#space exploratio

[kitty-baby36]

"Four Turtles & A Baby"

(TMNT BAYVERSE)

🐢 Chapter Seven 🐢

Three more months go by in a blur. Thora flourished under the care of her mutant guardians.

Mikey attempted to teach her how to skate, and they were known to have mini races in the sewers, despite Leo's grumbling about safety - to be fair, it was mostly Thora scooting around on the board while Michaelangelo coasted along beside her, and he always let's her win anyway.

Donnie was intent on teaching her as much math and science as her little brain could absorb. Sometimes you'd find him under the truck, Thora under there with him, while he described to her in detail all the mechanical parts and what they do. Other times, she'd be with him in his lab, her eyes and nose barely visible above the top of his desk, watching him mix multi-color liquids in beakers (never anything dangerous or toxic when she was around). Once he let her help him make "elephant toothpaste" and Splinter was not happy with the mess.

Leo quite often put her to bed and read her stories from some of his many books. Though she was notorious for sneaking into Mikey or Raphael's rooms in the middle of the night - more often than not, she could be found sleeping with her blanket and stuffed bunny across the top of Raphael's legs in his giant bed and if anyone tried to move her, he would straight-up growl at them. (There were one or two instances of Thora sneaking into Leo's bed when she was still very small, and Leo secretly relishes the memory of being her turtle of choice).

Thora found great delight in putting stickers on Donnie's shell when he wasn't looking, and Mikey helped her by finding really bright-colored, sparkly ones. She put a glittery yellow heart one on Raphael's shell once, and though he grumbled, he absolutely refused to let any of his brothers take it off, and that thing stayed for weeks.

One night in particular, after an awful encounter with the Foot, Michaelangelo was feeling sort of bummed out. His brothers had each branched off to do their own things, leaving him to sulk by himself in the living room.

"Mike-mike!"

He raised his head just in time to see Thora, dressed in green footy pajamas, rushing full-speed at him. She flung herself into his arms, clinging to him tightly.

"Pookie!" he said, lovingly, hugging her back just as tight. "Hey hey little flower, did you get a bath?" She nodded with a smile, hair still dripping and smelling like strawberries.

"Spinner wash my hair."

"I can tell," he chuckled, wiping the water from his face. "You smell pretty."

"I is pretty," she said, matter-of-fact.

"Are you ready for couch cuddles while we watch our show?"

"Yes! Mike-mike cuddles pwease!" She proceeded to wriggle into his lap and tuck herself under his chin, thumb in mouth and clutching her bunny.

They watched I Love Lucy reruns; Mikey did his best Desi impression just to make her giggle. He felt his sour mood fade, and before the end of the third episode, they were both snoring.

....

Splinter couldn't help but smile at the sight as he perched on the edge of his meditation mat. Thora had brought an unexpected joy into their lives. She had transformed their home from a sanctuary of training and discipline into a vibrant space where each day was a new adventure.

Yet, as he watched the duo, a flicker of concern threaded through his thoughts. He glanced at Thora. Here, she was oblivious to the weight of the outside world, surrounded by her family, and shielded from the chaos of the surface. But Splinter knew that one day, she would grow older and would inevitably yearn for the world above—for others like herself.

Would the surface welcome her? Would it be kind to such a bright light? He pondered this as he recalled his own past. The streets could be unforgiving, filled with shadows that threatened to engulf the innocent. Splinter's heart ached at the thought of Thora venturing into that world, leaving the safety of their home behind.

Yet, he understood the importance of growth and exploration. Just as he had guided his sons, he would have to prepare Thora for whatever life it was that awaited her. He would teach her about the dangers, yes, but also about the beauty she could find above. She would need to learn how to navigate the complexities of the human world, armed only with the lessons of love and family that grounded her.

As Mikey let out a rather loud snore, prompting Thora to unconsciously bat his face, his worries disappated — if only for a moment. Splinter closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. For now, they were together, and he would cherish every moment before the inevitable changes came. The world above could wait; for now, he found peace in the simple joy of watching his son and little Thora snuggled on the couch, blissfully unaware of the future.

💠

[aladeanblogs]

Discover the Timeless Elegance of the Brass Telescope Scout Regiment London 1940 Replica

In a world filled with technology, it's rare to find an item that transports you to another time, a relic of history that speaks of adventure, exploration, and discovery. The Brass Telescope Scout Regiment London 1940 Replica is not just an antique spyglass; it’s a gateway to a bygone era. Whether you're an avid collector, a lover of historical artifacts, or someone looking for the perfect gift to express admiration, this stunning replica brings a sense of timelessness and elegance into any home.

A Window to the Past

The Brass Telescope Scout Regiment London 1940 is a carefully crafted replica, reminiscent of the telescopes used by scouts and explorers during World War II. Its design is rooted in history, evoking the spirit of resilience, courage, and curiosity. Imagine the brave scouts, stationed on the rugged cliffs of wartime Britain, using similar instruments to watch over the seas for incoming ships, their keen eyes scanning the horizon. This telescope captures that essence, serving as a symbol of vigilance and strength, making it a unique and thoughtful gift for history enthusiasts or those fascinated by military memorabilia.

Craftsmanship that Speaks Volumes

Made with impeccable precision, this brass spyglass is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Every detail is designed to replicate the authenticity of a 1940s spyglass, from the smooth finish of the polished brass to the sturdy leather case that accompanies it. Its compact size makes it easy to carry, while its fully functional optics allow the viewer to experience a crystal-clear view of distant landscapes. The telescope is not just a decorative piece, but a fully operational spyglass that delivers clarity and focus, enhancing the experience for both collectors and adventurers alike.

The warm glow of the brass is both elegant and timeless, making this piece a beautiful addition to any space. Whether displayed on a study desk, in a library, or on a living room shelf, it adds an element of historical sophistication to any decor. Its authenticity is further enhanced by the engraved markings, echoing the era it hails from.

A Gift That Speaks from the Heart

Gift-giving is an art, and the Brass Telescope Scout Regiment London 1940 Replica is a gift that carries deep meaning. It is perfect for anyone with an appreciation for history, adventure, and fine craftsmanship. Who can gift this? Here are some heartfelt ideas:

To the Explorer in Your Life: If you have a friend or family member who loves to travel, explore, and see the world from a different perspective, this brass telescope is the ideal gift. It’s not only a beautiful piece to display but a tool they can actually use on their journeys.

A Thoughtful Present for History Buffs: History enthusiasts will treasure this piece, as it brings a tangible connection to the past. The stories it holds and the era it represents will make them feel like they are holding a piece of history in their hands.

A Collector’s Dream: If you know someone who enjoys collecting rare and unique items, especially those with historical significance, this telescope will undoubtedly make their collection shine.

A Token of Love and Admiration: Imagine giving this to someone special as a symbol of how they’ve guided you, much like the scouts who once used such telescopes to protect and serve. It’s a gift that reflects admiration, respect, and gratitude.

Why This Telescope Stands Out

Aesthetic Appeal: With its vintage brass finish and detailed design, it’s an eye-catching decorative piece that adds charm to any space.

Functional Use: This is not just a decorative item. The telescope is fully functional, allowing you to enjoy crisp and clear views.

Historical Significance: It carries with it the weight of history, reminding the owner of the brave scouts who once used similar instruments during WWII.

High-Quality Materials: Crafted from durable brass with a leather casing, this telescope is built to last, a testament to its quality and authenticity.

A Loving Note to Visitors

At Aladean, we hold your trust and appreciation close to our hearts. Each piece, including this Brass Telescope Scout Regiment London 1940 Replica, is crafted with love and care to ensure it brings joy to whoever owns it. We invite you to explore this rare antique spyglass, a piece that connects us to the past and is ready to become part of your present or future.

If you feel inspired to own this beautiful piece or wish to gift it to someone special, we warmly encourage you to visit Aladean's website for more details about purchasing. With due respect and love, we believe that the Brass Telescope Scout Regiment will bring joy, nostalgia, and a sense of timeless wonder into your life or the life of someone you deeply care about.

Let this telescope remind us that even in the smallest of things, there are stories waiting to be told.

[matesaway]

Comprehensive Guide: Finding Travel Buddies for Your Next Adventure

Introduction

In the realm of modern travel, the prospect of finding a suitable travel companion can significantly enhance the experience, turning a simple trip into a memorable journey filled with shared moments and enriching interactions. Whether you're a solo traveler seeking camaraderie or someone looking to broaden your horizons with like-minded individuals, the process of How to find travel buddies involves strategic planning and thoughtful consideration.

The Benefits of Traveling With a Companion

Traveling alongside a compatible companion offers a multitude of advantages:

Shared Experiences: Sharing the excitement of new discoveries and adventures amplifies the joy of travel.

Cost Efficiency: Splitting expenses for accommodations, transportation, and shared activities can significantly reduce costs.

Enhanced Safety: Having a trusted travel partner can provide reassurance and security, especially in unfamiliar or challenging situations.

Local Insights: Two minds are better than one when it comes to uncovering hidden gems and experiencing the culture of a destination.

Where to Find Potential Travel Buddies

1. Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit host numerous travel groups where individuals share their travel plans, interests, and preferences. These groups provide a platform for connecting with potential travel companions who share similar passions and travel styles.

2. Specialized Websites and Apps

Dedicated travel buddy websites and mobile apps cater specifically to connecting travelers seeking companionship. Platforms like TravelBuddy and Backpackr utilize algorithms to match individuals based on destination preferences, travel dates, and interests, facilitating meaningful connections and travel partnerships.

3. Local Meetup Groups

Many cities worldwide organize local meetup groups focused on travel and adventure. Attending these gatherings offers the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals face-to-face, fostering personal connections and allowing for a thorough vetting process before embarking on a journey together.

How to Choose the Right Travel Buddy

1. Compatibility Assessment

Assess compatibility in terms of travel style, budget preferences, interests, and expectations. Open communication about individual preferences and trip expectations is crucial to ensuring a harmonious travel partnership.

2. Safety and Trustworthiness

Prioritize safety by conducting background research on potential travel buddies. Utilize social media profiles, mutual connections, and references to verify credibility and establish trust before committing to travel together.

3. Effective Communication

Establish clear lines of communication from the outset. Discuss travel plans, itinerary preferences, and potential challenges to ensure mutual understanding and alignment before embarking on the journey.

Tips for a Smooth Travel Experience

1. Collaborative Planning

Collaborate on itinerary planning to incorporate both parties' interests and preferences. Flexibility in scheduling and activities allows for spontaneity while accommodating each other's travel goals.

2. Respect Boundaries and Preferences

Respect personal space and boundaries throughout the journey. Openly communicate preferences and address any concerns promptly to maintain a positive and respectful travel dynamic.

3. Shared Responsibilities

Divide responsibilities such as booking accommodations, navigating transportation, and managing expenses. Clearly defined roles promote efficiency and cooperation, minimizing potential conflicts during the trip.

Conclusion

How to find travel buddies can elevate your travel experiences by fostering meaningful connections, enhancing safety, and enriching cultural explorations. By leveraging social media platforms, specialized websites, and local meetup groups, travelers can discover companions who share their passion for exploration and adventure. Prioritizing compatibility, safety, and effective communication ensures a rewarding and enjoyable journey with a trusted travel buddy.

[panbai-international-school]

From Classroom to Lab: Panbai School's Embrace of Hands-On Learning in Science and Research

Introduction: Creating a Unique Educational Experience

The Panbai School is a place to be. Panbai School, where education is a journey that transcends conventional boundaries and turns into a journey of ExplorationExploration and ingenuity. In the bustling Mumbai city of Mumbai, Panbai School stands as an example of excellence. We provide a vibrant learning environment that promotes imagination and critical thinking, as well as an interest in exploration. The core of our educational philosophy is an unwavering dedication to hands-on learning in sciences and research, which enables students to be future leaders and visionaries. As the best international school in Mumbai, We strive to achieve the highest levels of academic excellence and give our students the most enriching learning experience.

Inspiring Curiosity and ExplorationExploration

Cultivating Young Minds

From the moment they walk through the doors of our school, and are welcomed by a warm and welcoming atmosphere, support, and potential. Here at Panbai School, we understand the importance of encouraging curiosity at an early age, and that is why our teachers are committed to providing a welcoming and engaging learning environment. Through stimulating lessons, engaging activities, and open-ended inquiry, we help our students inquire, consider ideas, and reflect on the world that surrounds them.

Embracing Hands-On Learning

Here at Panbai School, learning is most effective when it's hands-on, which is the reason we put a lot of emphasis on learning through hands-on activities in the fields of science and research. Our classrooms are not spaces to absorb information. They are the laboratories of discovery in which the students can pull into their pajamas and dive into the realm of experimentation. From dissecting samples to creating experiments to conducting field research, Students are engaged in research and are developing vital abilities like problem-solving, collaboration, and persistence as they go. As the top-ranked school in Mumbai, we have a goal of providing the best education experience that helps students succeed in the contemporary world.

Modern facilities

Spaces that Inspire ExplorationExploration

Panbai School boasts state-of-the-art facilities that provide students with the resources and tools they require to realize their potential to the fullest extent. Our science labs are outfitted with the most advanced technology and equipment that allows students to conduct investigations and experiments on the cutting-edge of research and discovery. Furthermore, our innovation hubs offer students spaces for collaboration in which they can collaborate on interdisciplinary projects, research new technologies, and transform their ideas into reality.

Facilitating Collaboration and Innovation

In our labs and our innovation centers, teamwork is essential. Students work as groups and brainstorm ideas, share ideas, generate solutions, and help one another through the peaks and valleys that occur during the creation process. It doesn't matter if it's creating the prototype of a new invention, researching to write an academic paper, or programming a computer program. Our students are taught the importance of teamwork and collaboration while they work to reach their objectives.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Beyond the walls of the classroom

In the Panbai School, learning extends beyond the classroom. We believe that experiences in the real world can help students develop knowledge about the subject they are studying and entice students to pursue their interests. We organize various excursions and field trips to research institutes, museums, and other educational facilities where students get to experience science and research at work. These opportunities not only improve the learning of students but also spark their curiosity and encourage them to look for new avenues of exploration.

Internship Programs

For students who are looking to explore the realm of research and science, Panbai School, as the top-ranked school in Mumbai, offers internship programs that are in conjunction with top organizations and institutions. These programs give students invaluable experience in working with experts within their fields, carrying out research, and contributing to real-world projects. Whether it's working for a biotech firm, shadowing an expert in a laboratory, or participating in an expedition to research, Our students get valuable insight into the workplace and acquire abilities that will serve them in their future careers.

Empowering Future Leaders

Coaching the Next Generation

We at Panbai School are dedicated to helping our students to be confident and compassionate leaders. Through individualized mentorship and guidance, our teachers assist students in discovering their strengths in their areas of interest, goals, and interests and help them to realize their potential to the fullest extent. Whether it's offering academic assistance or career guidance or just lending a sympathetic ear, Our teachers are committed to helping each student achieve their or their goals.

Celebrating Alumni Success

The achievements of our students are proof of the high quality of their education at Panbai School. From famous researchers and scientists to ingenious entrepreneurs and innovative leaders, our alums have made an impression on the world in many areas. With a solid base on critical thinking skills, problem-solving, and innovating, Panbai School alums are equipped to meet the problems in the twenty-first century and create positive changes in their communities and beyond.

Conclusion We are shaping the future together

In the midst of looking towards our plans, Panbai School remains committed to providing a world-class education that prepares students for success in a rapidly changing world. With our emphasis on practical learning in sciences and research and empowering students to become lifelong learners and critical thinkers with a heartfelt leadership style that can change the world. Join us in the best international school in Mumbai as we embark on a path of discovery and innovation, which gives us every day an opportunity to gain knowledge to grow, develop, and make a difference in the world.

[thestarsalign1010]

Non-InsulatedAliso Viejo Gara

Insulated vs. Uninsulated Aliso Viejo Garage Doors: Unveiling the Pros and Cons

When it comes to garage doors, homeowners twist a crucial decision with insulated and uninsulated options. This choice goes exceeding mere functionality; it impacts vibrancy efficiency, durability, and even noise levels within your space. Our amass lead dives deep into the pros and cons of both insulated and uninsulated garage doors, empowering you to create an informed decision for your home.

Aliso Viejo Insulated Garage Doors:

Enhanced vibrancy Efficiency Insulated garage doors are constructed when extra layers, often comprising polyurethane or polystyrene, providing a barrier neighboring uncovered temperatures. This inherent insulation significantly contributes to vibrancy efficiency, aiding in temperature regulation within the garage space. Particularly in regions when extreme climates, insulated doors can urge on cut vibrancy bills by maintaining a stable indoor temperature. Durability and Sturdiness The further layers in insulated garage doors not lonesome have enough money insulation but moreover attach their strength and durability. This extra resilience makes them more resistant to dents and impacts, ensuring a longer lifespan compared to their uninsulated counterparts. Noise Reduction Beyond thermal insulation, the extra layers in insulated garage doors case as working hermetic barriers. This feature is particularly beneficial if your garage shares a wall when thriving spaces. Insulated doors can significantly cut noise pollution, creating a more mild vibes within your home.

Cons of Insulated Aliso Viejo Garage Doors:

Higher Initial Cost One primary drawback of insulated garage doors is their far along initial cost compared to uninsulated ones. The further materials and construction for insulation repercussion in a far along purchase price. Limited Design Options While insulated doors have enough money remarkable functionality, they might have limited design options compared to uninsulated doors. The further layers can sometimes restrict the range of designs available, limiting aesthetic choices for homeowners.

Uninsulated Aliso Viejo Garage Doors:

Affordability Uninsulated garage doors, in contrast, are typically more cost-effective due to their simpler construction. The absence of further layers makes them a more budget-friendly choice for homeowners seeking a more economical choice. Versatile Design Options One significant advantage of uninsulated garage doors is the diversity in design. when fewer constraints from further layers, these doors often have enough money a broader spectrum of designs, allowing homeowners to prefer from various styles that align when their preferences.

Cons of Uninsulated Garage Doors:

Reduced vibrancy Efficiency The absence of insulation in uninsulated garage doors results in reduced vibrancy efficiency. This deficiency of insulation makes it inspiring to fine-tune indoor temperatures, potentially leading to far along vibrancy bills, especially in extreme weather conditions. Less Durability Compared to insulated doors, uninsulated garage doors may be less durable and more susceptible to dents and damage. The absence of extra layers makes them more prone to wear and tear exceeding time. Choosing with insulated and uninsulated garage doors involves weighing various factors, from vibrancy efficiency and durability to cost and design preferences. though insulated doors have enough money far along insulation, durability, and noise reduction, they come at a far along initial cost and may limit design choices. upon the further hand, uninsulated doors are more affordable and versatile in design but compromise upon vibrancy efficiency and durability. Ultimately, your decision should align when your specific needs and priorities for your garage space. believe to be the climate, your budget, and your aesthetic preferences when making this crucial decision. We hope this detailed exploration of the pros and cons aids you in selecting the ideal garage admittance that perfectly complements your home. The decision with insulated and uninsulated garage doors involves a cautious story of various factors. conformity the nuanced differences, including insulation capabilities, weight, airflow, and design options, is pivotal in selecting the ideal garage admittance for your home. It's critical to assess your specific requirements, when the garage's usage, climate, budget, and long-term child maintenance aspects. By with intent evaluating these factors, you can create a well-informed decision that aligns when your needs and enhances the functionality and aesthetics of your home.

Aliso Viejo Garage Door FAQs:

1. Are insulated garage doors worth the far along cost compared to uninsulated ones? Answer: The value of insulated garage doors lies in their long-term benefits. though they might have a far along initial cost, they have enough money far along insulation, vibrancy efficiency, and durability. The potential savings in vibrancy bills and the enhanced comfort they have enough money can interpret the far along to come investment for many homeowners, especially in regions when extreme climates. 2. Will an uninsulated garage admittance comport yourself the temperature inside my home? Answer: Yes, uninsulated garage doors can impact the indoor temperature of your home, especially if the garage shares a wall when thriving spaces. Without proper insulation, these doors permit for temperature fluctuations, potentially impacting the overall thermal comfort of your house and leading to increased heating or cooling costs. https://noninsulatedalisoviejogaraged784.blogspot.com/2023/12/non-insulatedaliso-viejo-garage-doors.html https://noninsulatedalisoviejogaragedoors.blogspot.com/ https://noninsulatedalisoviejogaragedoors.blogspot.com/2023/12/non-insulatedaliso-viejo-garage-doors.html https://www.tumblr.com/yoga-apple-valley-ca-f3k/736106395682930688 https://magsafecaradapter.blogspot.com/2023/12/magsafe-car-adapter.html https://magsafecarholder.blogspot.com/

[kammartinez]

Amanda Paige Inman

After her mother begins to experience inexplicable fainting episodes, Nona Fernández finds herself sitting behind a screen in a doctor’s office, observing her mother’s electrical brain activity. To help her relax, the doctor tells her mother to think of a happy memory. Suddenly, the screen lights up with “a neuronal circuit like the most complex stellar tapestry.” When Fernández tells her mother what the thought looked like, she is told that the happy constellation was created by the memory of Nona’s birth—a starscape sparked by a moment in which she participated, though the memory of the event is inaccessible to Fernández.

It’s a fitting entry point to the Chilean author’s latest work, Voyager (translated by Natasha Wimmer), a book-length meditation that grapples with the scale and resilience of memory, from our interpersonal relations to the lies—reinforced on a global scale—about our countries and their horrors, which are often hidden in plain sight. In Chile, historical narrative in the post-Pinochet era is often contentious due to the carefully crafted misinformation campaigns, banishments, executions, and disappearances that were rampant during the military junta. In a country where you can visit the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, remembering has become its own form of political activity.

Voyager, rather than being organized chronologically or with a more conventional narrative arc, is instead organized by constellations (Southern Cross, Cancer, Scorpio, etc.), which gives its readers the feeling that they are drifting through space, using radars, cameras, and other sensors to locate and collect fragments of memory. It is through this impulse to record that we realize forgetting would be a crisis for Fernández and those she loves. In fact, her mother is troubled less by her own safety during her fainting episodes—there are many instances when the consequences could be worse than embarrassment—than by the random blanks in her memory, which bystanders often fill in for her: You knelt down, you vomited, you collapsed on the ground.

One of the constellations that Fernández returns to repeatedly in Voyager is the Constelación de los Caidos, an Amnesty International project to create a new constellation of stars named after the 26 Chileans killed by the Caravan of Death in the Atacama Desert in 1973. This death squad was responsible for systematically murdering those perceived as supporters of President Salavador Allende after the coup against his government. To cover its tracks, the military used bulldozers to disinter the remains and rebury them elsewhere, leaving families searching for splinters of bone in the desert. Hence the Constelación de los Caidos: one star for each life lost. Fernández tells us that the Atacama Desert is the perfect place to stargaze because of the climate, the elevation, the lack of humidity and artificial light. Then she takes it one step further and says that “if we recall that everything we see in the sky is part of our past, we must accept the idea that the Atacama Desert is the planet’s most important portal for time travel.” And by the time the starlight reaches our eyes, many of the stars have already died, having consumed all of their energy. Our brains work that way too, creating orchestras of light when remembering what has already been consigned to the past. At the memorial to symbolically name the constellation, Fernández joins the families and loved ones of the disappeared, all of them bundled against the cold of the desert night. An astronomer informs them that the stars they’ve come to christen won’t be visible until well after midnight, so instead he passes around photographs of each one, printed with a special Amnesty International graphic that states the name of the victim it will commemorate. It’s important to add here that the International Astronomical Union never agreed to change the names of the stars, and that the website devoted to the project no longer exists. In a footnote, Fernández describes the website as “a dead star whose light has yet to reach us.”

When Fernández brings us to the Aries constellation, she recounts how her 17-year-old son—referred to as “D” and born as the sun transited the ram-shaped constellation—was asked to give a speech on the 30th anniversary of the 1988 plebiscite in which Chileans voted to decide whether to keep Augusto Pinochet in power or call a new election. Before the ceremony, D is approached by members of the student council and teachers from his school. They believe that several sentences in his speech are “hurtful, hostile, or intolerant” and have a “radical tone.” His thoughts are censured before they can even be uttered, because they don’t adhere to the idea of democracy that Chile is now promoting. His omitted words ask:

How is it possible that political parties that were active in the dictatorship and continue to support it in part or in full still exist? How is it possible that political leaders in parties that worked with Pinochet are members of parliament today? How is it possible that there are public places named after leading figures in the military regime, like Jaime Guzmán?… How is it possible that we’re surprised by the fact that the first Transition president was involved in the coup? How is it possible that we fail to see the democratic ethic this promotes?

Fernández shines a light on these instances when critical voices were edited or erased, making the reader wonder what sort of diluted ideas of history the next generation will inherit.

Of course, any reader of Fernández will recognize her interest in memory, both collective and individual. In her novella Space Invaders, a group of friends discuss what they remember of their childhood, games that mirror school assemblies, and a friend whose father was a national police agent. Fernández included much of Space Invaders within her next novel, The Twilight Zone. The narrator, a documentarian, develops an obsession with Andrés Valenzuela, a former intelligence agent with the Chilean Air Force who, overcome with grief, confessed to torturing people in an interview for the magazine Cauce. The narrator imagines Valenzuela haunted by the images of his victims: “Remember who I am, they say. Remember where I was, remember what was done to me, where I was killed, where I was buried.”

Mixing memories of computer games and TV shows with real-life horror and torture is not an attempt at cheap analogy, but simply the truth of her own experience: The trauma of history always intermingles with the mundane and the banal. It would be misleading to say that people were not living their lives, taking the bus, going to the movies, while others were condemned to death in the house next door. It is reminiscent of a moment that W.G. Sebald recounts in On the Natural History of Destruction, when the German writer Hans Erich Nossack entered a suburb of Hamburg unaffected by the massive Allied bombing in 1943 and was shocked to see people sitting out on their balconies leisurely sipping coffee while, not far away, bloated carcasses in the streets were being eaten by rats. It also mirrors a moment that Fernández recounts in Voyager, when Jaime Guzmán (an instrumental figure of the Chilean dictatorship, who subsequently served as a senator thanks to the Constitution he helped craft) was shot leaving a university where he worked. The assassination attempt happened moments before Fernández left the same campus—but rather than being stricken with fear by the sound of gunshots, she was mainly focused on the fact that she was already late for a theater rehearsal at her house.

Voyager concludes with the Gemini constellation and the twin Voyager probes launched by NASA in 1977. After traveling 3.7 billion miles, Voyager 1 used its camera one last time to capture the most distant picture ever taken of Earth. In an image known as Pale Blue Dot, the planet is a tiny pixel, a speck of dust held in a sunbeam. Even though their purpose was to study the outer planets of our solar system, the probes were also outfitted as a sort of greeting card of the human experience in case they were found by another life-form in the future. The music of Bach, Mozart, and Chuck Berry, the sound of rain and wind, and a picture of the Taj Mahal—these were all artifacts of human culture placed in the probes. We also included the electrical activity of a human brain recorded by an electroencephalogram. All of this was encoded into sound and stored on a gold-coated copper phonograph record that could survive hundreds of millions of years of interstellar travel.

Together, Space Invaders, The Twilight Zone, and Voyager function like the twin probes collecting information with every sensor at their disposal, while simultaneously telling a story that says: This is who we were; this is what it was like. To record your experiences and tell your story, regardless of scale, serves as a reckoning with a past that so many have tried to bury.

Fernández’s readers are asked—much like the Voyager 1 probe—to look back one last time before being propelled into the future. Yet instead of a pale blue dot, all we see is a black hole. We’re reminded not of our own insignificance, but instead of the altered history that the uninitiated will inherit. Fernández’s obsession with memory and truth now becomes clear. Those places where sound and light are plunged into darkness—entire lives and deaths, critical pamphlets and speeches, all folded in on themselves and collapsing under their own gravity—carry with them an unknown weight: “the excluded names, the invisibilized groups, the hidden horrors, the redacted opinions…” As for what has been lost and what might be regained, Fernández has this to say: “And then again comes the vision of those terrifying, menacing black holes. I used to believe they were empty space, blots of nothingness lying in wait. Now I realize they’re actually places of great density of information, of material maximally condensed until it’s no longer detectable.”

[kamreadsandrecs]

Amanda Paige Inman

After her mother begins to experience inexplicable fainting episodes, Nona Fernández finds herself sitting behind a screen in a doctor’s office, observing her mother’s electrical brain activity. To help her relax, the doctor tells her mother to think of a happy memory. Suddenly, the screen lights up with “a neuronal circuit like the most complex stellar tapestry.” When Fernández tells her mother what the thought looked like, she is told that the happy constellation was created by the memory of Nona’s birth—a starscape sparked by a moment in which she participated, though the memory of the event is inaccessible to Fernández.

It’s a fitting entry point to the Chilean author’s latest work, Voyager (translated by Natasha Wimmer), a book-length meditation that grapples with the scale and resilience of memory, from our interpersonal relations to the lies—reinforced on a global scale—about our countries and their horrors, which are often hidden in plain sight. In Chile, historical narrative in the post-Pinochet era is often contentious due to the carefully crafted misinformation campaigns, banishments, executions, and disappearances that were rampant during the military junta. In a country where you can visit the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, remembering has become its own form of political activity.

Voyager, rather than being organized chronologically or with a more conventional narrative arc, is instead organized by constellations (Southern Cross, Cancer, Scorpio, etc.), which gives its readers the feeling that they are drifting through space, using radars, cameras, and other sensors to locate and collect fragments of memory. It is through this impulse to record that we realize forgetting would be a crisis for Fernández and those she loves. In fact, her mother is troubled less by her own safety during her fainting episodes—there are many instances when the consequences could be worse than embarrassment—than by the random blanks in her memory, which bystanders often fill in for her: You knelt down, you vomited, you collapsed on the ground.

One of the constellations that Fernández returns to repeatedly in Voyager is the Constelación de los Caidos, an Amnesty International project to create a new constellation of stars named after the 26 Chileans killed by the Caravan of Death in the Atacama Desert in 1973. This death squad was responsible for systematically murdering those perceived as supporters of President Salavador Allende after the coup against his government. To cover its tracks, the military used bulldozers to disinter the remains and rebury them elsewhere, leaving families searching for splinters of bone in the desert. Hence the Constelación de los Caidos: one star for each life lost. Fernández tells us that the Atacama Desert is the perfect place to stargaze because of the climate, the elevation, the lack of humidity and artificial light. Then she takes it one step further and says that “if we recall that everything we see in the sky is part of our past, we must accept the idea that the Atacama Desert is the planet’s most important portal for time travel.” And by the time the starlight reaches our eyes, many of the stars have already died, having consumed all of their energy. Our brains work that way too, creating orchestras of light when remembering what has already been consigned to the past. At the memorial to symbolically name the constellation, Fernández joins the families and loved ones of the disappeared, all of them bundled against the cold of the desert night. An astronomer informs them that the stars they’ve come to christen won’t be visible until well after midnight, so instead he passes around photographs of each one, printed with a special Amnesty International graphic that states the name of the victim it will commemorate. It’s important to add here that the International Astronomical Union never agreed to change the names of the stars, and that the website devoted to the project no longer exists. In a footnote, Fernández describes the website as “a dead star whose light has yet to reach us.”

When Fernández brings us to the Aries constellation, she recounts how her 17-year-old son—referred to as “D” and born as the sun transited the ram-shaped constellation—was asked to give a speech on the 30th anniversary of the 1988 plebiscite in which Chileans voted to decide whether to keep Augusto Pinochet in power or call a new election. Before the ceremony, D is approached by members of the student council and teachers from his school. They believe that several sentences in his speech are “hurtful, hostile, or intolerant” and have a “radical tone.” His thoughts are censured before they can even be uttered, because they don’t adhere to the idea of democracy that Chile is now promoting. His omitted words ask:

How is it possible that political parties that were active in the dictatorship and continue to support it in part or in full still exist? How is it possible that political leaders in parties that worked with Pinochet are members of parliament today? How is it possible that there are public places named after leading figures in the military regime, like Jaime Guzmán?… How is it possible that we’re surprised by the fact that the first Transition president was involved in the coup? How is it possible that we fail to see the democratic ethic this promotes?

Fernández shines a light on these instances when critical voices were edited or erased, making the reader wonder what sort of diluted ideas of history the next generation will inherit.

Of course, any reader of Fernández will recognize her interest in memory, both collective and individual. In her novella Space Invaders, a group of friends discuss what they remember of their childhood, games that mirror school assemblies, and a friend whose father was a national police agent. Fernández included much of Space Invaders within her next novel, The Twilight Zone. The narrator, a documentarian, develops an obsession with Andrés Valenzuela, a former intelligence agent with the Chilean Air Force who, overcome with grief, confessed to torturing people in an interview for the magazine Cauce. The narrator imagines Valenzuela haunted by the images of his victims: “Remember who I am, they say. Remember where I was, remember what was done to me, where I was killed, where I was buried.”

Mixing memories of computer games and TV shows with real-life horror and torture is not an attempt at cheap analogy, but simply the truth of her own experience: The trauma of history always intermingles with the mundane and the banal. It would be misleading to say that people were not living their lives, taking the bus, going to the movies, while others were condemned to death in the house next door. It is reminiscent of a moment that W.G. Sebald recounts in On the Natural History of Destruction, when the German writer Hans Erich Nossack entered a suburb of Hamburg unaffected by the massive Allied bombing in 1943 and was shocked to see people sitting out on their balconies leisurely sipping coffee while, not far away, bloated carcasses in the streets were being eaten by rats. It also mirrors a moment that Fernández recounts in Voyager, when Jaime Guzmán (an instrumental figure of the Chilean dictatorship, who subsequently served as a senator thanks to the Constitution he helped craft) was shot leaving a university where he worked. The assassination attempt happened moments before Fernández left the same campus—but rather than being stricken with fear by the sound of gunshots, she was mainly focused on the fact that she was already late for a theater rehearsal at her house.

Voyager concludes with the Gemini constellation and the twin Voyager probes launched by NASA in 1977. After traveling 3.7 billion miles, Voyager 1 used its camera one last time to capture the most distant picture ever taken of Earth. In an image known as Pale Blue Dot, the planet is a tiny pixel, a speck of dust held in a sunbeam. Even though their purpose was to study the outer planets of our solar system, the probes were also outfitted as a sort of greeting card of the human experience in case they were found by another life-form in the future. The music of Bach, Mozart, and Chuck Berry, the sound of rain and wind, and a picture of the Taj Mahal—these were all artifacts of human culture placed in the probes. We also included the electrical activity of a human brain recorded by an electroencephalogram. All of this was encoded into sound and stored on a gold-coated copper phonograph record that could survive hundreds of millions of years of interstellar travel.

Together, Space Invaders, The Twilight Zone, and Voyager function like the twin probes collecting information with every sensor at their disposal, while simultaneously telling a story that says: This is who we were; this is what it was like. To record your experiences and tell your story, regardless of scale, serves as a reckoning with a past that so many have tried to bury.

Fernández’s readers are asked—much like the Voyager 1 probe—to look back one last time before being propelled into the future. Yet instead of a pale blue dot, all we see is a black hole. We’re reminded not of our own insignificance, but instead of the altered history that the uninitiated will inherit. Fernández’s obsession with memory and truth now becomes clear. Those places where sound and light are plunged into darkness—entire lives and deaths, critical pamphlets and speeches, all folded in on themselves and collapsing under their own gravity—carry with them an unknown weight: “the excluded names, the invisibilized groups, the hidden horrors, the redacted opinions…” As for what has been lost and what might be regained, Fernández has this to say: “And then again comes the vision of those terrifying, menacing black holes. I used to believe they were empty space, blots of nothingness lying in wait. Now I realize they’re actually places of great density of information, of material maximally condensed until it’s no longer detectable.”

[scifigeneration]

5 Moon-landing innovations that changed life on Earth

by Jean Creighton

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong/NASA

Much of the technology common in daily life today originates from the drive to put a human being on the Moon. This effort reached its pinnacle when Neil Armstrong stepped off the Eagle landing module onto the lunar surface 50 years ago.

As a NASA airborne astronomy ambassador and director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Manfred Olson Planetarium, I know that the technologies behind weather forecasting, GPS and even smartphones can trace their origins to the race to the Moon.

1. Rockets

A Saturn V rocket carrying Apollo 11 and its crew toward the Moon lifts off on July 16, 1969. NASA

October 4, 1957 marked the dawn of the Space Age, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first human-made satellite. The Soviets were the first to make powerful launch vehicles by adapting World War II-era long-range missiles, especially the German V-2.

From there, space propulsion and satellite technology moved fast: Luna 1 escaped the Earth’s gravitational field to fly past the Moon on January 4, 1959; Vostok 1 carried the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space on April 12, 1961; and Telstar, the first commercial satellite, sent TV signals across the Atlantic Ocean on July 10, 1962.

The 1969 lunar landing also harnessed the expertise of German scientists, such as Wernher von Braun, to send massive payloads into space. The F-1 engines in Saturn V, the Apollo program’s launch vehicle, burned a total of 2,800 tons of fuel at a rate of 12.9 tons per second.

Saturn V still stands as the most powerful rocket ever built, but rockets today are far cheaper to launch. For example, whereas Saturn V cost US$185 million, which translates into over $1 billion in 2019, today’s Falcon Heavy launch costs only $90 million. Those rockets are how satellites, astronauts and other spacecraft get off the Earth’s surface, to continue bringing back information and insights from other worlds.

2. Satellites

The quest for enough thrust to land a man on the Moon led to the building of vehicles powerful enough to launch payloads to heights of 21,200 to 22,600 miles (34,100 to 36,440 km) above the Earth’s surface. At such altitudes, satellites’ orbiting speed aligns with how fast the planet spins – so satellites remain over a fixed point, in what is called geosynchronous orbit. Geosynchronous satellites are responsible for communications, providing both internet connectivity and TV programming.

At the beginning of 2019, there were 4,987 satellites orbiting Earth; in 2018 alone, there were more than 382 orbital launches worldwide. Of the currently operational satellites, approximately 40% of payloads enable communications, 36% observe the Earth, 11% demonstrate technologies, 7% improve navigation and positioning and 6% advance space and earth science.

3. Miniaturization

Space missions – back then and even today – have strict limits on how big and how heavy their equipment can be, because so much energy is required to lift off and achieve orbit. These constraints pushed the space industry to find ways to make smaller and lighter versions of almost everything: Even the walls of the lunar landing module were reduced to the thickness of two sheets of paper.

From the late 1940s to the late 1960s, the weight and energy consumption of electronics was reduced by a factor of several hundred at least – from the 30 tons and 160 kilowatts of the Electric Numerical Integrator and Computer to the 70 pounds and 70 watts of the Apollo guidance computer. This weight difference is equivalent to that between a humpback whale and an armadillo.

The Apollo Guidance Computer next to a laptop computer. Autopilot/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Manned missions required more complex systems than earlier, unmanned ones. For example, in 1951, the Universal Automatic Computer was capable of 1,905 instructions per second, whereas the Saturn V’s guidance system performed 12,190 instructions per second. The trend toward nimble electronics has continued, with modern hand-held devices routinely capable of performing instructions 120 million times faster than the guidance system that enabled the liftoff of Apollo 11. The need to miniaturize computers for space exploration in the 1960s motivated the entire industry to design smaller, faster and more energy-efficient computers, which have affected practically every facet of life today, from communications to health and from manufacturing to transportation.

4. Global network of ground stations

Communicating with vehicles and people in space was just as important as getting them up there in the first place. An important breakthrough associated with the 1969 lunar landing was the construction of a global network of ground stations, called the Deep Space Network, to let controllers on Earth communicate constantly with missions in highly elliptical Earth orbits or beyond. This continuity was possible because the ground facilities were placed strategically 120 degrees apart in longitude so that each spacecraft would be in range of one of the ground stations at all times.

Because of the spacecraft’s limited power capacity, large antennas were built on Earth to simulate “big ears” to hear weak messages and to act as “big mouths” to broadcast loud commands. In fact, the Deep Space Network was used to communicate with the astronauts on Apollo 11 and was used to relay the first dramatic TV images of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the Moon. The network was also critical for the survival of the crew on Apollo 13 because they needed guidance from ground personnel without wasting their precious power on communications.

Several dozen missions use the Deep Space Network as part of the continuing exploration of our solar system and beyond. In addition, the Deep Space Network permits communications with satellites that are on highly elliptical orbits, to monitor the poles and deliver radio signals.

‘Earthrise,’ a view of Earth while orbiting the Moon. Bill Anders, Apollo 8, NASA

5. Looking back at Earth

Getting to space has allowed people to turn their research efforts toward Earth. In August 1959, the unmanned satellite Explorer VI took the first crude photos of Earth from space on a mission researching the upper atmosphere, in preparation for the Apollo program.

Almost a decade later, the crew of Apollo 8 took a famous picture of the Earth rising over the lunar landscape, aptly named “Earthrise.” This image helped people understand our planet as a unique shared world and boosted the environmental movement.

Understanding of our planet’s role in the universe deepened with Voyager 1’s “pale blue dot” photo – an image received by the Deep Space Network.

Earth from the edge of the solar system, visible as a minuscule pale blue dot in the center of the right-most brown stripe. NASA, Voyager 1

People and our machines have been taking pictures of the Earth from space ever since. Views of Earth from space guide people both globally and locally. What started in the early 1960s as a U.S. Navy satellite system to track its Polaris submarines to within 600 feet (185 meters) has blossomed into the Global Positioning System network of satellites providing location services worldwide.

Images from a series of Earth-observing satellites called Landsat are used to determine crop health, identify algae blooms and find potential oil deposits. Other uses include identifying which types of forest management are most effective in slowing the spread of wildfires or recognizing global changes such as glacier coverage and urban development.

As we learn more about our own planet and about exoplanets – planets around other stars – we become more aware of how precious our planet is. Efforts to preserve Earth itself may yet find help from fuel cells, another technology from the Apollo program. These storage systems for hydrogen and oxygen in the Apollo Service Module, which contained life-support systems and supplies for the lunar landing missions, generated power and produced potable water for the astronauts. Much cleaner energy sources than traditional combustion engines, fuel cells may play a part in transforming global energy production to fight climate change.

We can only wonder what innovations from the effort to send people to other planets will affect earthlings 50 years after the first Marswalk.

About The Author:

Jean Creighton is the Planetarium Director and NASA Airborne Astronomy Ambassador at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

This article is republished from our content partners at The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

[entertainmentnerdly]

The European Space Agency (Esa) will show its commitment to the new wave of lunar exploration - expected to commit hundreds of millions of euros to fund technologies that will support the US-led Artemis project to return humans to the Moon. via /r/space https://ift.tt/2QGMYJH

[stumbleimg]

Nightsky over a lavender field

[digi-lead]

Uranus is officially the weirdest planet in our solar system

Uranus is officially the weirdest planet in our solar system

Uranus’ magnetic field acts in a very different way from other planets. Understanding its nature could be key to finding alien life in the future. You can read more about the scientists’ findings in The Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/sai

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/techinsider TWITTER: https://twitter.com/techinsider INSTAGRAM: h…

[universeisepic-blog]

This is galaxy NGC1300 (not the sexiest name) and it is a great example of a barred spiral galaxy. Can you imagine this one is 69 million light years away? Truly mindblowing! Wanna go, anyone?

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Meditation Room 8 HOURS Ambient Music for Therapy with Space Exploration Sounds, White Noise ★ 030 from Meditation Relax Club

[msrobinsonny]

"We provide a platform which serves space missions". - John Gibson, @XCOR #exploration #takeoff #space #orbit #aerospace #MRShow

http://twitter.com/MSRobinsonNY

[ourwitching]

Hurley conducted his foam infill demonstration as a part of the Capillary Structures for Exploratio...