FIGHTING CONCUSSIONS WITH FOAM
1.6 million: the number of sports-related concussions that occur in the United States each year, with football having the highest concussion rate, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1/1000th the width of a human hair: the size of nanoparticles inside a new smart foam developed by graduate student Aaron “Jake” Merrell (BS ’13). Inserted in a football helmet, the foam generates an electric signal that is sent wirelessly to a tablet computer on the sidelines each time a player’s head compresses the nanoparticles.
1 volt: the amount of electricity the compressed nanoparticles generate from an especially strong impact. Coaches can use the data to determine how hard players were hit and whether or not they need additional evaluation.
BIBLE BEE COMPETITOR
10–12 hours: the time Tia N. Thomas (’16) studied the Bible each day from June until mid-November, taking a semester off from school to prepare for and compete in the 2013 National Bible Bee. Thomas won first place in the 15–18 age division at the local level and advanced to nationals, where she placed 19th out of 120 competitors.
20 passages in 10 minutes: what competitors recite for the oral portion of the contest. At the national level, a passage can range from 1 to 26 verses. The written portion of the bee consists of a 200-question test of both memorization and comprehension of Bible passages.
1,026 verses: the number of verses participants memorized for the national competition, including 260 verses from 1 John and Ephesians, the bee’s designated Bible books of the year.
