Astro-Hoaxes You Shouldnt Take Seriously

Every year we see stories about how Earth is going to be hit by an asteroid, or that Mars will be as big as the full Moon, or a NASA probe has found evidence of life on Mars. In fact, the list of astronomy hoaxes is never-ending. One way to find out whats really happening is to check out the debunking site Snopes. Their writers are usually on top of the latest stories, and not just in weird science. Earth as a Target: Maybe, but Not the Way You Think The recurring story about Earth and an incoming asteroid  usually shows up in the supermarket press, often with a projected date, but few other details. It almost always cites NASA, but doesnt name a scientist who is making the prediction. In addition, the story rarely mentions amateur astronomers and their observations. There are thousands of these people around the world watching the skies, and if an incoming asteroid were to be on a collision course with Earth, theyd see it (unless it was really quite small). It is true that NASA and a world-wide group of both professional and amateur observers are monitoring the space near Earth for any possible Earth-crossing asteroids. Those would be the most likely types of objects to pose a threat to our planet. Announcements of Earth-crossing or Earth-approaching asteroids would show up at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Near Earth Object Program web page. And  such objects are usually spotted pretty far in advance. The known Potentially Hazardous asteroids have very, very small chances of colliding with Earth in the next 100 years; its less than one tenth of one percent of a chance.  So, the answer to whether or not theres an asteroid homing in on Earth is No. Just no. And, for the record, supermarket tabloids are not scientific journals. Mars Will Be as Big as the Full Moon!   Of all the astronomy hoaxes to circulate on the web, the idea that Mars will look as big as the full Moon on some given date is one of the most inaccurate. The Moon lies 238,000 miles away from us; Mars never gets closer than 36 million miles. Theres no way they can look the same size, not unless Mars wants to get a lot closer to us, and if it did, it would be pretty catastrophic. The hoax began with a poorly worded email announcing that  Mars — as seen through a 75-power telescope — would look as big as the full Moon would look to the naked eye. This was supposed to occur in 2003, when Mars and Earth were closest to each other in their orbits (but still more than 34 million miles apart). Now, the same rumor comes around every year. No matter where we are in our orbits with respect to each other, Mars will look like a small point of light from Earth and the Moon will look big and lovely. NASA Is (Not) Hiding Life on Mars The red planet Mars currently has two working rovers on its surface:  Opportunity and Curiosity. They are sending back images of rocks, mountains, valleys, and craters. Those images are taken during daylight hours under all kinds of lighting conditions. Occasionally an image shows a rock in the shadows. Due to our propensity to see faces in rocks and clouds (a phenomenon called pareidolia), its sometimes easy to see a shadowy rock as a form, a crab, or a statue of a debutante. The infamous Face on Mars turned out to be a rocky bluff with shadows that looked like eyes and a mouth. It was a trick of light and shadow playing across rock outcrops and cliffs. Its like the Old Man of the Mountain in New Hampshire in the United States. It was a rock overhang that, from one angle, looked like an old mans profile. If you looked at it from another direction, it was just a rocky cliff. Now, because it cracked and crashed to the ground, its a pile of rock. There are already some pretty interesting things on Mars that science can tell us about, so theres no need to imagine fantastic creatures where only rocks exist. And, just because Mars scientists debunk the existence of a face or a rock that looks like a crab does not mean theyre hiding life on Mars. If they had found any shred of evidence of living beings on the red planet now (or in the past), it would be huge news. At least, thats what common sense tells us. And common sense is an important factor in doing science as well as exploring the universe.

Ncfe Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Dementia Care.

Lee Clark. NCFE level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Dementia Care. Unit 1. Q1. Explain what is meant by the term dementia Dementia is a broad term used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions.Dementia is a progressive disease and the symptoms will get gradually worse. | Q2. Describe how dementia can affect a person if the following areas of the brain are damaged by dementia. Area of Brain | How damage to this area might affect a person with dementia | Frontal lobe | * Inability to plan a sequence of complex movements * Loss of spontaneity in interacting with others * Loss of flexibility in thinking * Persistence of a single thought * Inability to†¦show more content†¦The person may become confused when handling money and undergo personality changes, appearing to no longer care about those around them. Swings are common and the person may become tearful for no apparent reason, or become convinced that someone is trying to harm them.In advanced cases people may also adopt unsettling behaviour like getting up in the middle of the night or wander off and become lost. Some people lose their inhibitions and sense of what is acceptable behaviour, undress in public or make inappropriate sexual advances. The person may become incontinent, have difficulty eating and drinking and may become completely dependent on others.2. Symptoms usually develop suddenly and progress in a step like way where a sudden worsening is followed by a period of stabilisation. Common symptoms include poor concentration and difficulties with communication. memory loss may also lead to confusion.As vascular dementia does not affect all of the brain, the individual may be able to retain more of their abilities and memory loss may not appear until later in the progression of the disease. This means that the individual may be more aware of their deteriorating health and may therefore be more at risk of depression.3. Dementia with Lewy Bodies is a

Electricity and Magnetism free essay sample

As he was setting up his materials, he noticed acompass needle  deflected from  magnetic north  when the electric current from the battery he was using was switched on and off. This deflection convinced him that magnetic fields radiate from all sides of a wire carrying an electric current, just as light and heat do, and that it confirmed a direct relationship between electricity and magnetism. At the time of discovery, Orsted did not suggest any satisfactory explanation of the phenomenon, nor did he try to represent the phenomenon in a mathematical framework. However, three months later he began more intensive investigations. Soon thereafter he published his findings, proving that an electric current produces a magnetic field as it flows through a wire. The  CGS  unit of  magnetic induction  (oersted) is named in honor of his contributions to the field of electromagnetism. His findings resulted in intensive research throughout the scientific community in  electrodynamics. We will write a custom essay sample on Electricity and Magnetism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They influenced French physicist  Andre-Marie Amperes developments of a single mathematical form to represent the magnetic forces between urrent-carrying conductors. Orsteds discovery also represented a major step toward a unified concept of energy. This unification, which was observed by  Michael Faraday, extended by  James Clerk Maxwell, and partially reformulated by  Oliver Heaviside  and  Heinrich Hertz, is one of the key accomplishments of 19th century  mathematical physics. It had far-reaching consequences, one of which was the understanding of the nature oflight. Light and other  electromagnetic waves  take the form of  quantized, self-propagating  oscillatory  electromagnetic field disturbances called  photons. Differentfrequencies  of oscillation give rise to the different forms of  electromagnetic radiation, from  radio waves  at the lowest frequencies, to visible light at intermediate frequencies, to  gamma rays  at the highest frequencies. Orsted was not the only person to examine the relation between electricity and magnetism. In 1802  Gian Domenico Romagnosi, an Italian legal scholar, deflected a magnetic needle by electrostatic charges. Actually, no  galvanic  current existed in the setup and hence no electromagnetism was present. An account of the discovery was published in 1802 in an Italian newspaper, but it was largely overlooked by the contemporary scientific community. Electricity and Magnetism Electricity and magnetism is an interesting aspect of electricity. We are familiar with in our everyday lives with the phenomenon of static cling when two objects, such as a piece of Saran wrap and a wool sweater, are rubbed together, they cling. One feature of this that we dont encounter too often is static repulsion if each piece of Saran wrap is rubbed on the wool sweater, then the pieces of Saran wrap will repel when brought near each other. These phenomena are interpreted in terms of the objects acquiring anelectric charge, which has the following features: * There are two types of charge, which by convention are labelled  positive  and  negative. * Like charges repel, and unlike charges attract. * All objects may have a charge equal to an integral number of a basic unit of charge. * Charge is never created or destroyed. Electric Fields A convenient concept for describing these electricity and magnetism forces is that of an  electric field. Imagine that we have a fixed distribution of charges, such as on the plate below, and bring in the vicinity of this distribution a  test chargeQ. Figure 1  Test charge in the presence of a fixed charge distribution This charge will experience a force due to the presence of the other charges. One defines the electric field of the charge distribution as: The electric field is a property of this fixed charge distribution; the force on a different charge  Q  at the same point would be given by the product of the charge  Q  and the  same  electric field. Note that the electric field at  Q  is always in the same direction as the electric force. Because the force on a charge depends on the magnitude of the charges involved and on the distances separating the charges, the electric field varies from point to point, both in magnitude and direction. By convention, the direction of the electric field at a point is the direction of the force on a  positivetest charge placed at that point. An example of the electric field due to a positive point charge is given below. Figure 2:  Electric field lines of a positive charge Power and Magnetic Fields An electricity and magnetism phenomenon apparently unrelated to power are electrical magnetic fields. We are familiar with these forces through the interaction of compasses with the earths magnetic field, or through fridge magnets or magnets on childrens toys. Magnetic forces are explained in terms very similar to those used for electric forces: * There are two types of  magnetic poles, conventionally called North and South * Like poles repel, and opposite poles attract However, this attraction differs from electric power in one important aspect: * Unlike electric charges, magnetic poles always occur in North-South pairs; there are nomagnetic monopoles. Later on we will see at the atomic level why this is so. As in the case of electric charges, it is convenient to introduce the concept of a  magnetic field  in describing the action of magnetic forces. Magnetic field lines for a bar magnet are pictured below. Figure 3:  Magnetic field lines of a bar magnet One can interpret these lines as indicating the direction that a compass needle will point if placed at that position. The strength of magnetic fields is measured in units of  Teslas  (T). One tesla is actually a relatively strong field the earths magnetic field is of the order of 0. 001 T. Magnetic Forces On Moving Charges One basic feature is that, in the vicinity of a magnetic field, a  moving  charge will experience a force. Interestingly, the force on the charged particle is always perpendicular to the direction it is moving. Thus magnetic forces cause charged particles to change their direction of motion, but they do not change the  speed  of the particle. This property is used in high-energy particle accelerators to focus beams of particles which eventually collide with targets to produce new particles. Another way to understand these electricity and magnetism forces is to realize that if the force is perpendicular to the motion, then no work is done. Hence these forces do no work on charged particles and cannot increase their kinetic energy. If a charged particle moves through a constant magnetic field, its speed stays the same, but its direction is constantly changing. A device in which this property is used is the  mass spectrometer, which is used to identify elements. A basic mass spectrometer is pictured below. Figure 4:  Mass spectrometer In this device a beam of charged particles (ions) enter a region of a magnetic field, where they experience a force and are bent in a circular path. The amount of bending depends on the mass (and charge) of the particle, and by measuring this amount one can infer they type of particle that is present by comparing to the bending of known elements. Magnet Power From Electric Power A connection was discovered (accidentally) by Orsted over 100 years ago, who noticed that a compass needle is deflected when brought into the vicinity of a current carrying wire.

Reflective Practice Report Essay Example

Reflective Practice Report Essay Reflective Report Term 1 Primary School, Alderman Davies When I arrived at the Primary school placement, Alderman Davies I met with one of my supervisors in Reception and gave her my details and showed her my CRB. I then went into the reception classroom with her and we had a chat about what the school expected of me and things I would be doing with the children, the times I start and finish. She discussed the polices and procedures with me but explained they do not give them out because they have too many students and would cost them too much money to print for everyone. She asked me if I had any questions for her and explained who I needed to see if I had any problems. She then took me on a quick tour of the school because I knew where a lot of things were because it was the school I attended when I was at primary school. I went to be introduced to some of the new staff and was introduced to my class teacher and the class I would be working with. There I was given my first task of helping the children draw flowers for harvest to be put up as decorations in the church. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Practice Report specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Practice Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Practice Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Whilst I have been in this placement and in the class I was in with mixed ages I have learned a lot about the children and their needs. I have learned that some children in the class who are the same age may need some more support than others. I have learned to judge when children need help or are just being lazy and done really need it, and I have learned to be a lot more patient. I have also learned that it the children trust you very quick and are very venerable, and copy things they see other people doing. Since being at Alderman Davies’ I have enjoyed every minute of working with the children. They all have completely different personality and can be very cheeky if you let them be. They each of them have began to trust me and trust me to do work with them and to look after them during the day. I have loved doing activities with the children that I had been set to do in college and I know the children enjoyed them too. I had so much fun helping prepare the Christmas concert, helping sort out costumes and helping the children learn all the songs. Making Christmas things with the children was very enjoyable and watching them enjoy themselves made me very happy that I helped put the smile on their faces. The thing I dislike the most about this placement is that Teaching assistants didn’t respect me as much as the teachers did. And it knocked my confidence a bit when I was near them, and the some of the children took it as a cue that they could disrespect me to. However I did not let it ruin my time there and I enjoyed it as much as I possibly could. However I disliked seeing the children upset and thought that some of the dinner time supervisors didn’t deal with some of the problems well enough. My strengths during this placement have been that I could turn up on time and I was very creative in thinking of idea’s for helping the children learn and coming up with games for them to play witch they were learning through doing too. Another strength was that I could build good relationships with the children and staff because I was very confident from the beginning and am easy to talk to. This helped me a lot and made me enjoy my time more. I also encourage children to join in with activities and helped them build their confidence be when they say they couldn’t do something took the time to tell them they can do it and helped them to do it and made sure they were able to before I left them. My only weakness was at the beginning I was very nervous of doing activities with the children because I didn’t know them and had never done it before. With help from kind staff and just gave it my best short and my confidence grew even more and I am now able to explain tasks to the children with confidence. If I was to do this placement again I would do it all the same because I absolutely enjoyed everything and all my time there. However I would not worry about anything and have more confidence at the beginning. Information I would give to students coming behind me would be is have a brilliant time and enjoy every minute because it goes so fast. I would recommend to have confidence because the teachers know how you feel because they were in your position once before. I would advise to be patient and take time to listen to the children and to stay on top of the work because it could mount high on top of you and its worth doing. Ill be sad to leave this placement so enjoy everything.

Kate Chopin Essays (217 words) - Philosophy Of Love, Emotions

Kate Chopin Katherine Chopin has a different opinion of love, marriage, than most writers of her day. In her writing she indicates to her readers that marriage, though built on a foundation of love can not contain passion. Love is considered a feeling that inspires passion, and romance. It continues on throughout the marriage, but the passion and romance are lost somewhere in the struggles of married life. This loss can also occur in the task of raising children, causing a sort of neglect for the love of one's life. Passion is what inspires an individual to do anything. Chopin it seems is saying that this is an impossibility in marriage in the since of love or sexual relationship. Passion however can be found outside the marriage with other sexual partners. It can also be found in other areas such as in "The Story of an Hour." The main character in this story exemplifies this truth by the statement made after she got over the shock of her husband's death, "Free, free, free!" Her passion came from the realization that she was once again free to do as she wished. Marriage it seems is considered somewhat sacred even though it was almost as if it was acceptable for extramarital relations to take place in Chopin's stories. She seems to think this act of breaking the holy vows of marriage was a justifiable act.

Essay analyzes of The Lover by Abraham B. Yehoshua

Essay analyzes of The Lover by Abraham B. Yehoshua "[She] starts to sort it out, to turn over the day, scraps, feelings, words and laughter, all are like a thin layer of rubbish that [she] gathers up and throws into the basket" (9). In A.B. Yehoshua's novel The Lover, Asya utilizes dreams to release her inner-tensions. Yehoshua employs Asya's dreams as symbolic, prophetic mechanisms that parallel the subtle, emotional conflicts within the characters and her self.Once Asya is deprived of her lover, Gabriel, she is consumed by his absence and immediately begins to dream about him. The first of Asya's dreams described in the novel reflects her unconscious desire to reunite with Gabriel and abandon her family. The dream places Asya within a military encampment as an educator on a fieldtrip, paralleling Gabriel's own military excursion (14). Like the dreamer, the reader is also unable to make the connection between the dream and Gabriel, because both are uncertain of Gabriel's military career at the novel's onset.English: Flag of Israel w ith the Mediterranean sea..."The faces of children from Dafi's class" that Asya encounters are analogous to the "young, boyish faced" men in Gabriel's platoon (14, 297). While Dafi's class attends compulsory education, the soldiers have been forced into military service. Dafi's class also creates a commentary on the Zionist movement. Though the Zionist movement recently catalyzed the creation of an Israeli state, the Israeli's must now defend their independence in the Yom Kippur War. The field trip in Asya's dream exposes the young children to war, corrupting their naivety and innocence. These children must be prepared; they must sacrifice their childhoods for war, because most Israelis believe their independence will continually be contested, regardless of the outcome of the Yom Kippur War.Like Gabriel, Asya is lost within the encampment; she does not understand her purpose, but eventually understands her position with the...

Reading Response # 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Response # 3 - Assignment Example The loss of a few thousand innocent lives was something which radically changed the way Americans think about Muslims and their religion. In order to argue whether there is really a clash of civilization as suggested by Huntington or the reaction is just Muslim or Arab Phobia, it is important to understand the roots of this conflict and how this difference emerged. The theory of clash of civilization is basically based upon the notion of clash of cultures and civilizations with each other. Underlying this theory is the belief that future conflicts between people will be based upon culture of people and that democracy or free markets is not the only ideology of the world. This notion therefore suggests that the primary axis of conflict will be religion as well as the culture of the people. Considering this position, the post 9/11 scenario may not seem as a clash of civilizations but rather Muslim or Arab phobia. The obvious reasons for the attack of 9/11 were based upon the belief that US has supported or illegally occupied and plundered the resources belonging to the Muslim world. This conflict was however by few groups against the State rather than a Muslim State against America. The videos suggested that there is a general Arab and Muslim Phobia because in the War against terror many Muslim countries actually supported the US in its war against Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups. In a way, the Muslim world on the whole, except for a few countries, was officially supporting the US and its war against Islamic extremist groups. There is therefore a general fear regarding Muslims and how may they create a threat for Americans within America. People generally believe that Muslims may harm them and therefore in order to avoid being harmed, Muslims should be labeled and wear bands so that they can be identified. There is a