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Show Tuesday, July 28, 2009 HE SIGNPOST Softball continued from page 5 Marchant continued from page 5 Marchant keeps working his goals are the same and and said he doesn't let injuries he is working to play as high get in the way up as he can. of his being a Marchant's competitive "It's neat to teammates athlete. say he is one see him get so of the most "Since intense on the upbeat, he's prone enthusiastic to injuries;" coyrt when you people they senior tennis know he is one have ever met player Cole of the nicest Paterson Paterson said, that "he's been people you have said Marchant is doing a lot of one of the p r e v e n t i v e ever met" kindest people maintenance." - Cole Paterson, he has known, • Burnham WSU Tennis Player but also one said he hopes of the most to have competitive Marchant playing the 4, 5, or 6 position tennis players he has seen, on the team. Marchant said "Ifs neat to see him get so Lunar continuedfrom page 4 movie "2001: A Space Odyssey", about a space adventure taking place on the moon. In this Oscar winning film, mankind finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, artifact buried on the moon and, with the help of the intelligent computer HAL, sets off on a quest to understand where it comes from. This film won an Oscar for its attempt to portray the vastness of space with a reasonable facsimile of the knowledge base of that time period. Even with all of the film's acclaim, it did not come close to portraying anything as complex as the lunar landingWhile I do believe in our government's ability to deceive its people (downwinders, nerve gas, George W. Bush), I am sure it would take much more competent folk to create a conspiracy where even the Soviets would agree to collaborate. If somewhere in the future it is proven without a doubt that the lunar landing was all Hollywood, I am glad we enterprising Americans were able to think of that idea first But until then, the only thing we lunar-loving people can do is simply throw the moon rocks [which we have) at the disbelievers. Comment on this story at wsusignpost.com. intense on the court when you know he is one of the nicest people you have ever met," Paterson said. With his well-rounded personality outside of the game, Marchant is 'equally well rounded on the tennis court. "He is probably one of the only people in tennis that you will meet who can hit every stroke," Patterson said. Bringing his enthusiasm and precision to the tennis game, Marchant said he is prepared to step inrightwhere his coaches and teammates need him this season. Comment on this story at wsusignpost.com. "Catching up with other Championship during schools who have juniors her years with Lafayette and seniors and other High School in Wildwood, experienced players will be a Missouri before going into challenge for iis," according coaching and becoming to Johnson. the Suburban West Softball That challenge i6 what Coach of the Year for three years (95-97), fuels her recruiting forward; straight a recruiting effort that led so playoff experience is to a second-generation important to her. outfielder out of Copper Hills This is where Ketcher High School named linnea comes in. Ketcher helped her Ketcher. team to a fifth place finish Ketcher holds three Utah in the 2006 Utah state high state high school records school Softball tournament, with 10 consecutive hits, 54 along the way being named hits in a season, 47 singles in the Prep Athlete of the Week a season and is tied for two by the Deseret News and the others: hits in a single game 2008 Offensive Player of the and singles in a single game; Year for CHHS. both at five. Ketcher, who Coach Johnson won a 4A State Johnson is quoted as calling "a really tough out" who has 3 "great speed," is someone". Coach Johnson believes willhelp the team adapt to the challenges ahead in their first season. "She's fast and very strong; in the outfield," Johnson said about Ketcher. "She plays hard and that's what I'm looking for in a recruit: Hard work ethic." Ketcher's 3.95 GPA going forward into her first year of eligibility didn't hurt matters either. ' : "She's academically good,"' said the coach. "Both things together are important." Comment on this story at wsusignpost.com. continued from Page4 planets around other stars, and so for the very first time in human history, not only did we think there were planets around other stars, we actually detected- them. At that point it suddenly occurred to me---wait a second, if we found planets around other stars, how long will it be before we find earthlike planets around other stars, and the next thing you know we are studying this host of earth-like planets around us. It was at that point that I decided I had to get into this; this is cool stuff. I was studying astronomy, just plain old staring up at the stars, and it really brought the two things I liked together: watching the stars, and actually thinking about visiting planets some day. SP: Why is the distinction between astrology and astronomy so important to you? JA: Astronomy and astrology were once very similar. If you think about 10,000 years ago, the people that studied astronomy were actually astrologers. They would try tp predict the fate of the country or the king or the emperor through looking at the stars and When astronomers were at stars. If that's what I did throwing down bones, WTong, they just went for a living, and if someone or whatever they did. At back to the drawing board came up with a cool idea some point, people started and rewrote a paper and like our high altitude looking at the universe figured stuff out. I don't ballooning program, that and trying to use what want to be confused with would not be at all relevant they saw to explain what the astrologer because I to what I was doing, so I was happening. They don't want my head to get wouldn't do it. But because I'm an astrobiologist, I'm cut off. would use in, and suddenly its my SP: What experimental . your job to fly high altitude results to / like planets of is balloons. Astrobiology is refine their all kinds. I like to f a v o r i t e fun because you can pretty reasoning study either why much do whatever you about how the universe they have life, JA: Well, want, and it makes things worked. And I think my very, very fun. I like planets like the earth, of all kinds. I like to study at that point, favorite a s t r o n o m y which is a bigpart is that either why they have life, a n d I can pretty like the earth, which is a big question because astrology much study question because we don't took a we don't know whatever I know why earth has life, or, big split want. If you maybe more importantly, why earth has life, because the think about why other planets don't astrologers or, maybe more it, studying have life. So, why is Venus were still importantly, why life in the a fiery inferno and totally trying to u n i v e r s e inhospitable to life, and planets means you why is mars so frozen and help the other e m p e r o r , don't have life. can study apparently dead, and yet and the any science the earth is just right? you want: SP: What makes a astronomers w e r e - John Armstrong, b i o l o g y , planet habitable? actually JA: Well, at the moment, WSU Astrobiologist atmospheric s c i e n c e , since the only life we know trying to chemistry, of is life on earth, we look figure out what was going on in geology, whatever. So I at earth-like conditions the universe. Now, the tena1 to like lots of different *as being the same as Rather than habitable. Pretty much our reason I make that huge things. distinction is because focusing on one discipline, general criteria is if there is when the astrologers I get to go out and do liquid water anywhere on were wrong, the emperors whatever I want. I used to the planet, you probably would cut off their heads. look through a telescope have the possibility for life. Although, does that mean other planets can't have 'life? We don't know. There could be some other life that doesn't require water; we've Rever seen it, so we just don't know. SP: What is your favorite astrobiological fact? ( JA: I think my favorite astrobiological fact is that microorganisms will live in water that is higher than boiling temperature. They have actually found organisms in- deep see vents where the water is under high pressure, so it's not really boiling, it's not turning into steam, at 122 centigrade. Whenever I am boiling water to sterilize it, I wonder if it's maybe not doing anything at all. SP: As an astrobiologist, what is your favorite life form? JA: I would have to say it would have to be the dog. I say that for two reasons. One is that I love my dogs; they are great animals. The other is that the first question I would ever ask an alien species if I could Apply now... More than 80 positions available Appointed positions application packet Available in SU 326 , OPEN UNTIL FILLED TURN IN YOUR APPLICATION TODAY Application is available at www.weber-edu/studentinvolvement meet one is whether or not they have pets. If they have pets then we have something to talk about. If • they don't know what I'm talking about, then I'm a little nervous. SP: Recommended reading? JA: Probably the best book to start off with, there's actually two, but the first one I would read is "Rare Earth" by Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee. The reason I like that book is because it's kind of a discussion about how life is probably really common in the universe, but the earth is really unique. You have to keep in mind that the specific things that* happened on the earth that helped life develop, may not help life develop on other planets. The other one I really like is called "Life as we do not know it" by Peter Ward. This book is all about "tire "NASA1 astrobiological institute, and the search for life on other planets. SP: What is an^ advancement in this field ; that you would like to see • in the next 20-50 years? j JA: Well, the advance i that I'm counting on,) because it's what I work 1 on, is that we will discover • and characterize an earth- i like planet, and be able to Itell that life is on it. There > is a mission that was just launched called Kepler:; that will actually count j the number of earth-sized J planets in the nearby \ galaxy. It's taking data next * year, and in three to four \ years we will actually know \ the number of earth-sized • planets. The real trick is \ actually detecting if there: is life there, and in order to \ do that, we need to build; a larger telescope that \ can observe the planetary:; atmosphere and measure • the continuance and see \i* there is oxygen, or carbon^ dioxide, or ozone or all \ that kind of stuff. That, I jj think, is probably 15-20 jj years down the road, but 11 bet you, within 20 years we i will be able to point at the * night sky and say that star ? has a planet with the same „ atmosphere as the earth. I i Comment on. this story at \ wsusignpost.com. \ GOT TEETH? DENTAL IMPLANTS-TEETH IN ONE DAY Say no to grinding down teeth for bridges Say goodbye to loose and painful teeth Throw out those dentures and eat again Call 24hrs/day for your FREE report. 888-9OO-4746 |