The+Scientific+Method

Possible MythBuster Project Topics

 * ||  || __Reaction Time/Memory/Reflexes__
 * Cell Phones and Driving: Does cell phone use affect driving ability in a video game simulation?
 * Food: Do students prefer meat or vegetables for lunch?
 * Learning: Do students learn more from a "live" lecture or a video lecture?
 * Learning: How does music influence learning and memory?
 * Learning: Is there a relationship between eating breakfast and school performance?
 * Memory: Do mnemonics actually help people remember things?
 * Memory: Do students remember a sequence of letters and numbers better if they hear or see the sequence first?
 * Memory: Is there a difference in short-term memory between boys and girls?
 * Reflexes: How does age affect the ability of drivers?
 * Reflexes: How does talking on a cell phone or listening to music affect reaction time?
 * Seeing or Hearing: Do you do better at a task if you see the instructions or if you hear the instructions?
 * Sleep and Grades: Does the amount of sleep that students get affect their grades?
 * Tests: Does how difficult you expect a test to be affect how well you do?

__Physical Effects__
 * Blood Pressure: What effect does playing a video game have on a person's blood pressure?
 * Body Temperature: How does eating hot or cold foods change a person's body temperature?
 * Caffeine: Are the motor skills of teachers or students affected more by caffeine?
 * Caffeine: How do people who are more than 60 years old differ in their response to caffeinated coffee from people who are less than 60 years old?
 * Drugs: Which pill dissolves the fastest?
 * Exercise: Does age affect heart rate response to exercise?
 * Fingerprint Patterns: Do family members have similar fingerprints?
 * Garlic: Can garlic be used to preserve meat?
 * Hair: Does a person's age affect the strength of his or her hair?
 * Yeast: How do different disinfectants affect yeast growth?

__Wildlife/Plants__
 * Birds: Which color of birdfeeder attracts more birds?
 * Dogs: How well does a dog understand language?
 * Fish: How does water temperature affect the color of fish?
 * Fruit: How does ethylene affect ripening fruit
 * Mosquitoes: How effective are herbal oils and DEET as mosquito repellents?
 * Plant Growth: Do different colors of light affect plant growth?
 * Plant Growth: How do different sugars affect plant growth?
 * Plant Growth: How does mint extract affect bean growth?
 * Plant Growth: How does secondhand smoke affect plants?
 * Plant Growth: What effect do different fertilizers have on plant growth?
 * Plant Growth: What effect does recycled dryer lint have on soil and plant growth?

__Mechanics/Electronics__* Cell Phones: How does cell phone reception depend on the time of day or location?
 * Sailing: Does sail shape affect boat speed at various points of sailing?
 * Sound: How does drywall thickness affect sound transmission?
 * Structures: How strong (and safe) is a playground jungle gym?
 * Temperature: Which socks keep your feet the warmest?
 * Vehicles: What factors affect the top speed of a radio-controlled car?

__Fertilizers/Pesticides/Pollution__* Fertilizer: Can recycled newspaper be used to fertilize plants?
 * Grasshoppers: Are chemical pesticides or organic treatments more effective for controlling grasshoppers and locusts?
 * Pollution: Is snow safe to eat?
 * Salt: How does the concentration of salt in water affect seed germination?

__Science Stuff__ ||  ||
 * Chemistry: Which children's multivitamin tablet will disintegrate or dissolve the most in 30 minutes?
 * Chemistry: Which plants and vegetables make the best dye?
 * Cleaning Agents: Which carpet cleaners work best?
 * Corrosion: What factors affect corrosion in aluminum foil?
 * Dynamics: Does the height to which a golf ball bounces when dropped affect how far it will travel when struck?
 * Dynamics: How does air pressure affect a soccer ball's flight?
 * Dynamics: Which baseball cleat is best?
 * Forensic Science: Can hair be used to identify people?
 * Heat: Which materials work best as thermal insulators?
 * Light: How does temperature affect the output of a light stick?
 * Magnetism: How does temperature affect a magnet?
 * Materials: Does baseball bat composition affect the distance that a ball can be hit?
 * Materials: Which scoopable cat litter has the most liquid absorbency?
 * Popcorn: What is the best temperature at which to store packages of microwave popcorn to get the smallest number of unpopped kernels?
 * Water Purification: What effect does chlorinated water have on activated carbon that acts as a filter to remove hazardous substances?
 * Wood: How well do different types of wood absorb water?
 * Wood: Which wood is the hardest? ||


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