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Join the recording executive in determining if the peculiar signal from radio telescope data is music from an alien civilization. Use your tools, meet scientists, and keep a notebook to solve the mystery.
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http://mystery.sonoma.edu Lynn Cominsky Sonoma State University
Alien Bandstand • A recording executive looking for his next big hit has turned to the heavens. He has found a peculiar signal in some radio telescope data and he is convinced that it is music from an alien civilization. He is offering it for sale. • Your mission: Determine if this signal really is an alien tune!
Waves • Wavelength – distance between two crests or troughs in a wave in space • Period – time it takes for 1 wave to pass by • Period is also the distance between two crests or troughs in time
NSE Standards • Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Understanding about scientific inquiry • Content Standard B: Physical Science • Interactions of Energy and Matter • Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science • Origin and Evolution of the Universe
NSE Standards • Content Standard E: Science and Technology • Understandings about science and technology • Content Standard G: History and Nature of Science • Science as a human endeavor
Let’s play the game! • You will meet some interesting characters • You will meet some real scientists • You will have three tools to use to take the data needed to solve the mystery • There will be a notebook to write down your findings so you can remember things • There will be a quiz at the end Start here
Live! From 2-Alpha • A space-faring reporter is stranded on the planet 2-Alpha. He starts noticing strange events in the sky and on the planet. • Your mission: Determine what is happening and what course of action he must take to survive.
v = 2 G m r Newton’s Laws • F = G m1 m2 • Escape velocity Force due to gravity r2
NSE Standards • Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Understandings about scientific inquiry • Content Standard B: Physical Science • Interactions of Energy and Matter • Motion and Forces • Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science • Origin and Evolution of the Universe
NSE Standards • Content Standard E: Science and Technology • Understandings about science and technology • Content Standard G: History and Nature of Science • Science as a human endeavor
Let’s play the game! • You will see many strange things happen to Parnell • You will have three tools to use to take the data needed to solve the mystery • There will be a notebook to write down your findings so you can remember things • There will be five challenges that you must pass to advance through the mystery Start here
Star Market Scandal • Release expected: Summer 2002 • People are buying large numbers of stars in the International Star Market • Your mission: Uncover the reasons behind these unusual activities
A few caveats • Web based version saves all the answers (correct and incorrect) as well as the complete notebook • CD version only saves correct answers and limits size of text box responses and notebook • Both versions do not check the answers in the text boxes – this is up to the instructor. • We have tested both versions on many different PCs and Macs. If you have technical problems, please let us know.
We’d love to hear from you! • Suggestions you or your students have that will help us to improve the mysteries • Ideas you have for new mysteries. We will be developing three more during 2003-2005 • Payments are available for testers and/or co-developers! • http://mystery.sonoma.edu