Question: A hurricane can only sustain itself if the ocean water 30 meters deep is at least A.) 16ºC; B.) 21º C; C.) 27º C; or D.) 32º C?
If you slammed down on the buzzer first and answered C.) 27º C, you might have a fighting chance in outsmarting the region's top science students at the annual Blue Lobster Bowl to be held Saturday, Feb. 7 at MIT.
The event is part of The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), a program of the Consortium for Oceanographic Leadership, based in Washington. The NOSB seeks to inspire and challenge students, and to encourage and support the next generation of marine scientists, policy makers, teachers, explorers, researchers, technicians, environmental advocates and informed citizens.
Sixteen teams of students from 12 Massachusetts high schools will answer quick buzzer questions and more complex team-challenge questions in areas such as biology, marine science, chemistry and ocean engineering. The winning team will advance to the NOSB finals in Washington, where they will compete against 24 other regional winners on April 25-28. In 2008, the team from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School took home the NOSB first-place price. Approximately 2,000 students from more than 400 U.S. high schools are expected to participate this year.
Massachusetts teams will include students and teachers with a strong interest in marine science from Bedford High School, Brookline High School, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, Chelmsford High School, Lexington High School, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, Lynn Classical High School, Newton North High School, Newton South High School, North Andover High School, and Philips Academy.
This event is co-sponsored by The MIT Sea Grant College Program, The MIT Center for Ocean Engineering, and The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The Blue Lobster Bowl begins at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 7 in MIT Building 26, Lobby 100. Volunteers and spectators are welcome. For more information, see http://bluelobsterbowl.mit.edu/.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on February 4, 2009 (download PDF).
