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Why Plants Talk To Insects - New Research from Imperial At Chelsea Flower Show (22-25 May)
May 02, 2001
Why talking to insects is so important to a plant's well-being is the theme of an unusual display at this year's Chelsea Flower show (22-25 May). The display, jointly staged by Imperial College at Wye and the ICI subsidiary, Quest International, will show how plants use scent and colour to attract helpful insects and to repel unwelcome herbivores. The display will bring together findings from major research studies by entomologists, biochemists and horticulturists from Imperial College and fragrance experts at Quest. Inspired by the graceful designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the stand will feature British butterflies, bumblebees and a variety of scented plants.
The association between plants and insects is over 300 million years old. Imperial College researchers are exploring the unique relationship between plants and their own small group of specialist insects. Scent and colour signals are used to attract different specialists to feed on the plant, pollinate it or protect it from attack by other animals.
Research at Wye is also revealing a vast array of natural repellent plant compounds, which Quest perfumiers are using to formulate new floral fragrances. These fragrances not only appeal to the human nose, but offer effective, broad insect repellence and can be incorporated into household products from shower gels to floor cleaners.
Display co-ordinator is Dr Mike Copland, Senior Lecturer in Entomology at Imperial College (Wye). He believes the display is unique in bringing together so many different facets of research into plant-insect relationships. "The combined research is providing an invaluable insight to attracting beneficial insects into our gardens and repelling unwanted ones from our homes. It is also showing us how to control pests on crop plants and identify the plant/insect teams which are essential components in the conservation and management of our natural habitats." To find out more, visit the Imperial College/Quest Stand (LL28 in the Life-Long Learning Marquee).
Imperial College, University of London
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Scientific Explorer's Mind Blowing Science Kit for Young Scientists
by Scientific Explorer
Mind blowing experiments to delight and educate young scientists! Erupt a color changing volcano. Mix up magic ooze with a mind of its own. Play with sand that never gets wet. Mix safe chemicals and watch colors change before your eyes. You'll amaze yourself and your friends as you explore the science behind these truly remarkable reactions.
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The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity-Challenge the World Around You! (Everything Kids Series)
by Tom Robinson (Author)
Science has never been so easy - or so much fun! With The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book, all you need to do is gather a few household items and you can recreate dozens of mind-blowing, kid-tested science experiments. High school science teach Tom Robinson shows you how to expand your scientific horizons - from biology to chemistry to physics to outer space. You'll discover answers to questions like: Is it possible to blow up a balloon without actually blowing into it? What is inside coins? Can a magnet ever be "turned off"? Do toilets always flush in the same direction? Can a swimming pool be cleaned with just the breath of one person? Get ready to enter the laboratory and learn how to conduct cool experiments, understand scientific terms...
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Scientific Explorer's Disgusting Science - A Kit for Studying the Science of Revolting Things
by Scientific Explorer
Grow your own friendly germs and fuzzy molds. Mix up a batch of coagulating fake blood. Even make a stinky intestine. learn the science behind unmentionable bodily functions while doing some truly NASTY Experiments. Ages 8+
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The Science Book: Everything You Need to Know About the World and How It Works (National Geographic)
by National Geographic (Author), Marshall Brain (Foreword)
A delight for the casual reader, yet so complete and wide-ranging that science buffs and students will welcome it, The Science Book encapsulates centuries of scientific thought in one richly illustrated volume. Natural phenomena, revolutionary inventions, and the most up-to-date investigations are explained in detailed text, and 2,000 vivid illustrationsincluding 3-D graphics and pictogramsmake the information even more accessible and amazing to discover.
The Science Book offers both a general overview of topics for the browsing reader and more specific information for those seeking deeper insight into a particular subject. Six major sections, ranging from the universe and planet Earth to biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, encompass everything from microscopic life...
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Scientific Explorer's The Magic Science Wizard's Kit
by Scientific Explorer
Cast real smoke from your fingertips, make a wizard wand, and whip up color-changing potions in your test tube laboratory. Also included are laminated cards with wizard facts, an instruction booklet with 11 activities, lab equipment, and mysterious wizard powders that will mix together to mystify you!
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Scientific Explorer's Tasty Science Chemistry in the Kitchen Kit
by Scientific Explorer
Who knew science could taste so good? With this kit, you’ll whip up cupcakes, cookies, candy, and more—all in the name of science! Learn what makes cakes rise, candy crystallize, and more real chemistry happen in the kitchen. Tasty Science is packed with ingredients, recipes, activity cards, a test tube laboratory, and lots more to explore the science of taste.
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The Complete Book of Science, Grades 5-6
by School Specialty Publishing (Author)
The Complete Book of Science for grades 5 to 6 teaches children important science skills! Children complete a variety of exercises that help them develop a number of skills in this 352 page workbook. Including a complete answer key this workbook features a user-friendly format perfect for browsing, research, and review. Over 4 million in print! The best-selling Complete Book series offers a full complement of instruction, activities, and information about a single topic or subject area. Containing over 30 titles and encompassing preschool to grade 8 this series helps children succeed in every subject area! ...
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Magic School Bus Journey into the Human Body Science Kit
by Young Scientist Club
The Magic School Bus and Ms. Frizzle take Young Scientists on a wild ride into the human body with these breathtaking experiments. Young Scientists bend bones, make joints, map taste buds, expand lungs, build a stethoscope, measure lung capacities and heart rates, perform the iodine starch test, spin glitter, simulate synovial fluid, create a human body poster, and much, much more! This exciting kit includes a life-size poster with eight sheets of body part stickers. So put on your seat belts, students, and get ready to discover The Human Body!
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What Is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)
by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld (Author), Paul Meisel (Author)
Did you ever walk through a wall? Drink a glass of blocks? Have you ever played with a lemonade doll, or put on milk for socks? This latest addition to the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces the youngest readers to an important science concept: the differences between solids, liquids, and gases. Any child who wants to know why he can't walk through a wall will enjoy Kathleen Zoehfeld's simple text and Paul Meisel's playful illustrations.
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Scientific Explorer's Spa Science Chemistry Kit
by Scientific Explorer
Whip your bath into a frothy fizzing sea of color and fragrance. Make colorful, fragrant bath gels, bath fizzers, spa lotion, bath balm, a face mask, and shampoo. Mix colors and fragrances to creat your own product line with secret and exclusive mixtures. Explore the science of gels, fragrance and fizzers.
Mixing fragrances in the bathtub is a delight for both girls and boys. It’s one of the best ways to introduce them to the fun of science. Kids will spend hours in the tub with this kit mixing ingredients to make foaming frothing baths and smelling potions and conducting science experiments to see how scents affect our alertness, moods and memories. Comparing the responses of siblings, parents and friends makes this a shared adventure the entire family will enjoy
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