I uesday. Februan
SCIENCE8TECHNOLOGY
sday, February 22, 2(XX)
THE BATTALION
Page 5
?stlemania 20(
System: N64
ienre: Wrestling
)eveloper: THQ
I smack a friend witha
nul one is likely tobesa
uckily, \ ideogamesare
tisfy gamers’cravingfo
zing mayhem. WWF's
’iini 2000 does particulr
cling this need,
me gi\es players and u|
.Is control of popular W . Mm j»r K <n sen
nd lets play ers poundec
her mercilessly. Each
. rcstler has an attitudeni^»s mos
which, when filled,allm
the wrestlertoperfomhi
special move. Theniel
gets tilled by slanrns
opponents araiK
by playing to the;
dience withtaimti
and dances. Tk
modes of gamed
including cage
matches and royal
rumbles.
This game feature
w hat may be the best
w restling game engines;
The controls respondri
and are amazingly simple
fora wrestling gameiia
day when too many
games in this genres;
by “up. up, right, down,A
sc moves.
game does not have a life
e winner is not deciMy
most blows,
it depends on houmdilfe
x's the wrestler, afc
on for a player to
I and vv/n t/te match.
caching for the stars
targazing
New York’s
lew planetarium
its assemblage of fossils, gems ami
weimens of animal and plant life, the
jmerkan Museum of Natural History has
Ided the cosmos. The new the $210 million
m Center for Karth and Space ambitiously
xliitcs the idea of whut a planetarium
lould be and gives earthbound visitors a
ill perspective on the universe they inhabit,
he Rose Center, opening Saturday, replaces
ic obsolete Hayden Planetarium, which was
uill in IV35. A cube of 736 panes of glass
oases the Hayden Sphere. Exhibits both in
nd around the sphere illuminate profound
stronomical concepts. Here are some
ighlights.
A view of the Milky
Way from the theater.
The Cosmic Pathway
he evolution of the
over 13 billion
iioars unfolds along this
sloping walkway, where an
nch represents 3.6 million
pears. Starting with the
the path marks
tie birth of the first sta rs
and the Milky Way.
Human history also has its
place, portrayed at the
end of the walkway as the
Ihickness of a human hair
□ The Big
Bang Theater
Standing on
glass flooring,
visitors peer
down into an
8-foot-deep
bowl to watch
a laser-driven
representation
of the chaotic
birth of the
universe.
I j The Carl
Zeiss Mark IX
Star Projector
This precise,
versatile projector
sphere displays
the night sky from
Earth, including
the Milky Way.
the constellations
and deep-sky
objects.
I 32 lenses, thousands of stars
The specially designed
“Universarium" is the world’s
most advanced star projector.
Arrays of fiber optic strands
attach to 32 lenses, through
which shine the twinkling light
of 9,100 stars. Amazingly, the
programmable device can show
the appearanc of the night sky
from any location, on any night
during the last 10,000 years and
through the next 10,000.
The Orion Nebula as seen in the Space Theater
a Space Theater and the Digital Dome
A narrated show worthy of Hollywood transports
visitors from this 429-seat theater to the edge of
the observable universe.
It takes a
supercomputer to
translate raw
astronomical data into
a graphic display. This
rendering is sent
through fiber optic
channels to seven
high-definition
projectors positioned in the Digital Dome. The
and result is a three-dimensional view of the
universe that has never been observed on Earth.
Q Hall of the Universe
Divided into four zones, the hall features
interactive exhibits that illuminate ttie processes
leading to the creation of stars, planets, galaxies
and the universe. The Willamette Meteorite, a
longtime piece in the museum s collection, has
found a new home here
Opened June t Hall of Planet Earth
With specimens from around the world, such as
2.7 billion-year-old sulfide chimneys, the hall puts
Earth's dynamic processes and geologic history
into perspective.
Sources: Amancan Musaum at Natural Hauxy, Polshok
Pattrmrshlp A/cO'tacta LLP: ‘Natural History: Call Zeiss
Scientists produce creative, interesting vegetables
POUND RIDGE, N.Y. (AP) —
Every now and then breeders create
vegetables with a novel spin that tick
les the palate and adds imaginative
vistas to our gardening of the future.
Right now, broccolini, a cross be
tween broccoli and a Chinese kale, is
having a run in the supermarket. A
few years ago, a maroon carrot made
its debut in Texas.
And biotechnology is doing plant
wonders, like a just-announced let
tuce with greatly enhanced Vitamin
C, thanks to a rat’s gene.
The Vitamin C lettuce, for exam
ple, needs much regulatory screening
before it can even be tasted.
Biotechnology allows breeders to
swap genes between unrelated
species, a huge step beyond conven
tional cross-breeding that limits hy
bridization to plants from the same
families. But opponents of geneti
cally engineered plants worry about
possible side effects.
Broccolini is not a genetically en
gineered plant, but a cross between
two members of the same family,
broccoli and kale. The resulting
plants resemble broccoli florets, but
with long stems like asparagus.
Three slightly maroon carrots ap
pearing unexpectedly in his experi
mental pots in 1989 prompted a
Texas horticulturist to enhance the
red color. Leonard Pike, director of
Texas A&M’s Vegetable Improve
ment Center, at first did it as an en
tertaining novelty because the
school’s colors are maroon and white.
In time he found the new carrot was
sweeter and boasted unusually high
content of nutritious beta carotene. It
went on to Texas produce shelves with
the name BetaSweet in 1998, but seeds
are not yet available for gardeners.
Genetically engineered, the Vita
min C lettuce is the creation of two
other Texas A&M scientists, Craig
Nessler and Ashok Jaim.
A tuber called oca, which looks
like an elongated sweet potato, has
already made it to New Zealand,
where it is sold as a “New Zealand
yam,” Flores said. It is high in Vita
mins A and C and in starch and
comes in many colors.
Another, a radish called maca,
grows at 14,000 feet, the highest al
titude crop in the world, Flores said.
Spicy like a radish, it dries naturally
and people can keep it for food a long
time. Some of these crops may be
grown at lower altitudes.
Ecologist warns of potential
nitrogen fertilizer hazards
BETHEL, Minn. (AP) — A University of
Minnesota ecologist is warning that the agri
cultural landscape could turn ugly within 50
years if farmers continue to depend heavily on
nitrogen fertilizer.
David Tilman has been studying the long
term effects of nitrogen fertilizer on plots he
and colleagues have tended north of the Twin
Cities near Bethel for nearly two decades.
On 207 plots, each about 16 yards square,
they have measured how plants handle varying
levels of nitrogen, a powerful fertilizer that is a
key factor in how plants fare.
Over time, a trend has emerged. As more ni
trogen is applied to plots, progressively fewer
species of plants
survive. The ones
that do are usually
less-desirable, non
native ones such as
quack grass, which
needs high doses of
nitrogen to thrive.
Now Tilman has
taken that level of
inquiry a step fur
ther. As part of a
broader effort in
volving other scien
tists, he has tried to
determine what the
world will look like
in 50 years assum-
ing farmers continue to adopt U.S. agricultural
methods that depend heavily on nitrogen for
high yields. That picture isn’t pretty, he said.
Oxygen-starved “dead zones,” such as the
one now in the Gulf of Mexico, will become
increasingly prevalent and many plants will
die off, while fewer — and less desirable ones
— will take over, he said. The result will be
less diverse and less healthy ecosystems for
plant and animal life.
To arrive at that conclusion, Tilman took
his own experiments on nitrogen and incor
porated them with the best available world
population, income and consumption patterns.
He already had found that as the amount of ni
trogen doubles, species diversity declines by
“Humans now dominate
the ecosystems of the
world . . . It's not clear
what the wisest path is,
but if we continue on
the current one, we’re
going to create a world
we really don't want."
— Davi Tilman
University of Minnesota ecologist
25 percent. And as nitrogen levels continue to
increase, species are lost at a greater, though
less dramatic, rate, leveling off at declines of
40 percent to 70 percent.
“The bad news is that low rates of nitrogen are
having more impact than expected,” Tilman said.
To get world food production to double over
the past 35 years, farmers have had to use sev
en times as much nitrogen as they used to, ef
fectively doubling the amount that already
comes in from the atmosphere, he said.
“Our estimate is that by 2050, the use of ni
trogen will quadruple,” he said.
By.then, the world population is projected to
increase by almost 50 percent, Tilman said. It
also will become in
creasingly affluent,
resulting in buying
power 2.4 times that
of today’s population
and producing a de
mand for twice as
much food, he said.
Unless agricultur
al methods are
changed or technical
adaptations are
made, he said, that
will amount to three
to four times more
need for nitrogen.
But society is not
without options,
Tilman said. For
starters, he recommends more efficient ways to
use nitrogen, such as timing applications of fer
tilizer better and doing a better job of removing
it from sewage.
Tilman emphasized he isn’t trying to rattle
cages or offer gloom-and-doom scenarios. In
stead, he said he and his colleagues are part of
a growing body of scientists that are raising
issues that often have not been addressed.
“Humans now dominate the ecosystems of
the world, yet we don’t understand the impli
cations,” Tilman said.
“It’s not clear what the wisest path is,”
he said. “But if we continue on the current
one, we’re going to create a world we really
don’t want.”
area in which this gam)
ts “create a wrestler" of
y costumes your wrestlfl
costumes already worr
;rs in the game w
:olor. However, the gam
this with the extremed(-
:) for choosing which
mts your character has
is fun for everybody
to be a wrestling fan to
but after playing thepb'
ecome one. (Grade: A)
Wear a pad - it can
feel like a diaper.
Wear PlayteY Gentle Glicte-
all you feel is comfortable.
Its true. With pads, even the thinnest ones,
you always know they're there. And that can
make you feel like you're wearing a diaper.
Try Playtex Gentle Glide tampons. They offer
you a'more comfortable way to deal with your
period. Playtex Gentle Glide tampons have a
unique design that adjusts to comfort fit. So
they're more than invisible - they're completely
comfortable!
C>
So comfortable you can't even feel them:
®1999 Playtex Products, Inc Playtex is a licensed tradernarX www.playtextampons.com
Spring Break!
You’ve been lugging books and stress around all semester. Now’s the time to lighten the load and take a
break...Spring Break, that is! Spring Break is definitely a great stress-buster and the best party ever!
More friends, fun (hopefully, sun) and guys than you can imagine! To help get ready for the college
experience of a lifetime, here are some helpful tips (from someone with personal experience) that will
get you off to Spring Break 2000 and out on the beach as fast and fabulously as possible!
Cardinal Rule #1: At all costs, do NOT over pack! Have you ever lugged a heavy bag with a sunburn?
0"
What You MUST Bring:
Sunglasses, cool hat and lots of suntan lotion!
(Banana Boat* sunblock is my personal
favorite because it comes in a variety of SPFs
and smells great.) Remember, a burn on the
beach means no more fun in the sun.
2 bathing suits to add some pizazz and to
always have one that’s dry.
to 3 pair of shoes - Definitely bring cool
sandals for cruising the beach and a comfy set
of walking shoes so you can hit the board
walk...
1^;^ Sundresses are a grpat space saver and look
awesome on the beach during the day or out
on the town at night. The perfect excuse to
show off a tan!
sr A stash of tampons - Just in case! (As a tip,
try Playtex® Tampons. -They’re perfect for
packing and really are so comfortable you can’t
even feel them.)
The basics: travel-size soap, shampoo, lotion,
toothpaste and razor - Pack in plastic to avoid
gross surprises at the other end when you
unpack. (Throw a couple of Wet Ones* 1
Singles moist towelettes in for you and your
friends. You’ll find a million uses for them - at
the beach, after lunch and to wipe that suntan
lotion off of your hands.)
On to the good stuff... a Camera to record
the memories and something to play your
favorite tunes on the beach. - Remember to
buy extra film and batteries BEFORE you
leave...
Of course it won’t rain, but bring a deck of
cards - just in case.
0" One credit card (and only one) for emergen
cies. (What if the cash machine doesn't
work?)
Don’t torture yourself - leave it at home:
Xl Your heavy-duty hair dryer - Check with
friends and vote for one person (whoever has
the smallest) to lug it.
X Laptop, or any other expensive electronic
equipment. Sand, sun and sea air will wreak
havoc, and tempt theives. Why risk it?
X Your entire CD collection. Grab a few of
your favorites and hope you like your friends’
choice in music loo.
Too much make-up. It will melt in all that
sun - and anyway, the natural look is in.
X Text books! Intentions are always good, but
a good paperback is much more practical to
pack and won’t scare anybody on the beach.
X Last but not least. Leave your boyfriend,
your ex, or your current love interest behind.
There’s plenty of fun to find on the beach.
Keep your options open!
SPRING BREAK 2000, HERE YOU COME! ENJOY!
So comfortable
you can’t even feel them!