Problem: There are two identical neighboring planets, Krypton and Gotham, inhabited by the same species of creature. Both civilizations utilize the same technology and have the same city structures. However, the creatures on Krypton use substantially more energy than the people on Gotham. Furthermore, the inhabitants of Krypton have started clearing more land than Gotham.  Which planet will see the extinction of more species?  Hint: Human populations are on the rise. The human population passed the 7 billion mark in October of 2011, and will pass 8 and 9 billion probably before the middle of the century. All these people will need resources such as places to live, food to eat, and water to drink, and they will use energy and create waste. Essentially, human population growth can effect all other causes of extinction. For example, more people on the Earth means more people contributing to global warming and pollution. More people also means more clearing of land for agriculture and development. Recall that development by humans often causes habitats to be destroyed. This destruction can force species to go extinct, or move somewhere else.

A: Krypton


Problem: Benny and Jerry were two Irish twins. They went to the doctor for their yearly exam. Benny found out he could get cancer because of his lifestyle so he decided to make healthy lifestyle choices from then on. Jerry continued smoking, spending lots of time in the sun, and eating junk-food.  Which brother didn't lower the risk of getting cancer by avoiding carcinogens?  Hint: Making these healthy lifestyle choices can also help prevent some types of cancer. In addition, you can lower the risk of cancer by avoiding carcinogens , which are substances that cause cancer. For example, you can reduce your risk of lung cancer by not smoking. You can reduce your risk of skin cancer by using sunscreen. How to choose a sunscreen that offers the most protection is explained below ( Figure below ). Some people think that tanning beds are a safe way to get a tan. This is a myth. Tanning beds expose the skin to UV radiation. Any exposure to UV radiation increases the risk of skin cancer. It doesn’t matter whether the radiation comes from tanning lamps or the sun.

A: Jerry


Problem: Sam lived in Chicago for many years and experienced those high humidity days during the summer, the Indian summers in October and harsh and humid winters, so he decided to move to San Diego, in a warmer and much dryer climate.  Which city has a less precipitation during winter?  Hint: If all the other factors influencing humidity remain constant, at ground level the relative humidity rises as the temperature falls. This is because less vapor is needed to saturate the air, so vapor condenses as the temperature falls. In normal conditions, the dew point temperature will not be greater than the air temperature because relative humidity cannot exceed 100%.[4]

A: San Diego


Problem: An inventor named Nelly is tinkering around in her home office where she has created two new types of material that could be used in products. The first one she is calling Glubber, and the second she has named Malk. To try to figure out what type of products these new materials may be used for, Nelly is performing various tests. The first test she is doing is securing one end of the material to a table and then pulling on it and letting it go. When she performs this test on some Glubber, the material quickly snaps back toward the table. Performing the same process with some Malk, the material slowly crawls along the floor as it makes its way back to the table.  Which material is less resistant to changing shape?  Hint: Something that is elastic can return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed. This property is called elasticity . As you stretch or compress an elastic material like a bungee cord, it resists the change in shape. It exerts a counter force in the opposite direction. This force is called elastic force . The farther the material is stretched or compressed, the greater the elastic force becomes. As soon as the stretching or compressing force is released, elastic force causes the material to spring back to its original shape. You can watch a demonstration of elastic force at this URL:

A:
Malk