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ShapeSphere · Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 386

In space, no one can hear you teach.

Below are some links to news articles on the landing of a probe on the surface of Titan (a moon of Saturn). You may find it interesting, I personally do and have always found astronomy a fascinating subject. You could even use it in class. (I like politics, but just want a break for the moment).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/article/0,14493,1391031,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,5860,1390718,00.html

In the classroom, I often think about asking Chinese students if they think of life on other planets, but when I look at their blank faces then it's probable there's not even life in the classroom.

Incidentally the ambient temperature of Titan is -180C or -292F, reports that Canadians have been found living on the surface have not yet been confirmed.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I have been following this story for 7 years but thought it would be way too nerdy of me to post anything about the landing today.

Thanks Shapely

Twisting in the Wind · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 571 Location: Purgatory

Guy, you and Mr. Twisting can be nerdy together, then, He's all into it, has been glued to the tv coverage today. LOL

Cardinal Synn · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 586

I saw some photos on TV of the surface - what looked like a sea or lake (possibly of methane) and cloudy mountains and cliffs. Excellent! Always a bit hard to get my head around that sort of thing - seems a bit unreal.

twoface · Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 31

Sounds like Titan's the place for an expansion hockey team, perhaps the Titan Titans. Build an arena, put in a Tim Horton's and Bramalea Consolidated could throw up a few thousand houses and next thing you know Hazel McCallum will run for mayor!
Plant the Maple Leaf, Canada rules!

ShapeSphere · Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 386

Shapely? That's a new one Guy - but a most definitely cool one. Smile

It's a relief to know that I am not the only nerd on this forum. If I had a pair of heavy-rimmed black spectacles or a set of ballpoint pens protruding from the top pocket of my shirt; then I would adjust them in a nervous but intellectual fashion. But I don't. Really. I don't.

Getting back to the point of this expedition and its ultimate search of learning more about our solar system and finding alien life, then I do think about this occasionally.

The chances of life are remote, to actually find a planet with the correct conditions (as we know them) are rare and I think we will be disappointed. Also if we take the concept of time as linear, then life may have existed and died all before our own came into being. Using the painfully simple graph below as an explanation:

----x----x-----------y---->

x = life on remote planet
y = life on our planet

I think if we did encounter life it would just be plants or some one-celled organism. It certainly will not be akin to the nauseatingly perfect ideals espoused in Star Trek - where every alien speaks perfect English. I mean if Chinese students on this planet can't even differentiate between 'he' and 'she' after ten years education in Chinese schools, then what hope has alien life have?

spidey · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 3:02 am Post subject:

TO THE PEOPLE OF TITAN....
....WE COME IN PEACE.

...if that's possible?

S

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

ShapeSphere · Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 386

Thanks Guy. It's embarrassing to admit that I hadn't used the space.com website - considering that the name is so obvious to find. (I tended to use NASA or New Scientist or just wait for the main newspapers to report on major findings.)

Anyway - this is non-teaching so will be deleted soon.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Well, turning to teaching...

space.com is a nice resource to use in classes. Keeps the younger students interested and is a perfect lead-in to What if...? conditionals in grammar study.

Tangerine sky on Titan. Like walking on creme brulee. What if we found animals there kiddies? What would they look like?

carnac · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:06 am Post subject:

This may sound like a put-on, but have you been following the story of the Giant Galactic Blobs? http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050111120732.htm
I use excerpts from ScienceDaily as a way of raising the bar for my students in both English usage and awareness of the big universe out there.
ps - how would you define/translate the term "blob" to your students? I am scratching my head here.
Maybe the old Steve McQueen film?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Funny, I was just yesterday searching for the translation in Spanish while fixing the plumbing at my aunt-in-law's place.

This one would have to be realia or pictures. The dictionary definition of :that which came from space and ate a 1950 small american town' would be difficult. Damn, I haven't seen that movie in ages.

Good link...I'm putting in the heap of good class links that clutter my desktop.