thebattalion GO GO GADGET ● wednesday,
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december 2, 2009
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Professor proves ancient Earth cooler Vicky Flores
Obama adds troops to Afghanistan
The Battalion Mike Tice, assistant professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, just might be changing the history books, one rock at a time. A study of rocks, known as chert, that are 3.4 billion years old has revealed that early earth’s conditions and temperature was much cooler than what previous research has shown. “We get the old rocks and measure the composition of oxygen and hydrogen, and it turns out that they will have the same compositions as the oceans 3.4 billion years ago,” Tice said. He found through the isotopes preserved within the rocks that temperatures in the early ocean, at least in some spots on Earth, was about 40 degrees Celsius, which can be described as warm bath water. Previous to these findings researchers believed conditions were much hotter, around 70 degrees Celsius, 3.4 billion years ago. The significance of the findings in rock temperatures is that at 40 degrees Celsius that capacity for photosynthetic organisms is much greater than if the temperature had been 70 degrees Celsius, Tice said. “At 70 degrees with bacteria, it is hard to get really large communities,” Tice said, “where at 40 degrees you can, and that is the basis of all modern food chains. It is what nearly every organism ultimately derives from.”
Travis Lawson The Battalion Students of Texas A&M University had mixed reaction Tuesday when President Barack Obama announced he would be sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. The president delivered his speech at the U.S. Military Academy where he discussed the war in Afghanistan and the United States’ relationship with Pakistan. Matt Symmank, a sophomore math major, said Obama is taking a step in the wrong direction for peace in the Middle East. “I just think Obama should get the troops out of there,” Symmank said. “I think we need to slowly start to pull the troops out of there and let the government of Afghanistan take care of it.” Erin Roach, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, said enough was enough in Afghanistan. “I think its ridiculous that he comes in on this platform of getting all the troops out, and now he wants to put more in,” Roach said. “I think we need to pull out of the Middle East at some point, but we can’t be sending a bunch of new troops in there.” Not every student agreed with Roach and Symmank. Anahid Sargsyan, an architecture graduate student , said in order to leave quickly more troops were needed. “If we want to get out anytime soon, we need to stabilize the region first,” Sargysan said. “I don’t want America in Afghanistan, but I think right now we need more troops there.” Many people are beginning to compare the Vietnam War to Afghanistan, but the president said in his speech the war would not go on without an end. Obama called this interpretation of the war “a false reading of history.”
Convict armed, remains on run A Code Maroon alert was issued Monday morning informing students and faculty of Texas A&M University to be on the lookout for Arcade Joseph Comeaux Jr. Students and faculty were later sent e-mails stating “no further reason to believe inmate is in Bryan-College Station.” Police are still COMEAUX looking for Comeaux, 49, after he held two transportation officers hostage Monday morning in the Baytown area. The inmate was being transported from Huntsville to Beaumont when he pulled out a pistol and took control of the vehicle. He took with him a 12-gauge shotgun and two semi-automatic pistols when he fled the vehicle. Both officers were found later that day unharmed. The College Station Police Department is still urging people to remain alert and wants anyone with information to call the police immediately. Sgt. Calder Lively of the College Station Police Department said they are doing everything they can to make sure residents are safe. “Since he escaped we have responded to several calls to identify different persons, and we check every call we receive,” Lively said. “We are being proactive and vigilant in watching different areas and responding to calls.” Comeaux is serving a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault from Brazos County and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon from Fort Bend County. Comeaux is described as a 6-foot tall black male weighing 200 pounds. Anyone who sees Comeaux should call 911 or contact local law enforcement officers. Travis Lawson, staff writer
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See Early life on page 5
Jonny Green — THE BATTALION
The rescue robot is equipped with two-way audio, speakers, a microphone and a computer screen that displays streaming video.
Survivor Buddy robot becomes interface to world Laura Sanchez The Battalion Robin Murphy, a Raytheon professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is working on a joint project between Texas A&M and Stanford universities to create a rescue robot that communicates with trapped victims and the outside world. Survivor Buddy is a webenabled search and rescue robot attachment “head” that can be attached to any rescue robot to enhance the link between a trapped victim and the responders on the outside. “Our work has been focused on
rescue,” Murphy said. “We’re working on simulating what it would be like to be a trapped victim, and we realized that the robot was very creepy. So we added something that we call the Survivor Buddy which is a head that would allow a multimedia interface while the robot is being used by the responders to check out the structural damage and doctors to look at you,” she said. The Survivor Buddy Project began after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. Murphy then wondered how a robot could be used to extricate a trapped victim and provide comfort to them.
In 2006, two men were trapped in a mine in Australia and after hours of being helpless, requested an MP3 player with the Foo Fighters on it. Murphy said this is an example of our society reaching out to technology for help and comfort. “We’re doing a lot of research with human-robot interaction. People tend to see robots as machines that move and tend to think that they’re kind of like people,” said Aaron Rice, sophomore computer science major and undergraduate student assistant to Murphy.
Aggie, Miss Rodeo Texas runs for People’s Choice Award Devin Felger, a sophomore agricultural leadership and development major, is Miss Rodeo Texas and a candidate for Rodeo America People’s Choice Award 2010. Voting is accepted by texting 40841 and typing “MISS RODEO TX.” The deadline for voting is midnight of Dec. 3. “Devin is a terrific young lady and we would like to bring this honor back to Texas,” her father J. Felger said. “She is one of the most passionate Aggies I’ve ever met in my life.” The People’s Choice Award is how the public expresses its opinion about who should be Miss Rodeo America. There is no limit on texting, but there is 99 cents charge. More information about Felger and the contest can be found at www.missrodeoamerica.com.
See Robots on page 5
Madiha Rizvi, staff writer
National ‘Hug Your RA Day’ relieves stress Katy Ralston The Battalion Students can spread the love on college campuses across the world today as part of “National Hug Your RA Day.” “I love my RA; he’s the best,” said Cody Franklin, a Fowler Hughes Keathley first floor resident and a sophomore English major. “I’m definitely going to give him a hug on Tuesday.” In the midst of final term papers and looming project deadlines finally approaching, finals season adds more duties for RAs with end-of-semester checking out procedures and paperwork. A study by University of North Carolina researchers found that receiving hugs reduces the amount of stress on an individual, so residents can show their appreciation and help eliminate the end-of-the-year stress. Termed RA for short, Resident Advisers, who provide a basic source of information and help to residents in the transition to campus life, are the peer support for residence halls. This can take the form of academics, roommate relationships, homesickness and dorm concerns. Outlined by the Department of Resident Life, RA responsibilities include community development, safety and security, performing administrative duties, facilitating teamwork and communication and being a university representative. According to Reslife, RAs possess leadership potential, interpersonal skills, positive attitudes and sense of commitment.
McFadden resident advisers, sophomore business administration major Marie MousseauRioux, sophomore civil engineering major Nic Berger and sophomore mechanical engineering major Landry Redding receive a group hug from several residents on ‘Hug Your RA Day.’ Ben Williamson — THE BATTALION
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