Sunday, July 20, 2008

WEEK 7 : TASK 1 - SPACE STORMS


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0304/02.html


Have you ever heard about space storms?
Its so strange but in fact, not only our earth has storms but also in the universe. They are storms that its very difficult to explain, identify and predict.
Have you ever seen stuff like green streams that are dancing in the sky?
That is a part of results caused by space storms. Many people usually call them aurora orealis because of their splendid color.
Now aday, scientists figure out that there are many space storms in the universe that they can't still identify.Why they need to indentify them? Because they are so dangerous and can cause damages to our planets and saterllites, so Nasa and saterllite companies really need infornations about them. They don't come from our earth but from the sun. The sun is a planet whose surface is like boiled water and emits most of calories so far. When these calories are emited into the universe, they cause space storms that seriously affect other planets including our earth. Planets are influented by those calories, when they get oxygen, they become to have color as we have color stars today. Scientist call these phenomenon sub storms and those lights Nothern lights. Of couse, they just happen out space of the universe. Vassilis Angelopouslos, team leader of Nasa's Themis are researching these space storms. They use satellites to observe sub storm and identify where they are in the universe. They try to discover the truth about the sub storms. Therefore, they prepare a rocket that contain five satellite to send them into the universe. They have to be very careful to put them in the right place, right time to catch storms' actions. To know when storms happen, they have weather observations that work 24/7. By machines, they can see pictures, lever and ways of storms. With statistics that they collect, they try to analyse storms to predict when they happen. These are often difficult to forecast because it takes them two day to download necessary informations from satellite to the earth, and those informations also take a long to analyse. Indeed, scientists are still trying to solve mysteries about space storms and qualify their damage.

WEEK 6 : TASK 3 - THE 10th PLANET



http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3302/01.html
As we knew, our solar system has all nine planets. The sun is the center, and the other planets revolve it. But today, scientists found that there are ten planets in our solar system. This is a interesting thing that it is the reason that scientists who research in space have to rewrite text books about astronaut. For a long time researching and observing the space, Micheal Brown discovered a new and unusual planet, a tenth planet with a bright light. He didn’t know what to call it, and then he discussed with his fellows and decided to call it Zena as name of a female character in old Greek stories. He informed that every day astrologists find out hundreds of new planets. Therefore, they have a large account of planets, and their object is to identify them. It is so hard to discover solar system because it has billions of planets and those planets are right in order. They can change anytime that they can not know. They also need to identify which one is planet, and which is unplanet. So, exploring and naming a new planet have to be accepted by experts. There are many ideas that show displeasures for planets that are not recognize as a planet of solar system. Our universe is very wide and open and has many other planet systems and we can not know exactly how many planets are existing at all. However, discovering the tenth planet is a new advance in our age that may help us to find out more mysteries about our broad universe.

WEEK 6 : TASK 2 - BOOMING SAND




http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3204/04.html
Have you ever been in the desert ? If you have, you may have heard loud sounds and thought that was the wind. But in the fact, those sounds don’t come from the wind but from the sand. We can not realize them because they are too general. And the question was made here is how come those sounds come from the sand and why it happens. No one can explain.
An account of engineers from California came a desert to find out mysterious noises and describe what booming sand does. First of all, they examined the desert by walking around on top of sand dunes. Then they carried out methods to identify origin of those noises. Their prime theory is the booming sand is doing really like a musical instrument that the sands on the surface is like vibrate strings and the hard surface below is like the body of the musical instrument. When the sands on the surface moves, they hit each other and make noises as when strings ring. Continuously, they made another trial ; they slid down from the top of dunes. At the beginning, they heard nothing, but then noises started to be louder and clearer. They called it the dunes’ music. They used some devices to record measure these noises. They pitched a stick into the hard part below the surface of the sand to measure and identify their levels. And the frequency is often equal to musical notes G. They said these sounds changed day by day and over last years it happened from dunes to dunes. They tried to figure out how much space they are between the top where the sands lose and hard surface down below. After 2 years, frequently visit to 3 of the 30 booming sand, they investigated many dunes that were 150 feet high and collected many important information to solve this phenomenon but it seems to be hopeless. Evidences showed that those sounds usually changes and they are same musical notes such as E, F, G. Anyway, they are still trying to discover mysteries about the booming sand and confirm their theories.

WEEK 6 : TASK 1 - TOY BOX


This is a song that may be you have ever seen and listened to it. This is a song that was performed by the band AQUA. This band includes two member: one boy and one girl. Their songs are usually funny and animate. And one of this band's songs that i want to recommend to you today is the song Tarzan and Jane. This song is so cool with great settings and young rhythm. I really like this song. Also, i have many more songs of this band that i hope to give you in next tasks, and now just enjoy it and give me your feelings and comments if you want. Thanks.

WEEK 5 : TASK 4 - CRAZY PAINTING


This is a crazy video online that I want to show you above here. Its so amazing that the artist painted it by computer techniques. Indeed, he painted the singer Beyond lively. It looks very realistic, isn't it? That was a painting process that took a long time to make. I was so interested in it and wondered how could he do it. Any way, I think this is a very great video that you should watch and if you have time, why don't you try to create a new picture by yourself with those computer techniques. Good luck.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

WEEK 5 : TASK 3 - LITTLE PEOPLE OF FLORES



http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3209/01.html
There are many mysterious stories about ancients that lived with elephants and dragons….. Thousands of years ago. Do you believe it? This is also a amazing topic that scientists and archaeologists are researching and to prove that may be true.
Today, between Asia and Australia, near Indonesia, there is a island that is believed that some little ancient people still exist on our planet for ten thousands of years or more. Logical people who have been living here said that they had ever seen hairy people in the forest. There are many archeologists from Australia who come here to discover this phenomenon and find out answers about ancient people that are called Homo Floresiesis or a little of Flores. A new question was made here is how these ancients can get to this island? Archaeologists are trying to puzzle out this question by collecting bones and every tracks that remain over thousands of years. They found out skulls and bones but the results were very surprising that sizes of these skulls and bones are very smaller than people today. Archaeologists explained thousands of years ago, continents stuck together, so when human appeared, they scattered many places and developed various races that differed from appearance, skin color, and culture. When continents separated, many brands of these ancients were isolated in islands. Therefore, their living surroundings were diminished in size, in order to be able to survive, they also had to reduce their body sizes to fit with their living environments. As a result, they became smaller many times than us today. They said animals which lived in that time were also smaller many time than our animals today, follow the way that people human became smaller to keep balance the life. Although those are still archaeologists’ inferences, they are trying to keep track these Homo Floresiesis to find out mysteries about them. Whether they still live? Nobody knows. One day in the future, perhaps those creatures will be showed to us.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

WEEK 5 : TASK 2 - MUSIC

This is a very cool song. I like Fergie very much, so I usually listen to her songs. Originally, she was a member of the band: Black Eye Pea's that was famous in hip hop and pop music styles. They were broken, and members in that band have been following their own ways. Fergie is the only female member in that band. Her career is rather developed, and she becomes a famous singer. This is one among her fanstatic songs that I chose to send to all you who come to my blog and listen to it. I hope you like it. Thank you.

Friday, July 11, 2008

WEEK 5 : TASK 1 - EMERGENCE







Have you ever wondered why a flock of bird or a school of fish can move as one without an impact?
If so, the topic today is going to give you answers about that. The topic that I want to introduce to you is Emergence.
Emergence explains complex patterns and the behaviors that are arising all the world around that. Emergence may reveal how many individuals do in the same way without a leader. It is unpredictable. When you see a school of fish, can you figure out which one is the leader? The answer is no one. In a collective, there are no any leaders but they still move in order. It doesn’t have function control a entire group, even no constructor, no director that tell the where they go. John Holland of the Santa Fe institute explained that there is a exclusive rule in the nature. It is a rule that every individual learned. He continued organism come from the bottom, and it is the most important rule that is really complex. Therefore, it is called Emergence. Behavior emergence is from action that is controlled by the rule. We are usually apt to follow the first move without thinking, we just do it simply. He gave out an example : when we across the street, the first individual move and then the others will follow.
This thing also happens in a flock of bird, a school of fish or a crowd. Even machines also move follow its decisive rule.
How can it connect to others?
That is still a difficult problem to explain. Our brain is much more complex than a computer. That is because we have consciousness, and it has important effects to us in following others’ actions. Bob Heien is trying to find out forms of living and how it starts. Its form is increasing more complex structures, and even new structures become more complex and create life. He executed many experiment to examine how they develop and create structure center for life, what systems become complex and how complex they become. He is still trying to figure out answers to qualify emergence complexity.

WEEK 4 : TASK 2 - FASTEST GLACIER







Glacier is one among subjects that scientists are researching today. Glacier has mysteries that attracts experts come to get information about it. Glacier looks like a solid block of ice, but in fact it is river of ice that moving. Indeed, glacier is moving hundreds feet every day. The question was made here is how it happen? Scientists is still trying to find out the reasons and really bad behavior of it. On the Green land, that is the largest glacier Jokobshavn where a group of scientists was examining about it. It is over thousands feet thick and more four miles wide. It is the fastest moving glacier on the world. Scientists announced it moved about 113 feet every day, and speed of moving would still be increasing. The problem here is its not just speeding up but it is shrinking. For last 5 years, it has been moving 8 miles and pushing the ice fall to the ocean, so it is losing ice every year. Jay Zwally a glaciologist with a group of scientists were there and trying to identify what has been really happening. He said we couldn’t feeling it moving. It is gentle motions under the ice. They used many stools and machines to measure wind speed, temperature and others factors. Then they collected information and put them together to try to identify glacier’s moving speed. They almost lived there for many years to research about glacier. They had tents that were filled up by snow. They had enough materials that could help them live there for a long time. They also usually examined areas around there. They spotted that temperature was increasing, so it made ices melt and the water would be free. Melt water on the surface was increasing and when there is a crack, water will follow the crack go to the bottom, lift the ice and make it move. That is its process and so, every years the ice is losing its self and water would be free. It can cause dangers to the world that we are living on. No one knows it happened thousands years ago or even today.

WEEK 4 : TASK 1 - LIGHTNING




Lightning has been considered a mystery for a long time. It is assumed power of God or of others forces out of our earth. No one knows the answer. A group of scientists was researching about lightning regard it as a phenomenon of nature. They said it was difficult to study about it.
How does it happen?
Lightning expert Joe Dwyer of the Florida institute of technology announced we usually saw it as giant spark with louder noise. Actually, its process is very complex. They explained there were electric part leaved to the air. Opposite electric parks were separated and moved in clouds. When they meet one another and strong enough, they will create lightning. Scientists were curious that where those energies come from. They built up a tower to measure how strong a lightning was. They tested on a excusive ground and used many machine to examine it. They showed the present of lightning by firing rockets and sending to the air to create it. As a result, a lightning can be strong over millions volt. They continued examining by sending a balloon that carried equipments to the air to observe lightning. In short, research studies are still carrying out to prove to the world more clearly about lightning.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

WEEK 3 : TASK 4 - MY MUSIC - MY STYLE

This is a song that I like. Now, let listen to it.

This is a very cool song that I listened since I was in my country.

In the song, there are two singers that are so famous now : Fergie and Daddy Yankee. The song with animated rhythms and professional dancers make me feel so wonderful. Every time I feel sad, I listen to it and cheer up. Music is part of the life that help us improve our life. So, every time you have something gloomy or depressed, just do not give up and try to come up as Iam still doing it now. This is the time for music. Just listen it and relax.

WEEK 3 : TASK 3 - THE HURRICANE


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3204/02.html
What is the hurricane? What will we do when there is hurricane coming to us?
Nowaday, there are more hurricane attacking us and we can not foreknow. Therefore, scientists are researching to be able to predict hurricane that will come and warn everybody to flee to another place. How can they do it ?
A group of scientists examines level of wind, water in the river and other natural conditions. They usually observe them and try to predict what happens next. From there, they built up statistics base on what they could collect. They also use satellite system to locate the hurricane and draw its external structures. They use machines to support them in identifying how strong the hurricane is and even when and where it will happen. The only way that government can do is to build up levees to hold back the water in the river or sea. They use many pumper to pump the water out of the levee. It can pump out billions gallon water every day. Its so hard for scientists to predict s storm because it usually changes and they can know how strong it will hit the land. They can not notify that there is a storm coming and then nothing happens. Therefore, it is still a big challenge to scientists to find out the answer. They said there has been more hurricanes happen in America and it causes traumatic casualties and sometime not only one but even two or many storms happen at the same time. So, we need have positive methods to prevent influences of it. Finally, we can not still know exactly when a storm will come and if it came, what would you do???

WEEK 3 : TASK 2 - STEM CELL

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3209/04.html
The main character in our movie is a girl who has to suffer diabetes for a long time. She has had it since she was born. Her family and she still keep effort saving her own life. Although she lives with a disease that follow her many years, she still live normally. She has a exclusive diet and has to check her blood frequently : after every her meals or every time she wakes up. Doctors are really interested in this case and they try to find out a way to cure her disease. Doctors have been researching techniques of cloning that they think it can be helpful in this girl‘s disease. They made many experiments to discover how cells develop and replace old cells, and from there they can find way to renew a body with new cells and remove bad cells. In fact, scientists have tried to develop techniques to cloning people but they don’t really clone people. A scientist explained: we don’t really clone people but we can just clone the cell and for cell can double itself, it develops into a new body. An egg cell will be fertilized by putting a root cell in it and then transplant it into a bringer. That cells will develop into a new shape and create a new organism. This technique causes arguments because it offenses holy birth ability of the women. The first creature was created base on this technique is Dolly sheep. It caused a new important event in medicine but Dolly sheep just lived in a short time. Therefore, it is still not a perfect technique to save life. Scientists keep researching to find out a best ways to cure patients. A new question is made here is to save the life or start a new life.

WEEK 3 : TASK 1 - FISH SURGERY


http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3214/04.html

There was a surgery carried out to save a fish. A group of doctor showed
their surgery skills to try cure a gold fish with the skin cancer. They laid the
fish on the some kinds of machine and then, to keep it alive, they put a water hose in the mouth of the fish and started the operation. They used knife and tweezers to remove bad coats of the skin on the platform of the injury. After that, they kept using lazer to burn cancer and abnormal cells. It was done by a main doctor in the surgery : Greg Bloober. He is working in the aquatic medicine president program at North Carolina State University Verdernary school. The question was made here is why they did that to just save a fish. He said : Nowaday, more Americans have been changing the attitude to the fish. Its no longer for decoration that you put into a glass tank but it becomes a pet in home and more people pay more money for them either. Most people assume the fish are smart animal. They said they could listen to us and tell us what is going on even they could have obvious responds to us. We don’t just have connections with our own kind but with other animals. Also, there is a man who loves Koi fishes and he raises them in a lake of his house. He usually dips his body in the water to approach them and cuddle them like his children and even kiss them. He spent a lot of time to stay with them. Although now they can cost thousands of dollar but he still doesn’t sell them and considers raising them as a favorite thing. Even once time, he spent thousands of dollar to save a broken spine fish that is his the most favorite fish. So, the fish have been becoming a favor pet in home that can be compared with a dog or a cat and why don’t we try raising a fish at home. It may be a new entertainment for us to try it and discover interesting things.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Who am I ???


Hi every body who visits my blog. My name is Anh Kiet. Iam in level 4 in Seattle Central Community College. I have been living in Seattle for six months and this is the first time I come to a foreign country which has an absolutely different culture. Iam spending a lot of time to study English and in the future, after finishing ESL classes, Iam going to study engineering as my dream is an airplane engineer. Iam so glad to meet all of you. I hope you can share feelings and experients in the life to me. Thank you.