1210212.us16.myftpupload.com Managed WordPress Site

Tag: games

  • Nature Watch: Exploring Our Solar System – Events To Watch In 2015

    Nature Watch: Exploring Our Solar System – Events To Watch In 2015

    Our solar system is our neighbourhood, with many questions remaining about our planets, moons, comets, and asteroids. If you are interested in space and planetary exploration, the search for water on other planets, and uncovering the secrets of our solar system, these are three events to keep an eye on this summer.

    Rosetta Mission – Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

    (European Space Agency)

    The Milestone: Rosetta is performing the first long-term close observation of a comet, and the Philae lander is the first scientific lander on a surface other than a planet or moon.

    The Mission: Launched in March 2004, Rosetta’s main objective was to catch up to and orbit comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, and deploy the Philae lander to the surface. Both events succeeded in November 2014. In 2015, Rosetta continues to observe 67P as it nears its closest approach to the Sun, examining gas and dust interactions that create a comet’s characteristic “tail”. Both Rosetta and Philae have sent back stunning photographs of the comet from orbit.

     Events This Summer: 67P’s perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) will occur around August 13, 2015. The data gathered will show what happens to comets as they pass close to the Sun.

    More Information: http://sci.esa.int/rosetta

    http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta

     

     

    Dawn Mission – Protoplanet Vesta and Dwarf Planet Ceres

    (NASA and JPL)

    The Milestone: Using a specially designed ion propulsion system, Dawn achieved a remarkable feat: visiting two separate planetary bodies in the asteroid belt, and performing orbital observations around both. This also marks the first visit to a dwarf planet by any spacecraft.

    The Mission: Launched in September 2006, Dawn travelled through the solar system to encounter and orbit the proto-planet Vesta from July 2011-September 2012. After mapping and science observations, Dawn broke orbit from Vesta and travelled another two years to rendezvous with dwarf planet Ceres in March 2015. By studying these planetary bodies, we hope to learn about the early formation of the solar system.

    Events This Summer: August 2015 and December 2015 will see Dawn perform the two lowest mapping orbits, providing detailed surface photographs and scientific measurements, and hopefully solving the mystery of the “bright spots” on Ceres’ surface.

    More Information: http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov

     

     

    New Horizons Mission – Pluto System Flyby

    (NASA)

    The Milestone: The first ever flyby of the dwarf planet Pluto and its moon system, the most distant and still unexamined member of our solar system.

    The Mission: New Horizons launched in 2006, and will perform a flyby observation of the Pluto system, then continue on an extended mission into the distant Kuiper Belt to visit the small, icy bodies orbiting the outer edges of our solar system. This mission will provide detailed photographs, surface maps, and valuable scientific data about Pluto, and help us learn about the outskirts and formation of our solar system.

    Events This Summer: New Horizons closest approach to Pluto is scheduled for July 14, 2015. Currently in approach phase, new pictures with increasing detail are regularly transmitted back to Earth and made available to the public.

    More Information: http://nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons

     

  • Study As You Play

    Study As You Play

    Well here we are again, getting back into the school routine. Early nights, early mornings, lots of studying, and a whole different mindset. Some of us like the busy schedules filled with endless studying, but others like myself would rather be doing many other things then studying for hours a day. If you’re into sports, video games, or your favorite TV shows and movies and would much rather be spending your time with them, let me help you study as you play.

    I’m a sucker for video games-I’m addicted. Studying was nonexistent in my middle school and early high school years, just video games. I would come home from school, grab some food and sit down for hours mashing through games. It’s what I loved to do, and at that point studying never crossed my mind. However, as the years went on and my marks started to fall, I realized I needed to change. The conventional way of sitting at a desk with my head stuck in a book wasn’t going to work for me.  I couldn’t focus, or remember important dates and names that way. So I gave up and went back to my games, and that’s where it hit me.

    I was playing a game called Rock Band (an interactive music game) and found myself saying important history dates to the rhythm of the songs I was playing. Usually I count the notes in my head, but this time I used dates, places and names. This may sound crazy, but it worked. What I started doing was looking over a section of my notes, and replayed it over and over in my head as I played games. I wasn’t able to focus on the work by just sitting there and reading it, but I was able to focus on the material while doing something else.

    This doesn’t just work for video games, this works for TV and movies as well. In English we always had to read books and know all about each characters personality traits. Let’s be honest, some of the books we’ve had to read were just terrible. So what I did was connect the book characters to TV show or movie characters. This will help you remember who each character is, what they do, and their personality.

    These are just my examples, what helped me through the long and important studying process. The main point of this is to tell you that studying doesn’t have to be dreadful. Try to connect or combine it with things you love to do. If you do that, you’re going to be more positive about studying. Make studying a part of your daily schedule, but do it your own way. Every bit of studying will help you, and I can guarantee you’ll see a difference in your school performance. What you have to study, and how much you have to study will only increase, so start making up a routine now-one that works for you. Let’s take this into our own hands, and study as we play.

  • Getting Involved with School Clubs

    Getting Involved with School Clubs

    During your first year of post-secondary education, youʼre going to want to experience different things, gain new friends, harness your academic and social skills, and perhaps get your mind off all that schoolwork.

    One of the best ways of doing this, outside of your classes, is by joining one of the many clubs on campus. There is bound to be a club that suits your needs and interests, and it may be as simple as going online to see what is available for you.

    A club is an excellent way to have fun while learning new skills that are relevant to your career path, and sharing your passion with other like-minded people.

    In my time at Brock University I joined three clubs.  One of them was the writers club – where students would join up after their classes to share poetry and prose. In a small seminar room, usually with under 20 students, we would discuss each others work in turns, pointing out our strengths and weaknesses.

    Sharing my work with others and receiving their criticism helped me grow as a writer. But clubs are not limited to just seminar discussions.

    Another club at Brock, called Guinness Brock,  is based around trying to break world records. If you need volunteer hours to put on your resume or application form, you may benefit from a club like this.  Being part of a club also helps out with scholarships, since most look for a candidate with strong extra-curricular achievement. Last year Guinness Brock broke the world record during their freshmen week for most people air soloing. They also attempted to break the record for worldʼs largest dodgeball game.

    More than just being rewarding, joining a club can help lead to other opportunities.  For example, the previously mentioned Guiness Brock club helped Brock student Sohail Ahmed climb his way to the top of Brock Universityʼs student council, becoming the acting president for the upcoming semester. Sohail founded Guiness Brock, not only to create a club that he would enjoy, but also to create something that would allow him to gain management experience that could lead him to other opportunities on campus. As a result, Sohail not only created a lasting impact in Brockʼs club society, he also created an opportunity for himself.

    As much fun as clubs can be, try and select clubs you’re interested in wisely and make sure they fit your academic schedule. Happy clubbing – and yes, there are probably dance clubs as well!