Photoshop Phriday: Signs Of Our Times II, by occamsmonkeysomethingawful.com
August 3, 2007
Maybe it's a tensor.
20080629
Two-way vector
Photoshop Phriday: Signs Of Our Times II, by occamsmonkeysomethingawful.com
August 3, 2007
Maybe it's a tensor.
20080628
Kudos: from Physics 5A students, Spring Semester 2008
"Sorry I wasn't a more responsible student" by Student 2012Physics 5A
May 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
"I understand the amount of work necessary" by Student 2880Physics 5A
May 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
20080627
Kudos: from Astronomy 10 students, Spring Semester 2008
"...But was interested always" by Student 5352Astronomy 10
May 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
"See you next semester" by Student 3512
Astronomy 10
May 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
20080626
20080625
Now entering Zeno's Paradox
Photoshop Phriday: Signs Of Our Times II, by Hellkindsomethingawful.com
August 3, 2007
And yet somehow the jaywalker will reach the side of the road.
20080622
Rearview train
Rearview Train, by pvictoryWorth1000.com
Amazing Reflections and Shadows contest
1. The train may appear closer than it actually is.
2. A perfectly inelastic collision is imminent.
20080615
"You don't know anything."
College, by Dan KilleenAs published in The California Aggie (University of California, Davis)
Ca. 1993
The trials and tribulations of IB--Idiot Boy.
There's one in every class.
(Dan Killeen's current strip is Steve, at dankilleen.com.)
20080609
Lolcat: Astro Cat
"Astro Cat Will Play for you the Symphony of Space" by Shauna! >^.^YTMNDicanhascheezburger.com
February 22, 2007
The apparently original photo is found below, as retrieved from mirror.waffleimages.com:
20080607
Astronomy clicker question: alien math and the incommensurability problem
Astronomy 10, Spring Semester 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Astronomy 10 learning goal F.3
Students were asked the following clicker question (Classroom Performance System, einstruction.com) near the end of their learning cycle (and just after an in-class activity on BETI).
[0.3 points.] What is the answer to the anticoded message shown above?
(A) 9.
(B) 23.
(C) 25.
(D) 120.
Correct answer: (B)
This is based on the octal counting system and mathematical operators defined in the presumptive Arcturus Project alien message.
The inner curved brackets represent the multiplication operator acting on 3 and 5, and the outer straight brackets represent the next order addition operator acting on 8 and 15, resulting in 23, as demonstrated in the previous in-class activity on BETI.
Student responses
Section 4160
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 13 students
Section 5166
(A) : 5 students
(B) : 30 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 8 students
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Astronomy 10 learning goal F.3
Students were asked the following clicker question (Classroom Performance System, einstruction.com) near the end of their learning cycle (and just after an in-class activity on BETI).
[0.3 points.] What is the answer to the anticoded message shown above? (A) 9.
(B) 23.
(C) 25.
(D) 120.
Correct answer: (B)
This is based on the octal counting system and mathematical operators defined in the presumptive Arcturus Project alien message.
The inner curved brackets represent the multiplication operator acting on 3 and 5, and the outer straight brackets represent the next order addition operator acting on 8 and 15, resulting in 23, as demonstrated in the previous in-class activity on BETI.
Student responses
Section 4160
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 13 students
Section 5166
(A) : 5 students
(B) : 30 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 8 students
20080606
Astronomy in-class activity: SETI and BETI
Astronomy 10 In-class activity 30 v.06.12.15, spring semester 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Astronomy 10 learning goal F.3
Students find their assigned groups of three to four students, and work cooperatively on an in-class activity worksheet to discuss how messages are encoded, and the problems that may arise from the incommensurability barrier.
Start out with going over the original Arecibo message (and presumptive crop circle reply in Chilbolton, England, 2001) in a whole-class discussion. Point out to or ask students about the key features of these messages: counting (binary); height and population of inhabitants; schematic representation of planetary systems and communication devices (radio dishes and supposed crop-crushing apparatus).
Then go over the first two pages of both the Cosmic Call message and the presumptive message received by the Arcturus Project. Note the counting schemes (binary, decimal, octal), and the symbols for equality, inequality, and syntax for basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division).
With these clues, students then start working in their groups.
Related links:
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Astronomy 10 learning goal F.3
Students find their assigned groups of three to four students, and work cooperatively on an in-class activity worksheet to discuss how messages are encoded, and the problems that may arise from the incommensurability barrier.
Start out with going over the original Arecibo message (and presumptive crop circle reply in Chilbolton, England, 2001) in a whole-class discussion. Point out to or ask students about the key features of these messages: counting (binary); height and population of inhabitants; schematic representation of planetary systems and communication devices (radio dishes and supposed crop-crushing apparatus).
Then go over the first two pages of both the Cosmic Call message and the presumptive message received by the Arcturus Project. Note the counting schemes (binary, decimal, octal), and the symbols for equality, inequality, and syntax for basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division).
With these clues, students then start working in their groups.
Related links:
- The Original Arecibo Message
Discussion on the meaning of each component. - Chilbolton "Photograms"
Bird's-eye view and close-up photos of the Chilbolton "reply" to the Arecibo message. - Encounter 2001 Message
Complete list of all Cosmic Call pages. - The ERSO Arcturus Project
Fictitious ET message received by "Ed's Radio SETI Observatory." - The Incommensurability Problem
Excerpted from an article on challenges in creating interstellar messages.
20080604
Erasing slate: who made time?
"Who made time?" by AnonymousSummer Break 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Latest scribbling on the lift-and-erase slate in the hallway, outside the office door.
20080603
The awesomest moons
Photoshop Phriday: Satellite Smackdown--Which Moon is the Solar System's Awesomest?, by FenringMay 2, 2008
i09.com
But apparently yes, for now Charon is still considered a moon (of dwarf planet Pluto).
20080601
Astronomy clicker question: Drake equation anti-pessimists
Astronomy 10, Spring Semester 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Astronomy 10 learning goal F.2
Students were asked the following clicker question (Classroom Performance System, einstruction.com) in the middle of their learning cycle.
[0.3 points.] The Drake equation may predict that the Milky Way has only one advanced technological civilization (us). Which argument against this extremely pessimistic result do you consider most valid?
(A) Absence of evidence (of the existence of other advanced technological civilizations) is not evidence of their absence.
(B) It is not very likely we are that special.
(C) Given the vast number of stars in the Milky Way, over a vast amount of time, a very small probability that an advanced technological civilization would arise can result in a sizeable number.
(D) (More than one of the above arguments.)
Correct answer: (none; opinion only)
Each of these arguments was explained to the class before this question was asked. Item (A) is the observation that a null result cannot disprove a hypothesis; (B) is the Mediocrity Principle ("Copernicanism"); and (C) is the Scale Argument ("playing the odds").
Student responses
Section 4160
(A) : 11 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 15 students
(D) : 3 students
Section 5166
(A) : 11 students
(B) : 8 students
(C) : 23 students
(D) : 3 students
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Astronomy 10 learning goal F.2
Students were asked the following clicker question (Classroom Performance System, einstruction.com) in the middle of their learning cycle.
[0.3 points.] The Drake equation may predict that the Milky Way has only one advanced technological civilization (us). Which argument against this extremely pessimistic result do you consider most valid?
(A) Absence of evidence (of the existence of other advanced technological civilizations) is not evidence of their absence.
(B) It is not very likely we are that special.
(C) Given the vast number of stars in the Milky Way, over a vast amount of time, a very small probability that an advanced technological civilization would arise can result in a sizeable number.
(D) (More than one of the above arguments.)
Correct answer: (none; opinion only)
Each of these arguments was explained to the class before this question was asked. Item (A) is the observation that a null result cannot disprove a hypothesis; (B) is the Mediocrity Principle ("Copernicanism"); and (C) is the Scale Argument ("playing the odds").
Student responses
Section 4160
(A) : 11 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 15 students
(D) : 3 students
Section 5166
(A) : 11 students
(B) : 8 students
(C) : 23 students
(D) : 3 students
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