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ClassTopic.com is a frequently updated collection of interesting topics for class presentations, projects, and papers. Only topics with several verified sources are listed. How-To topics are in the Archives section. If you would like to suggest a topic or source, please use our feedback area.

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Canada Has Lower Gravity

Scientists have found that certain parts of Canada, particularly the Hudson Bay area, have lower gravity than the rest of the Earth. They've also found that the sea level along the Hudson Bay's coast is dropping, while the seal level everywhere else in the world is rising. Two theories suggest why the phenomenon exists and focus on unique characteristics of the land deep beneath the Earth's crust.

How can parts of Canada be missing gravity? - An easy to read article with good sources.
Weird Gravity...Blamed on Heavy Glaciers - Yahoo! News shares their info on the topic.
...place in Canada where you weigh less? - Long article with good pictures and diagrams.

Beer Battery

Researchers in Australia have been working with Foster's brewery to develop what they call a "beer battery." The technical name is microbial fuel cell, and it uses bacteria to turn the brewery's waste into electricity, clean water, and carbon dioxide. Scientists expect that the idea can be applied to several other industries as well.

Engadget Article - A very brief overview of the topic with a nice Foster's graphic.
What is a Beer Battery? - An in-depth article that is easy to read and lists other sources.
BBC: Fosters Hops on Green Bandwagon - A short article with details on funding the project.

The SAT Test

Designed to test a high-school student's ability to succeed during their first year of college, the SAT is one of most significant academic tasks in many Americans' lives. Originally introduced in 1941 as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the SAT has been through many changes over the years, including the sacrifice of it's name due to arguments over the meaning of "aptitude."

How SATs Work - This article provides the history of the SAT, how it works, and how to beat it.
Official SAT Preparation Center - Learn more about the test and view some practice questions.
Wikipedia Article - Lots of information on the SAT and a great chart that defines the scores.

World Seed Vault

Norway has created what is being called the "doomsday vault" which will hold frozen seeds of every crop in the world deep within a mountain in case a disaster ever wipes out all of the vegetation on Earth. Scientists say that genetic diversity of food crops is one of the keys to survival in case of a nuclear war, meteor striking the earth, or some other disaster.

HowStuffWorks Article - A fantastic write-up on the vault including pictures and diagrams.
"Doomsday Vault to Avert World Famine" - Chilling article by NewScientist.com.
Worlds Agriculture Legacy... - An article by the Washington Post with a good diagram.

Wireless Power

It doesn't just mean batteries. Researchers at MIT may have found a way to transmit power across a room using frequency coils, and Canada's Communication Research Centre has developed a plane that can fly using power beamed to it from the Earth.

How Wireless Power Works - Explains modern methods of transmitting power.
Power Beaming - A wikipedia article on using lasers to transmit power.
Resonance Power - A BBC News article on MIT's frequency coils.

Bomb-Sniffing Bees

Scientists have found a way to train honeybees to sniff out bombs. With a sense of smell that can detect pollen on molecular levels, the usefulness of the bees challenges that of bomb-sniffing dogs, especially in war zones like Iraq. The bees can also be strapped with radio transmitters and released outside, where they will search the area and swarm on any bombs they find.

How can you train honeybees to sniff for bombs? - A brief, but easy to read article on the topic.
NY Times Article - Details on combining the bees with technology and support from Pentagon.
Wasps Are Better - Tiny, non-stinging wasps may be a better solution according to this article.

HD Radio

This new technology promises higher quality sound, more stations with the same amount of bandwidth and extra information beamed straight to your radio as a digital signal. With HD Radio technology being added to all high-end audio systems, regular radio will soon be a thing of the past.

How HD Radio Works - An in-depth, easy to read article with great diagrams.
Official HD Radio Site - The official home of HD Radio. Find stations, receivers, and more.
Arev Article - A great write-up on HD Radio, the listener market, and its impact.

Understanding Dreams

The average human spends six years of their life dreaming. Despite many detailed studies on dreams, scientists have been unable to agree on why we have them. We do know, however, that people do not only dream in black and white, as was once believed. Some researchers have even developed techniques for controlling your dreams.

How Dreams Work - Detailed, interesting, and easy-to-read article with great facts.
40 Facts About Sleep - Interesting notes from the National Sleep Research Project.
Facts About Dreams - A brief list of interesting facts about dreams.

Tesla Roadster

A new car company called "Tesla" has developed a completely electric sports car that goes 0-60 miles per hour in four seconds, blowing away the world's current view of electric cars. The Tesla Roadster's stylish body and $100,000 price tag (cheap for an all-electric car) might be just what we need to start making the move to electric cars.

TeslaMotors.com - Official Tesla website with interactive features and official details.
How the Roadster Works - Detailed information on the Tesla roadster from HowStuffWorks.
Inside the Tesla - Pictures of the car's parts, along with some descriptions.

Red Wine Pill

A Harvard study done on mice shows that giving obese mice excessive amounts of red wine extract kept them from developing any of the health problems normally associated with obesity. The old, obese mice were also able to perform as well physically as young, lean mice. We've always heard that drinking red wine is good for you, but could this be the holy grail of modern medicine?

Can I eat anything... - An -depth article on the red wine extract and the study supporting it.
Harvard Study - The actual Harvard University study on resveratrol.
Grape Expectations - A scientific article about red wine extract and its effects on the body.

Llamas Help Detect Biological Weapons

A llama, one of the goofiest looking animals on earth, has a natural antibody that is amazingly strong (much stronger than the human version). Scientists have found a way to extract this anitbody and turn it into a sensor that can be used to detect biological weapons. It seems llamas deserve a little more respect than we think.

HowStuffWorks Article - A brief, easy-to-read article on the topic with some great information.
LiveScience Article - Another brief article, but with some more technical information.
Eagle Tribune - A newspaper article on the topic with reference to other llama abilities.

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