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Issue 1 — August 2012 SEARCHING FOR LIFE ON MARS Curiosity Roams Free page 24 Student Discovers a Galaxy. It’s the thesis you wish you had. 6 UVA dangers, and why you think you’re protected. 14 Engineers teach a boat to sail by itself. Now it will tackle crossing the Atlantic Ocean. 30
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Nerve Magazine- Issue 1

Mar 10, 2016

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Catherine Owsik

Nerve Magazine is a student-run science, technology and engineering magazine based out of Queen's University.
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Page 1: Nerve Magazine- Issue 1

Issue 1 — August 2012

SEARCHING FOR LIFE ON MARS

Curiosity Roams Free

page 24

Student Discovers a Galaxy. It’s the thesis you wish you had. 6

UVA dangers, and why you think you’re protected. 14

Engineers teach a boat to sail by itself. Now it will tackle crossing the Atlantic Ocean. 30

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E d i t o r ’ s N o t e

I wonder what a professor’s opening words are on the first day of class.

I’m entering my fourth year at Queen’s University now… but I can’t imagine what they say when facing hundreds of students sitting there ready to learn. This statement isn’t to the likeness of a professor’s lecture, but this is the first of many introductions to an issue filled with interesting science, technology and engineering knowledge (much like a good lecture).

This issue has been a personal learning experience, mostly through trial-and-error, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue doing this throughout the upcoming year. My ultimate goal is to learn a bit about science writing/publishing and provide you with thought-provoking news features. Maybe you will find something in here that inspires you to pursue your own imagination and dreams, whatever they may be.

And with that, I say welcome to the first issue of Nerve Magazine.

Catherine OwsikEditor in Chief - Volume 1

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3

C o n t e n t sBreaking

the Bubble

Science

Technology

Engineering

Revolutionary Research page 4 Four Queen’s professors receive significant national funding in honour of their ground-breaking research.She Discovered a Galaxy page 6 PhD student Karen Lee-Waddell is making national headlines for her thesis project.

Confirming the God Particle page 10 The Higgs Boson was finally discovered, confirmed and confirmed again. A Sinister Summer Sun page 14 UVA rays are a dangerous part of our environment, find out how to best protect yourself — becasue our government standards aren’t up to date with this danger. The Facts about FroYo page 22 Nutrition facts and comparison to the ‘real deal’ ice cream.

Curious? page 24 The newest Mars rover, Curiosity, safely landed on the martian surface with a new paramount mission.

Robots take to the Sea page 30 Queen’s students team up to design a fully autonomous sailboat.

Curiosity compared to a 5’8” tall man. (Source: NASA)

(Cover) A 3D image taken by Curiosity at her landing site.

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Breaking the Bubble

Queen’s is one of Canada’s leading institutions for completing important scientific findings — when research is funded, at least. In early June it was announced that four Queen’s professors stood out above the rest and have been selected to receive significant funding for their research. If you are a student interested in high-risk research, these may be your new idols.

Revolutionary

4 Nerve Magazine

Featuring Queen’s students, faculty and alumni that are making a difference outside of our University.

Collectively, the four professors will receive almost half a million dollars over the next three years. The funding comes from the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) through the Discovery Accelerator Supplements Program.

NSERC regularly grants research funds, however the Discovery Accelerator Supplements Program specifically targets research that NSERC considers high-risk or potentially groundbreaking. Essentially, these grants are larger, timelier and more limited than other grants — only 125 Canadian researchers are awarded this grant each year.

It is ultimately up to the professors to allocate their funds, but it may be assumed that with fresh resources these professors may have new

opportunities for students to work or volunteer in their labs.

Jean Hutchinson Geology and Geological Engineering

Hutchinson focuses much of her research on assessing the risks and hazards of physical geological features. For example, her topics of research include landslide stability assessment, rock support design, and cablebolt design and verification.

Cella Olmstead Psychology

Olmstead studies the interactions between motivation and cognition (the mental process of learning). She is investigating the process of goal-based learning and a majority of her research focuses on how drug addictions affect this balance.

e s e a r c h

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Revolutionary

5

She is currently set to teach PSYC 205 (Introduction to Comparative Cognition) in the fall term.

R. Kerry Rowe Civil Engineering and

GeoEngineering

Rowe studies a range of topics but a fair amount of his research pertains to ‘green’ engineering that may ultimately benefit the environment. Some of his research topics include landfill design, geosynthetics, containment of toxic sites and reinforcing embankments.

Virginia Walker Biology

Walker is investigating the proteins and genes involved with environmental stress resistance, or the ability for organisms to survive under extreme conditions (such as

freezing temperatures). She will teach BIOL 441 (Molecular Genetics) and half of BIOL 103 (Introductory Biology of Organisms) in the upcoming school year.

Each of these professors will receive $120,000 over three years to put towards their research. But they are not the only labs receiving NSERC funds — 627 grants and scholarships were awarded to Queen’s researchers (both professors and students) for the 2012-13 academic year. So, if there is a topic you are passionate about that these fantastic four don’t touch, then do a quick Google search and talk to the professor that shares your interest.

— Catherine Owsik

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Queen’s PhD student

Karen Lee-Waddell has

a very impressive thesis

project — it includes her

very own rare galaxy.

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Breaking the Bubble

galaxy

(Source: NASA)

She discovered a

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7

The saying ‘reach for the stars’ has a non-cliché meaning for student Karen Lee-Waddell, because

her thesis has led to actually reaching a new galaxy. The Queen’s astronomy and physics PhD student recently discovered a new rare type of galaxy and has received national media coverage because of it.

Lee-Waddell and her team discovered what they believe to be a new tidal dwarf galaxy. These galaxies are rare because they form from two larger “parent” galaxies.

“Normally when galaxies form they collapse from giant gas clouds, and for a long time this is the way people thought all galaxies were formed,” Lee-Waddell said. “We’re used to studying galaxies that merge and get bigger and now we’re seeing smaller ones.”

The theory is that the smaller tidal dwarf galaxies, such as the one that Lee-Waddell discovered, are created when material branches out of two proximate galaxies and spirals together without the presence of dark matter gravity.

It is difficult to confirm when a galaxy is in fact a tidal dwarf galaxy. Lee-Waddell said that since they were discovered in the 70’s there have only been two or three galaxies that have been definitively confirmed.

“The next step is to get more data, metallicity data,” Lee-Waddell said with a sigh.If the metallicity, or composition of the material in the galaxy, matches the two neighbouring parent galaxies then it is more likely to be a tidal dwarf galaxy. The finalization will come in due time — Lee-Waddell said it would take about two years to gather the metallicity data, accounting for booking telescope time and proper weather conditions.

Since the discovery, Lee-Waddell has been interviewed by national news outlets and has attended conferences

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around the continent. She was still excited to speak about her galaxy, named AGC208457, and the future implications of this discovery.

Catherine Owsik: If the metallicity data shows that AGC208457 isn’t made up of the proper parent materials to make it a tidal dwarf galaxy, what could it be?

Karen Lee-Waddell: We wouldn’t know. It’s so unusual … if this galaxy formed with no dark matter we assume it pulled its stuff from its parents and it didn’t need extra gravity — but if it didn’t, and it has no dark matter [which would create gravity], then it’s really weird — and that kind of supports other theories of modified gravity and other hypotheses of what is up there.

If it turns out to not be a tidal dwarf galaxy, would you continue to investigate its origins?

Yes, it would be really interesting. That would be a big support to the theory that all our

science and physics is wrong.

How did you come to study astronomy?

When I was about six years old I was coming home in my sister’s car and she had a sunroof … it was night and she started telling me all these constellations, and by the time I was 10 I had telescopes … but I grew out of it and eventually wanted to become a lawyer.

Then in high school I was doing a law assignment, the most dull, boring law assignment, and I looked up and I saw my telescope. I grabbed it and went on the roof, and I never finished that law assignment. From there on it was always astronomy and physics.

Did you ever dream you would discover a galaxy?

No, I didn’t even think being an astronomer was plausible. I kind of wanted to be an astronaut and go into space, but observing is quite cool too because you actually see farther, and it’s a lot less rigorous.

I’m surprised, so even with military training [from previously studying at the Royal Military

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Breaking the Bubble

I grabbed [the telescope] and went on the roof, and I never finished that law assignment. From there on it was always astronomy and physics.

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College] you don’t want to be an astronaut?

I might, that’s one of the reasons I joined the military. You know, to keep me in shape, the security clearances, and all that stuff. It’s always there. Most astronauts are like 40 years old anyways; it’s always there.

I know the galaxy is named following a standard naming system – but if you could have named the galaxy anything, what would it be?

In my thesis it was named LW1 – or Lee-Waddell 1. So it incorporates Lee, because that’s my family’s name, and then my husband’s name Waddell.

So the “1” means it’s the first of many galaxies you will discover?

(Laughing) Well, yea.

What do you imagine the galaxy to be like?

It would be i n t e r e s t i n g because it’s a smaller galaxy which has really old and new stars …

Everything is just really compact. So it would be like our galaxy but smaller and more dynamic.

Do you believe in alien life?

I believe that life can exist outside of Earth. Intelligent life, I hope there is, because that would be pretty cool. But I wouldn’t be afraid of them … if they’re smarter than us they’ll just drive by, but if they’re around the same level maybe they’ll come and talk.

By Catherine Owsik

Twenty-eight year old Karen Lee-Waddell’s future is looking bright — she says this is just the first of many galaxies she will discover.(Source: Lee-Waddell)

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Science

Confirming the

God Particle

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Confirming the

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The event was so momentous that upon its official announcement scientists were brought to cheers and tears of joy.

Unfortunately, the rest of the world didn’t know the Higgs Boson, also known as the “God particle,” was missing in the first place.

By Catherine Owsik

Particle

The official announcement that the Higgs Boson had been discovered was attended by all the big names in physics. The event was even broadcast around the world via a live telecast.(Source: CERN)

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particle has been ongoing for the past 10 years — it is one of the longest and most

expensive physics investigations to date. Its existence is so meaningful and impossible

to prove that for years the Higgs Boson was nicknamed “the God particle.”

Science

On July 4, the research centre CERN (translated to the European Organization for Nuclear Research), announced at a press conference in Geneva that they had finally found the elusive particle. It was an announcement met with tears of joy, cheers and sighs of relief.

The Higgs Boson is theorized to be a subatomic particle, like electrons, that causes other particles to have mass. Our current Standard Model for Particle Physics includes 12 subatomic particles, organized into Quarks and Leptons, and four boson particles. The boson particles give a characteristic “force” to the other particles.

The Higgs Boson is essentially the missing piece of the standard model — it is the only particle that had yet to be observed. However, for years physicists agreed that it must exist because without it there would be no way to explain for the mass of the W and Z bosons.

In 2011, data from CERN’s atom collider started to build up that was consistent with the theorized creation of a Higgs

Boson. And finally, after countless experiments they announced they had found their God particle. On August 1, CERN released yet another exciting announcement — representatives said they could now confirm its existence with ultimate accuracy. The chance that they have made an error? One in 550 million.

With this discovery confirmed (you have better odds of winning the lottery than arguing against the Higgs Boson’s existence), we are a step closer to fully understanding our world. But be warned physics students — you may have to buy updated textbooks this upcoming year.

How the Higgs boson worksThe current theory states that Higgs

Boson particles are present throughout the universe in a continual lattice field. Only certain subatomic particles, like the Z boson, interact with the Higgs Boson web. This interaction is what gives them mass.

Online Discussion: Now that the Higgs boson has been discovered, should it still be called ‘the God Particle?’

The search for the Higgs Boson

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Peter Higgs, the man to theorize the Higgs Boson, explores CERN. The confirmation of the Higgs Boson prompted fellow physicist Stephen Hawking to publicly announce that Higgs deserved a Nobel Prize.(Source: CERN)

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Science

UVA radiationpoor marketing

skin cancer

A Sinister Summer Sun

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UVA radiationpoor marketing

skin cancer

A Sinister Summer Sun

By Catherine Owsik

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Science

You walk around with that distinct redness, the bubbling skin and dropping flakes. It physically hurts,

and everyone knows that it was caused by the sun. You think to yourself, ‘Next time, I will wear sunscreen.’ But what you may not realize is that many sunscreens, even those with a high SPF, may not protect you as much as they advertise … and a sunburn isn’t the worst that the sun can do to you.

There are two types of ultraviolet solar rays that reach the earth, UVA and UVB. UVB radiation has a shorter wavelength and doesn’t penetrate skin very deeply — they cause UV erythema, more commonly known as a sunburn.

Up until recently, little has been known about UVA rays. We always knew that they constituted over 95% of the solar radiation hitting us, but we didn’t know how they really affected our bodies. Up until recently, that is.

In the past, scientists believed that UVA radiation was a harmless part of our

environment. However, with advances in technology scientists have been able to study the long wavelengths and throughout the past two decades they have discovered that UVA is in fact very harmful to our body. Ongoing studies are using artificial UVA sources and different conditions to

A sunscreen’s SPF does not indicate its ability to block UVA radiation; and as of right now, there is no universally accepted method to measure UVA protection.

The sun emits three types of ultraviolet radiation, but only UVA and UVB rays penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere to reach us. It was previously thought that UVA rays were harmless to humans. (Source: NASA)

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determine the deep biological effects of UVA rays. It has been found that UVA radiation magnifies the damaging effects of UVB radiation (like a sunburn), while also causing wrinkles, discoloured sun spots and a loss of skin elasticity. All together these effects cause prematurely aged skin.

More alarming though is that the deep cellular penetration of UVA radiation is now considered to be a direct cause

of skin cancer.

The discovery that 95% of the sun’s rays are in fact dangerous caused a stir in

society. Suddenly there was a new thing to fear, and product marketing responded accordingly.

Sunscreen has been commercially produced since the 1970’s and the U.S. Food

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and Drug Administration (FDA) has created restrictions on the products accordingly. The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) was created to measure a sunscreen’s ability to block out UVB rays that caused burns. The higher the SPF, the more protection it offered from sunburns. However, a sunscreen’s SPF does not indicate its ability to block UVA radiation; and as of right now, there is no universally accepted method to measure UVA protection.

Unfortunately, once UVA was widely known to be dangerous, sunscreens popped up on shelves claiming to be “broad-spectrum” and the FDA allowed this, ruling that the term could be applied if even the slightest UVA protection was offered. This led to an abuse of the term and ultimately many North American sunscreens were falsely branding themselves as protecting against skin cancer and premature aging, without actually having the ingredients

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Science

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to properly do so. Surprisingly, many of these sunscreens, that are labeled with a high “broad-spectrum” SPF, are still on our shelves at local pharmacies.

The European Union, on the other hand, has been a leader in ensuring their sunscreens offer significant UVA protection. European sunscreen brands follow a standardizing rule that mandates a high SPF value to indicate both strong UVB and UVA protection. Likewise, a lower SPF value would also have lower UVA protection.

The FDA has been feebly trying to change their ways though. In 2007, they proposed

to test all sunscreens for their ability to block UVA rays, and also to publicize this through a star-rating system on each bottle (one star would indicate low levels of protection and four stars would indicate the highest UVA protection). This testing and consumer-friendly scale was met with a tantrum of responses, and after 2,900 submissions were sent to the FDA the proposal was dropped and altered.

This past June (five years after the initial proposal) the FDA released their final ruling. Ultimately, they will enforce that “broad spectrum” sunscreens do offer high UVA protection through standardized testing. This will be similar to what they currently do to measure UVB protection. But, they will not indicate how much UVA protection each sunscreen offers.

19

The Good,The Badand the Ugly.Today’s sunscreens come in a variety of options. But be careful which you choose, because some brands are very outdated. New FDA policy will have to force some of these bottles to be relabeled for 2013.

MexorylOne of the

only known photostable elements that protects

against UVA. Look for it in your susnscreen’s

ingredient list.

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Because this rule is being announced mid-Summer, when sunscreen sales are the highest, the FDA is allowing companies until December 17, 2012 to comply with this new guide. This means that the companies with virtually no UVA protection will remain labeled as “broad spectrum” for the rest of the summer. The FDA said that if they had made this rule immediately mandatory, then half of our product shelves would be empty and there may be a shortage of sunscreen products.

The most significant difference in the new FDA regulation is that they eliminated the idea of a star-rating system, which could have provided much needed comfort to consumers. However, they will implement a “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert” label on those products that don’t offer UVA protection.

For the remainder of the summer be careful which sunscreen you use.

Mexoryl and Tinosorb are two photostable elements that offer strong UVA protection;

20 Nerve Magazine

Science

if you can find these in your sunscreen’s list of ingredients then you are most likely protected from UVA rays.

But if you can’t remember those two names while shopping for sun protection, it may be worth it to switch to European brands for now.

Sun protection has been promoted by the government for decades. Unfortunately, it feels as if regulation hasn’t been updated accordingly.

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THink You’ve got Nerve?

All you need to do is decide what aspect you’re interested in. We have

positions for writers, photographers, visual editors, and business representatives. Contributors are always welcome.

We’re looking for students to become a part of the Nerve team! No experience is neccessary and we will provide help (if needed) to anyone along the way.

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“Hey, where did the dog go?”

“Its over their.”

Looks like your grammar skills would be great as a Nerve writer.

$

If you’re unsure of what position you’re most suited for, just answer this:

Which one of these problems are you more inclined to fix?

Your visual senses are strong — why don’t you try your hand at photography or layout (as a visual editor)?

Well, that’s a great mentality. We could always use more business reps like you.

1 2 3

To get involved, send us an email at:[email protected]

Advertisement

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There’s a new food trend in Kingston. We had a wave of new burger joints, followed by poutine palaces, and now it’s time for frozen yogurt (or froyo, for you hipsters)

to hit the stage.

Menchie’s is one of the newest frozen yogurt shops to hit the Kingston scene. It’s a chain frozen yogurt shop that allows you to pick your flavor (or multiple flavours if you’re feeling adventurous), pour however much you want, and put on as many toppings as you like from a buffet of options. The key is, you pay by weight — 55 cents per ounce.

After multiple Menchie’s trips this summer, each costing anywhere from $2 to $6, we started to wonder if a Menchie’s treat really is as healthy as “frozen yogurt” tries to pass off as. The results were not extremely surprising, I mean we did know frozen yogurt was a treat and not a nutritional meal — more interesting was how it compared to the real deal, ice cream.

The closest ice cream comparison to Menchie’s would be Marble Slab. It

has the same concept – you pick an ice cream flavor and custom mix-ins.

After many conversions and number crunching we found that frozen yogurt had a lower caloric content than ice cream — but, this didn’t include the many toppings that are usually haphazardly put on while at Menchie’s. Marble Slab limits the amounts of toppings they mix in, so it may be assumed that the toppings in your ice cream would have a lower calorie punch.

But, it was the fat and sugar that really differentiated the two. Ice cream heavily outweighs frozen yogurt with a high fat content, while frozen yogurt is packed full of sugar.

If you are trying to calculate the nutrition of

your own Menchie’s trip, you should note that 200 grams of froyo is just over a measuring cup’s worth (about the size of a fist) and will cost $3.88.

Again though, this is without the toppings. Add in 50 cents of peanuts and add 210 calories to your total, add in 50 cents of chocolate chips and add in 130 calories — it’s really never ending at Menchie’s. However, fruits are a refreshing healthier option... and really, strawberries mix brilliantly with any flavour.

Hopefully this information is useful the next time you want to cool down with a summer treat. If you are really trying to eat healthy and your friend pulls the “It’s just frozen yogurt — it’s healthy!” line... just say no, to froyo.

The

Science

FroYoFacts About

Calo

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n a pump of Caramel or Fudge Sauce

90

Calo

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45 g of Strawberries ($0.87)20

Calorie

s in

35 g

of Reese’s Pieces candy ($0.68)

180

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23

Calo

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n a pump of Caramel or Fudge Sauce

90

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or

45 g of Strawberries ($0.87)20

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35 g

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of Reese’s Pieces candy ($0.68)

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butter

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*per 200 g serving.

Marble Slab Menchie’s

Nutrition of Menchie’s frozen yogurt and Marble Slab’s ice cream flavours. Note that 200 grams is equal to about 1.25 measuring cups (for Menchie’s) and is the medium serving size at Marble Slab.

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Technology

Curious?24 Nerve Magazine

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Curious?25

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Technology

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(Previous page) A 3D im age taken by Curiosity at her landing location. (Left) The first image Curiosity sent back to Earth was proof that her wheels had touched alien soil. (Right) The landscape of Mars is framed with Curiosity’s next target — she will drive up the mountainous ridge of Gale Crater.(Sources: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

27

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At 1:30 a.m. on a crisp August morning, a rover named Curiosity

Technology

successfully landed 567 million kilometers away from Earth on our red neighbour Mars. The feat was impressive, during the live telecast of the landing scientists were quoting that statistically she had a one-in-three chance of making it in one piece. But she did it, and it only took her eight and a half months to get there.

The vast amount of technology crammed into Curiosity’s one-ton frame is quite impressive — in total she costs about $2.5 billion. This makes her one of the most well equipped rovers to date. Once everything is set into action, Curiosity will collect and analyze samples of Mars’ surface to determine if organisms could ever survive on the hostile planet. Specifically, NASA will be looking for water. All the while Curiosity will take detailed photos and traverse a land we know little about.

The project was a collaboration between countries, much like many other NASA projects (remember the Canadarm on the Space Shuttle?), and Canada’s contribution was quite significant to the mission.

Ralf Gellert, a professor at the University of Guelph, designed Curiosity’s Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer that sits on her arm. This spectrometer, which was also built by a Canadian company, will analyze the chemical makeup of each soil sample that Curiosity picks up. This is a vital step in determining the history and hospitability of the land.

The official mission will last 23 months, which is the maximum time that the rover’s power supply will last. During this time we hope that Curiosity may capture more stunning photos and report back with some interesting news. Let’s satisfy some curiosity shall we?

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(Top) Curiosity takes a self-portrait on Mars.(Bottom) The car-sized six-wheel rover, equipped with 17 cameras and an entire laboratory’s worth of equipment. Curiosity carries tools to analyze rocks, measure radiation levels and detect water in minerals, among other things. (Sources: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

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Engineering

Robots take to the seas by andre sousa

The boat can even tweet and post

Facebook updates independently –

who wouldn’t want to be friends with a

self-sailing boat?

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No matter what method of transportation you

take, travelling in the summer can be particularly stressful. Traffic

slows you down, gas prices break the bank and figuring out your

GPS is hardly ever worth it. However, a Queen’s design team is

dreaming of a way to eliminate these summer travel worries – all

in the luxury of a sailboat.

The Queen’s Mostly Autonomous Sailboat Team (QMAST) designs, constructs and races sailboats capable of navigating without human interaction. Cue your dream come true of lounging on a boat to cross Lake Ontario without worrying about navigation or even looking at a map.

QMAST is a student-run engineering design team based in Beamish-Munro Hall. The team is made up of undergraduate students from all departments within Queen’s Engineering, as well as other faculties. Since they were formed in December 2004

(Source: QMAST)

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Engineering

they have built over five sailboats that can automatically navigate themselves.

According to QMAST Captain Cory Green the team’s designs provide undergraduate students with a unique engineering learning experience by providing them with tangible goals to achieve. Currently, the team is working towards competing in the daunting 2013 MicroTransat Challenge, which involves sending a sailboat to autonomously sail across the Atlantic Ocean.

Although there have been numerous attempts from teams across the globe to complete the transatlantic MicroTransat race, it has never been finished. Last year only one team was able to launch from the start line and the boat sailed for eight days until a sail was damaged and it stopped making progress.

Green, Sci ’12, said he is confident that QMAST will be able to accomplish this feat in the upcoming year.

The team is currently testing their newest yacht designed specifically for this transatlantic challenge. “I believe that our MicroTransat attempt is pretty amazing and unique,” Green said. “Our yacht is the first to be designed and built specifically for the MicroTransat challenge.” He said previous teams have modified production boats for their attempts, and that by building their yacht from the ground up they are ensuring reliability and simplicity.

The unnamed yacht uses GPS to determine its location and heading and an ultrasonic wind sensor is used to judge the speed and direction of the wind. The onboard Arduino microcontroller acts as the brain of the system and controls a

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steering system and sail winch based on sailing code written by the team. Green said writing the code was difficult because sailing involves many changing factors – such as water and wind conditions – that need to be considered to complete maneuvers as needed.

The boat doesn’t have a generator and it collects energy with a wind turbine and solar panels. The power is stored in 12 Volt deep-cycle marine batteries in order to power the on-board electronics and motors.

To keep track of the yacht during the crossing the team has outfitted the boat with cellular and satellite modems, so that the boat can send updates back to the team in Kingston. In fact, the boat can even tweet and post Facebook updates independently – who wouldn’t want to be

friends with a self-sailing boat?

“The team has worked very hard and we’re confident we can go the distance,” Green said. “The project has received a lot of interest from the student body at Queen’s and if we’re successful in crossing the Atlantic Ocean, that will be something that Queen’s can be really excited about.”

Green encouraged students from all faculties to come out to QMAST events and consider joining the team.

Overall, QMAST’s goals may currently seem like fun and games, but the future applications of autonomous sailboats are quite impressive. Imagine the day when you can simply hop on the 4:00 sailboat back to Toronto.

(Source: QMAST)

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Nerve Magazine — Issue 1

Coming Up for Issue 2:

— A review of the Queen’s School of English iPhone application — Morbid secrets from the Life Sci’s — Frosh guide to campus (or a refresher for upper-years) — Science comics, puzzles and fun ... in this space — And more, which we won’t divulge

See you then! — Nerve Magazine

COntact us with comments or questions at

[email protected]