Posts Tagged ‘engineering’
The Science of Astronomy Today
When we think of astronomy, we may be inclined to think that it only deals with scientists and astronomers looking up at objects in space with a telescope. However, there is far more to astronomy than simply looking at objects in space. In this article, we will look into the science of astronomy.
Getting Kids Interested in Science – 40 Years of Bringing Science to Life in The Classroom
In 1961, John F. Kennedy famously beckoned the American people to journey into space and reach the moon by decade’s end. Both challenged and encouraged by our young president’s infectious and visionary attitude – the country heeded his call.
The Black Space Experience
The roots of the black space experience date back some 8,500 years when the first lunar calendar was crafted from a bone. Like ancient peoples elsewhere in the world, Africans (sub-Saharan black peoples) “shared the same inspiration and awe of the stars” and “struggled to make sense of it [through] creativity and intelligence” [1] patiently taking “countless generations to watch, justify and map the heavens”[2] and define their relationship with them. According to Dr. Thebe Medupe, a prominent astronomer at the University of Cape Town and the South African Astronomical Observatory, “[Africans] shaped constellations out of stellar patterns and came up with stories about them, …constructed calendars to organize their lives and even erected stone alignments… to follow the sun’s ‘path’ throughout the year.”[3] It was for this reason that Bernard Harris, Jr., the first black astronaut to walk in space stated, “When we look at history itself, you realize that astronomy – the study of the stars – that whole origin… [was] being done by people from Africa. And now I get to fly amongst those same stars” when emphasizing the importance of knowing and understanding history – “If you don’t know where you are and where you came from, you’ll never know where you are going.”[4]
Space Waste Management
To keep our atmosphere clean, we need to have a proper waste management system. It is a responsibility of every human being on this earth and somehow we do it with utmost care. But have you ever given it a thought that what would be condition of space? In a report by NASA, the space stations are pilled up with trash and garbage causing serious health hazards to the astronauts. Shocking but true! There is a dire need to introduce a proper space waste management system to deal with this unforeseen danger. The space agencies need to have an excellent waste strategy before they plan to send any astronauts to mars or moon mission.
Science Fiction Throughout the Ages and Into the Future
The evolution of science fiction movies over the last 50 years can be attributed to much more than the advances in special effects and movie-making technology (although those changes have had an effect); the biggest influence on scifi during this time period are the events that occurred in the real world. These past five decades leading up to today have been subject to an ever-accelerating onslaught of technological achievements and world-changing events.
Space Science
At present, Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS have become important and effective tools in diversified studies like Geosciences, Forestry and Ecology, Soil and Agriculture, Water Resources, Urban and Regional Planning etc. During early half of the twentieth century, aerial photos were used in the application of Military Surveys and Topographical Mapping. This Aerial Photography provided high spatial resolution data in three dimensions, and used for the purpose of surveying and cadastral mapping like route alignment survey or Engineering Surveys (Dam/Bridge construction) and also for urban & regional planning. However, modern remote sensing technique is providing updated and developed satellite images which are suitable for medium scale mapping to monitor, investigate, and manage the natural resources. Due to continuous research programs in space science, the remote sensing technology has become more advanced besides its various applications.