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Students showcase knowledge of history during statewide competition

Students showcase knowledge of history during statewide competition

Yahoo04-05-2025

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH) — Over 400 students from local middle and high schools took to Central Connecticut State University for a history contest on Saturday.
Participants spent months researching, analyzing and creating projects demonstrating their knowledge of history.
Students compete in welding competition at Grasso Tech in Groton
'I did a senior individual exhibit about Mila Pavlichenko, she was a Soviet sniper during World War II, and she fought for the rights of women to serve in combat positions and the responsibilities of other allied nations to support the Soviet Union,' siad Neila Feeney from Conard High School.
Students were able to look into the past, while keeping an eye on the future.
'The great thing about history day is students can explore their passion,' said Rebecca Taber, the director of secondary education programs at the CT Democracy Center.
Winners from Saturday's event will compete in the National History Day competition in Maryland next month.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Is NASA Ready for Death in Space?
Is NASA Ready for Death in Space?

Yahoo

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Is NASA Ready for Death in Space?

In 2012 NASA stealthily slipped a morgue into orbit. No press release. No fanfare. Just a sealed, soft-sided pouch tucked in a cargo shipment to the International Space Station (ISS) alongside freeze-dried meals and scientific gear. Officially, it was called the Human Remains Containment Unit (HRCU). To the untrained eye it looked like a shipping bag for frozen cargo. But to NASA it marked something far more sobering: a major advance in preparing for death beyond Earth. As a kid, I obsessed over how astronauts went to the bathroom in zero gravity. Now, decades later, as a forensic pathologist and a perennial applicant to NASA's astronaut corps, I find myself fixated on a darker, more haunting question: [Sign up for Today in Science, a free daily newsletter] What would happen if an astronaut died out there? Would they be brought home, or would they be left behind? If they expired on some other world, would that be their final resting place? If they passed away on a spacecraft or space station, would their remains be cast off into orbit—or sent on an escape-velocity voyage to the interstellar void? NASA, it turns out, has begun working out most of these answers. And none too soon. Because the question itself is no longer if someone will die in space—but when. No astronaut has ever died of natural causes off-world. In 1971 the three-man crew of the Soviet Soyuz 11 mission asphyxiated in space when their spacecraft depressurized shortly before its automated atmospheric reentry—but their deaths were only discovered once the spacecraft landed on Earth. Similarly, every U.S. spaceflight fatality to date has occurred within Earth's atmosphere—under gravity, oxygen and a clear national jurisdiction. That matters, because it means every spaceflight mortality has played out in familiar territory. But planned missions are getting longer, with destinations beyond low-Earth orbit. And NASA's astronaut corps is getting older. 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There are straps to secure the body in a seat for return, and patches for name tags and national flags. Cadaver tests conducted in 2019 at Sam Houston State University have proved the system durable. Some versions held for over 40 days before decomposition breached the barrier. NASA even drop-tested the bag from 19 feet to simulate a hard landing. But it's never been used in space. And since no one yet knows how a body decomposes in true microgravity (or, for that matter, on the moon), no one can really say whether the HRCU would preserve tissue well enough for a forensic autopsy. This is a troubling knowledge gap, because in space, a death isn't just a tragic loss—it's also a vital data point. Was an astronaut's demise from a fluke of their physiology, or an unavoidable stroke of cosmic bad luck—or was it instead a consequence of flaws in a space habitat's myriad systems that might be found and fixed? Future lives may depend on understanding what went wrong, via a proper postmortem investigation. But there's no medical examiner in orbit. So NASA trains its crews in something called the In-Mission Forensic Sample Collection protocol. The space agency's astronauts may avoid talking about it, but they all have it memorized: Document everything, ideally with real-time guidance from NASA flight surgeons. Photograph the body. Collect blood and vitreous fluid, as well as hair and tissue samples. Only then can the remains be stowed in the HRCU. NASA has also prepared for death outside the station—on spacewalks, the moon or deep space missions. If a crew member perishes in vacuum but their remains are retrieved, the body is wrapped in a specially designed space shroud. The goal isn't just a technical matter of preventing contamination. It's psychological, too, as a way of preserving dignity. 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Are We Ready for Death in Space?
Are We Ready for Death in Space?

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timea day ago

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Are We Ready for Death in Space?

In 2012 NASA stealthily slipped a morgue into orbit. No press release. No fanfare. Just a sealed, soft-sided pouch tucked in a cargo shipment to the International Space Station (ISS) alongside freeze-dried meals and scientific gear. Officially, it was called the Human Remains Containment Unit (HRCU). To the untrained eye it looked like a shipping bag for frozen cargo. But to NASA it marked something far more sobering: a major advance in preparing for death beyond Earth. As a kid, I obsessed over how astronauts went to the bathroom in zero gravity. Now, decades later, as a forensic pathologist and a perennial applicant to NASA's astronaut corps, I find myself fixated on a darker, more haunting question: On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. What would happen if an astronaut died out there? Would they be brought home, or would they be left behind? If they expired on some other world, would that be their final resting place? If they passed away on a spacecraft or space station, would their remains be cast off into orbit—or sent on an escape-velocity voyage to the interstellar void? NASA, it turns out, has begun working out most of these answers. And none too soon. Because the question itself is no longer if someone will die in space—but when. A Graying Corps No astronaut has ever died of natural causes off-world. In 1971 the three-man crew of the Soviet Soyuz 11 mission asphyxiated in space when their spacecraft depressurized shortly before its automated atmospheric reentry—but their deaths were only discovered once the spacecraft landed on Earth. Similarly, every U.S. spaceflight fatality to date has occurred within Earth's atmosphere—under gravity, oxygen and a clear national jurisdiction. That matters, because it means every spaceflight mortality has played out in familiar territory. But planned missions are getting longer, with destinations beyond low-Earth orbit. And NASA's astronaut corps is getting older. The average age now hovers around 50—an age bracket where natural death becomes statistically relevant, even for clean-living fitness buffs. Death in space is no longer a thought experiment. It's a probability curve—and NASA knows it. In response, the agency is making subtle but decisive moves. The most recent astronaut selection cycle was extended —not only to boost intake but also to attract younger crew members capable of handling future long-duration missions. NASA ' s Space Morgue If someone were to die aboard the ISS today, their body would be placed in the HRCU, which would then be sealed and secured in a nonpressurized area to await eventual return to Earth. The HRCU itself is a modified version of a military-grade body bag designed to store human remains in hazardous environments. It integrates with refrigeration systems already aboard the ISS to slow decomposition and includes odor-control filters and moisture-absorbent linings, as well as reversed zippers for respectful access at the head. There are straps to secure the body in a seat for return, and patches for name tags and national flags. Cadaver tests conducted in 2019 at Sam Houston State University have proved the system durable. Some versions held for over 40 days before decomposition breached the barrier. NASA even drop-tested the bag from 19 feet to simulate a hard landing. But it's never been used in space. And since no one yet knows how a body decomposes in true microgravity (or, for that matter, on the moon), no one can really say whether the HRCU would preserve tissue well enough for a forensic autopsy. This is a troubling knowledge gap, because in space, a death isn't just a tragic loss—it's also a vital data point. Was an astronaut's demise from a fluke of their physiology, or an unavoidable stroke of cosmic bad luck—or was it instead a consequence of flaws in a space habitat's myriad systems that might be found and fixed? Future lives may depend on understanding what went wrong, via a proper postmortem investigation. But there's no medical examiner in orbit. So NASA trains its crews in something called the In-Mission Forensic Sample Collection protocol. The space agency's astronauts may avoid talking about it, but they all have it memorized: Document everything, ideally with real-time guidance from NASA flight surgeons. Photograph the body. Collect blood and vitreous fluid, as well as hair and tissue samples. Only then can the remains be stowed in the HRCU. NASA has also prepared for death outside the station—on spacewalks, the moon or deep space missions. If a crew member perishes in vacuum but their remains are retrieved, the body is wrapped in a specially designed space shroud. The goal isn't just a technical matter of preventing contamination. It's psychological, too, as a way of preserving dignity. Of all the 'firsts' any space agency hopes to achieve, the first-ever human corpse drifting into frame on a satellite feed is not among them. If a burial must occur—in lunar regolith or by jettisoning into solar orbit—the body will be dutifully tracked and cataloged, treated forevermore as a hallowed artifact of space history. Such gestures are also of relevance to NASA's plans for off-world mourning; grief and memorial protocols are now part of official crew training. If a death occurs, surviving astronauts are tasked with holding a simple ceremony to honor the fallen—then to move on with their mission. Uncharted Realms So far we've only covered the 'easy' questions. NASA and others are still grappling with harder ones. 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Of course, not everything can be planned for in advance. And NASA has done an extraordinary job of keeping astronauts in orbit alive. But as more people venture into space, and as the frontier stretches to longer voyages and farther destinations, it becomes a statistical certainty that sooner or later someone won't come home. When that happens, it won't just be a tragedy. It will be a test. A test of our systems, our ethics and our ability to adapt to a new dimension of mortality. To some, NASA's preparations for astronautical death may seem merely morbid, even silly—but that couldn't be further from the truth. Space won't care of course, whenever it claims more lives. But we will. And rising to that grim occasion with reverence, rigor and grace will define not just policy out in the great beyond—but what it means to be human there, too.

Bald eagle
Bald eagle

National Geographic

time2 days ago

  • National Geographic

Bald eagle

Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus Average Life Span In The Wild: 20 to 30 years Size: Body: 28 to 38 inches; Wingspan: 80 inches Size relative to a 6-ft human: The bald eagle is a large, powerful bird of prey that has been the national symbol of the United States since 1782. That year, it appeared with outspread wings on the country's Great Seal as a sign of strength. Bald eagles don't actually have bare heads. Their name comes from the old English word 'balde,' which means white—a nod to the snowy-white feathers that cover their heads and tails. Most of these majestic, dark brown-bodied creatures live in Alaska and Canada. But there are also eagles in the lower 48 states (except Hawaii) and Mexico. Bald eagles are famous in the U.S. However, they almost disappeared in the middle of the 20th century from decades of sport hunting and habitat destruction. DDT, a pesticide that became popular after World War II, also wreaked havoc on bald eagles. They ate contaminated fish, which weakened their eggshells so much, they would crack during incubation. In 1972, the U.S. banned DDT use and began intensive population management strategies. These conservation efforts helped them recover in the wild and led to their removal from the Endangered Species Act list in 2007. (Most U.S. eagles suffer from lead poisoning, study suggests.) Today the population estimate for bald eagles is about 316,700. The numbers continue to soar despite threats like illegal hunting and electrocution from power lines. A 2019 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that the bald eagle population quadrupled since 2009. Bald eagle habitat and diet Bald eagles occasionally live in dry areas. However, most reside in woods by rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. These areas tend to be rich with fish—their main food source. Their diets also include birds, turtles, and small mammals, such as squirrels and rabbits. To conserve energy, these opportunistic creatures sometimes eat dead animals. They also steal prey from birds and other animals, even though they are skilled hunters themselves. Bald eagles are raptors, like hawks and falcons, with special features that help these predatory birds chase their prey. Razor-like talons puncture and can carry prey up to half the eagle's body weight, roughly eight to 13 pounds. A large wingspan conserves energy by soaring. A dense coating of light-detecting cells on their retinas helps them spot prey from up to a mile away. (Winter is prime time for watching bald eagles—here's where to spot them.) Once an eagle has captured a meal, it uses the sharp edges of its curved beak to slice through flesh or scales. Bald eagle breeding and family life Most bald eagles reach sexual maturity at age four or five and breed in early spring. Breeding pairs bond by performing dance-like air displays. In one example, during the 'cartwheel courtship flight,' a pair flies high into the sky. They lock talons and spin downward, then break off just before hitting the ground. Those teamwork skills come in handy when it's time to build nests. These stick structures lined with grass and other materials can take several months to construct. Most couples choose the tops of tall trees for nesting sites, where there's enough support for these enormous structures. At about six feet wide and four feet deep, bald eagle nests are the largest of any bird in North America. Pairs living in treeless areas build nests on cliffs or, on rare occasions, the ground. (See photographs depicting the everyday lives of this national symbol.) Bald eagle couples mate for life and return to these sturdy homes each year to care for a new pair of baby eagles, called eaglets. Both parents play an active role in rearing. They deliver prey, place torn-up food into eaglet beaks, and fiercely guard little ones from predators, such as raccoons and ravens. Like golden eagles, baby bald eagles are completely brown. They don't develop the distinctive white markings of their parents until they reach five years of age. They begin to fly at about 10 to 12 weeks and permanently leave the nest a month later. Bald eagle behavior Untethered to a breeding site, young eagles tend to roam far from their nests in directions that appear random. Adult birds are more intentional, migrating only as far as necessary to find sustenance. When lakes and rivers freeze, for example, Northern bald eagles fly to the coast or south to open water. These territorial birds typically travel alone. However, during non-breeding times, such as in the winter, eagles often roost together in groups ranging from several to hundreds of birds. Scientists think they congregate to socialize or gain information about the location and availability of prey. To communicate, bald eagles emit a variety of whiny, high-pitched vocalizations that may sound surprising coming from such brawny bodies. 5 interesting facts about bald eagles Like other birds of prey, bald eagles exhibit 'reverse sexual size dimorphism,' which means that females are larger than males. —Audubon Center for Birds of Prey Bald eagles swim by moving their wings in a rowing motion that looks similar to the butterfly stroke. —NPR Bald eagles store excess food in a crop, a muscular pouch below their throat that looks like a bulge from the outside. —American Eagle Foundation In 1784, Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter saying the bald eagle was a poor choice for the U.S. national symbol because of its thieving tendencies. —The Franklin Institute Female bald eagles lay one to three eggs. Both parents take turns incubating them, which takes about 35 days. —U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service How rare is it to see bald eagles?Thanks to conservation efforts, bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 2007. You can see them in wildlife refuges throughout North America and in the wild. In Alaska, bald eagles are almost a common sight. —U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service What is the penalty for killing a bald eagle? The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, enacted in 1940, prohibits anyone from harming bald eagles in any way. Doing so risks a $100,000 fine ($200,000 for organizations) or imprisonment, or both. The act defines harm in many ways, including pursuing, capturing, and even disturbing their nests or nesting sites outside of breeding season. —U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Can a bald eagle pick up a 25lb. dog? No, bald eagles cannot pick up a 25-pound dog. They can carry up to half their body weight, roughly eight to 13 pounds. —American Eagle Foundation This story originally published on September 23, 2019. It has been updated.

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