activity will demonstrate why it seems so dark in space
What is the significance of mankind in the Universe? Ever since Copernicus, scientists have been moving man further and further from his lofty position at the center of Creation. But in recent years a startling new concept has evolved that puts humans more firmly than ever in a special position. Known as the Anthropic Cosmological Principle, it holds that the fundamental structure of the Universe is determined by the existence of intelligent observers: the universe is as it is because if it were otherwise, observers could not exist. In its most radical version, the Anthropic Principle asserts: "Intelligent information-processing must come into existence in the Universe, and once it comes into existence, it will never die out."
The constants of nature are the fundamental laws of physics that apply throughout the universe. They encode the deepest secrets of the universe, and express at once our greatest knowledge and our greatest ignorance about the cosmos. Their existence has taught us the profound truth that nature abounds with unseen regularities. Yet while we have become skilled at measuring the values of these constants, our frustrating inability to explain or predict their values shows how much we have still to learn about inner workings of the universe.