It was a series of discrepant events in-studio today with Rick Crosslin, District Scientist in Residence for MSD Wayne Township.

A discrepant event is a science demonstration that makes you question what you are seeing, and what you believe. It actually makes you concentrate more.

These fun experiments can help you understand how water pressure works.

Find more from Rick Crosslin here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTUaGjswflD3xO4rzZ5KSeQ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ixscience?lang=en

The pressure was on when Rick Crosslin, Wayne Township scientist in residence, laid on a board of nails today!

He did this to demonstrate how pressure works. Here’s more from him:

Pressure = Force over area  

When the bowling ball was dropped on the cement brick it broke because the round shape of the ball allowed all the force to land in one small point (more pressure).

Which would be better to lay on one nail large nail or 1000 nails?

The answer is 1000 nails because it distributes the force over more area, equalling less pressure. When we dropped the large fruit on the “one nail board,” it went all the way through, demonstrating more pressure.

To see another version of this experiment and for more of Rick’s experiments, click here. The pressure experiment is in the last 2min.

The word vaccination is being thrown around a lot lately, and it may be leaving a lot of kids confused. Rick Crosslin, scientist in residence for MSD Wayne Township, joined us today with a little history on how we discovered vaccination and how they work. He explained it all in a kid-friendly way using a toy castle and dragon. Watch the video above to see the full segment.

Key Points:

• Your body has an amazing immune system
• Antibodies are made to protect you
• Vaccination comes from the Spanish word vaca – cow, from a cowpox outbreak in Boston

Watch the full version of his scientific explanation on Rick’s Youtube channel here.

Today we got a lesson in floating from Rick Crosslin, scientist in residence for MSD Wayne Township. He demonstrated a cartesian diver lesson from a “discrepant event” point of view.

Rene Descartes was a French Philosopher and Mathematician. He invented Coordinate Geometry (x y-axis, with +1 or -1).

He also invented an interesting toy that we can learn about the difference between liquids, gases and buoyancy.

He invented the Cartesian Diver, a toy that can be used to demonstrate the transmissibility of pressure! It’s an object that ordinarily floats and can be made to sink.

You can watch a longer version of the experiment.

UPDATE: Some good news to report after some Little League sports teams had their equipment stolen. Indiana Sports Corp announced Monday that it will be donating more than 100 pieces of equipment to the Ben Davis Little League after seeing the story on News 8. Indiana Sports Corp’s donation includes everything from footballs and soccer balls to jerseys.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Some Ben Davis Little League sports teams are wondering how they will start the season after someone stole thousands of dollars worth of equipment.

The soccer club, the Cadet Football Association and little league baseball teams have been without equipment since the thefts occurred overnight on Aug. 7.

The soccer club president Brad Shoemaker told News 8 that someone broke into their shed and stole their club cadet utility vehicle and tools.

It’s an ATV to help spectators get to the soccer field and back during matches and to carry equipment.

The president said police found their ATV at a local pawn shop, but can’t get it back until the investigation is complete.

The team is hoping to raise money to replace their tools.

Around $5,000 of new catchers’ gear was stolen from the little league baseball team.

The Cadet Football team is missing their PA system and controllers for their scoreboard. Volunteers said this isn’t the first time their facilities have been broken into.

“Looking at the empty storage unit and not seeing the club cadet there was disheartening,” said Shoemaker. “Knowing that we still had work to do on the fields, knowing we were so close to getting the kids back out here. We were trying to bring some normalcy to their lives.”

Shoemaker hopes to have their ATV and tools back before their tournament in October.

The Cadet Football Association’s secretary Danielle Futch said, “We’re wondering if anyone, any electricians or anybody out there, would be willing to maybe donate, help us to get cameras out here or the motion lights just so we’ll be aware if someone’s out here. We’re really appreciative.”

Futch is asking anyone who can help to contact her 317-523-2573. The first football game is on Aug. 29.

The baseball team has been able to raise money to replace their stolen gear.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Few sidewalks line Girls School Road near Ben Davis High School.

It’s why parent Jennifer Whitt, who lives off the main road, is calling for change.

“We have not proactively given students, seniors and families a place to walk or just those with dogs that want to walk their pets around their neighborhood,” said Whitt. “There are some sidewalks within the neighborhoods themselves, but on our main thoroughfares, there are not sidewalks.”

Whitt said she often sees students walking to and from school on the street during high-traffic times. It’s also been a concern for families who want to better enjoy the neighborhood.

“If we had sidewalks, we could more easily get to parks. We have two beautiful parks within a mile of us, and it’s really dangerous to try to stroller or bike or walk to these parks with our two small children,” Whitt added.

One cyclist told News 8 she tries to respect other people’s yards by not walking through it to avoid the street, but it can be challenging.

The Indianapolis Department of Public Works said Girls School Road from 10th through 21st streets and other parts of the west side are in need of sidewalk infrastructure, but they don’t have the funding.

Wayne Township Schools said they applied for a grant with Lowe’s Home Improvement to build sidewalks between Ben Davis High School and Chapelwood Elementary eight years ago.

Whitt and many others hope the city get implement sidewalks in the area sooner rather than later.

“I think we have great representatives both on the city council and at the Statehouse who understand the need, but we as a community haven’t done much to support additional sidewalks and how we can support them and really figuring out what that traction looks like,” said Whitt.

The Department of Public Works said they’re doing a study in the area by assessing needs and potential improvements that includes sidewalks. They’re also looking at costs and feasibility of future improvements, but results from the study won’t be available until mid 2020 to begin planning for construction.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Fire officials urged smokers to dispose of cigarettes away from mulch after two fires Saturday afternoon in Wayne and Pike Townships.

Both blazes appeared to be caused by cigarette butts tossed into mulch beds, according to Wayne Township Fire Capt. Mike Pruitt.

No injuries were reported.

“Luckily, damage was minimal,” the fire department said in a Tweet. “Please do not discard your cigarettes into mulch beds. You could be responsible for major property damage, serious injury or death. #thinkbeforeyouflip”

Hot, dry weather and careless cigarette disposal are a “recipe for disaster,” Pruitt said, adding mulch fires can ignite beneath the surface and spread undetected in tunnels.

“It burns down into the mulch, which then [spreads] to the building,” he told News 8. “We’ve had apartment buildings nearly burn to the ground because of a discarded cigarette. That’s how serious of a situation it is. We just want people to pay attention.”

A fire that displaced more than 50 residents in May 2018 at the Meridian Oaks Apartments in Greenwood was believed to be caused by discarded smoking materials in a mulch bed, officials said.

Pruitt also urged Independence Day revelers to keep fireworks and sparklers away from mulch.

“It runs a huge risk of starting a major fire,” he said. “Keep an eye on where hot items fall. Keep the mulch beds wet and stir them up so nothing smolders beneath the surface.”

Fireworks were the suspected cause of an Independence Day fire south of St. Louis in 2010 that took more than 12 hours to extinguish.