Latest news with #NorthernArizonaUniversity
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Golden State Warriors jersey history - No. 12 - Andre Spencer (1993)
The Golden State Warriors have had over 600 players don the more than 60 jersey numbers used by their players over the more than 75 years of existence the team has enjoyed in its rich and storied history. Founded in 1946 during the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- a precursor league of the NBA) era, the team has called home the cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco, Oakland, and even San Diego. Advertisement To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Warriors Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. For this article, we begin with the 17th of 28 players who wore the No. 12 jersey for the Warriors. Sep 15, 2017; Culver City, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors jerseys on display during the Nike and Sony press conference at Sony Studios. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports That player would be Golden State forward alum Andre Spencer. After ending his college career at Northern Arizona University, Spencer would go unselected in the 1986 NBA draft, instead playing abroad or in other domestic leagues until he signed with the Atlanta Hawks in 1992. The Stockton, California native would sign with the Dubs in 1993 for his next NBA gig, his stay spanning just 22 games over two seasons, ending when he was cut early in the second season. Advertisement During his time suiting up for the Warriors, Spencer wore only jersey No. 12 and put up 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference. This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors jersey history - No. 12 - Andre Spencer (1993)
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Golfer off to junior worlds
Golfer Ricky Kang, 17. PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER Selection for the New Zealand under-19 golf team for the Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan next month confirms Queenstowner Ricky Kang's steady rise up the ranks. The South Korea-born golfer, who turned 17 yesterday, is one of three boys chosen for the strong-looking team along with three girls. Ricky, whose sister, Sumin, 20, is on a four-year golf scholarship at Northern Arizona University, in the United States, has enjoyed some good results in recent months. He won the Southland strokeplay, was second in the Canterbury strokeplay and debuted for Otago. He was also part of the NZ squad who travelled across the Tasman to play the Aussie juniors. Ricky came close, too, to qualifying for this year's NZ Open at Arrowtown's Millbrook, where he's a member. "I was four-under playing a qualifier and I really needed to birdie the last [hole] and just missed out." At 910th in the world junior rankings, he's set some ambitious goals on his 'Ricky Kang's Supporters' Facebook page — he wants to win the US junior amateur champs before he turns 19, aims to play the PGA Tour and wants to represent NZ and medal at the Olympics. His coach of five years or so, Millbrook's Ben Gallie, applauds his goal-setting. "Those goals are really good just to keep you motivated on the lonely days out on the range. "He's getting better and better and he's starting to understand his own game, in particular, situational preparation." Everything's solid about his game, Gallie says, "and he's got good work ethic". Ricky, who was first taught by his dad, Moon, when he was five, came to Queenstown with his family in 2011. He used to play with Sumin, "and do bets really often". What he loves about the game is "it's challenging always". "Even in the good times you can always look for something better." Unlike his sister, Ricky's not looking to go the US college route, but instead wants to join the Korean Tour as a pro. His favourite NZ courses are Jack's Point, near where he lives, Invercargill's Otatara, Christchurch's Shirley and Waikato's Tieke Golf Estate, and his hero is Aussie Min Woo Lee. This week he has gone to Sydney for a month's prep ahead of the Toyota Junior World Cup in Nagoya from June 24-27. Meanwhile, his father is appealing for anyone who'd like to help sponsor his son, "because the training and tournament costs are quite a lot".
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A decade after the release of ‘The Martian' and a decade out from the world it envisions, a planetary scientist checks in on real-life Mars exploration
Andy Weir's bestselling story 'The Martian' predicts that by 2035 NASA will have landed humans on Mars three times, perfected return-to-Earth flight systems and collaborated with the China National Space Administration. We are now 10 years past the Hollywood adaptation's 2015 release and 10 years shy of its fictional timeline. At this midpoint, Mars exploration looks a bit different than how it was portrayed in 'The Martian,' with both more discoveries and more controversy. As a planetary geologist who works with NASA missions to study Mars, I follow exploration science and policy closely. In 2010, the U.S. National Space Policy set goals for human missions to Mars in the 2030s. But in 2017, the White House Space Policy Directive 1 shifted NASA's focus toward returning first to the Moon under what would become the Artemis program. Although concepts for crewed missions to Mars have gained popularity, NASA's actual plans for landing humans on Mars remain fragile. Notably, over the last 10 years, it has been robotic, rather than crewed, missions that have propelled discovery and the human imagination forward. Since 2015, satellites and rovers have reshaped scientists' understanding of Mars. They have revealed countless insights into how its climate has changed over time. As Earth's neighbor, climate shifts on Mars also reflect solar system processes affecting Earth at a time when life was first taking hold. Thus, Mars has become a focal point for investigating the age old questions of 'where do we come from?' and 'are we alone?' The Opportunity, Curiosity and Perseverance rovers have driven dozens of miles studying layered rock formations that serve as a record of Mars' past. By studying sedimentary layers – rock formations stacked like layers of a cake – planetary geologists have pieced together a vivid tale of environmental change that dwarfs what Earth is currently experiencing. Mars was once a world of erupting volcanoes, glaciers, lakes and flowing rivers – an environment not unlike early Earth. Then its core cooled, its magnetic field faltered and its atmosphere drifted away. The planet's exposed surface has retained signs of those processes ever since in the form of landscape patterns, sequences of layered sediment and mineral mixtures. One focus of scientific investigation over the last 10 years is particularly relevant to the setting of 'The Martian' but fails to receive mention in the story. To reach his best chance of survival, protagonist Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, must cross a vast, dusty and crater-pocked region of Mars known as Arabia Terra. In 2022 and 2023, I, along with colleagues at Northern Arizona University and Johns Hopkins University, published detailed analyses of the layered materials there using imagery from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey satellites. By using infrared imagery and measuring the dimensions of surface features, we linked multiple layered deposits to the same episodes of formation and learned more about the widespread crumbling nature of the terrain seen there today. Because water tends to cement rock tightly together, that loose material indicates that around 3.5 billion years ago, that area had a drying climate. To make the discussions about this area easier, we even worked with the International Astronomical Union to name a few previously unnamed craters that were mentioned in the story. For example, one that Watney would have driven right by is now named Kozova Crater, after a town in Ukraine. Despite rapid advances in Mars science, many unknowns remain. Scientists still aren't sure of the precise ages, atmospheric conditions and possible signatures of life associated with each of the different rock types observed on the surface. For instance, the Perseverance rover recently drilled into and analyzed a unique set of rocks hosting organic – that is, carbon-based – compounds. Organic compounds serve as the building blocks of life, but more detailed analysis is required to determine whether these specific rocks once hosted microbial life. The in-development Mars Sample Return mission aims to address these basic outstanding questions by delivering the first-ever unaltered fragments of another world to Earth. The Perseverance rover is already caching rock and soil samples, including ones hosting organic compounds, in sealed tubes. A future lander will then need to pick up and launch the caches back to Earth. Once home, researchers can examine these materials with instruments orders of magnitude more sensitive than anything that could be flown on a spacecraft. Scientists stand to learn far more about the habitability, geologic history and presence of any signs of life on Mars through the sample return campaign than by sending humans to the surface. This perspective is why NASA, the European Space Agency and others have invested some US$30 billion in robotic Mars exploration since the 1960s. The payoff has been staggering: That work has triggered rapid technological advances in robotics, telecommunications and materials science. For example, Mars mission technology has led to better sutures for heart surgery and cars that can drive themselves. It has also bolstered the status of NASA and the U.S. as bastions of modern exploration and technology; and it has inspired millions of students to take an interest in scientific fields. Colonizing Mars has a seductive appeal. It's hard not to cheer for the indomitable human spirit while watching Watney battle dust storms, oxygen shortages and food scarcity over 140 million miles from rescue. Much of the momentum toward colonizing Mars is now tied to SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk, whose stated mission to make humanity a 'multi-planetary species' has become a sort of rallying cry. But while Mars colonization is romantic on paper, it is extremely difficult to actually carry out, and many critics have questioned the viability of a Mars habitation as a refuge far from Earth. Now, with NASA potentially facing a nearly 50% reduction to its science budget, the U.S. risks dissolving its planetary science and robotic operations portfolio altogether, including sample return. Nonetheless, President Donald Trump and Musk have pushed for human space exploration to somehow continue to progress, despite those proposed cuts – effectively sidelining the robotic, science-driven programs that have underpinned all of Mars exploration to date. Yet, it is these programs that have yielded humanity's richest insights into the red planet and given both scientists and storytellers like Andy Weir the foundation to imagine what it must be like to stand on Mars' surface at all. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Ari Koeppel, Dartmouth College Read more: Ancient Mars may have had a carbon cycle − a new study suggests the red planet may have once been warmer, wetter and more favorable for life NASA wants to send humans to Mars in the 2030s − a crewed mission could unlock some of the red planet's geologic mysteries Could people turn Mars into another Earth? Here's what it would take to transform its barren landscape into a life-friendly world Ari Koeppel receives funding from NASA.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
How Dinosaurs Shaped Fruit Evolution
What do humans have in common with the dinosaurs that trampled through ancient forests? It turns out that both may have a surprising impact on the size of seeds in the fruits growing around them. When researchers mapped the evolution of seed sizes onto that of land animals, they observed that when land animals got bigger, so did fruit seeds—with a few outsize exceptions. A recent study in Palaeontology illustrates how, over the course of natural history, gigantic megafauna such as dinosaurs curbed the growth of seed sizes by physically altering the ecosystem, influencing forest light levels. Today that role may be filled by a much tinier species: humans. The idea that land animals can alter their environments is 'fairly straightforward and well substantiated in a variety of scales,' explains Clive G. Jones, an ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., who was not involved in the new study. For instance, savanna elephants push down trees and tear at shrubs, transforming the plant landscape. But even this elephantine influence is minor in comparison to that of prehistoric creatures. The researchers' new model suggests dinosaurs caused a level of destruction that suppressed an evolutionary tendency for seeds to grow bigger, says study lead author Christopher E. Doughty, an earth system scientist at Northern Arizona University. Bigger seeds tend to attract bigger animals for dispersal and to sprout taller plants, Doughty explains; both factors can give plants better access to sunlight in crowded conditions. But this was generally not the case when there were 'big lumbering dinosaurs knocking things down, opening up the environment' and thinning forests, Doughty says. [Sign up for Today in Science, a free daily newsletter] After dinosaurs went extinct, forest understories became about 20 percent darker. This change 'reset the slate' for plants and other animals, Doughty says. And 'during this time the canopy became more closed,' notes Brian Atkinson, a University of Kansas paleobotanist not involved in the study. This growth would have placed evolutionary pressure on seeds to get larger again, Atkinson says, which is also reflected in fossil data. Another dip in seed size occurred with the emergence of early giant mammals and persisted until they died out. But even though we're far from megafauna-sized, humans' influence on forests—particularly via logging—resembles that of those long-extinct giants, Doughty says. If we continue at this rate, our effect on fruit seeds might someday rival that of dinosaurs. Jones notes that humans influence plant life in many other ways as well. 'Agriculture [is] one obvious example,' he says, along with 'introducing exotic species, clearing forests to make suburbia, to make cities, and so on.' That complexity is one reason it could be difficult for the model to predict future fruit seed sizes, Doughty says. Another important factor to consider is the rapid pace at which human technology tends to develop in realms such as farming. Although the model provides a good analytical comparison of forest density alterations by megafauna and by humans, developments such as agriculture mean 'normal ecological rules don't really apply anymore.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lane changes but no closures on I-17 for drivers heading to Flagstaff this weekend
If you're on your way to graduation at Northern Arizona University or heading to Mother's Day brunch over the weekend, don't be alarmed if Apple Maps or Google Maps shows Interstate 17 closed. No, it's not a repeat of this time last year when southbound I-17 in north Phoenix was closed for a pavement improvement project. Starting May 5, northbound traffic shifted into two newly constructed flex lanes that run adjacent to the two existing southbound lanes. The Arizona Department of Transportation said the detour was necessary for several weeks as work continued on the main northbound lanes between Coldwater Road and Sunset Point. Southbound traffic will continue to use the general-purpose lanes, which are business as usual. Here's what you need to know and look out for when driving on I-17. The closure in 2024 was from southbound I-17, between SR 74/Carefree Highway and Loop 303, from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Southbound on-ramps also were closed at Daisy Mountain Drive and Pioneer Road. To avoid the area, ADOT suggested motorists go west on SR 74 to southbound Lake Pleasant Parkway and eastbound Loop 303 to access I-17. People on social media complained about the travel delays, saying they were on the road for hours. Others were just frustrated about closures on this particular weekend, between Mother's Day and Northern Arizona University's four graduation ceremonies in Flagstaff. "Four hours to get home to Surprise from Flagstaff last night," Jon Ponsford commented. "Unconscionable, that a major freeway and the only freeway between northern and southern AZ would be totally closed. The reroutes have traffic backed up as far as one can see." "I don't know whose bright idea it was to close (Interstate) 17 on freaking Mother's Day weekend, but they need a little evaluation on thought process in the future," Lisa Lauenberg wrote. According to a Facebook post, if you are traveling north on I-17 to attend graduation or to escape the heat, ADOT advised that northbound I-17 will be open to traffic, and there are no scheduled closures for May 9 through May 12. There is a traffic shift in effect north of Coldwater Road. "Since Monday, vehicles are being detoured into the newly constructed flex lanes while work is taking place on the northbound general-purpose lanes," the department said. "Your navigation apps, such as Google Maps or Apple Maps, may not reflect this traffic shift and may be showing I-17 northbound as closed north of Black Canyon City." Northbound drivers will transition from the regular lanes at Coldwater Road in Black Canyon City and use newly constructed crossover lanes to enter two flex lanes. Drivers will continue on the flex lanes for eight miles and rejoin the main general-purpose lanes through another set of crossover lanes at Sunset Point. Drivers will travel on the flex lanes for about eight miles between Coldwater Road and Sunset Point. The I-17 construction includes bridge work at Bumble Bee Road. While the detour is in place, drivers will not be able to access the northbound Bumble Bee Road exit. Bumble Bee Road under northbound I-17 will be closed to traffic. The I-17 Improvement Project covers 23 miles of construction between Anthem Way and Sunset Point. Construction began in 2022 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. ADOT said the project aims to enhance safety, improve traffic flow and support local economies. Project highlights include: Widening 15 miles of roadway between Anthem Way and Coldwater Road in Black Canyon City Replacing two bridges and widening 10 others Constructing about eight miles of flex lanes between Coldwater Road and Sunset Point According to ADOT, flex lanes operate as an additional two-lane roadway that carries one direction of traffic at a time. The lanes will alternate between northbound and southbound depending on the greatest traffic need. ADOT noted that the I-17 flex lanes will not operate as such during the traffic shift. The lanes will only support northbound traffic. The Republic's Lauren De Young and Perry Vandell contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: No I-17 closures, just flex lanes if you're heading up north
