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Aug. 23, 2006
Covering Up
In the previous two challenges, "Living Tools" and "Moving Around," you designed an alien hand. There's one final step before your creation could be seen in a movie or game: Adding an outer surface.
Your outer surface is your skin. It looks simple and smooth, but it's a complex structure with several functions. Your skin helps you interact with your environment, while protecting you from it as well.
Take a close look at the back of your arm. What do you see? Closely packed smooth cells, perhaps some fine hairs, a freckle or scar. With a microscope, you'd discover several different types of skin cells. Some can detect warmth, for example. Small pits in your skin allow sweat to cool you off. Special muscles let the hair on your skin to lift, helping you keep warm.
Challenge: Alien Skin
What kind of skin do you want your alien hand to have? Consider the choices shown below.
In order to decide, you'll need to stop and think for a moment. What can your alien hand do? You designed its structure so that it will have certain abilities. How does your alien hand move? Bending means skin that will stretch, wrinkle, or have some kind of joint. Where it doesn't bend, you could put something stronger.
If you wish, send a diagram of your alien hand with how it will move and its outer covering to us at scifizone@snkids.com. If we use yours, you may be eligible to win a prize! Please include your first name, age, city or town, and state. If you are under 13 years old, get your parent's permission to write to us.
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