In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we are celebrating AAPI scientists and their contributions throughout history! Check out their bios & some fun science experiments to learn more about their work!
Roseli Ocampo-Friedmann: Microbiologist
Dr. Ocampo-Friedmann was a Filipino-American microbiologist and botanist. Her work has been crucial in understanding the possibility of life on Mars! She was born in Manila, Philippines and earned her degree in botany from the University of the Philippines. She eventually traveled to Florida, where she earned her Ph.D. and began working as a professor. With her husband, she traveled to a desert region of Antarctica to study extremophiles, organisms that can live in very extreme conditions like the cold. She discovered some surviving microorganisms that could tolerate extreme cold, and this work has been cited by NASA as the basis for life on Mars, which has similar conditions!
How Arctic Animals Survive the Cold
Materials:
Bowl of icy water, vegetable shortening (Crisco), latex/vinyl gloves, plastic wrap
Time Estimated:
10 minutes
Directions:
Put your hands into the icy water; notice how cold the water is!
Put a glove on one of your hands.
Scoop out some vegetable shortening and make a fist.
Add shortening to the outside of your hand. Wrap the ball of shortening with a piece of plastic wrap.
Put your hand back into the icy water and notice how much warmer your hand is!
Think Like A Scientist!
What animals have things that keep them warm or cool in different climates?
What do humans use to survive in extremely cold temperatures?
How Does It Work?
Arctic animals are covered in a layer of blubber, or fat, that surrounds their body underneath their skin. This helps insulate them, meaning they are able to keep heat in and stay warm. Blubber also stores energy and provides buoyancy (as in, they can float). This is how some types of Arctic animals stay warm, just like how the microorganisms Dr. Ocampo-Friedmann studied were able to stay warm!
Looking for more fun at-home STEM activities for your young scientist? Check out our workbook full of exciting science experiments and empowering activities!
