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Delve into the mysteries of our existence and the evolution of humanity through science. Explore where we come from, where we are headed, and whether we are alone in the universe. Connect the dots from ancient civilizations to the possibilities of genetics and re-engineering. Learn to tell engaging stories that bridge scientific concepts and human narratives. Gain insights from leading scientists and stay updated on the latest discoveries in the world of science.
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Reporting Science Thomas Abraham
Asking the big questions… Where do we live? Composite image of middle of our galaxy from Hubble , Spitzer telescopes and Chandra X ray observatory www.hubblesite.org
Where are we going? Are we alone? Image from the Hubble telescope: www.hubblesite.org
Where will we live? Santa Maria Crater, Mars. Photo taken by Nasa’s Mars exploration vehicle. Dec, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/apr/24/tech-tycoons-asteroid-mining-venturehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/apr/24/tech-tycoons-asteroid-mining-venture
The first day of creation began on the night preceding October 23, 4004 BC James Ussher, Bishop of Armagh, Ireland. 1581-1656
What was actually happening between 4000-5000BC? • Human beings learned to grow crops and settled down in settled communities • Rice began to be cultivated in China • The wheel was developed in India • Humans had learned to brew beer
It was assumed that all species were created in one instant… Archeopetryx fossil
Evolution through natural selection Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
Genetics and re-engineering humans? http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/craig_venter_unveils_synthetic_life.html
Good stories need to connect to broader themes • Explain the science • What theories are being tested? What are the prevailing theories? • What experiments are being used to test the theory? • To do this, you need to understand some of the science
Good stories need human beings, doing things, saying things, thinking things • Scientific concepts are abstract; science stories need to make these come alive
Understanding the science • Talk to the scientist..ask them to explain in lay terms • Read: you might find high school text books useful.
www.science.com • www.nature.com • http://discovermagazine.com/ • http://www.newscientist.com/ • http://www.scientificamerican.com/
Course work • One feature length science story ( 1,500-2,000 words) on the work of a scientist in Hong Kong • We will maintain a blog on science news: each of you will contribute two or three short stories during the course • Every class, each one of you will talk about the latest stories in a science magazine: Nature, Science, Discover, Scientific American, New Scientist • Read MichioKaku book for book report
Homework • Do the assigned readings • Think about your feature • One person lead discussion for tomorrow’s class