establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students. - prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students ' progress. - prepare materials and classrooms for class activities. - adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students ' varying needs and interests. - maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations. - assign and grade class work and homework. - observe and evaluate students ' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. - enforce all administration policies and rules governing students. - plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. - prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks. - guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems, or special academic interests. - instruct and monitor students in the use of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage. - prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors. - use computers, audio - visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations. - meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children ' s progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs. - confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students ' behavioral and academic problems. - prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools. - meet with other professionals to discuss individual students ' needs and progress. - prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help. - attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence. - confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula. - collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of secondary school programs. - prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration. - select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies. - plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers, or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities. - administer standardized ability and achievement tests and interpret results to determine students ' strengths and areas of need. - sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests. - attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required. - perform administrative duties such as


achievement tests and interpret results to determine students ' strengths and areas of need. - sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests. - attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required. - perform administrative duties such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading. - provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms. companies that hire chemistry teachers explore what you might do on the job with one of these projects... - a soluble separation solution - balloon morphing : how gases contract and expand - boyle ' s law : pressure vs. volume of a gas at constant temperature - bring on the heat! investigating exothermic reaction rates - can adults pass a middle school science test? - charles ' s law : volume vs. temperature of a gas at constant pressure - cold pack chemistry : where does the heat go? - colorful chemistry creations : make your own sun print with color and sunlight! - crazy crystal creations : how to grow the best and the largest crystals - create your own chemistry color - analysis tools - got iron? use a color - based test to measure the concentration of iron in water - how do you get heat from a supercooled solution? explore the chemistry within hand warmers - investigate the kinetics of the amazing iodine clock reaction - keep your candy cool with the power of evaporation! - minds of their own : a chemical reaction that changes, then changes back! - more solubility ideas - presto! from black to clear with the magic of photochemistry - rainbow fire - saturated solutions : measuring solubility - scintillating scents : the science of making perfume do you have a specific question about a career in chemistry that isn ' t answered on this page? post your question on science buddies ask an expert forum. - american federation of teachers : www. aft. org - national board for professional teaching standards : www. nbpts. org - national center for alternative certification : www. teach - now. org - national council for accreditation of teacher education : www. ncate. org - national science teachers association : www. nsta. org - teacher education accreditation council : www. teac. org - o * net online. ( 2009 ). national center for o * net development. retrieved may 1, 2009, from http : / / online. onetcenter. org / - new york state united teachers. ( 2009, february


. org - o * net online. ( 2009 ). national center for o * net development. retrieved may 1, 2009, from http : / / online. onetcenter. org / - new york state united teachers. ( 2009, february 13 ). an award - winning high school science teacher shares his classroom insights. retrieved may 24, 2010, from http : / / www. nysut. org / newyorkteacher _ 12139. htm - sloan career cornerstone center. ( n. d. ) myra thayer retrieved september 24, 2010 from http : / / www. careercornerstone. org / chemistry / profiles / thayer. htm - watson, a. p. ( 2010 ). job description for a high school chemistry teacher. retrieved may 25, 2010, from http : / / www. ehow. com / facts _ 4827996 _ description - high - school - chemistry - teacher. html - education - portal. com. ( 2010 ). chemistry teacher : job info and requirements for becoming a high school chemistry teacher. retrieved may 25, 2010, from http : / / education - portal. com / articles / chemistry _ teacher _ job _ info _ and _ requirements _ for _ becoming _ a _ high _ school _ chemistry _ teacher. html - ward, marshall. ( 2007, march 7 ). nantucket high school chemistry retrieved september 24, 2010, from hhttp : / / www. youtube. com / watch? v = nltbmrgu8z4


a leaf is a plant ' s principal organ of photosynthesis, the process by which sunlight is used to form foods from carbon dioxide and water. leaves also help in the process of transpiration, or the loss of water vapor from a plant. a typical leaf is an outgrowth of a stem and has two main parts : the blade ( flattened portion ) and the petiole ( pronounced pet - ee - ole ; the stalk connecting the blade to the stem ). some leaves also have stipules, small paired outgrowths at the base of the petiole. scientists are not quite sure of the function of stipules. leaf size and shape differ widely among different species of plants. duckweeds are tiny aquatic plants with leaves that are less than 0. 04 inch ( 1 millimeter ) in diameter, the smallest of any plant species. certain species of palm trees have the largest known leaves, more than 230 feet ( 70 meters ) in length. words to know abscission layer : barrier of special cells created at the base of petioles in autumn. blade : flattened part of a leaf. chloroplasts : small structures that contain chlorophyll and in which the process of photosynthesis takes place. margin : outer edge of a blade. midrib : single main vein running down the center of a blade. petiole : stalk connecting the blade of a leaf to the stem. phloem : plant tissue consisting of elongated cells that transport carbohydrates and other nutrients. photosynthesis : process by which a plant uses sunlight to form foods from carbon dioxide and water. stomata : pores in the epidermis of leaves. transpiration : evaporation of water in the form of water vapor from the stomata. xylem : plant tissue consisting of elongated cells that transport water and mineral nutrients. a leaf can be classified as simple or compound according to its arrangement. a simple leaf has a single blade. a compound leaf consists of two or more separate blades, each of which is termed a leaflet. each leaflet can be borne at one point or at intervals on each side of a stalk. compound leaves with leaflets originating from the same point on the petiole ( like fingers of an outstretched hand ) are called palmately compound. compound leaves with leaflets originating from different points along a central stalk are called pinnately compound. all leaves, no matter their shape, are attached to the stem in one of three ways :


of an outstretched hand ) are called palmately compound. compound leaves with leaflets originating from different points along a central stalk are called pinnately compound. all leaves, no matter their shape, are attached to the stem in one of three ways : opposite, alternate, or whorled. opposite leaves are those growing in pairs opposite or across from each other on the stem. alternate leaves are attached on alternate sides of the stem. whorled leaves are three or more leaves growing around the stem at the same spot. most plant species have alternate leaves. the outer edge of a blade is called the margin. an entire margin is one that is smooth and has no indentations. a toothed margin has small or wavy indentations. a lobed margin has large indentations ( called sinuses ) and large projections ( called lobes ). venation is the pattern of veins in the blade of a leaf. a single main vein running down the center of a blade is called a midrib. several main veins are referred to as principle veins. a network of smaller veins branch off from a midrib or a principle vein. all veins transport nutrients and water in and out of the leaves. the two primary tissues in leaf veins are xylem ( pronounced zy - lem ) and phloem ( pronounced flow - em ). xylem cells mainly transport water and mineral nutrients from the roots to the leaves. phloem cells mainly transport carbohydrates ( made by photosynthesis ) from the leaves to the rest of the plant. typically, xylem cells are on the upper side of the leaf vein and phloem cells are on the lower side. internal anatomy of leaves although the leaves of different plants vary in their overall shape, most leaves are rather similar in their internal anatomy. leaves generally consist of epidermal tissue on the upper and lower surfaces and mesophyll tissue throughout the body. epidermal cells have two features that prevent the plant from losing water : they are packed densely together and they are covered by a cuticle ( a waxy layer secreted by the cells ). the epidermis usually consists of a single layer of cells, although the specialized leaves of some desert plants have epidermal layers that are several cells thick. the epidermis contains small pores called stomata, which are mostly found on the lower leaf surface. each individual stoma ( pore ) is surrounded by a pair of specialized guard cells. in most species, the guard


cells thick. the epidermis contains small pores called stomata, which are mostly found on the lower leaf surface. each individual stoma ( pore ) is surrounded by a pair of specialized guard cells. in most species, the guard cells close their stomata during the night ( and during times of drought ) to prevent water loss. during the day, the guard cells open their stomata so they can take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and give off oxygen as a waste product. the mesophyll layer is divided into two parts : palisade cells and spongy cells. palisade cells are densely packed, elongated cells lying directly beneath the upper epidermis. these cells house chloroplasts, small structures that contain chlorophyll and in which the process of photosynthesis takes place. spongy cells are large, often odd - shaped cells lying underneath palisade cells. they are loosely packed to allow gases ( carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water vapor ) to move freely between them. leaves in autumn leaves are green in summer because they contain the pigment chlorophyll, which absorbs all the wavelengths of sunlight except for green ( sunlight or white light comprises all the colors of the visible spectrum : red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet ). in addition to chlorophyll, leaves contain carotenoid ( pronounced kuh - rot - in - oid ) pigments, which appear orange - yellow. in autumn, plants create a barrier of special cells, called the abscission ( pronounced ab - si - zhen ) layer, at the base of the petiole. moisture and nutrients from the plant are cut off and the leaf begins to die. chlorophyll is very unstable and begins to break down quickly. the carotenoid pigments, which are more stable, remain in the leaf after the chlorophyll has faded, giving the plant a vibrant yellow or gold appearance. the red autumn color of certain plants comes from a purple - red pigment known as anthocyanin ( pronounced an - tho - sigh - a - nin ). unlike carotenoids, anthocyanins are not present in a leaf during the summer. they are produced only after a leaf starts to die. during the autumn cycle of warm days and cool nights, sugars remaining in the leaf undergo a chemical reaction, producing anthocyanins.


oct. 28, 2006 an earthquake swarm - - a steady drumbeat of moderate, related seismic events - - over hours or days, often can be observed near a volcano such as mount st. helens in washington state or in a geothermal region such as yellowstone national park in wyoming. new research led by a university of washington seismologist shows, however, that such swarms can occur anywhere that is seismically active, not just near volcanoes or geothermal regions. " in our research we saw swarms everywhere and we could see the broad characteristics of how they behaved, " said john vidale, a uw professor of earth and space sciences and director of the pacific northwest seismograph network. vidale and two colleagues, katie boyle of lawrence livermore national laboratory and peter shearer of the university of california, san diego, examined data from 83 japanese earthquake swarms over about 2½ years. their findings confirmed work they published earlier this year that looked at data from 72 events in southern california during a 19 - year span. both studies examined data collected from swarms in which at least 40 earthquakes were recorded in a few - mile radius over two weeks. the swarms did not follow the well - recognized pattern of an earthquake burst that begins with a main shock and is followed by numerous smaller aftershocks. " we saw a mix of the two kinds of events, swarms or earthquakes and aftershocks, wherever we looked, " vidale said. " it confirms what people have suspected. there are earthquake swarms and they are responses to factors we can ' t see and don ' t have a direct way to measure. " the japanese research is being published tomorrow in the online edition of geophysical research letters. the scientists suspect that " swarminess " in volcanic and geothermal zones might be driven by hot water or magma pushing fault seams apart or acting to reduce friction and enhancing the seismic activity in those areas. away from volcanic and thermal regions, it is unclear what triggers swarms that don ' t include main shocks and aftershocks, vidale said. it is possible that swarms are driven by tectonic movements so gradual that they take many minutes to weeks to unfold but still are much more rapid than normal plate tectonic motions. the researchers also found that, contrary to expectations, swarms occurring within 30 miles of japan ' s volcanoes lasted perhaps twice as long as swarms in other types of geological formations. it was expected that earthquake episodes would have been briefer in hotter rock formations. the


oct. 20, 2008 a single vaccine could be used to protect chickens, cats and humans against deadly flu pandemics, according to an article published in the november issue of the journal of general virology. the vaccine protects birds and mammals against different flu strains and can even be given to birds while they are still in their eggs, allowing the mass vaccination of wild birds. the emergence of bird flu has posed a major challenge to scientists designing vaccines as it can infect a number of different animals, including birds, pets and people. now, researchers in the usa have discovered that a vaccine based on a bird flu virus could be used to protect several species against different influenza viruses. " the world is experiencing a pandemic of influenza in birds caused by an h5n1 virus. although it has been restricted to eurasia and some countries in africa, there is a risk that this virus may spread worldwide, " said professor daniel perez from the university of maryland, usa. " the h5n1 virus also has an unusual expanded host range : not only birds and humans have been infected but also cats, which are usually resistant to influenza. to prepare for a pandemic, it would be ideal to have a vaccine that could be used in multiple animal species. " the researchers found that the central genes or ' backbone ' of the h9n2 virus that infects guinea fowl can protect birds and mice against highly pathogenic strains of influenza. they modified the virus to make it less pathogenic and then used it to vaccinate mice. three weeks after being vaccinated, the mice were infected with the potentially lethal h1n1 virus - the same virus that caused the 1918 spanish flu pandemic. all the vaccinated mice survived with no signs of disease. vaccinated mice also survived infection with the deadly h5n1 bird flu virus, again showing no signs of disease. " our results show that the h9n2 backbone vaccine can be used to protect mice against two different, highly pathogenic strains of influenza. we chose genes from h9n2 influenza for the vaccine because the virus can infect many different animals, including chickens, mice and pigs, " said professor perez. " a very important limitation in the current design of flu vaccines is that they are usually species specific. our approach involves a universal backbone that can be used in several different species, including humans. " more importantly, this live attenuated virus provided effective protection when it was administered to birds before


design of flu vaccines is that they are usually species specific. our approach involves a universal backbone that can be used in several different species, including humans. " more importantly, this live attenuated virus provided effective protection when it was administered to birds before they had hatched. by vaccinating eggs against influenza, we could protect wild bird species as well as domestic chickens against pandemic flu strains, limiting the spread of disease to humans. " if an emerging strain of bird flu spreads among a broad range of animal species, we should expect major health, economic and ecological consequences, " said professor perez. " it is unrealistic to consider preparing different vaccines specifically tailored to different animal species in this situation. an influenza vaccine that could protect different species would save valuable time during a pandemic. " other social bookmarking and sharing tools : note : materials may be edited for content and length. for further information, please contact the source cited above. - hickman et al. an avian live attenuated master backbone for potential use in epidemic and pandemic influenza vaccines. journal of general virology, 2008 ; 89 ( 11 ) : 2682 doi : 10. 1099 / vir. 0. 2008 / 004143 - 0 note : if no author is given, the source is cited instead.


may 19, 2009 graphene is an atomically thin sheet of carbon that has attracted significant attention due to its potential use in high - performance electronics, sensors and alternative energy devices such as solar cells. while the physics of graphene has been thoroughly explored, chemical functionalization of graphene has proven to be elusive. now researchers at northwestern university have identified conditions for chemically functionalizing graphene with the organic semiconductor perylene - 3, 4, 9, 10 - tetracarboxylic - dianhydride ( ptcda ). ptcda self - assembles into a molecularly pristine monolayer that is nearly defect - free as verified by ultra - high vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy. in addition, the ptcda monolayers are stable at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, which suggest their use as a seeding layer for subsequent materials deposition. through chemical functionalization and materials integration, the outstanding electrical properties of graphene likely can be exploited in a diverse range of technologies including high - speed electronics, chemical and biological sensors and photovoltaics. these results will be published online may 17 by nature chemistry and will be featured on the cover of the june 2009 issue of the journal. " graphene has captured the imagination of researchers worldwide due to its superlative and exotic electronic properties, " said mark hersam, who led the research team. he is professor of materials science and engineering in northwestern ' s mccormick school of engineering and applied science and professor of chemistry in the weinberg college of arts and sciences. " however, harnessing these properties requires the development of chemical functionalization strategies that will allow graphene to be seamlessly integrated with other materials that are commonly found in real - world technology, " said hersam. " the stability and uniformity of the chemistry demonstrated here suggest that it can be used as a platform for many device applications. " in addition to hersam, the other author of the nature chemistry paper is qing hua wang, a graduate student in materials science and engineering at northwestern. other social bookmarking and sharing tools : note : if no author is given, the source is cited instead.


oct. 18, 2010 a protein called pu. 1 is essential for the development of dendritic cells, the sentinels of the immune system, walter and eliza hall institute researchers in melbourne, australia, have shown. dendritic cells ( dc ) are immune cells that present proteins from foreign invaders, such as viruses, to the killer t cells of the immune system, allowing a full immune response to be mounted against the invaders. researchers from the immunology division have been studying dendritic cells and how different molecules regulate their development. dr li wu said one of the molecules that is known to be important to this development is a protein called flt3 which is a cytokine receptor found on the surface of blood stem cells and the parent cells that give rise to dc. " despite its importance in early blood cell development and dendritic cell development, there is surprisingly little known about how flt3 expression is controlled, " dr wu said. the team of dr sebastian carotta, dr aleksandar dakic, ms angela d ' amico, mr milon pang and dr kylie greig, led by dr stephen nutt and dr li wu, has shown the transcription factor pu. 1 can directly bind to the flt3 gene to regulate its expression. " pu. 1 can therefore control dc development through regulating flt3, " dr wu said. dr carotta said pu. 1 was already known to be important to the development of blood cells and immune cells. " if pu. 1 is poorly regulated there is a deficiency in the development of blood cells and leukaemia can result, " he said. " to study the role of pu. 1 and look at how it ' s regulated we developed an animal model and a new in vitro system for tracing dc development from their precursors. these systems make it possible to switch off pu. 1 in the precursor cells to dc. from that we determined that loss of pu. 1 completely abolished dc development, " dr carotta said. dr wu said this study revealed pu. 1 to be a master regulator of dc development. " although a growing number of transcription factors have been implicated in the development of specific dendritic cell populations, this is the first time a single transcription factor has been shown to be required for all dc lineages, " she said. the study has been published in the journal immunity. dr wu said the findings had potential to improve dc - based therapies, such as those given to cancer patients who have suppressed


senior moments, those pesky instances of not so total recall — forgetting where we left our keys or what we did last weekend — are a subtle but significant part of the aging process. another effect of growing old : rising blood sugar levels, which typically take off in our late 30s or early 40s as our bodies become less adept at metabolizing glucose in the bloodstream. now a study has linked these rising levels with momentary forgetfulness, pinpointing exactly where in the brain the aging process acts — a finding that could help the elderly ward off memory lapses. the nature of senior moments led scientists to believe they stem from disruptions in the hippocampus — an area that, among other roles, acts as the brain ’ s “ save ” button, allowing us to retain new information. using functional mri, researchers looked at the effects of increased blood glucose in the hippocampus of 181 subjects aged 65 or older with no history of dementia. they found that elevated levels impaired function of a section of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus, which is a “ hotspot ” of age - related impairment, according to study author scott small, a neurologist at columbia university. blood glucose is not alone in selectively affecting dentate gyrus performance. a 2007 study co - authored by small shows that exercise improves its function in both mice and humans. the newer research, he points out, suggests that these positive effects may actually result from the influence of regular exercise on the body ’ s ability to break down glucose. psychiatrist mony de leon of new york university explains that the new study “ may be showing a very fundamental aging process that might have some reversibility built into it. ” if you correct the glucose intolerance, he says, you may be able to forget about forgetfulness. note : this article was originally printed with the title, " an end to senior moments ".


red wine could potentially lower risk of breast cancer, according to researchers at cedars sinai. los angeles researchers have found that drinking a moderate amount of red wine may reduce breast cancer, a leading cause of death for women. the study by researchers at cedars - sinai medical center found that chemicals in the skins and seeds of red grapes slightly lowered estrogen levels and elevated testosterone levels among pre - menopausal women who drank eight ounces ( about one cup ) of red wine nightly for a month. the findings run counter to a study released last november by harvard university that claimed all alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer by raising estrogen levels, which then promote the growth of cancer cells. researchers studied 36 women who drank either red or white wine for a month. at the end of the 30 days, the women switched wines for another test period. blood tests that measured hormone levels indicated that white wine didn ’ t show the same beneficial effects as red wine. the study will be published in the april edition of the journal of women ' s health. but, like the possibility of it being heart - healthy or life - extending, red wine ' s potential benefits are still in the " maybe " category. researchers say large - scale studies are still needed before they can definitively determine whether red wine lowers the risk of breast cancer.


wisp : wireless identification and sensing platformdeadline extended! please consider contributing a chapter to the forthcoming book, wirelessly powered sensor networks, to be published by springer in 2010. click here for article templates and contribution information. we are still accepting proposals for the second round of the wisp challenge, with awards to be made on a rolling basis. to apply, please send proposals to " wispchallenge at gmail " ( addtional detail at the bottom of this page ). february 13, 2010 : thank you for a successful wisp summit, held nov. 3, 2009, in berkeley, ca, in conjunction with sensys 2009! see this page for information about the summit, including videos. what is wisp? wisp stands for wireless identification and sensing platform. the term " identification " comes from " radio frequency identification " ( rfid ). wisps have the capabilities of rfid tags, but also support sensing and computing. like any passive rfid tag, wisp is powered and read by a standard off - the - shelf rfid reader, harvesting the power it uses from the reader ' s emitted radio signals. wisps have been used to sense quantities such as light, temperature, acceleration, strain, liquid level, and to investigate embeddeded security. most of the work on wisp so far has involved single wisps performing sensing or computing functions. we think the next phase of wisp work will involve the interaction of many wisps, and thus allow an exciting exploration of a new battery - free form of wireless sensor networking. most people are familiar with rfid tags. most common are passive rfid tags, where a battery - less ic device harvests power from a nearby rfid reader and uses it to respond to the reader with an identification number. two broadly adopted standards for this technology are the electronic product code ( epc ) class 1 generation 1 and class 1 generation 2 standards, which operate in the ultra high frequency ( uhf ) bands. the standard is led by epcglobal. wisps are powered by harvested energy from off - the - shelf uhf rfid readers. to a rfid reader, a wisp is just a normal epc gen1 or gen2 tag ; but inside the wisp, the harvested energy is operating a 16 - bit general purpose microcontroller. the microcontroller can perform a variety of computing tasks, including sampling sensors, and reporting that sensor data back to the rfid reader.


inside the wisp, the harvested energy is operating a 16 - bit general purpose microcontroller. the microcontroller can perform a variety of computing tasks, including sampling sensors, and reporting that sensor data back to the rfid reader. wisps have been built with light sensors, temperature sensors, and strain gauges. wisps can write to flash and perform cryptographic computations. wisp is a project of intel research seattle with significant input from students and faculty of the university of washington. the lead investigator of the wisp project is joshua r. smith, principal engineer at intel research seattle. the key wisp design and development personnel are alanson sample ( intel research seattle & uw ee grad student ), dan yeager ( uw ee grad student ), and polly powledge ( intel research seattle engineer ). the publications list below documents contributions from others at intel and uw. wisps have these features : - up to 10ft range with harvested rf power - ultra - low power msp430 microcontroller - 32k of program space, 8k of storage - light, temperature and 3d - accelerometers - backscatter communication to reader - reader to wisp communication ( ask ) - real - time clock - storage capacitor ( to sense without reader ) - voltage sensor ( measures stored charge ) - extensible hardware ( to add new sensors ) - hw uart & gpio for external connections - works with select epc class 1 gen 2 readers - wisp software to sense and upload data - reader application to drive wisp - industry standard development tools - access to hardware design and source code for more information about wisp hardware and software, see our wisp wiki. you ' ll find schematics, instructions for getting the source code, demo reader applications, and lots of other wisp resources there. research and publications - neuralwisp : a wirelessly - powered neural interface with 1 - m range, d. yeager, j. holleman, r. prasad, j. smith, b. otis ieee transactions on biomedical circuits and systems. - a capacitive touch interface for passive rfid tags alanson p. sample, daniel j. yeager, joshua r. smith. proceedings of the 2009 ieee international conference on rfid. winner of best paper award! - neuralwisp : an energy - harvesting wireless neural interface with 1 - m range, jeremy holleman, dan yeager


philipose, kishore sundara - rajan, alexander mamishev. proceedings of information hiding 2005, lncs 3727, pp. 234 - 246. - energy scavenging for inductively coupled passive rfid systems, [ pdf ] bing jiang, sumit roy, kishore sundara - rajan, matthai philipose, joshua r. smith, and alexander v. mamishev. proceedings of the ieee instrumentation and measurement technology conference, ottawa, canada, may 17 - 19 2005, pp. 984 - 989. - battery - free wireless identification and sensing, [ pdf ] matthai philipose, joshua r. smith, bing jiang, kishore sundara - rajan, alexander mamishev, sumit roy. ieee pervasive computing, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 37 - 45, january - march 2005. supportwisp research supported in part by nsf ecs award 0824265. the combination of rfid and sensing will embed computing deeply in the physical world. to explore new applications, we have developed the wireless identification and sensing platform ( wisp ), a programmable, battery - free uhf rfid tag equipped with sensors. we are now calling for research proposals so that we may give wisps to collaborators in the academic research community. - object state monitoring, e. g., for cold - chains - instrumented environments - activity inference - lightweight privacy and security - rfid protocols for sensor data - intermittent power and rfid os issues - novel user interfaces, e. g., gestures - physically embedded sensing - novel sensor devices - non - intrusive physiological monitoring - low - power communication - measurement of rfid systems - educational projects flexible rfid reader we have also developed a programmable rfid reader using the usrp software radio platform. we will make it available as source code. this reader can be used with standard epc class 1 gen 2 rfid tags, or with the wisp to create a system in which both tag and reader can be re - programmed from the physical layer on up. how to apply for wisp challenge round 2 send us a 2 - 4 page proposal in pdf format. it should include specific research objectives, potential or planned applications, and a time - line. we will make awards in units of five wisps, with all the necessary infrastructure to program them. you will need to purchase your own rfid reader. we are also willing to work with parties who


are you ready for moocs? a mooc is a massive open online course. that ' s a course where the participants and materials are distributed across the web. to make this work, the course also has to be " open " and have large numbers of participants. how large? thousands. yes, you thought that 101 course you took as a freshman that had 300 kids in a lecture hall was large and impersonal - or perhaps you liked the anonymity that came from large numbers. a mooc connects " distributed " instructors and learners across a common topic or field this is a recent form of online course development and many of the standard formats and resources of online courses - for example, the learning management system ( lms ) - don ' t really work. google artificial - intelligence guru sebastian thrun was in the news earlier this year because he left stanford university to start a company based on the a. i. course he made freely available last fall. with that course, tens of thousands of students were taking it on the web. now, two of his old stanford colleagues who were also trying out moocs have decided to bring their own free online courses into a for - profit venture. a lot the attention comes from the fact that these are " elite " schools experimenting with this format. the company they have started is coursera www. coursera. org which says it wants to make " the best education in the world freely available to any person who seeks it. " moocs are founded on the theory of connectivism and an open pedagogy based on networked learning. at the start, these courses were typically free of fees to participate. this new venture takes it in a commercial direction. those fees may be a kind of tuition if the participant wants some certification or accreditation after successful completion. of course, the design of these courses is often without specific requirements ( as in papers or tests or materials that would need to be graded ) although they usually have the familiar weekly topics to focus discussion. in some ways, they remind me of early ( and not so great ) online courses with minimal structure, weekly presentations / lectures, discussion questions, and suggested activities and other resources. the materials in these new moocs may in fact be very high quality. but pedagogically, much of the course motion is expected to come from the participants and so the course allows curriculum and structure to emerge from the exchange between participants. discussions and participants reflecting on the concepts amongst themselves and also sharing resources using any number of


##dagogically, much of the course motion is expected to come from the participants and so the course allows curriculum and structure to emerge from the exchange between participants. discussions and participants reflecting on the concepts amongst themselves and also sharing resources using any number of social media tools are seen as part of the learning process in moocs. by leaving their elite university, are these professors and the students who take these courses further pushing the idea of a university 2. 0.? is the degree from the elite university becoming less valued? right now, coursera has eight courses, centering on computer science with some math, economics and linguistics. ( 5 taught by stanford profs, 2 by profs at the uc - berkeley and 1 by a university of michigan professor ) these are all listed as free now and none give you any type of credit from any source. learn for the sake of learning. what a concept. coursera. org / modelthinking ' s description starts out by saying : " we see political uprisings, market crashes, and a never ending array of social trends. how do we make sense of it? models. evidence shows that people who think with models consistently outperform those who don ' t. and, moreover people who think with lots of models outperform people who use only one. " i ' m not much interested in coursera ' s business model, and more interested in the impact this may have later on online learning, pedagogy and the changing university. in fact, i was torn about what category on this blog this post should be tagged as - since it falls into my open everything, pedagogy, elearning, trends, social web - almost any category might come into play. game changer? maybe. with more than 335, 000 people already registered for the five stanford - provided courses in the coursera catalog, who knows what may come of this.


by elizabeth renter | natural society you own your home and the lot that it sits on. so, if you want to plant tomatoes instead of bushes, you should be entitled to that, right? while this may seem like a common sense line of reasoning, many cities and towns across our nation think otherwise. they don ’ t want their citizens using a front - yard garden to grow food – they want perfectly green and manicured lawns. using a front - yard garden to grow veges? you may not be allowed it seems like every month a few more stories hit the social media grapevines, where home owners are being punished for growing food. some of these front - yard gardeners have created landscapes that rival those created by high - paid landscaping companies. the difference — all of this greenery is edible. whether it ’ s the hoa rules or a city ordinance, some front - yard gardeners are being forced to pull up their plants and scrap their edible landscape. why? if for nothing more than to have a seamless line of green yards stretching through the neighborhood. when we can ’ t trust what we find at the grocery store, and farmer ’ s markets are limited and not always within driving distance, growing our own food doesn ’ t just make sense, it makes perfect sense. and once you ’ ve begun growing your own, you will likely begin to wonder why americans ever moved away from self - sustaining gardens. why can ’ t many of us grow food in the front - yard garden? many townships say that the ‘ issue ’ revolves around yard space, where a vegetable garden may only be allowed to take up to 20 - 30 % of a yard area. it may sound crazy that a city government would spend ( waste ) resources to target gardeners, but it actually happens more often than you would think. as reported by dr. mercola : - in 2011, julie bass of oak park, michigan was charged with a misdemeanor and threatened with jail time for planting a vegetable garden in her front yard. - in british columbia, dirk becker was threatened with six months in jail for converting an acre of his 2. 5 - acre lot into an organic farm. what ’ s even more unsettling about the charges in this case is that the lot was literally stripped bare down to a gravel pit before this. the owner spent over a decade healing the land and converting it into a self - contained ecosystem that is now home to thriving vegetable crops, fruit trees, bees, butterflies, birds, frogs, dragon


literally stripped bare down to a gravel pit before this. the owner spent over a decade healing the land and converting it into a self - contained ecosystem that is now home to thriving vegetable crops, fruit trees, bees, butterflies, birds, frogs, dragonflies and more. but because the area is zoned a “ residential ” lot, the local government is calling on him to “ cease all agricultural activity ” or pay the consequences. - earlier this year, city inspectors bulldozed more than 100 types of plants, including garlic chives, strawberry and apple mint, being grown by denise morrison in tulsa, oklahoma. the inspectors said her plants were too tall, but city code allows for plants over 12 inches if they ’ re meant for human consumption, which hers were. morrison is now suing the city for violating her civil rights. - steve miller was fined $ 5, 200 for growing vegetables in his clarkston, georgia backyard, which he not only consumed but also sold at farmers markets and shared with friends. where to get started? whether you are looking to grow vegetables in a front - yard garden, out back, or even on your apartment balcony, there are simple ways to get started. choose the right place, where your plants will get plenty of sunshine and won ’ t be trampled by the dog or neighborhood kids. you can dig down, beneath the grass roots to the soil or you can create a raised bed. planting an amazing kitchen garden entirely in containers, without breaking soil at all, is also an option. if you are a beginner, choose plants that are easy to grow like tomatoes, hearty greens, and squash. purchase starter plants for things like peppers, squash and tomatoes, to get a head start and to eliminate some of the gamble when planting seeds. a little research into your gardening options goes a long way. and if you ’ re looking to grow your own vegetables, strongly consider going all organic. organic gardening is a great way to avoid the threat of genetically modified foods, pesticides, and toxic additives. while the garden can be as large or small as you ’ d like, the benefit of knowing exactly how your food was prepared and therefore what is in it is worth the time and effort that goes into it. want to know how to do organic gardening? check out our organic gardening 101 post. and, if you live in a town where there might be a battle over your new mini - farm, be prepared. know your rights, keep your garden looking nice, and be ready to stand your ground


the channel tunnel runs under the english channel between cheriton, near folkestone in england, and coquelles, near calais in france. it opened to traffic in 1994. the tunnel is actually three parallel tunnels, two rail tunnels with a service and emergency tunnel in between. in normal operation, one rail tunnel is used by traffic in each direction, but in exceptional circumstances trains can run in either direction in either tunnel. crossovers between the tunnels facilitate this form of operation. these are housed in giant caverns excavated below the seabed. the tunnel carries passenger and freight rail traffic between great britain and continental europe, and also a service of shuttle trains conveying road vehicles between terminals at each end of the tunnel. when eurostar passenger services commenced, they operated over existing railways in england between the channel tunnel portal and london waterloo station. this route was subject to many speed restrictions and frequent pathing conflicts with other services. a completely new high speed railway was constructed to connect the channel tunnel with central london. the first section of this channel tunnel rail link opened in 2003, considerably shortening journey times but still involving a slow and tortuous approach to waterloo station. in 2007, the second phase of the new railway opened, giving direct access to a superbly refurbished st pancras station with its impressive victorian trainshed. the completed line, now known as high speed one, has also carried high speed domestic traffic since 2009. from 2012 it will carry freight traffic, which will be able to take advantage of the line ’ s larger loading gauge to reach terminals in london. in 2011, eurostar ordered new trains to enable it to serve further destinations in europe, and the german operator die bahn announced its intention to run comeptitive services to london via high speed one. as part of the refurbishment of st pancras station, the former midland grand hotel has been restored to use as prestige apartments and the luxury st pancras renaiisance hotel. in 2009, the department for transport published a report announcing a study into a new high speed rail line serving the midlands and north of england. the reults of the study were published in 2010, and in january 2012 the goverment gave its approval for the start of legislation to allow work to commence. the first phase of the new line, known as high speed two, will run from london to birmingham. there will be connections to high speed one, and to the existing rail network in the birmingham area for trains to destinations further north. the next phase of the line is expected to


kojic acid is a fine white powdery substance composed of tiny crystals. the formal discovery of kojic acid occurred in 1989, and since then, the substance has been used widely in skin care products due to its numerous benefits. the ingredient is obtained from mushrooms that are native to japan and is a by - product of the fermentation process used to produce the alcoholic beverage sake. in skin care products, kojic acid functions primarily as a skin - lightening agent. to understand kojic acid ' s effects, it is necessary to understand how the skin gets it color. the body naturally produces a pigment known as melanin through specialized cells known as melanocytes. a person ' s genes determine how much melanin the body naturally produces. in people with fair skin, only small amounts of melanin are manufactured by the melanocytes, while copious amounts of the pigment are made by the cells of those with dark complexions. the production of melanin in the skin does not occur in fixed amounts. often, the cells produce more melanin in response to the environment or internal conditions in the body. when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, the melanocytes increase their production activities, causing the skin to tan. repeated exposure to the sun can result in a permanent increase in melanin production in spots on the skin, causing small freckles and larger sun or age spots to form. melanin production can also increase when the skin becomes chronically inflamed. this is a common problem among acne sufferers who have prolonged discoloration of their skin after their acne blemishes heal. hormonal changes that occur in the body during pregnancy can also spur melanin production, leading to a discoloration on the face that is known as melasma or chloasma. the overproduction of melanin caused by inflammation and hormonal activity typically declines over time, resulting in a gradual fading of the darkened skin. when kojic acid is applied to the skin in concentrated amounts, the chemicals in the ingredient work on the melanocytes, interfering with the production of melanin. the exact way in which kojic acid lessens melanin production is not known, but many experts believe that the ingredient prevents an enzyme known as tyroinase from beginning the reactions in the cells that are necessary for manufacturing the pigment. prior to the discovery of kojic acid, the ingredient hydroquinone was largely the only


, but many experts believe that the ingredient prevents an enzyme known as tyroinase from beginning the reactions in the cells that are necessary for manufacturing the pigment. prior to the discovery of kojic acid, the ingredient hydroquinone was largely the only ingredient used for skin whitening. hydroquinone is known to cause skin irritation in many individuals, and for these people, dermatologists often recommend kojic acid as an alternative method for treating skin discoloration. those with very sensitive skin may still develop redness or itching from the use of kojic acid, but overall, the ingredient is better tolerated than hydroquinone. the effects of kojic acid have been reported as being identical to those of hydroquinone or slightly less noticeable. in addition to its skin - lightening abilities, kojic acid is classified as an antioxidant. this class of nutrients has the ability to counteract the effects of particles in the air called free radicals, which have the potential to cause oxidative damage to the skin cells. by limiting the effects of free radicals, kojic acid helps to prevent the formation of signs of aging that occur when the cells that produce the skin ' s vital structural proteins become damaged. kojic acid is also an antibacterial agent, meaning that it interferes with the processes that bacteria cells must perform to thrive and reproduce. by disrupting these processes, kojic acid causes the death of bacteria. some dermatologists recommend the use of mild concentrations of kojic acid for addressing acne blemishes, which are often caused by bacterial infections in the pores. when used in skin care products, kojic acid is a largely unstable compound and has the potential to turn brown if it is not stabilized by additional ingredients. as a result, some skin care companies use a more stable derivative of kojic acid known as kojic dipalmitate in place of the ingredient. consumers should be aware that studies have not found kojic dipalmitate to be as effective in lightening the skin as kojic acid, so products that contain this version may not be as beneficial for treating hyperpigmentation. since the discovery of kojic acid, conflicting studies have been reported about the long - term safety of the ingredient. results in some clinical trials have established a link between the ingredient and some forms of cancer, while others have found that kojic acid has no carcinogenic effects. experts do generally agree that any cancer - causing properties of kojic acid would only be problematic if the body


skystef ' s weather & aviation page picture of the month april 2009 | composite picture of the iss taken at kampenhout on march 24 and 25 2009, time in local time ( = utc + 1 hour ) | | the international space station ( iss ) circles around the earth and is since november 2000 manned by an international crew. sixteen countries participate in the project. a first module was launched in 1998 and around 50 transports ( via the space shuttle or russian spacecraft. ) are needed to complete this scientific research station. it is currently so large that, although at an altitude of around 350 km above the ground, it can be easy identified by the naked eye as a bright yellow dot when traveling in the dusk or nightly sky. one of these opportunities was taken to make some pictures via my telescope with a focal length of 2400 mm. cams shutter speed was 1 / 640 seconds and the iso was set at 1600. on this occasion, the space shuttle " discovery " was docked as well. some luck is needed to actually see the space shuttle, however with the naked eye this is almost impossible. via photographs more details can be obtained, and depending on the angle of sunlight and position of the shuttle, it may reveal itself. in the left picture, lots of detail of the iss, giving a clear view on the brown - orange colored solar panels and white radiators. the shuttle is seen from behind, and the dark area suggests this may be the engine area. on the right picture taken one day later, the iss itself was pictured as a less pronounced feature ( due to fading sunlight ), but the angle of sun and position of shuttle were quite good to have a distinct view of the spacecraft, and it is seen from behind & slightly above. more pictures via this link list of pictures of the month


where there is no vision, the people perish. - proverbs 29 : 18 table of contents moons of mars before space exploration, mars was considered the best candidate for harboring extraterrestrial life. astronomers thought they saw straight lines crisscrossing its surface. this led to the popular belief that irrigation canals on the planet had been constructed by intelligent beings. in 1938, when orson welles broadcasted a radio drama based on the science fiction classic war of the worlds by h. g. wells, enough people believed in the tale of invading martians to cause a near panic. another reason for scientists to expect life on mars had to do with the apparent seasonal color changes on the planet ' s surface. this phenomenon led to speculation that conditions might support a bloom of martian vegetation during the warmer months and cause plant life to become dormant during colder periods. in july of 1965, mariner 4, transmitted 22 close - up pictures of mars. all that was revealed was a surface containing many craters and naturally occurring channels but no evidence of artificial canals or flowing water. finally, in july and september 1976, viking landers 1 and 2 touched down on the surface of mars. the three biology experiments aboard the landers discovered unexpected and enigmatic chemical activity in the martian soil, but provided no clear evidence for the presence of living microorganisms in the soil near the landing sites. according to mission biologists, mars is self - sterilizing. they believe the combination of solar ultraviolet radiation that saturates the surface, the extreme dryness of the soil and the oxidizing nature of the soil chemistry prevent the formation of living organisms in the martian soil. the question of life on mars at some time in the distant past remains open. other instruments found no sign of organic chemistry at either landing site, but they did provide a precise and definitive analysis of the composition of the martian atmosphere and found previously undetected trace elements. the atmosphere of mars is quite different from that of earth. it is composed primarily of carbon dioxide with small amounts of other gases. the six most common components of the atmosphere are : - carbon dioxide ( co2 ) : 95. 32 % - nitrogen ( n2 ) : 2. 7 % - argon ( ar ) : 1. 6 % - oxygen ( o2 ) : 0. 13 % - water ( h2o ) : 0. 03 % - neon ( ne ) : 0. 00025 % martian air contains only about 1 / 1, 000 as much water as our air, but


( o2 ) : 0. 13 % - water ( h2o ) : 0. 03 % - neon ( ne ) : 0. 00025 % martian air contains only about 1 / 1, 000 as much water as our air, but even this small amount can condense out, forming clouds that ride high in the atmosphere or swirl around the slopes of towering volcanoes. local patches of early morning fog can form in valleys. at the viking lander 2 site, a thin layer of water frost covered the ground each winter. there is evidence that in the past a denser martian atmosphere may have allowed water to flow on the planet. physical features closely resembling shorelines, gorges, riverbeds and islands suggest that great rivers once marked the planet. temperature and pressure the average recorded temperature on mars is - 63° c ( - 81° f ) with a maximum temperature of 20° c ( 68° f ) and a minimum of - 140° c ( - 220° f ). barometric pressure varies at each landing site on a semiannual basis. carbon dioxide, the major constituent of the atmosphere, freezes out to form an immense polar cap, alternately at each pole. the carbon dioxide forms a great cover of snow and then evaporates again with the coming of spring in each hemisphere. when the southern cap was largest, the mean daily pressure observed by viking lander 1 was as low as 6. 8 millibars ; at other times of the year it was as high as 9. 0 millibars. the pressures at the viking lander 2 site were 7. 3 and 10. 8 millibars. in comparison, the average pressure of the earth is 1000 millibars. | mass ( earth = 1 ) | | 1. 0745e - 01 | | equatorial radius ( km ) | | 3, 397. 2 | | equatorial radius ( earth = 1 ) | | 5. 3264e - 01 | | mean density ( gm / cm ^ 3 ) | | 3. 94 | | mean distance from the sun ( km ) | | 227, 940, 000 | | mean distance from the sun ( earth = 1 ) | | 1. 5237 | | rotational period ( hours ) | | 24. 6229 | | rotational period ( days ) | | 1. 025957 | | orbital period ( days ) | | 686. 98 | | mean orbital velocity ( km / sec ) | | 24. 13 | | tilt of axis ( degrees ) |


| rotational period ( days ) | | 1. 025957 | | orbital period ( days ) | | 686. 98 | | mean orbital velocity ( km / sec ) | | 24. 13 | | tilt of axis ( degrees ) | | 25. 19 | | orbital inclination ( degrees ) | | 1. 850 | | equatorial surface gravity ( m / sec ^ 2 ) | | 3. 72 | | equatorial escape velocity ( km / sec ) | | 5. 02 | | visual geometric albedo | | 0. 15 | | minimum surface temperature | | - 140°c | | mean surface temperature | | - 63°c | | maximum surface temperature | | 20°c | | atmospheric pressure ( bars ) | | 0. 007 | carbon dioxide ( c02 ) carbon monoxide ( co ) - rotating mars movie. - mars topography movie. - animation of tharsis tholus. - animation of the olympus mons caldera. - mars global surveyor animation. - mars the movie. - flight over valles marineris. - animation of martian poles. - animation over olympus mons. - hubble telescope full - globe animation. mars with cloud cover this image of mars came from a series of pictures taken by the mars global surveyor wide angle cameras. a map was created and then wrapped around a sphere to generate this view of mars. here, bluish - white water ice clouds hang above the tharsis volcanoes. ( copyright 2005 by calvin j. hamilton ) large mosaic of mars this image is a large mosaic of the valles marineris [ val - less mar - uh - nair - iss ] hemisphere of mars. it is a view similar to that which one would see from a spacecraft. the lower center of the scene shows the entire valles marineris canyon system, more than 3, 000 kilometers ( 1, 860 miles ) long and up to 8 kilometers ( 5 miles ) deep, extending from noctis labyrinthus, the arcuate system of graben to the west, to the chaotic terrain to the east. many huge ancient river channels begin from the chaotic terrain and north - central canyons and run north. many of the channels flowed into a basin called acidalia planitia, which is the dark area in the extreme north of this picture. the three tharsis volcanoes ( dark red spots ), each about 25 kilometers ( 16 miles ) high, are visible to the west along with olympus mons the largest volcano on the planet. very ancient terrain covered by many impact craters lies


this picture. the three tharsis volcanoes ( dark red spots ), each about 25 kilometers ( 16 miles ) high, are visible to the west along with olympus mons the largest volcano on the planet. very ancient terrain covered by many impact craters lies to the south of valles marineris. the polar cap can be seen to the north. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ) the interior of mars the current understanding of the interior of mars suggests that it can be modeled with a thin crust, similar to earth ' s, a mantle and a core. using four parameters, the martian core size and mass can be determined. however, only three out of the four are known and include the total mass, size of mars, and the moment of inertia. mass and size was determined accurately from early missions. the moment of inertia was determined from viking lander and pathfinder doppler data, by measuring the precession rate of mars. the fourth parameter, needed to complete the interior model, will be obtained from future spacecraft missions. with the three known parameters, the model is significantly constrained. if the martian core is dense ( composed of iron ) similar to earth ' s or snc meteorites thought to originate from mars, then the minimum core radius would be about 1300 kilometers. if the core is made out of less - dense material such as a mixture of sulfur and iron, the maximum radius would probably be less than 2000 kilometers. ( copyright 1998 by calvin j. hamilton ) the serpent dust devil of mars a towering dust devil, casts a serpentine shadow over the martian surface in this image acquired by the high resolution imaging science experiment ( hirise ) camera on nasa ' s mars reconnaissance orbiter. the scene is a late - spring afternoon in the amazonis planitia region of northern mars. the view covers an area about four - tenths of a mile ( 644 meters ) across. north is toward the top. the length of the dusty whirlwind ' s shadow indicates that the dust plume reaches more than half a mile ( 800 meters ) in height. the plume is about 30 yards or meters in diameter. a westerly breeze partway up the height of the dust devil produced a delicate arc in the plume. the image was taken during the time of martian year when the planet is farthest from the sun. just as on earth, winds on mars are powered by solar heating. exposure to the sun ' s rays declines during this season, yet even now, dust devils act relentlessly to clean the


martian year when the planet is farthest from the sun. just as on earth, winds on mars are powered by solar heating. exposure to the sun ' s rays declines during this season, yet even now, dust devils act relentlessly to clean the surface of freshly deposited dust, a little at a time. ( courtesy nasa / jpl - caltech / univ. of arizona ) topography map of mars this image is a newly released topographic map of mars. the full range of topography on mars is about 19 miles ( 30 kilometers ), one and a half times the range of elevations found on earth, the most curious aspect of the map is the striking difference between the planet ' s low, smooth northern hemisphere and the heavily cratered southern hemisphere, " which sits, on average, about three miles ( five kilometers ) higher than the north. ( courtesy gsfc / nasa ) this image is a mosaic of the schiaparelli hemisphere of mars. the center of this image is near the impact crater schiaparelli, 450 kilometers ( 280 miles ) in diameter. the dark streaks with bright margins emanating from craters in the oxie palus region, upper left of image, are caused by erosion and / or deposition by the wind. bright white areas to the south, including the hellas impact basin at extreme lower right, are covered by carbon dioxide frost. ( courtesy usgs ) central candor chasm - oblique view this image shows part of candor chasm in valles marineris. it is centered at latitude - 5. 0, longitude 70. 0. the view is from the north looking into the chasm. candor chasm ' s geomorphology is complex, shaped by tectonics, mass wasting, wind, and perhaps by water and volcanism. ( courtesy usgs ) west candor chasm ( enhanced color ) this picture ( centered at latitude 4° s, longitude 76° w ) shows areas of central valles marineris, including candor chasm ( lower left ), ophir chasm ( lower right ), and hebes chasm ( upper right ). complex layered deposits in the canyons may have been deposited in lakes, and if so, are of great interest for future searches for fossil life on mars. the pinkish deposits in candor chasm may be due to hydrothermal alterations and the production of crystalline ferric oxides. ( ( geissler et al., 1993, icarus 106, 380 ). viking orbiter


mars. the pinkish deposits in candor chasm may be due to hydrothermal alterations and the production of crystalline ferric oxides. ( ( geissler et al., 1993, icarus 106, 380 ). viking orbiter picture numbers 279b02 ( violet ), 279b10 ( green ), and 279b12 ( red ) at 240 meters / pixel resolution. picture width is 231 kilometers. north is 47° clockwise from top. ) ophir chasma is a large west - northwest - trending trough about 100 km wide. the chasma is bordered by 4 km high walled cliffs, most likely faults, that show spur - and - gully morphology and smooth sections. the walls have been dissected by landslides forming reentrants ; one area ( upper left ) on the north wall shows a young landslide about 100 km wide. the volume of the landslide debris is more than 1000 times greater than that from the may 18, 1980 debris avalanche from mount st. helens. the longitudinal grooves seen in the foreground are thought to be due to differential shear and lateral spreading at high velocities. the landslide passes between mounds of interior layered deposits on the floor of the chasma. ( courtesy usgs ) landslide in valles marineris although valles marineris originated as a tectonic structure, it has been modified by other processes. this image shows a close - up view of a landslide on the south wall of valles marineris. this landslide partially removed the rim of the crater that is on the plateau adjacent to valles marineris. note the texture of the landslide deposit where it flowed across the floor of valles marineris. several distinct layers can be seen in the walls of the trough. these layers may be regions of distinct chemical composition or mechanical properties in the martian crust. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ; caption : lpi ) hst 3 views of mars at opposition these hubble space telescope views provide the most detailed complete global coverage of the red planet ever seen from earth. the pictures were taken on february 25, 1995, when mars was at a distance of 103 million kilometers ( 65 million miles ). to the surprise of researchers, mars is cloudier than seen in previous years. this means the planet is cooler and drier, because water vapor in the atmosphere freezes out to form ice - crystal clouds. the three images show the tharsis, valles marineris and syrtis major regions. ( credit : philip james, university of


is cooler and drier, because water vapor in the atmosphere freezes out to form ice - crystal clouds. the three images show the tharsis, valles marineris and syrtis major regions. ( credit : philip james, university of toledo ; steven lee, university of colorado ; and nasa ) outflow source of channel ravi vallis this image of the head of ravi vallis shows a 300 - kilometer ( 186 - mile ) long portion of a channel. like many other channels that empty into the northern plains of mars, ravi vallis orginates in a region of collapsed and disrupted ( " chaotic " ) terrain within the planet ' s older, cratered highlands. structures in these channels indicate that they were carved by liquid water moving at high flow rates. the abrupt beginning of the channel, with no apparent tributaries, suggests that the water was released under great pressure from beneath a confining layer of frozen ground. as this water was released and flowed away, the overlying surface collapsed, producing the disruption and subsidence shown here. three such regions of chaotic collapsed material are seen in this image, connected by a channel whose floor was scoured by the flowing water. the flow in this channel was from west to east ( left to right ). this channel ultimately links up with a system of channels that flowed northward into chryse basin. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ; caption : lpi ) the water that carved the channels to the north and east of the valles marineris canyon system had tremendous erosive power. one consequence of this erosion was the formation of streamlined islands where the water encountered obstacles along its path. this image shows two streamlined islands that formed as the water was diverted by two 8 - 10 kilometer ( 5 - 6 mile ) diameter craters lying near the mouth of ares vallis in chryse planitia. the water flowed from south to north ( bottom to top of the image ). the height of the scarp surrounding the upper island is about 400 meters ( 1, 300 feet ), while the scarp surrounding the southern island is about 600 meters ( 2, 000 feet ) high. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ; caption : lpi ) unlike the features shown in the above two images, many systems on mars do not show evidence of catastrophic flooding. instead, they show a resemblance to drainage systems on earth, where water acts at slow rates over long periods of time. as on earth, the channels shown here merge together to form larger channels. however, these valley networks are


evidence of catastrophic flooding. instead, they show a resemblance to drainage systems on earth, where water acts at slow rates over long periods of time. as on earth, the channels shown here merge together to form larger channels. however, these valley networks are less developed than typical terrestrial drainage systems, with the martian examples lacking small - scale streams feeding into the larger valleys. because of the absence of small - scale streams in the martian valley networks, it is thought that the valleys were carved primarily by ground water flow rather than by runoff of rain. although liquid water is currently unstable on the surface of mars, theoretical studies indicate that flowing groundwater might be able to form valley networks if the water flowed beneath a protective cover of ice. alternatively, because the valley networks are confined to relatively old regions of mars, their presence may indicate that mars once possessed a warmer and wetter climate in its early history. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ; caption : lpi ) south polar cap this image shows the south polar cap of mars as it appears near its minimum size of about 400 kilometers ( 249 miles ). it consists mainly of frozen carbon dioxide. this carbon dioxide cap never melts completely. the ice appears reddish due to dust that has been incorporated into the cap. ( courtesy nasa ) north polar cap this image is an oblique view of the north polar cap of mars. unlike the south polar cap, the north polar cap probably consists of water - ice. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ) polar laminated terrain one of the discoveries of the mariner 9 spacecraft was that the south polar cap of mars was made of thin layers or laminations of ice and sediment. four years later, on october 10, 1976, the viking 2 spacecraft took this picture of the martian north polar cap. the visible layering occurred as a result of wind born dust settling upon the polar cap. as the caps experience climatic variations, they expand and contract. the layers of dust sediment tend to grow thicker near the poles where ice deposits remain for longer periods of time. the thickness of the deposits indicates they were formed during cyclical climatic variation rather than annual changes. as ice withdraws from a region, wind exposes the layers sculpting valleys and scarps. the formation of layered deposits is an active process today. ( copyright 1998 by calvin j. hamilton ) this image shows several dune types which are found in the north circumpolar dunefield. this thumnail image shows a section of transverse dunes. the full image has a field of traverse dunes on the left and


by calvin j. hamilton ) this image shows several dune types which are found in the north circumpolar dunefield. this thumnail image shows a section of transverse dunes. the full image has a field of traverse dunes on the left and barchan dunes on the right with a transition zone inbetween. transverse dunes are oriented perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. they are long and linear, and frequently join their neighbor in a low - angle " y " junction. barchan dunes are crescent - shaped mounds with downwind - pointing horns. these dunes are comparable in size to the largest dunes found on the earth. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ) local dust storm local dust storms are relatively common on mars. they tend to occur in areas of high topographic and / or high thermal gradients ( usually near the polar caps ), where surface winds would be strongest. this storm is several hundreds of kilometers in extent and is located near the edge of the south polar cap. some local storms grow larger, others die out. ( copyright calvin j. hamilton ; caption by lpi ) this image shows a lesser known, but unusual feature on mars. it is commonly called " white rock ". the white feature is eroded crater fill, but exactly how it was formed has not been satisfactorily explained. white rock was not formed by polar processes because it lies near to the equator at latitude - 8 degrees and longitude 355 degrees. it has been modified through aeolian erosion showing transverse and longitudinal erosional features. ( copyright 1998 by calvin j. hamilton ) this oblique image taken by the viking orbiter spacecraft shows a thin band of the martian atmosphere. this image looks northeast across the argyre basin. the argyre basin is about 600 kilometers across with a rugged rim of about 500 kilometers in width. ( copyright 1997 by calvin j. hamilton ) the following table summarizes the radius, mass, distance from the planet center, discoverer and the date of discovery of each of the moons of mars : beatty, j. k. and a. chaikin, eds. the new solar system. massachusetts : sky publishing, 3rd edition, 1990. carr m. h. the surface of mars. yale university press, new haven, 1981. kiefer, walter s., allan h. treiman, and stephen m. clifford. the red planet : a survey of mars - slide set. lunar and planetary institute. mutch t. a., arvidson r. e., head


the town sits in the valley of the river oka, which flows into the gernika estuary. very close by is the urdaibai nature reserve, which unesco has declared to be a biosphere reserve. the cave of santimamine ( kortezubi ) shows that the valley has been inhabited since prehistoric times. inside are cave paintings comparable in terms of quality and richness to those of altamira. from that period on, gernika was inhabited by successive civilizations until its foundation as a town in 1366. in town, you must visit the casa de juntas del senorio de vizcaya ( the meeting hall of the gentlemen of vizcaya ), with its symbolic tree - the basque leaders used to meet under it to decide on the interests of the community -, the “ juradera ” church of santa maria, the museum of euskalerria and the parque de la paz ( park of peace ), with colossal sculptures by eduardo chillida and henry moore. in 1937, during the civil war, the town was totally destroyed by german aircraft sent by hitler. this experimental act, which inspired picasso ' s legendary painting, was the first of similar atrocities carried out in subsequent wars. en 1987, the 50th anniversary of the bombing was held along with the preliminary congress of the world association of martyred cities. gernika has earned the title of “ peace symbol city ', twinning with other cities and making commitments to cooperating with them in the fields of culture, education, and industry : berga ( catalonia ), pforzheim ( germany ) and boise ( idaho - usa ). wat je niet mag missen alle rechten voorbehouden. turespana / segittur © 2013 deze portal wordt beheerd door : sociedad estatal para la gestion de la innovacion y las tecnologias turisticas, s. a. ( segittur )


pain can be severe after spinal cord injury ( sci ). sports injuries or trauma caused from trips or falls can leave patients with acute or chronic pain and may prevent normal activities such driving, working or lifting. spinal nerve root damage may be caused by a ruptured disc in the neck or lower back, tumours, injury or infection. there are different types of pain : musculosketal pain is caused by damage or trauma to the muscles, bones or joints of the body. the pain is aggravated by movement of these areas and if caused by injury it should recover within a few days. the sensation is dull and aching ; resting the body will ease musculoskeletal pain. over use of muscles can result in musculoskeletal pain. relief can be found in treatments such as acupuncture. bone pain tends to be deeper and more penetrating and is most commonly caused by injury. other causes may be osteomyelitis ( infection ) or tumours. if a patient experiences bone pain but has not incurred an injury to the area, medical consultation should be sought to rule out anything more serious. tendon or ligament pain can be caused by tendinitis, lateral epicondylitis, tenosynovitis or tendon injuries. tendon pain can be less extreme than bone pain and these tend to originate from sprains caused through sport. spinal nerve root damage may be caused by a ruptured disc in the neck or lower back. tumours within the spinal cord which may be either benign or malignant can cause pain spinal cord damage spinal cord damage results from trauma or injury to the neck or back. spinal stenosis may also be a cause, which is a narrowing of a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure. stenosis is usually diagnosed from medical imaging although it can also be detected using a stethoscope. spinal nerve root damage may be caused by a ruptured disc in the neck or lower back. spinal cord tumours tumours within the spinal cord which may be either benign or malignant but both can cause pain. tumours occur when cells within the central nervous system do not grow and multiply in a controlled way. in malignant tumours the wayward cells can move to other sections of the cns causing damage to the tissue. benign tumours remain in one site. symptoms of spine tumours may include restricted motor control or clumsiness or incontinence. wednesday, 8 september 2010 a


move to other sections of the cns causing damage to the tissue. benign tumours remain in one site. symptoms of spine tumours may include restricted motor control or clumsiness or incontinence. wednesday, 8 september 2010 a prolapsed disc, or slipped disc is when a disc in the spinal column is ruptured or split causing it to leak the gel like contents into the vertebrae. damaged discs can be extremely painful and can cause extreme pain in both the back and other areas of the body. slipped discs often occur in the lower back or lumbar part of the spine where the pressure on these discs is greatest. slipped discs are much more common in men than women and tend to occur in people aged 30 - 50. straining physical activity such ash heavy lifting without adequate stretching can cause a slipped disc as can sport or something as minor as simply bending over. the spinal cord is comprised of twenty four vertebrae ( individual disc shaped bones ) which, sit on top of each other in a column. each vertebrae is separated from the next by a disc of strong flexible tissue which enables the spine to move freely without friction or discomfort. the discs outer layer is rubber like and fibrous whilst the inner consistency is softer and like jelly. when a disc slips it is this inner substance which leaks out causing the disc to lose its padding and for nerves to become squashed and the spinal column to become painful. a symptom of a slipped disc is back pain which can be chronic or mild. the pain may appear quickly without warning or build up and is often eased by lying flat. movement, such coughing or sneezing can aggravate the pain. as there are nerve endings within the spinal cord, pressure from the slipped disc may cause pain to be felt along the affected nerve strain so pain can be felt in the lower legs in addition to the back. treatments for slipped disc include painkiller medication. anti - inflammatory painkillers such as nurofen or ibuprufen can work better than paracetamol as they work to reduce any swelling that may be round the nerve. muscle relaxants such as diazepam can be prescribed by your doctor if the pain is particularly bad. in general prolapsed discs tend to recover unaided within a couple of weeks although in some cases surgery is necessary. posted by spine injury pain at 09 : 30


are you looking for the most popular computer training in australia? if so, you ' re in the right place because you can use startlocal® to easily find local businesses. user guide to computer training computers play an important role in the world today. as a programmable machine that carries out various logical operations, the computer ' s application is limitless. businesses, government offices and agencies, universities, medical facilities, the military and other institutions use computers for different purposes. there are numerous types of computers in all shapes, sizes, and form. the universal appeal and functionality of computers have made it an essential part of people ' s lives. most people nowadays have the most basic skill in operating and using a computer commonly accessing the internet is one of the top reasons why people use computers be it for business or personal use. some individuals such as professionals, on the other hand, require a more advance knowledge in using a computer using a specific program. having different types of software applications and programs, also the constant changes and updates on them, make people prefer to enroll in computer training classes to keep up with these changes and acquire an advanced knowledge in terms of operating and utilizing the system. there are computer programs created to perform tasks that deal with customer service, sales, and marketing. other categories of application software are medical, databases, telecommunications, and image editing. requirements for job applicants in almost all industry require basic skill and knowledge in computer. some companies that have the right facilities and training staff would induct and teach the new hires themselves. however, other businesses prefer hiring people who have the experience or at least familiar in using the program. this is one reason why some professionals and newly graduates, choose to equip themselves with additional skills by learning advance computer literacy courses. there are computer schools that provide training or short courses. computer training can be instructor led or done online. business professionals take computer courses in order to learn the basic or advance skill in using microsoft office applications such as excel, word, and outlook. those who are in the field of art and design on the other hand prefer taking adobe photoshop, illustrator, or adobe premiere classes, depending on their job requirement. also, there are it technical training courses available for it professionals. a few examples are microsoft sql and exchange server, cisco, and vmware courses. in some university degree courses, students are required to use a specific type of software application or program. for example, architectural designers use autocad for drawing 3d objects. however some experienced architects educated using the traditional


the difference between a 16 : 9 aspect ratio and 4 : 3 aspect ratio aspect ratio is defined as the ratio of width to height of an image. a 4 : 3 aspect ratio means that for every 4 inches of width in an image, you will have 3 inches of height. in mathematical terms, that comes out to the screen being 33 % wider than it is high. a 16 : 9 aspect ratio means that for every 16 inches of width in an image, you will have 9 inches of height. unlike the 4 : 3 aspect ratio, a 16 : 9 aspect ratio is 78 % wider than high. history of the 4 : 3 aspect ratio the 4 : 3 aspect ratio has been around since the early days of television in the 1940 ' s and 1950 ' s. a television that has an aspect ratio of 4 : 3 is often referred to as being ntsc, or pan and scan. the majority of analog cable channels still broadcast in 4 : 3. history of the 16 : 9 aspect ratio the 16 : 9 aspect ratio is a product of movie producers. they wanted to find a way to make their movies bigger and better in order to attract more customers. the widescreen format of the 16 : 9 aspect ratio allows users to view a bigger picture when compared to the 4 : 3 aspect ratio. the 16 : 9 aspect ratio also enhances the quality of the image by allowing for bolder backdrops and scenery. the 16 : 9 aspect ratio is not as wide as what you would see in a cinema, but it is close. difference in television watching both the 4 : 3 aspect ratio and 16 : 9 aspect ratio remain popular today. a 4 : 3 aspect ratio will produce a more box - like picture, because the screen is only slightly wider than it is high. a 16 : 9 aspect ratio will produce a widescreen, or letterbox, picture. if you are watching only analog cable, a 4 : 3 aspect ratio is for you. being that 16 : 9 is the standard aspect ratio of hd televisions, you will need a television that is compatible with the 16 : 9 aspect ratio in order to benefit from the high definition picture. when it all comes down to it, aspect ratio is really a personal preference. some people do not like that newer movies have to be cropped to fit within a 4 : 3 screen, while others may not like the black bars that come with a 16 : 9 widescreen television. when it comes to digital photography, you need to pay some attention to the aspect ratio. many digital cameras


epididymitis is swelling ( inflammation ) of the epididymis, the tube that connects the testicle with the vas deferens. causes, incidence, and risk factors : epididymitis is most common in young men ages 19 - 35. it is a major cause of hospital admissions in the military. epididymitis is usually caused by the spread of a bacterial infection from the urethra, prostate, or the bladder. the most common infections that cause this condition in young heterosexual men are gonorrhea and chlamydia. in children and older men, e. coli and similar infections are much more common. this is also true in homosexual men. mycobacterium tuberculosis ( tb ) can cause epididymitis. other bacteria ( such as ureaplasma ) may also cause the condition. another cause of epididymitis is the use of a medication called amiodarone, which prevents abnormal heart rhythms. the following increase the risk for epididymitis : - being uncircumcised - recent surgery or a history of structural problems in the urinary tract - regular use of a urethral catheter - sexual intercourse with more than one partner and not using condoms epididymitis may begin with a low - grade fever, chills, and a heavy sensation in the testicle area. the area becomes more and more sensitive to pressure. other symptoms include : blood in the semen - discharge from the urethra ( the opening at the end of the penis ) - discomfort in the lower abdomen or pelvis - lump in the testicle - pain during ejaculation - pain or burning during urination - painful scrotal swelling ( epididymis is enlarged ) - tender, swollen groin area on affected side testicle pain that gets worse during a bowel movement signs and tests : physical examination shows a red, tender, and sometimes swollen lump ( mass ) on the affected side of the scrotum. tenderness is usually in a small area of the testicle where the epididymis is attached. there may be enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area ( inguinal nodes ), and a discharge from the penis. a rectal examination may show an enlarged or tender prostate. these tests may be performed : - complete blood count ( cbc ) - doppler ultrasound - testicular scan ( nuclear medicine scan ) urinalysis and culture ( you may need to give several


rectal examination may show an enlarged or tender prostate. these tests may be performed : - complete blood count ( cbc ) - doppler ultrasound - testicular scan ( nuclear medicine scan ) urinalysis and culture ( you may need to give several specimens, including initial stream, mid - stream, and after a prostate massage ) - tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea it is important to distinguish this condition from testicular torsion. testicular torsion is an emergency and should be treated with surgery as soon as possible. your health care provider will prescribe medications to treat the infection. sexually - transmitted infections require specific antibiotics. your sexual partners should also be treated. you may need pain medications and anti - inflammatory medications. the treatment for epididymitis caused by the medication amiodarone is a lower dose or change in the medication. bed rest, while elevating the scrotum and applying ice packs to the area, is recommended. it is very important to have a follow - up visit with your health care provider to find out whether the infection has gone away completely. epididymitis usually gets better with antibiotic treatment. there usually is no reduction in sexual or reproductive abilities. however, the condition may return. if not treated, or in some other cases, the condition can become long - term ( chronic ). in chronic cases, there is usually no swelling, but there is pain. abscess in the scrotum - chronic epididymitis fistula on the skin of the scrotum ( cutaneous scrotal fistula ) - death of testicular tissue due to lack of blood ( testicular infarction ) acute pain in the scrotum is a medical emergency. it needs to be checked out by a health care provider immediately. calling your health care provider : call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of epididymitis. go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number ( such as 911 ) if you have severe testicle pain suddenly or after an injury. you can prevent complications from epididymitis by getting diagnosed early, and by treating any infections. your doctor may prescribe antibiotics before a surgery that increases the risk for epididymitis. practicing safe sex ( having intercourse with only one partner at a time, using condoms ) may help prevent epididymitis caused by sexually - transmitted diseases. geisler gm. diseases caused by chlamydiae. in : goldman l, schafer


( having intercourse with only one partner at a time, using condoms ) may help prevent epididymitis caused by sexually - transmitted diseases. geisler gm. diseases caused by chlamydiae. in : goldman l, schafer ai, eds. cecil medicine. 24th ed. philadelphia, pa : saunders elsevier ; 2011 : chap 326. nickel jc. inflammatory conditions of the male genitourinarytract : prostatitis, and related conditions, orchitis, epididymitis. in : wein aj, ed. campbell - walsh urology. 10th ed. philadelphia, pa : saunders elsevier ; 2011 : chap 11. | review date : 8 / 30 / 2012 | reviewed by : david c. dugdale, iii, md, professor of medicine, division of general medicine, department of medicine, university of washington school of medicine. also reviewed by david zieve, md, mha, medical director, a. d. a. m. health solutions, ebix, inc. the information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. a licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. call 911 for all medical emergencies. links to other sites are provided for information only - - they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997 - a. d. a. m., inc. any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.


study solar energy during the solar energy journey to the earth, approximately 19 % of the energy is absorbed by the atmosphere that surrounds the earth, and then another 35 % is absorbed by clouds. solar exterior lighting is extremely practical. it is powered by small solar cells that collect sunlight during the day, then store it for use at night. the solar cell can be mounted in a sunny place and wired to the lighting fixture it its location doesn ’ t receive enough direct sunlight during the day to power it. become a solar technician renewable energies are set to explode, solar energy jobs are and will be in high demand. there are no jobs for life anymore, but for those with the right qualifications there will be no shortage of places to go to work to. studying solar energy is one of the best investments you can do for yourself and family future and wellbeing. solar energy demand has grown at about 30 % per annum over the past 15 years ( hydrocarbon energy demand typically grows between 0 - 2 % per annum ). as costs in solar energy decline, market penetration is leading to very rapid growth rates in this industry. when you think about the truly tremendous amount of heat that the sun produces, it seems absolutely ridiculous that we should want to burn our precious fossil fuels to heat things up. we can use the sun to directly heat our buildings — this is known as passive heating — or we can use an intermediate storage and distribution medium such as water or air. the advantage of using water or air as a storage medium for the heat, is that we can concentrate the sun, and collect it efficiently using solar collectors, and then using a distribution network of pipes or ducts, we can direct the heat to where we want it ; and, more importantly, direct the heat to the places where it can be utilized most effectively. solar energy technologies : - evacuated tube collectors - solar air heaters - concentrated solar collectors - heat driven chillers solar energy employment outlook solar energy system installers basics a background on plumbing, pipefitting, electrical and sheetmetal will be of high advantadge. a good and competent solar energy engineer should also learn how to design and build sustainable, efficient, comfortable and beautiful homes. you can learn all those competences online, but only workshops will provide you with the necessary hands on experience installing a solar energy system. solar photovoltaic technology a solar cell, or photovoltaic cell ( pv ), is a device that converts light into electric current using the photoelectric effect. the photoelectric effect


hands on experience installing a solar energy system. solar photovoltaic technology a solar cell, or photovoltaic cell ( pv ), is a device that converts light into electric current using the photoelectric effect. the photoelectric effect refers to the emission, or ejection, of electrons from the surface of, generally, a metal in response to incident light. solar water heating solar thermal installers install and repair hot water and swimming pool heating systems fact : the earth receives more energy from the sun in just one hour than the world uses in a whole year. how to land a job in solar energy most solar energy system installers are trained by their employers. they start as helpers and climb up the ladder up to experienced installers. to qualify as a trainee it will help you qualify having completed a high school shop courses in electricity and wood working, and summer jobs as construction helpers for plumbers, electricians or roofers contractors. some manufacturers sponsor training sessions on their products. check the telephone yellow pages or search the internet for " solar energy equipment and systems " to locate manufacturers in your area. job seekers should also attend convention exhibits that demonstrate the latest developments in solar technology and talk to company representatives. solar energy installers working conditions solar energy system installers work outdoors most of the time. the work requires lifting heavy tools and equipment and the confidence to work on rooftops and in cramped quarters. dangers from electrical shock or falling objects are uncommon when safety rules are followed. tools are usually provided by the employer, but installers may supply their own work clothing and safety helmets. thermal and pvs installers mount pre - assembled solar panels or systems and install storage tanks, pumps, valves, pipes, and ducts. they set up and adjust electrical or electronic controls and sometimes do routine maintenance. in new construction, they follow blueprints to connect piping, ducting, controls and wiring. solar energy installer salaries it is not possible to give an exact figure because salaries vary widely, it will depend on education, geographical location, and type of position. technicians who are employed by large companies will normally receive larger benefits, including health insurance and paid vacations and holidays.