In two stories I wrote for Science News for Students recently, I had to face one of my biggest fears: electromagnetism. I write for kids about anything and everything science-related. Space, dinosaurs, robots, computer programming, animal behavior, diseases, you name it. Electricity and magnetism, though, always make me feel inadequate, like I can’t quite wrap my head around the subject. (Cells and proteins have the same effect). But I try! It’s worth it to bring news about fascinating new technology to kids.
Bye-bye batteries? Power a phone with fabric or a beacon with sound
Science News for Students, January 6, 2021
Ordinary paper turns into flexible human-powered keypad
Science News for Students, November 6, 2020
Both stories involve devices that don’t need batteries because they generate their own electricity. A flexible keypad uses triboelectricity, stretchy nylon thread uses piezoelecticity, and an underwater beacon also uses piezoelectricity. The beacon is pictured above, photo by Reza Ghaffarivardavagh.
In an odd coincidence, both of these stories also came out during weeks when political news vastly overshadowed any science news. (The 2020 presidential election and the attempted coup of January 2021). So I hope the stories manage to find their way into the hands of kids readers anyway!
