Connect concepts within astronomy and cosmology to current scientific research and discovery
Big Discoveries and Bright Ideas in Astronomy and Cosmology
In this discussion, you will be discussing currents events and recent research related to astronomy (the study of stars) or cosmology (the study of the origins of the universe).
Note that planets and solar systems (covered in a separate chapter of our textbook that is not included in this course) do not directly fall under the disciplines of astronomy or cosmology. Keep this in mind when choosing your essay topic!
The goal of this discussion is to connect science concepts to their application in the world around us, which is one of the main objectives of this course.
This discussion activity contains two separately scored parts:
Essay Requirements
Choose a science news article that highlights a current event or recent research related to either astronomy or cosmology. In searching for an appropriate article, the following online science news sources are suggested. (Do?not?use reference websites such as Wikipedia or Internet blogs as sources.)Science Daily (Links to an external site.)e! Science News? (Links to an external site.)Phys.org? (Links to an external site.)After reading and gaining a clear understanding of the article, construct an engaging three-paragraph essay that completely and concisely* fulfills the following requirementsParagraph 1 – develop a?summary, in your own words, of the article’s main pointsParagraph 2 – outline, in your own words and ideas, direct and specific connections between the article and one or more specific concepts presented in this week’s readings and lesson material relevant to the topicParagraph 3 – provide your perspective on the article’s importance, drawing on your own experiences as applicable