CBSE to shift history lessons outdoors

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked its affiliated schools to take students on excursions to historical sites to make studying history more interesting. A CBSE official said: "This has been done keeping in mind that the subject is normally not considered very interesting. History, if taught by taking students near historical monuments and sites, will become fascinating. This move will be of assistance to students and they will be able to study in an enhanced manner. It will also help students do well in projects." Rakesh Sachdeva, principal, DAV Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 15, and CBSE exams counsellor, echoed similar sentiments: "Visual contact has a different impact on students. For example, if we talk about a monument mentioned in the history book and take them on a visit to the structure, it will be really interesting and easy to learn facts about it." She added, "Expenses do not matter if the kid is learning something out of it". Students and parents too appreciated the board move. Aditi Singh, a Class IX student of Hansraj Public School, said: "It's easier to see the places than cram textbooks. It is going to be a great experience to see the places and monuments. It would seem as if the pictures and words would come out and present themselves in the form of historical places." Jitender Verma, whose child is admitted to a CBSE-affiliated school, said: "It's a good step by the CBSE. I won't mind paying money for the excursion. My child would learn something in a more interesting manner. And if the school plans trips in groups, the fun would be doubled." Some feel that the subject could be made more interesting through video clips and plays. Amita Khurana, principal, Shishu Niketan School, Sector 22, said," Since the board has now asked schools to conduct these trips, the subject will get more interesting. But there are various other options as well like video clippings or movie. As we have smart schools here, we should take advantage of that". R J Khanderao, regional officer, CBSE, said, "Our students would be taken to these places and explained in detail about their historical significance. We have to take students on outdoor visits so that they can have a clear picture."

Nasa searches for ideas to bring asteroids closer to Earth

US space agency Nasa has announced a formal proposal worth $6 million for projects that would help robots and astronauts grab an asteroid from deep space and bring it closer to Earth for further study. In support of Nasa's Asteroid Redirect Mission — a key part of the agency's stepping stone path to send humans to Mars — agency officials are seeking proposals for studies on advanced technology development. Nasa envisages spending up to $6 million on over 25 proposals this year. The proposal should focus on technologies that can be used to identify potential targets like sending robotic spacecraft to capture the selected asteroid and put it in a stable orbit beyond the moon. The technology should also help astronauts get to the space rock and bring back samples in the mid-2020s, Nasa said in a statement. "We are reaching out to seek new and innovative ideas as we extend the frontier of space exploration," said Bill Gerstenmaier, Nasa's associate administrator for human exploration and operations. "To reach Mars, we would rely on new technologies and advanced capabilities proven through the Asteroid Initiative. We are looking forward to exciting ideas from outside Nasa as well to help realise that vision," he added. The proposals have to be submitted before May 5 and the space agency would reward the winners around July 1 for projects that would wrap up in six months. According to Greg Williams, Nasa's deputy associate administrator for plans and policy, the selection process would build on a workshop that generated hundreds of ideas for asteroid exploration last year. Nasa is already supporting projects such as the Asteroid Data Hunter contest, which is offering $35,000 in awards over the next six months to citizen scientists who come up with improved algorithms for identifying asteroids. Next year, the space agency would review mission concepts for redirecting an asteroid up to 10 metre wide — or breaking off a piece of a bigger asteroid and bringing it back.

Four new ozone-depleting gases discovered

In a blow to ozone-protection efforts, scientists have identified four new man-made gases in the atmosphere which are contributing to the destruction of the ozone layer. Two of the newly discovered gases are accumulating at a rate that is causing concern among scientists. New research by scientists at the University of East Anglia, UK, shows that more than 74,000 tonnes of three new chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and one new hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) have been released into the atmosphere. "Our research has shown four gases that were not around in the atmosphere at all until the 1960s which suggests they are human-made," lead researcher Dr Johannes Laube from UEA's School of Environmental Sciences said. "The identification of these four new gases is very worrying as they will contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer," said Laube. Scientists made the discovery by comparing today's air samples with air trapped in polar firn snow - which provides a century-old natural archive of the atmosphere. They also looked at air collected between 1978 and 2012 in unpolluted Tasmania. Measurements show that all four new gases have been released into the atmosphere recently - and that two are significantly accumulating. Emission increases of this scale have not been seen for any other CFCs since controls were introduced during the 1990s, researchers said. But they are nowhere near peak CFC emissions of the 1980s which reached around a million tonnes a year, they said. CFCs are the main cause of the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Laws to reduce and phase out CFCs came into force in 1989, followed by a total ban in 2010, said Laube. He said this has resulted in successfully reducing the production of many of these compounds on a global scale. However, legislation loopholes still allow some usage for exempted purposes, said Laube. "We don't know where the new gases are being emitted from and this should be investigated. Possible sources include feedstock chemicals for insecticide production and solvents for cleaning electronic components. "What's more, the three CFCs are being destroyed very slowly in the atmosphere - so even if emissions were to stop immediately, they will still be around for many decades to come," he added. The research was published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Asteroid passing Earth will be closer than Moon

An asteroid is headed this way. But even though it will come closer than the moon, astronomers say it will pose no danger. The newly discovered asteroid, called 2014 DX110, will hurtle between the moon and Earth on Wednesday. DX110 will pass an estimated 217,000 miles from Earth. That's approximately nine-tenths of the distance between the moon and Earth. The asteroid is an estimated 45 to 130 feet across. Relatively close approaches like this occur all the time, although DX110 is extra close.