A Teenager Just Built The World’s Lightest Satellite—and NASA’s Launching It

SCIENCE An Indian teenager has not only produced A 64-gram (0.14-pound) satellite, NASA has agreed to launch it next month. (Science Alert) So, you want to build a satellite? Watch our video to see what’s involved. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas Rifath Shaarook, an 18-year-old Indian teenager, just designed Kalam Sat, the world’s lightest … Continue reading A Teenager Just Built The World’s Lightest Satellite—and NASA’s Launching It

You, Too, Can Be a Space Archaeologist!

SCIENCE A new online tool from a Nat Geo explorer enables anyone with Internet access to search satellite images for ancient ruins. (Nat Geo News) Learn a little about space archaeology. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas GlobalXplorer° is a citizen science/space archaeology platform that uses the “power of the crowd to analyze the incredible … Continue reading You, Too, Can Be a Space Archaeologist!

GOES-R, Where No One Has Gone Before

SCIENCE What makes GOES-R the best, most advanced weather satellite ever launched? (AP) Learn a little about weather satellites in the last paragraph of our encyclopedic entry here. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit, including instructions for building a LEGO® model of GOES-R. Discussion Ideas The good folks at NASA and NOAA just launched the “best weather … Continue reading GOES-R, Where No One Has Gone Before

This Week in Geographic History, October 3 – 9

Here’s an advance look at a some of the “This Day in Geographic History” (TDIGH) events coming up this week.  For each date, we’ve matched it with a map or visual, background information, and a classroom activity so you can plan ahead. Monday, October 3 TDIGH: East and West Germany Unite The reunification of Germany, which came less than a year after fall of the … Continue reading This Week in Geographic History, October 3 – 9

100 Years Later, Einstein’s Theory Tested by Satellites

SCIENCE It’s a total fluke. No one was thinking about making the most precise test yet of general relativity when the European Space Agency sent a pair of satellites into orbit last year. But a botched launch put them in perfect position to test Einstein’s century-old theory. (Guardian) Use our resources to learn a little about the man behind general relativity. Teachers, scroll down for … Continue reading 100 Years Later, Einstein’s Theory Tested by Satellites