Terra Magazine » children

The Hidden Dangers of Flame Retardants

Lee Sherman — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:06:38 +0000

Your old sofa, as comfy as it is, could be a hazard to your children’s health. That’s because fabrics and foam manufactured before 2005 likely were treated with flame retardants like PBDEs. These toxic chemicals may affect brain development in young children, research suggests.

A new study at Oregon State is designed to help clarify the risks. A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the Corvallis and OSU-Cascades campuses is monitoring 100 preschoolers in both communities, looking at chemical exposure and children’s behavior, particularly their ability to self-regulate, a key to school readiness.

“Given the fact that the numbers of children with neurological and cognitive disabilities is on the rise in the developing world, many have hypothesized that exposure to chemicals may be a contributing factor,” says Molly Kile, the public health environmental epidemiologist who is leading the study.

Wave Action!

Lee Sherman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 18:15:28 +0000

Whoosh! A big wave of fast-moving water rushes toward a town. The wave crashes into buildings, pushing them around like toys. But no one gets hurt. That’s because this is only an experiment to study the impact of giant waves on seaside towns.

The experiment is taking place at Oregon State University in a special laboratory equipped with huge wave machines. When a strong earthquake shakes the Earth beneath the ocean, it can cause a giant wave called a tsunami. These giant waves can travel for hundreds of miles across the ocean.

An undersea earthquake triggers a tsunami.

When a powerful tsunami reaches the shore, it can wash away anything in its path. Boats, cars, roads, bridges and buildings can get picked up and carried off.

To help people prepare for these destructive waves, scientists at OSU are studying their incredible strength. If scientists like Professor Harry Yeh can discover how much force the waves carry when they come ashore and crash into buildings, they can help builders, engineers and architects to design stronger offices, stores and houses.

“Strong buildings can stand up to a tsunami,” says Professor Yeh, who is one of the world’s top experts on tsunamis. “We have to figure out the best way to do it.”

The scientists conduct their experiments in OSU’s Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory, one of the largest wave labs in the world. In the lab, there is a very long, narrow tank made out of cement. The tank, which holds 300,000 gallons of water, is kind of like a flume at a water park. Scientists can create waves in the tank and then calculate the strength of the waves.

Simulated tsunamis crash into scale model buildings at OSU's O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Lab, the nation's largest tsunami test facility. Engineers have run tests with the Oregon coastal communities of Seaside and Cannon Beach (Photo: Frank Miller)

In another part of the research lab, scientists can set up miniature towns with small wooden buildings. Next, a wave-making machine releases a surge of water toward the tiny town. Scientists call this experiment a “model.” When the wave crashes into the miniature town, scientists use special instruments to measure the impact of the water on the objects.

“Tsunamis are very difficult to measure in the real world because they don’t happen very often and when they do, they happen very fast,” says Alicia Lyman-Holt, who organizes tours of the wave lab for students and other visitors. “That’s why scientists use models to study them. Models are a substitute for direct observation.” These experiments will help make people safer the next time a tsunami happens.
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Arrange for school tours of the Hinsdale Wave Research Lab here.

See tsunami wave tests in action at OSU’s Hinsdale Wave Research Lab in a video produced by the National Science Foundation.

Hallie Ford spent a lifetime advocating for youth and families

Nick Houtman — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:56:02 +0000

Her work will continue to inspire research in the new Hallie Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families at OSU. Prompted by an $8 million gift from her estate, the OSU College of Health and Human Sciences will build on existing strengths of the faculty and anticipate the needs and challenges of children and families. Targeted research areas include: obesity prevention, early childhood development, vulnerable children and families, and risky and protective behaviors for youth. The goal is, according to Professor Rick Settersten, interim co-director with Associate Dean Jeff McCubbin, “to serve as a catalyst for innovative research that will matter in the everyday lives of children and families.”

Plans call for construction of a new facility after OSU raises an additional $2 million, as required by Hallie Ford’s gift.

Find more information about the center.